Prayers

Prayers
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A Divine Working
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Romans 8:15
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When you are praying, it is not you who is praying but the spirit of Christ working in you ,interceding for you causing you to cry out Abba Lord help me!

Oh Lord! May you finish the work you start in me!

Philippians 1:6
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Who can have the mind of Christ?

1 Corinthians 2:16
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

For who can have the mind Christ unless Christ reveal Himself to them so that they can come to Him in prayer.

Who can come to you O Lord unless You open the Heaven gate?
How can our thought reaches you Oh Lord unless you reveals Yourself to us?
For your thoughts are not my thoughts and your ways are not my ways. You Oh Lord is a mysterious God!

Job 11:7-8
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 “Can you solve the mysteries of God?
Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
8 Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—
and who are you?
It is deeper than the underworld[a]—
what do you know?

Isaiah 55:8
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 45:15
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 Truly, You are a God who hides Himself,
O God of Israel, Savior!

Only the elected are able to come to God in prayer.
Prayer is a special privilege given by God.

God made Himself known to them. They did not figure out themself beacause it is impossible.

Ezekiel 20:5
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
5 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when I chose Israel and [a]swore to the [b]descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I [c]swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God,

Jeremiah 24:7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

Ezekiel 11:19
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within [a]them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

Matthew 13:10-11
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 [a]Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

Prayerlessness is faithlessness
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It is an unbelief that God Loves you.

Rather trusting in the flesh than the providence of God.

People who don't pray subtlety denies the sovereignty of God.

You don't ask because you don't believe God is able.

Nothing grieves the Lord more than His very own loses faith in Him.


How the Spirit Enables Us to Pray

by Thomas Boston

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It is by the help of the Holy Spirit that we are able to pray, Gal 4:6, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Rom 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

There Are Two Sorts of Prayers.

Firstly, A prayer wrought out by virtue of a gift of knowledge and utterance. This is bestowed on many reprobates, and that gift may be useful to others, and to the church. But as it is merely of that sort, it is not accepted, nor does Christ put it in before the Father for acceptance.

For, secondly, There is a prayer wrought in men by virtue of the Holy Spirit, Zech. 12:10, "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication," and that is the only acceptable prayer to God. James 5:16, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." The word "effective" is from the Greek word "inwrought." Right praying is praying in the Spirit. It is a gale blowing from heaven, the breathing of the Spirit in the saints, that carries them out in the prayer, and which comes the length of the throne.

Spirit Helps Us to Pray Two Ways

1. As a teaching and instructing Spirit, furnishing proper matter of prayer, causing us to know what we pray for, Rom. 8:26, enlightening the mind in the knowledge of our needs, and those of others. The Spirit brings into our remembrance these things, suggesting them to us according to the word, together with the promises of God, on which prayer is grounded, John 14:26,"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." Hence it is that the saints are sometimes carried out in prayer for things which they had no view of before, and carried by some things they had.

2. As a quickening, exciting Spirit, Rom. 8:26.; the Spirit qualifying the soul with praying graces and affections, working in the praying person sense of needs, faith, fervency, humility, etc. Psa 10:17, "Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,"
The man may go to his knees in a very unprepared attitude for prayer, yet the Spirit blows, he is helped. It is for this reason the Spirit is said to make intercession for us, namely, in so far as he teaches and quickens, puts us in a praying frame of mind, and draws out our petitions, as it were, which the Mediator presents.

Special Giftedness in Prayer?

This praying with the help of the Spirit is particular to the saints, Jam. 5:16.; yet they do not have that help at all times, nor always in the same measure; for sometimes the Spirit, being provoked, departs, and they are left in a withered condition. So there is great need to look for a breathing, and pant for it, when we are to go to duty: for if there be not a gale, we will tug at the oars but heartlessly.

Let no man think that a readiness and flowing of expression in prayer, is always the effect of the Spirit's assistance. For that may be the product of a gift, and of the common operations of the Spirit, removing the impediment of the exercise of it. And it is evident one may be scarce of words, and have groans instead of them, while the Spirit helps him to pray, Rom. 8:26. Neither is every flood of emotions in prayer, the effect of the Spirit of prayer. There are of those which puff up a man, but make him never a whit more holy, tender in his walk, etc. But the influences of the Spirit never miss to be humbling but sanctifying. Hence, says David, "But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You," 1 Chr 29:14; and, says the apostle, "We have no confidence in the flesh," Phil. 3:3.

http://www.puritansermons.com/boston/bost5.htm