The Priority of Prayer – Dr. Charles Stanley

Kelvin do you pray what do you pray

about do you have confidence that when

you pray and talk to God he’s gonna

answer your prayer what is it that

motivates you to pray above everything

else probably not good times but fear

pain suffering heartache and then let me

ask you a question

what do you think hinders you the most

from praying you want to pray and you

start to pray and then you say well

God’s not gonna answer that

I’ve prayed so many times he answered my

prayer

so sometimes we just doubt his word but

you know one of the greatest reasons

people did not pray it’s real simple

it’s called SI n sin and when you have

sin in your life ongoing is sin in your

life you’re not very prone to want to

get into the presence of a holy God and

talk to him about your life unless you

are willing and ready to lay it down and

get right with God because when we pray

we are talking to a holy God and talking

to a holy God in the presence of God and

sin those two things just don’t fit and

prayer is the most important thing we do

talking to God the sovereign God of the

universe who has all power and all

knowledge who knows what you think and

what you feel and what you’re going to

ask before you ask it but to come to him

having avoided the Lord Jesus Christ if

you’ve never trusted him as your Savior

you can forget the pray

until you trust them as your savior you

may have some kind of God in your life

but apart from him you will never reach

the one true eternal God he will hear

you if you’re willing to ask him to

forgive you of your sins and trust him

as your personal Savior then he’s wide

open to heal you

prayer is the most important event in

our life and one of the shortest verses

in the Bible is the very clever found in

1st Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 17 and

if you’ll turn there for a moment and

I’d like for just the read a few of

these verses here just to sort of get us

ready for this and the Apostle Paul is

writing to the Thessalonians and

Christians and let me remind you this

the days in which he writes his epistles

were in the days of Rome we think things

are bad here in our country now this is

nothing compared to the kind of life

they had to live in the kind of

domination and power and threats and

ruin and heartache and atrocities and

all the things that they had to face

listen to what Paul says beginning in

the 16th verse of 1st Thessalonians

chapter 5 he says rejoice always now if

we had to stop right there I think no

way but then he says pray without

ceasing what does that mean I’m coming

to it then he says in verse 18 in

everything give thanks for this is God’s

will for you in Christ Jesus let me

clarify something he said in everything

in the midst of it in the circumstances

in this situation I don’t have to I

don’t have to give thanks for everything

that comes my way hurt and pain and

suffering but in the midst of it I am to

give him thanks in it in everything give

thanks for this is God’s will for you in

Christ Jesus do not quench the spirit

by sin do not despise prophetic

utterances when you hear the truth

examine everything carefully hold fast

that which is good abstain from every

form of evil now may the God of peace

himself sanctify you that is said you

apart afresh and anew in the Holy life

if sanctify you entirely and may your

spirit and your soul and your body be

preserved complete without blame at the

coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who

called you

what an awesome text and scripture but

what I want you to notice he says pray

without ceasing what in the world does

he mean by that so the title of this

message is the priority of prayer now a

priority means it has a position of some

importance that is all of us have

priorities in our life a person who

doesn’t won’t amount to much in life we

have priorities and the priority of our

life should be prayer for this peices

praying without ceasing I’ll explain

that in just a moment but here’s what he

says it’s it’s not something that you

add on to your daily life that you got

24 hours in a day and I’m going to spend

five minutes talking to God it’s

something more important than that it’s

talking to the Heavenly Father and so

when we think about the priority of

Prayer

the very word priority means it has a

position of importance it’s not a place

of indifference in our life and it

speaks some frequency so what does it

mean to pray without ceasing does that

mean that you just go around mumbling

all the time Jesus help me Jesus help me

Jesus God bless this God bless that give

me this and give me that no it doesn’t

mean that’s all it means a continuous

reoccurring of something that’s

something that happens continuously but

continuously reoccurring for example you

wake up in the morning and you ask the

Lord to give you direction for your life

and to help you strengthen you to give

you wisdom

and you go about your family cooking

breakfast or whatever it might be and

you’re getting your kids ready for

school lord I pray that you’ll protect

them today you get in your automobile

and thank you for giving you a safe tip

to your job and on your way and you

think about somebody you’re working with

