Praying the Word of God - Pastor Kenneth Woolf

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New Life COTR Sunday April 29, 2007
PRAYING THE WORD OF GOD

INTRODUCTION: Are you ready for the Word of God, yes or no? The Word of God!
YOU’RE BIBLE! DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THE BIBLE?
2Timothy 3:16(NIV)- “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Your Bible is inspired by God. Your Bible is the heart and mind of God. YOUR BIBLE IS WHAT GOD THINKS!
OUR BIBLE IS POWERFUL! I LOVE THE WORD OF GOD!
Jeremiah 15:16- “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.”
Psalm 119:103- “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
The Word of God is our Spiritual Food!
Matthew 4:3,4- “The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
WE LIVE OFF THE WORD OF GOD!
Joshua 1:7-9- “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it, to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything that is written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
Meditate- to utter a sound, moan, meditate, to mutter, the act of thoughtful deliberation with the implication to speaking to oneself.
Psalms 1:1-3- “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
John 1:1-5, 14(AMP)- In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
Verse 14: And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed his tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we (actually) saw his glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten Son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”
Colossians 3:16- “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts toward God.”
Dwell- To live within, to be alive (let the Word of Christ be alive within you)
Richly- generously, abundantly
Let the Word of Christ be alive within you abundantly!
TRANSITION: This week we celebrate the National Day of Prayer! We’ll be having a PRAYER SERVICE on our church property Thursday at 6:30pm.

THE THEME IS AMERICA UNITE IN PRAYER
NEW LIFE COTR UNITE IN PRAYER (Show Video)

The Key to Effective Prayer is the Word of God!
John 15:7- “If you remain in me and my Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”
The Word of God and Prayer work together in a powerful, life-changing, fruit-bearing way!
PRAYING THE WORD OF GOD YEILDS RESULTS!
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
TRANSITION: What are the possibilities when you WORK THE WORD OF GOD IN PRAYER?

I. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO GUIDE OUR PRAYERS
1John 5:14,15- “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask –we know that we have whatever we asked of him.”
Perhaps it is the Abiding of the Word of God in us that directs our prayers. And when we pray the will of God the answer comes.
PRAYING THE WORD OF GUIDE GUIDES OUR PRAYERS WHICH LEADS TO ANSWERED PRAYER.

II. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO BUILD OUR FAITH
Romans 10:17- “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.”
Mark 11:24- “All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.”
So if faith is essential for prayer and the word abiding in us sustains faith, then PRAYING THE WORD LEADS TO ANSWERED PRAYER!
PRAYING THE WORD HELPS BUILD OUR FAITH WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ANSWERED PRAYER!

III. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO TRANSFORM US MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY SO WE WALK IN LOVE
This is the place God answers prayer, rather than in the path of selfishness where he doesn’t.
Psalm 66:18,19- “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”
James 4:3- “When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Wrong motives, intentionally cherishing or walking in sin cuts off answered prayer.
BUT WHEN THE WORD ABIDES IN YOU
John 8:32- “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
John 17:17- “Sanctify them in the truth, your Word is truth.”
PRAYING THE WORD HELP TRANSFORM AND SANCTIFY ME WHICH LEADS TO HOLINESS AND LOVE AND THEN TO ANSWERED PRAYER.

IF YOU WILL PRAY THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS THE OVERFLOW OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S WORD ABIDING IN US!
CONCLUSION: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.”
1Chronicles 29:10-20- PRAY THESE SCRIPTURES!