3/16/2014
Personal Spiritual Discipline
Pt 2
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
This Life is a Battle Against Evil
Matthew 17:14-21 …a man approached Jesus and knelt before Him. “Lord, have mercy on my son he has seizures and is suffering greatly, he often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?
Prayer Requires Faith In God’s Power
Matthew 17:14-21 Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. The disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Mark 9:14-29
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him. “What are you arguing with them about?” He asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not. “Oh unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.
Power Requires Personal Spiritual Discipline
Mark 9:14-29 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. Afterwards His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by fasting & prayer.”
Prayer Can Command Result
Matthew 21:18-22 …as He was on His way back to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Prayer Requires Committed Faith
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Public Prayer Must be Done With Correct Motive
Matthew 6:5-8 When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Prayer is Personal & Private
When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, Who is unseen. Then your Father, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer Should be Simple
Matthew 6:5-8 When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Lord I believe in You, I ask that You would help my unbelief and cause me to believe in Your power and Your authority in my life and in this world. Strengthen me spiritually and deliver me from spiritual apathy and a lukewarm spirit,
Make my faith stronger, strong enough to move the mountains of unbelief and faithlessness all around me and in me. Thank You for forgiving my sins by Your shed blood on the cross. I praise and thank You for allowing me to see Who You are and for allowing me to be part of Your kingdom. Amen