PrayTimer Managing Time To Pray Chapters 13

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PrayTimerManaging Time To PrayChapters 1-3

• C. Thomas Wright, Ph. D
• www.namb.net/praytimer

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Chapter OneFollowing Christ in Biblical Prayer

• Katy and Brian.
• Satan hates prayer. He prefers that believers do
  anything except pray.
• Many desire to renew a personal passion for
  prayer
• Dont rely just on processes and models to
  program prayer, Zech 46

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Biblical Prayer

• Prayer is popular in the postmodern culture.
• People pray for five minutes or less a day, rest
  of time we rely on ourselves.
• George Barna indicates that 83 of North
  Americans pray during a typical week, only 39
  consider themselves born again Christians.

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• 9 out of 10 adults believe they know all of the
  basic teachings very wellEven if exposed to good
  Bible teaching they fail to absorb it because
  they think they know it all.
• Where then does a person begin to renew a
  personal passion to pray unceasingly?
• Prayer flows from our personal relationship with
  Jesus.

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Becoming a Follower of Jesus

• Believers need to share a clear call for people
  to follow Jesus
• The followers of Jesus Christ were first called
  Christians in the first century (Acts 1126).
• The followers of Jesus need to act like Him so
  much that there is no doubt they are Christians.

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First,The Creator God Wants a Relationship with
His Creation

• Creator and creation
• People are created with the need for a
  relationship with the Creator God.
• Peace only comes through Him, counterfeits bring
  no satisfaction
• The Creator God is worthy of our absolute trust
  in His love and justice.
• Broken relationship prayerlessness

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God seeking humankind

• The rest of the Bible is the story of God seeking
  humankind to restore the relationship between
  Creator and creation.
• Rom. 125, exchanged truth for a lie
• Humans are not ultimately satisfied with
  religious rituals and self-centered accumulation
  of wealth.
• We must meet God on His terms through His Son

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• Confronting the lies of the culture
• Satan has blinded people from the truth.
• All of creation points to a Creator.
• God is taking the initiative to bring His
  creation to relationship with Him.
• God sent His only Son, Jesus, to show humans how
  to know the Creator.
• Humans must admit to themselves and to God that
  He is Creator.

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Second, Humankinds Problem is Disobeying God and
Not Knowing What God Wants

• Sin is to disobey God (Rom. 323)
• Creation points people to the Creator God.
• The human problem is that our radical
  self-sufficiency wants to instruct the Creator.
• In spite of the cultural teaching, there is no
  degree of acceptable sin

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God is holy

• Since God is holy, any sin carries the
  consequence of being separated from God. Rom.
  623.
• The culture teaches people to believe they will
  not go to Hell.
• Hell is horrible
• Life separated from the purpose and teachings of
  the Creator is horrible.
• Life in Hell is not Gods choice.
• Every Christian has the moral imperative to warn
  people away from Hell.

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Being good is not enough

• Many people think that being good is enough to go
  to heaven, it is not.
• Allowing Jesus to replace good activities with
  internal moral change (holiness) is the only way
  to heaven.
• Human opinion has become the authority for many
  people. The Bible is the primary way to learn
  what God wants for and from His Creation.
• Humans must determine what authority they will
  follow. Gods authority must take precedence

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• Confess and repent (Acts 2620)
• People must admit to God that His way is better
  than our way.
• We need to admit (confess) that we have disobeyed
  Him.
• We need to know what are Gods requirements.
• Begin a life of obedience to the teachings of
  Jesus (I Sam. 1522)

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Third,God Provided the Solution to our Problem
through Jesus

• Jesus is the only way to God
• The Creator loves people so much that he sent His
  only Son to pay the penalty for our disobedience
  (John 316, 1 Peter 318, John 146).
• The individuals response is to accept Gods
  solution through Jesus.
• Consequences of choosing our way are severe
  because it is not what is best

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False religion

• False religion tries to convince humans that
  changing outward behavior and activities results
  in becoming a moral person on the inside (Matt.
  2315-19).
• Becoming a Christian is more than just changing
  behavior or believing in God (James 219).
• Relationships changes ritual prayer
• Confessing Jesus as Lord, Rom. 109-10
• Salvation

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Being sure about your salvation

• Satan will try to bring doubt and discouragement
  into the believers life.
• A person that has turned from their sin and
  accepted Jesus cannot lose their salvation. 1
  John 513, Rom 838
• Growing as a Healthy Christian
• Every living thing needs nourishment to survive
  and grow (Rom. 121).
• The service of worship includes immediately
  becoming part of a local church (Rom. 64).

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• Healthy Christians automatically begin to tell
  others about Christ.
• In Luke 1910 Jesus said that he came to Seek
  and to save that which is lost.
• Prov. 1130 He who wins souls is wise
• Make sure that most of your churchs growth is by
  conversion growth.