that you having a problem with you talk

about so it’s reassuring but it’s

continuously reoccurring and you think

about this think about in any given day

how many times you and I need to ask him

to give us direction and help us to

strengthen us to give us guidance to

provide something we need that’s what

Paul means when he says pray without

ceasing it’s a way of life it’s a part

of our daily life we go to bed at night

praying we wake up praying we are

praying all during the day about

different things that concern us so I

ask you in the very beginning what do

you pray about is prayer in your life

something you sort of tack on at

different times when things get a little

rough in other words do you ever think

about praying when everything is going

your way and then when sorrow hits

sickness hits you lose your job you have

a financial problem and all of a sudden

going about our busy busy busy day all

of a sudden God has our attention the

truth is he means to have our attention

all the time reoccurring listen to this

reoccurring awareness of his presence

and his power in our life daily

throughout the day and throughout the

waking hours of our life and when we

wake up in the middle of the night we

ought to think about him Lord is there

something you want to say to me do you

want to get me ready for something

tomorrow that I’m not aware of really

let’s think about this

what an awesome blessing and opportunity

to be in a relationship with Almighty

God the sovereign of the universe who’s

interested in everything about you

your name has been written in the Lamb’s

Book of Life if you’ve just trusted

Jesus as your Savior

he’s interested in every single thing

you listen you can’t say anything that

he doesn’t know about you can’t do

anything he doesn’t know about you can’t

facing a difficulty hardship and inform

him and anyway about something he

doesn’t know about you have this awesome

a God who loves you enough to give His

only begotten Son Jesus on the cross you

have this awesome God who loves you

enough to be interested in every facet

of your life and if you are willing to

listen to him and to follow him you’ll

have life at its best

even in the difficult trying times of

life so ask your question with that kind

of a God and facing what you face in

life how often do you pray what do you

pray about do you have confidence that

when you pray that God is going to hear

an answer your prayer where does prayer

fit in your daily life he says we are to

pray without ceasing now to do that I

need a relationship with him and that

comes through the Lord Jesus Christ you

can talk to him listen to him and God is

willing to speak and ready to speak God

is not in heaven trying to be secretive

about things he wants to talk to you

about your life listen he created you

not to harm you but to make it possible

for you to live life at its very best

but in order for that to happen I’ve got

to be willing to listen to him and so

when I look at this scripture it’s very

impossible to rejoice always unless I

have continuous contact with the father

so look if you will for a moment to Luke

chapter 18 and let me just remind you of

a passage of Scripture in this

eighteenth chapter of Luke beginning in

the first few verses Jesus gives this

parable to remind us how God does listen

to us and provide our needs and so he

says he was telling them this to show

them that at all times they ought to

pray

and not to lose heart Dupree and not to

lose heart so he says they were in this

certain city there was a judge who did

not fear God and did not respect man

there was a will in that city and she

kept coming to him saying give me legal

protection for my opponent for while he

was unwilling but afterwards he said to

himself even though I don’t fear God no

respect man yet because this Widow

bothers me I will give her legal

protection otherwise by continuing to

come in

she’s wearing me out and so the Lord

said hear what the unrighteous judge

said there will not God bring about

justice for all his elect who cry out to

him and what do you simply saying is

this we don’t have to Bey complete God

to listen to us he is hearing us if

you’re a child of God the ears of

Almighty God are open to every single

one of his children you say how could

that possibly be because he’s God and

because he’s given us a message of hope

about all of these things so I think one

of the reasons people don’t pray is

because watch this carefully they don’t

feel worthy they don’t feel like God’s

listening they don’t feel like they know

how they don’t have the kind of

relationship that would make them think

that God would listen to them in a way

so their minds are full of doubt if you

doubt that God is listening more than

likely you’re dealing with some sin in

your life because you have proof I don’t

believe God will hear and that’s my

prayer because the truth is God does

hear and answer the prayers of his

children even when we are confused even

sometimes when we think well Lord I

don’t deserve it the truth is none of us

deserve His grace and love and mercy but

he’s listening and willing to hear and

answer our prayer so what I’d like to do

is this distinguish between true prayer

and false prayer because there is a

