THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER
John 16:23-24
INTRODUCTION
The Bible tells us that we ought to pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Tonight, let's look at this ceaseless prayer. I want to focus on John 16:23-24
John 16:23-24
I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Prayer is important. Jesus took time to pray throughout His
Ministry on earth. He began His ministry in prayer.
Luke 3:21-22
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
NIV
Matthew 14:13
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Matthew 14:23
After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
Luke 6:12-13
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
The disciples observed Jesus' devotion to prayer and wanted to know how to pray
Luke 11:1-4
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:
"'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.'"
(The translators of the 1611 King James Bible assumed that a Greek manuscript they possessed was ancient and therefore adopted the phrase "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever" into the Lord's Prayer of Matthew's Gospel.)
JESUS AUTHORIZES YOUR PRAYER
Jesus gave his disciples a new doctrine for prayer.
Before Jesus, the prayers of the Israelites were through
The High priest according to the Law. The High Priest beginning with
Aaron, Moses' brother, interceded for the people before God.
1500 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST
John 16:24
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
It was a change in the intercessor of the people. Jesus established
Himself, as the intercessor for all mankind.
Before Jesus salvation was under the tutor, the Law. Atonement for sin
Was made through the sacrifice of animals by the High Priest.
Salvation was held until Jesus, the promised seed came.
(Genesis 3:15)
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 3:24-25
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
John 16:24
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
The significance of Jesus's Name is it comes with a covering of your sins
With His blood. Jesus offers your prayers to the Father.
Romans 8:26-27, 34
Jesus' name comes with authority and power. John 13:3
Prayer is in partnership with Jesus
Prayer in Jesus' name comes with a promise of effectiveness.
Ask and receive.
Prayer has a personal objective.
Your petition is personal
God gives you a higher objective; that your joy is complete.
What is complete Joy?
Romans 15:13-14
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Complete joy does not exist without God.
Notice, God has to fill you with complete Joy.
Let me suggest that complete joy includes the following;
Complete satisfaction
Complete peace
Complete confidence
Complete love
Complete forgiveness
Complete tolerance
Complete trust
You can have complete joy one moment and lose it the next moment.
If you want complete joy, you have to seek God for it. Your circumstances can cause you to focus on the world and change your mindset.
When you get off your knees in prayer God wants you to have COMPLETE JOY
Prayer has a divine objective.
You ask in connection with Jesus.
Your connection with Jesus was established when you excepted Jesus
As your personal savior.
We are owned by Jesus, so we ought to attend to His interest.
1 Corinthians 7:22-23
For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought at a price.
Your prayers should be offered “ in Jesus' name”.
No Prayer is worth its breath if it leaves out the Lordship of Jesus.
We must pray with Jesus in our minds and in every element of
Our prayer. If Jesus is not in our minds, the prayer can become
Totally selfish.
What would Jesus ask the Father? What has He done in Scripture?
What is your testimony?
Our prayers should be in harmony with His will. Matthew 6:10
Prayer is addressed to the Father
We pray in Jesus' name but it is addressed to the Father.
Jesus is our mediator. He intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father
God the creator answers our prayers.
Prayer is limitless in scope
The text says to ask anything.
Anything includes the desires of your heart.
Anything you can conceive of that gives God’s glory.
Philippians 4:13
Effective prayer requires abiding in Jesus
John 15:7-8
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Prayer ought to be in the will of the Father. What would Jesus ask?
Prayer has the objective of glorifying the Father.
We glorify God by bearing much fruit. This brings joy
We glorify God with obedience, service, and devotion.
Our objective is to lift up Jesus.
Prayers ought to be LOVE
John 14:15-17
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.
Obedience is the Evidence of Love
Love recognizes the need for a COUNSELOR
Love is truth forever
The counselor is with you continuously.
Prayers ought to be according to the Word of God because Jesus
Spoke the words from the Father.
John 14:9-10
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own.
God presents us with signs and miracles every moment of
Our lives.
Look up in the sky. How does the Sun stay in its place and the planets stay in their orbits as they orbit around it, It is
The power and authority of God.
Look at yourself. Miracles are happening as we speak to keep you healthy. You breathe in contaminated air and
Your lungs separate oxygen to send to the bloodstream.
What you eat is processed in the body and turns into
Vital nutrients that enter into the living cells of your body
These are things you don’t ask for and God does continuously without fail.
How much more will He do when you ask in
Obedience?
SUMMARY
JESUS AUTHORIZES YOUR PRAYER
PRAYER IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH JESUS
EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS IN JESUS NAME
PRAYERS IN THE NAME OF JESUS WILL BE
ANSWERED
JESUS WANTS YOU TO HAVE COMPLETE JOY
CLASS QUESTIONS
WILL THE LORD ANSWER YOUR PRAYER
IF YOU DON’T MENTION JESUS?
WHY OR WHY NOT
CAN YOU INTERCEDE FOR SOMEONE IN PRAYER?
IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF, SHOULD YOU ASK JESUS FOR IT?
Rev. M. Mitchell
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