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Conclusion

• A vibrant prayer life flows from a
  relationship with the Creator God. His enemy,
  Satan seeks to confuse and distort the biblical
  facts about prayer.
• God has taken the initiative to communicate with
  His creation through prayer

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Chapter 2Praying from a Believers Heart

• Only believers have the relationship with God
  that provides Christ as their mediator. No
  mediator, no access.
• In a masterpiece of subversion Satan will
  convince unbelievers that their prayer has been
  answered.

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• Many people accurately recognize there is a
  universal spiritual need to communicate with the
  Creator.
• Prayer will not be answered separate from Gods
  requirements for prayer and the one praying.
• Misconceptions about prayer can be corrected by
  carefully studying the biblical instructions for
  prayer and for the person praying.

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The Role of Jesus in our Prayer

• By the blood
• Heb 1019 reveals we ... enter the holy place by
  the blood of Jesus.
• Eph 218, Through Him we have access in one
  Spirit to the Father.
• Made Righteous (Rom. 1010)
• Humans are made righteous only through Christ.
  Jesus is the only one who can cleanse people of
  unrighteousness (1 John 17)
• James 516 shows it is righteous prayer that is
  effective.

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Obedience

• The requirement for answered prayer is obedience
  to Gods commandments (1 John 322).
• The great prayer warrior R.A. Torrey wrote Gods
  promises to answer prayer are made to certain
  specific persons, and God is very careful in His
  word to tell us just who these persons are.

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Boldness

• Here is the source for bold, confident praying
  that is biblical 1 John 514.
• The believers prayer of petition must be
  according to Gods will even to be heard.
• Many people have become angry with God because
  they imposed on God expectations that were not
  biblical.

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The Holy Spirits Role in prayer

• The Holy Spirit plays a key roll in the prayer
  life of the believer (Rom 826-27)
• The prayer of unrepentant people is fruitless.
• Our human weakness is so great that prayer
  requires the Spirits help. Some prayers deserve
  a No answer.
• Spirit is our advocate in Divine courts.
• Not tongues but eager anticipation

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• Prayer is not informing omniscient God, it is
  recognizing that believers are bowing our will to
  Gods will.
• The intervention of the Holy Spirit brings the
  unbelievers prayer for salvation to God.
• Many of the answered prayers attributed to
  unbelievers are the result of intercession for
  them by believers.

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Works for the good of the believer,

• Rom. 828 is often misquoted to leave out called
  according to His purpose.
• Barnes-Refers to those accepted call as true
  Christians
• The human definition of good is much too secular
• Believers must come as Paul did in 2 Cor. 1210
  to be content with weaknesses, with insults,
  with distresses, with persecutions, with
  difficulties for Christs sake. What will we
  endure?

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Gods expectations for PrayerMatt. 66-13

• Not just an external activity
• Jesus warns believers that prayer must be more
  than mere external activity. There is a
  difference in popular prayer and biblical prayer.
• A spiritual discipline
• Matt. 66 emphasizes the important discipline of
  personal prayer.

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Beware of imitation prayer

• In verse 7 Jesus rejects the misguided devotion
  of meaningless repetition the word means
  babbling and results in imitation prayer.
• This prayer from a believers heart
• Focus prayer on the Father, vs 8
• Prayer is an act of worship to the Father, in the
  name of the Son through the power of the Holy
  Spirit.
• Technically can pray for any of the Trinity but
  the N.T. prays to the Father.

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Verse 9 Jesus Contrast false prayer with
Spirit-led prayer

• Not a formula for repetition but a model in form,
  content and spirit
• Our relationship with abba Father comes through
  our accepting the Lordship and sacrifice of
  Jesus.
• Humans prefer to live in godless self indulgence
  and then expect Him to respond to our petitions.
• Lenski- Only a true child can address Him as
  Father

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• Hallowed be they name-respected and treated as
  holy. Not profaned.
• Thy Kingdome Come-Preferring the reign and rule
  of Christ as citizens
• Thy Will be done- Praying for His will over our
  will. Never an attempt to bend the will of God to
  our desires.
• These are foreign concepts to the attempted
  prayer of an unbeliever

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Seek Gods influence, Matt 611-13

• Ask God to influence every part of our lives
• We must acknowledge that our prayer flows from a
  life transformed by dependence on the grace and
  love of the Creator.
• Prayer, like faith, without works is dead. Gods
  sovereignty and human responsibility prevents
  prayer from becoming an excuse for our laziness.

