Beacon-Ministries

 

Prayer

Part 2 The Purpose of Prayer

 

 

 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In August 2005, Newsweek and Beliefnet asked 1,004 Americans what
 they believe and how they practice their faith
 
2. One of the questions was this: What do you think is the most
 important purpose of prayer?
 
3. Here are their responses...
 a. To seek God's guidance (27%)
 b. To thank God (23%)
 c. To be close to God or the divine (19%)
 d. To help others (13%)
 e. To improve a person's life (9%)
 f. Other (4%)
 g. Don't know (5%)
 
[What is the purpose of prayer? As the answers above suggest, there are many reasons to pray. 
 
I. ADORATION
 
 A. EXPRESSING ADORATION...
 1. God is certainly worthy of our praise, our adoration
 2. While we can praise God in song, we can also praise God in prayer
 
 B. EXAMPLES OF ADORATION IN PRAYER...
 1. When Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he took time to praise God
 - Ephesians 3:14-21
 2. David provides an example of offering adoration and praise
 - 1 Chronicles 29:10-13
 
[Expressing adoration was not one of the responses in the aforementioned survey, but it is certainly an important purpose of prayer. 
 
II. THANKSGIVING
 
 A. OFFERING THANKSGIVING...
 1. Being thankful is emphasized repeatedly in exhortations to pray
 - Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonioans 5:17-18
 2. The antidote to anxiety is to pray for everything, with
 thanksgiving - Ph 4:6
 
 B. EXAMPLES OF OFFERING THANKSGIVING...
 1. Christ set an example of thanksgiving - Matthew 11:25; 26:27; John
 6:11; 11:41
 2. Daniel had the custom to thank God three times a day - Dan 6:10
 
[We cannot discount the importance of thanksgiving in our prayers. Especially if we expect God to answer us as we make requests for future concerns. 
 
IV. SUPPLICATION
 
A.    MAKING SUPPLICATION...
 Supplication defined:

deè„sis

Thayer Definition:

1) need, indigence, want, privation, penury

2) a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man

Part of Speech: noun feminine

 
 1. We are encouraged to let our requests be known to God - Philippians 4:6
 2. We are commanded to make supplications for all men - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
 
 B. EXAMPLES OF MAKING SUPPLICATION...
 1. "Real widows" are known for their supplications night and day
 - 1 Timothy 5:5
 2. Solomon made supplication at dedication of the temple - 1 Kings 8:28-29
 3. Jesus made supplication as He was crucified; Stephen also, as he was being stoned - Luke 23:34; Act 7:59-60