difference and God doesn’t answer false

prayers

and when I think about what that means

is simple this God does not answer the

prayer of people who have rejected his

son watch this because our access our

access to God to the throne of God

our access is through His Son Jesus

Christ and Jesus then that verb familiar

chapter in John 14 when he says no one

comes to the Father but by me he makes

it very clear and many people do not

realize why they feel so prayerless and

they’re living in sin and then when

something happens and how many times

have I heard this something happens and

they’re like they’re just doing their

own thing living in sin and then when

there’s an accident or some major trauma

in their life they want to cry out to

God if you’re in trouble God will hear

you but if you have rejected him and

continue to reject him and you want him

to bypass his principles his laws his

promises and do something for you over

here when you have rejected him and

rejected him and rejected him

that’s not the way it’s going to happen

because you’ve rejected the hand that

can provide exactly what you need and I

want to tell you something that’s an act

of pride you think that you can get what

you need and you can manage life and you

can control things and you brag about

this and brag about that you’ve got all

these talents and skills and abilities

and finances and all the rest and you

reject God you’re living in a fool’s

paradise because that’s not the way God

operates we humble ourselves before the

Living God receiving his son Jesus

Christ as their personal Savior

acknowledging and need of him he is more

than willing to hear and answer our

prayers so there’s a lot of praying egos

those faults it’s not going anywhere and

when somebody says I don’t think my

prayer is getting higher than this even

the truth is they don’t get any higher

than here because

there’s no there’s nothing to back them

up there’s no relationship to God

through His Son Jesus Christ and he

makes it crystal clear and when people

say well I don’t believe in the God you

believe in but I believe in God well

what I want to say Israel tell me give

me a list of answers to prayer that your

God has answered they can’t because

their God hasn’t answered any prayer mat

now by the mercy of God he allows good

things to happen to people but he says

even that is in order to bring them to

Jesus Christ not to believe in some

foreign gun so a lot of false prayer and

I think about what Jesus said no one

comes to the Father but by me

that’s to go to heaven or to pray and so

true prayer involves my heart not just

my mouth and my feelings my heart that

is what is my what is my relationship

you got it and I think about this also

most of the people who pray they carry

on the monologue with God God hears my

need and they go on and on and on and on

and talk to God watch this and and turn

around and walk off and they never

listened to God you know why they don’t

expect him to answer because sin

dedenne’s your expectation for a holy

God to hear and answer your prayer it’s

false praying that’s not true praying

calls praying thoughts praying is

talking to God based on what I think I

deserve and what I think God ought to

think about me true prayer is based on a

sense of humility that we are not

accepted on the basis of our conduct

we’re accepted in the basis of His mercy

we were accepted on the basis of the

truth of his awesome word of what he’ll

do and so most people’s prayers false

praying it’s a monologue what it’s all

about them true genuine prayer is a

dialogue now let me ask you this

most of you either mayor to have been a

gonna be so how did you build a

relationship with that person you talk

to them you listen to them you talk to

them you listen then you talk to them

and you listen to them when they hurt

they listen to him when they laughed you

listen to them when they wanted

something you listen to them and you

gave them no it’s you built a

relationship by talking and listening

there’s no such thing as a relationship

that doesn’t go both ways you can’t do

all the talking you don’t do all the

listening and so we have a relationship

with each other built on a dialogue and

listen what’s this intimacy intimacy is

heart-to-heart intimacy is mine to mine

and probably women understand that more

than men but neither here nor there the

truth is that’s the kind of relationship

that God intends for us to have with him

so that there are times when we do the

talking and then we need to listen now

watch this we’re not listen to me

carefully I’m talking about the most

important thing they can go on in your

life that’s going to affect every single

aspect of your life in some way or the

other

and so we need to build a relationship

with the Lord

so in order for that to happen you say

well how does God speak to me well one

of the ways he speaks these through his

word that’s why it’s good to read the

Word of God a little bit before you

start praying not always but at least at

some point in the day you read a portion

because it’s amazing how God this is not

this is not amazing it’s not amazing

that he knows what you need it’s amazing

how he can take you right to the

scripture that you just desperately need