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Forgiven and Forgiveness

• And forgive us ... as we also have forgiven ...
  Forgiveness for our sin only comes from Christ.
  So is the ability to forgive. Intimate tone, not
  as strangers shouting.
• Delivered from temptation
• Lead us not into temptation. The word for
  temptation in verse 13 is not to seduce us to sin
  but to test the believers strength, loyalty and
  ability for service. James 112-18

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Powerful, effective prayer requires a
relationship with the Creator

• The Way
• -Jesus clearly tells humankind that access to God
  is only through the Son (John 141-12).
• -Prayer that does not go to the Father is
  powerless (I Kings 18 20-39).
• -False gods cannot answer prayer.
• -Elijah shows answered prayer is to be a witness
  to unbelievers.

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• Jesus prayed to be excused from pain of the cross
  but in Matt. 2642 He prayed Thy Will be done
  because the salvation of Humankind was the good
  to come out of the pain.
• Seeing believers not afraid of death was crucial
  in Sauls conversion (Acts 7-8)
• The work of the Holy Spirit is so crucial that
  those outside of Christ have no hope of effective
  prayer.

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Conclusion

• All of the artificial tolerance of the culture
  bristles at these biblical truths. Prayer is a
  gift to those who are in Christ. And even those
  who are in Christ must pray according to His will
  and teachings to have effective prayer. The Holy
  Spirit takes the prayer of repentance from the
  unbeliever to the throne.

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Chapter Three, Spiritual Warfare and the Biblical
Plan

• North America is now more pagan, Satans
  influence has grown along with the need for
  biblical spiritual warfare.
• Recent books, movies, and TV raised awareness
  along with inaccuracies.
• The biblical teachings on SW are more extensive
  than this brief overview. The last part of the
  chapter alerts believers to some decoys used by
  Satan.

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The focus of spiritual warfare

• The conversion of lost people to a relationship
  with Jesus Christ. In Matt 1017-20 Jesus
  emphasizes salvation over their spiritual
  authority.
• Acts presents many examples of SW but emphasis is
  conversion of the lost, Acts 2618
• 2 Cor. 43-4 Satan has blinded people
• Luke 1910, seek and save the lost

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• Identification and Protection from Satans plan.
• Gods enemy, Satan is also the enemy of all
  humankind, He is evil one, thief and murderer,
  John 1010
• Accepting responsibility for Biblical authority
  and activity.
• The Bible provides clear instruction about the
  believers biblical authority and activity in
  spiritual warfare.

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Satans plan

• Satans first tactic is to tell people that God
  and the spiritual world are not real or reject
  organized religion.
• A second Satanic tactic is to provide fake
  examples or incomplete definitions of salvation,
  revival, and prayer. This allows him to lure
  sincere people into cults and false, counterfeit
  teachings

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• Third, he has confused some believers so
  thoroughly that they will not participate in any
  kind of spiritual warfare.
• A very effective tactic is to provide decoys that
  drain energy, time and other resources from the
  legitimate battle. Christians must be careful to
  participate only in biblical SW.

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Discerning false teaching

• Studying the word of God will identify false
  teaching.
• Many naïve and trusting persons have been lead
  astray by unintentional and intentional false
  prophets.
• 1 John 41 says do not believe every spirit but
  test the spirits to see whether they are from
  God because many false prophets have gone out
  into the world.

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• The Bible is the definitive source for
  understanding and practicing prayer and spiritual
  warfare.
• People must be very careful that their theology
  and practice comes only from the Bible.

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Spiritual Warfare in the Bible

• Five biblical principles that are foundational to
  understanding and responding to warfare in the
  spiritual and physical realms. The principles
  overlap and are best understood when taken
  together.

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First, God is in control

• The first principle to understanding spiritual
  warfare is that God is in control.
• Satan is constantly trying to question Gods
  sovereignty (Gen. 3, Matt. 4)
• Job 16, Luke 2232, Satan must come to God for
  permission to sift believers. Do not let
  Satans accusations steal your joy.

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Second, Jesus is Gods Son and has Authority
over Satan and his Demons.

• 1 Cor 1523-28 teaches that Christ alone who will
  dethrone the powers and place all things in
  subjection under His feet. This is not our task.
• Col. 215, Jesus disarmed the rulers and
  authorities with the resurrection
• Satan is desperate to renew His dominion with
  false gods

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• Jesus Binds Satan.
• Matt. 12 22-29 shows what Jesus did and
  completed by binding the strong man.
• There is absolutely no evidence that the
  followers of Christ are to become involved in
  binding Satan and his demons.
• Matt. 1818, (whatever you bind on earth) The
  church is to carry out on earth the decisions
  already made in heaven.

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• Demons can be caste out and their activity
  limited.
• Demons can possess people and animals but there
  is no evidence of possessing inanimate objects.
• No evidence a Christian can be owned or directly
  controlled by a demon (influenced yes).
• Be careful not to blame Satan or God for our bad
  decisions/choices.

