The Mystery of Prayer - Rev. Andra D. Sparks

"The Mystery of Prayer"...9/6/20 PRAYER MONTH 2020 Sermon Series: “Powerful Prayers for People With Problems” Speaker: Pastor Sparks Text: Matthew 18:18-20 -Do you pray when you don’t have a problem? Or are you only an emergency prayer? -Prayer has changed things AND people! -Prayer has kept a child from doing something dangerous; prayer has saved marriages; prayer has made a supervisor change her mind from firing you to giving you another chance; prayer has saved folks from the brink of death -Prayer is a mystery; how does God navigate conflicting prayer requests??? If one is praying for “sun” and another is praying for “rain”, whose request does God honor? -What does “binding & loosing” mean? Jesus is saying ordinary people can exercise extraordinary power based on our relationship w/ God. -We believe, erroneously, that earth is “down here” & heaven is “up there” -God only does what fits His purposes; so binding & loosing is not some overwhelming power we have to declare something and it is so, but rather our ability to tap into His power when we ask according to His will! -The same way you believe you can go to a light switch, flip it, and a room gets filled with light, is the same way we SHOULD believe in the presence, power, & ability of our God! -If we bind sickness on this side, and God’s will is for healing to take place on this side, then heaven hears us and binds that sickness -Intercessory Prayer is helping another person by praying for them. -Prayer is multiplied exponentially by unity! Coming together with other believers in prayer results in a unique harmony that blesses heaven! -The real power of prayer is the presence of Jesus praying with you; heaven doesn’t hear my prayer bc I’m so dynamic or so spiritual, but because Jesus is in the midst of my prayer! -Our prayers ARE because Jesus IS! -Prayer is: God the Son praying to God the Father in the power of God the Spirit, in the prayer room of your heart! Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks