The Purpose of Prayer | Healing Springs Church, Basingstoke

Luke 11:1-4
Luke 11:5-8
Like 11:9-13

What is prayer?

Prayer is communication with God!
Prayer includes praising, repenting, rededicating, committing, asking, interceding, thanking, Luke 11:1-4, Philippians 4:6-7

Why do I need to ask God for anything since He already knows my needs?

God’s love necessitates that you have free will!
Your free will includes your ability to ‘invite and permit’ God to intervene in your situations
Asking is an expression of your humility and faith, Hebrews 11:6
Asking is an expression of your dependence on God, Isaiah 40:31
God already does so many things for you automatically as an expression of His love (goodness and mercy); Matthew 5:45, James 1:17
If God did everything for you without your ‘asking, seeking and knocking’, you would take God for granted and thereby live a life that dishonours Him, Luke 11:9-13, Matthew 7:7-10

What is the purpose of prayer?

Prayer is the mechanism by which we invite God into our situations and permit Him to intervene on our behalf
The pursuit of self to the exclusion of God is the origin of evil
Evil is packaged within selfishness; every time you exclude God (Word and Spirit) from the center of your desires and choices, evil is brewing in the cup.
Prayer helps us to keep God at the center of our desires!
Prayer helps us to ‘agree with and submit to’ God’s will
Note that God’s will is good, acceptable and perfect, Romans 12:2, James 1:17
God’s Word (Logos and Rhema) is God’s will.
Why didn’t Eve ask Adam before chatting and drifting off with the Serpent?, Genesis 3:1-5
Why didn’t Eve ask Adam before eating the fruit of knowing good and evil?, Genesis 3:6
The fall of Eve was due to arrogance and and not putting God at the center!
Why didn’t Adam intervene when Eve was drifting away from the truth?, Genesis 3:1-5
Why didn’t Adam pray after Eve had drifted from the truth?, Genesis 3:6
Why did Adam try to resolve things in his own wisdom, thereby creating a bigger mess?
The Bible says that Eve was deceived but Adam was not deceived!, 1 Timothy 2:14
The only reason why Adam sinned was that he preferred to please his wife rather than doing the will of God. He chose his selfish interests (Eve) above God!
The fall of Adam was due to selfishness and not putting God at the center!

2021: A Year of Sanctification