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• Mark 51-9 Demoniac, only place name asked for so
  not prescriptive. A lot of sincere people are
  wasting time researching the names of local
  demons to bind them.
• Mark 10 no demons cast out
• Jesus makes this very important point.
  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the
  spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your
  names are recorded in heaven.

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Third, Satan is the Enemy of God and Humankind

• Satan and his demons are fallen angels.
• In Luke 1018 Jesus describes watching Satan
  fall from heaven like lightning.
• 2 Peter 24 shows judgement of Satan
• They have power
• Satan tempts and influences people.
• Satan, his demons, and his followers are working
  against God and His people (Matt 41-11).

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• The followers of Satan can hinder Christians
  without Satans direct involvement.
• Christians can be influenced to work against the
  Kingdom too
• Satan has already been defeated.
• Rev. 201-10 describes Satans final and total
  defeat. Satan, his human followers and the
  angels that followed him, are consigned to the
  lake of fire for punishment

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Fourth, There is a Battle Between Good and Evil

• The battle between good and evil predates the
  creation of humankind (see Rev. 127-12).
• Satans purpose is to disobey God and lead others
  to do so too.
• The Bible warns believers that there is a
  personal and cultural war between good and evil.

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Gen. 31-8 shows Satans purpose is to disobey
God and lead others to do so.

• Life can only be understood by acknowledging that
  good and evil are at war with each other.
• The culture tries the impossible task of
  explaining evil in secular terms.
• Life can only be understood by acknowledging that
  good and evil are at war with each other.

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Fifth,the Difference Between Warfare in the
Heavenly Realm and the Physical Realm

• Angels are the key warriors in the heavenly
  realm.
• The current popularity of angels has led to many
  false perceptions about their work and nature.
• 2 Peter 24-11 Angels are not spiritual remains
  of humans.

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• Rev 127-12 graphically describes the fall of
  Satan. No human prayer cavalry turned the tide.
• Daniel 1013-20 shows another spiritual battle to
  which humans were not directly involved. Daniel
  does not discern, map, bind or pray against a
  territorial spirit.
• God and His angels are in warfare in the heavenly
  realm that is unseen and usually unknown by
  humankind.

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The believers involvement is limited to the
physical realm.

• Believers need to be confronting Satans
  influence on a personal and cultural level
• There are at least five key components to
  spiritual warfare in the physical
  realm.

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• 1. The primary component of physical realm SW is
  prayer.
• John 1715, Jesus prayed for followers to be kept
  from the evil one.
• 1 Tim. 21-8, intercessory prayer
• 2. Resist the devil and his influence.
• -James 47-8, submit, resist, draw near
• -Eph. 21-2, Satan fosters disobedience
• 3. Lift up Jesus.
• -John 1231-32, lift Him up more than ourselves
  or Satan

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• 4. Work Through the local Church
• -Matt. 1818, Eph. 310 show primary role of
  church in support, direction, accountability, and
  protection.
• 5. Overcoming strongholds with the
  power of the gospel.
• -2 Cor 104, the weapons of our warfare are
  defined in 1 Cor 117-25 as the power and wisdom
  of God
• -Strongholds in vs. 5 are speculations and lofty
  things questioning Gods will

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The Decoy Tactics of Satan

• Decoys divert resources to unbiblical emphases
  and events. Need to reassign these resources to
  the legitimate battle
• Spiritual Warfare Movement (SWM)
• The most popular decoy is SWM
• Stories told are convincing, exciting, and
  frightening but based on personal opinion and
  experiences, not the Bible
• appeals to pragmatists

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• endorses Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare
  (SLSW).
• In the Movements limited appeals to scripture
  the connection between the references they cite
  and the doctrine for which they seek biblical
  support is often oblique and but superficially
  suggestive.
• Wagner admits to limited scriptural support for
  his beliefs

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Animism

• Understanding the characteristics of animism
  shows how clearly it has infiltrated SWM. Kraft
  denies it.
• Characteristic of animists is that they assign a
  spirit to inanimate objects like stones,
  buildings and bridges where bad events have
  occurred.
• The real focus of the Bible is the story of
  humans and their response to God.
• SWM works outside biblical teaching

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• Spiritual mapping
• Another popular invention of SLSW is spiritual
  mapping.
• Wagner sees spiritual mapping as researching,
  discovering and naming the ruling angel.
• In Acts Pauls Journeys indicate no mapping or
  warfare prayer.
• What better decoy than to think we are doing
  evangelism when we are not?

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Conclusion

• Understanding and practicing biblical spiritual
  warfare is important in the post-modern culture.
  Not everyone involved in Spiritual Warfare
  Movement is familiar with all of its teachings
  and theological error.