because he’s God and remember this from

Genesis to Revelation he knows that

reverse there isn’t anything in the

Bible he doesn’t know about and so

dealing that intimate relationship is

and

solutely essential and so therefore and

I’ll give you an example I learned that

a long time ago I remember being really

troubled about something and I’m don’t

mind these and crying out to God and for

some reason I got up and walked right

off as soon as I did I was under

conviction I thought well god I didn’t

even give you an Avenue give you an

opportunity to tell me what I was asking

about I think that’s what most people do

they praying it up and leave

oh then first of all they’re not even

down then they haven’t humble themselves

before God that pray and let me just say

this this is not absolutely a criteria

for acceptance by God to get on your

knees it’s an expression of humility

that you are talking to the god of the

universe the only true God and I

recognize that some people I can’t get

on your knees and what I’ve been through

in the past year fourth quarter while I

couldn’t get on mine but I couldn’t wait

til I could the issue is this it’s not

positioned the issue is this talking to

him listening to him that’s what God

wants he wants not only for you to talk

to him he wants you to listen to him he

wants to give you a clear direction he

wants to answer your prayer he wants to

provide what you need but if you don’t

listen to him then you know better than

you hadn’t even prayed Lord I need this

I need that I need the other thank you

very much in Jesus name mm-hmm that’s

not the way he operates because what

that says is I’m telling you but I can

handle it or you handle it for me I

appreciate it that’s not prayer and

that’s not the way God wants us to

operate so ask yourself the question you

know how often do you pray is it

specific is that a monologue or is there

a dialogue and Paul said to the Romans

listen to this devote yourself to prayer

and he says in Colossians the whole

chapter devoted self to prayer

what does devote yourself to prayer me

it’s in an imperative tense which is

a command devote yourself to prayer

means you set aside time for it you are

serious about it it is a priority in

your life devote yourself to prayer give

it an uninterrupted time think clearly

about what you’re talking to God about

be serious about it not something you

add on you see for most people prayer is

an add-on it’s it’s an add-on to doing

this doing that doing that and before I

go to bed I’m on a little quick prayer I

know you’ve got to give him time you’ve

got to have a relationship with him and

so when he says devote yourself to

prayer devote yourself means you set us

at a time that is the priority of Prayer

means I place importance on it I place a

position it’s first in my life every

single one of us can start the day off

with prayer amen you can that you may

not but you can before you get out of

bed you ought to be talking to God you

don’t know whether you gonna be able to

get back in that bed again or not

life is uncertain and yet God is so

certain he wants prayer to be a priority

in your life and that is my prayer that

you would do the most important thing

you will do in your life everyday and

give God the time that he deserves

listen to do what to set you up in a

position to bless you the way he wants

to bless you to have you in the right

place doing what he wants to do in your

life giving you the bird thing you’re

asking for but in the way he wants to do

it so you have to ask yourself the

question do I love him enough do I care

enough do I believe that he wants to do

that in my life

now what I want to do is I want to give

you a list of things to think about and

that is I say that prayers our most

profitable activity I want to give you a

list of items about 12 items right there

ones down that you think most affect you

and the first

as simply this prayer is the method by

which God meets our needs my God shall

supply all your needs according to his

riches in glory by Christ Jesus he

comforts us in time of trial and

heartache how through prayer prayer is a

time of comforting he assures us of his

presence and is willing to help us

thirdly it’s a channel to which we built

an intimate relationship with him which

we just talked about when you’re being

quiet listening to him we build intimacy

with him we since his love we feel his

love it’s like he puts his arms around

us he strengthens us in time of

temptation you find just have been

tempted by something of somebody or some

situation or some opportunity and you

say to God and the Bible says no

temptation taken you but such as is

common to man but God will enable you

it’s in prayer Lord strengthen me don’t

let me see that don’t let me think about

that boy I just blocked it out of my

mind God he will answer that prayer then

of course think about this if we confess

our sins to Almighty God if we confess

our sins to him he’s faithful listen to

it he’s faithful he’s trustworthy he’s

always there faithful and just that

means he has the right to forgive

because he died on the cross paid our

sin-debt

he’s faithful in to forgive us of our

sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness that’s a promise we have

from God and so all of us have prayed

and ask him to forgive us not on the

basis that we deserve it but because he

promises that he will forgive us

likewise it’s a source of guidance for

direction for example we have decisions

we have to make and he says he will

guide us with his eye upon us and so if

I want God’s guidance I need to take

time in prayer and listen to him Lord

what are you what would you have me to

do

and oftentimes we would be heading in

the wrong direction now watch this

carefully listening say men you better

listen if you’re praying and all of a

sudden you think well this is what I

think I will do and you get a little

static that’s what I call it a little

static in your heart if you know what I

mean you’ve been praying if you don’t

know what I mean you haven’t been

praying

we’ve all got static at times you think

you’d this is the thing that you ought

to do and yet something deep down inside

is what we would say that’s the Spirit

of God saying no no no no when you shut

that off you’ve said to God I’m not

interested in your opinion I’ve asked

you for it but you don’t agree with me

what I want to do is I’m gonna do it in

a way people make tragic decisions by

muffling the voice of God

if you think about your whole life your

whole life is depended upon the date all

these things we’ve said about what God

does for us we’re all dependent upon it

your next breath any one of us could die

in the next moment with a heart attack

we’re dependent upon him for every

single thing in life and therefore a

prayer ought to be not attack on not add

on but I made you part of their life

then I think for example we need God to

help us understand this word and I don’t

I think I could say I don’t ever open

this book to read a passage of Scripture

that I don’t say in there Lord speak to

my heart don’t I’m not asking you to

give me a message for somebody else I

want you to speak to me about me if

there’s something you want to do in my

life I want you to speak to me there’s

the preachings not all about me it’s all

about you getting your word to all of us

but I want you to begin with me it’s

something in my life you want to clean

up some sense of direction what’s

something whatever it might be and so we

have to be honest about those things

Lord speak to my heart about your word

what are you saying to me then for

example prayer is a shield against

anxiety and worry all of us could think

about something to worry about prayers a

shield you know I had such shield in the

midst of our pain our hurt or I fear God

reminds us that he’s a God of grace and

he has everything under control

and somehow he’s gonna work it all out

no matter what happens all of us go

through those things and all of us need

the shield that prayer provides we

receive courage and confidence who are

facing challenges and I think back in my

life and the challenges I faced I

couldn’t begin a number of those but you

know what I’ve discovered I never got on

my knees before any challenge that God

didn’t reassure me that somehow in some

way he was gonna work it out and I’ve

been through some tough times but he’s

always been there always the shield and

protect us listen lest some burdens

be so huge and mighty and heavy they

would absolutely break us and shatter us

but he’s there to put a shield because

he’s going to control how much you have

to face he controls the weight of the

bird he controls the time of the burden

and he controls the source of the burden

and for his children he has limitations

to those loads whatever they might be

then for example when you not need

emotional healing a physical healing

what is the first thing we should do is

then Lord I don’t know what this is

about I want to ask you to give me God

in some direction and sometimes we get

bad news sometimes when we get the good

news and I can remember last year when I

fell I remember the first thing came out

of my mouth God what are you up to which

is a good example of praying without

ceasing I was immediately recurring in

my prayer he got what are you up to I

didn’t even think about what I felt it’s

where I was lying on the floor sort of

helpless and what are you up to because

I knew that he I couldn’t fall unless he

permitted it and did I like it none of

it

I didn’t like any of it but you know

what I knew he was in control and though

he’d bring me through it I know he’d be

faithful no matter what that’s the kind

of God we serve how foolish to try to

live in this world we live in and ignore

the one true God and the only God who

can help you think about this you can’t

face in his situation that he doesn’t

know all about he knows all about it

before during and afterwards because he

loves you he’s a God willing to help you

if you will in the cry out to him and

ask him to give you direction and he’s a

God who will give you the watch this the

energy the strength that’s what power is

old power is all about energy strength

to face

and circumstances and that’s what the

Holy Spirit is all about he who is

within you will empower you and

strengthen you and enable you and gift

you with whatever’s necessary to bring

you through whatever you are facing in

life and then the last thing I would say

about that is this think about this

because you’re a child of God because

he’s the God of this whole universe he

controls and rules over all things you

you as a follower of Jesus Christ you

have the privilege you have the

opportunity you have the power so to

speak to touch anybody anywhere in the

world because it’s this holy triangle

here you are is the person you’re

praying for and here is God you talk to

God God sees them what does he do he

answers your petition you get blessed

only a follower of Jesus has the power

to touch anybody anywhere in the world

with the grace of God now can you tell

me why prayer should not be a priority

it should be a priority in our life and

my friend listen carefully you may have

everything in the world anybody could

ever want but if you don’t have Christ

in your life you’re missing the most

important person in your life secondly

if you are a believer in Jesus and you

don’t have a strong prayer life you’re

missing out on what God has for you he

has the best for you and he will use you

if you will allow him and that requires

time with him are you going to listen to

this message

and develop a new relationship with God

are you going to ask him to forgive you

for being prayerless missing

opportunities missing blessings missing

wonderful things that God has in store

for you because you’ve not prayed and

are you gonna ask God to forgive you for

that and telling that beginning today or

beginning tonight whenever it is Lord

teach me to pray i humble myself before

you lord and i want to get into your

word and I want you to lead me to read

what I need to read and you speak to my

heart and father teach me to pray and

they become a valuable vessel in your

kingdom and I can assure you one thing

he will answer that prayer father had

grateful we are that you patient with us

willing to teach us willing to grace us

with the blessings willing to dialogue

with us to speak with us and have a

speak with you I pray the Spirit of God

will seal this message in the heart of

every person who hears it today tomorrow

and years to come here and around the

world in Jesus name Amen

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you

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