“Bright Lights in a Dark World”
Work Hard, Pray Harder! . August 29, 2021
Matthew Trexler
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Prayer should be our 1st response, not our last resort.
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 – “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Luke 11:1 – 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.”
Matthew 6:9-13 – “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
“‘Our Father in heaven,
1. Connect with God relationally.
Romans 8:15 – The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
“Hallowed be your name”
2. Worship His name.
Jehovah (Yahweh): The Self-Existent One
Jehovah-Bore: The LORD Creator
Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD Our Provider
Jehovah-Nissi: The LORD Our Banner
Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD Our Healer
Jehovah-Rohi: The LORD Our Shepherd
Jehovah-Sabbaoth: The LORD of Hosts
Jehovah-Shalom: The LORD is Peace
Jehovah-Shammah: The LORD is There
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The LORD Our Righteousness
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
3. Pray HIS agenda first.
Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12:31 – He will always give you all you need from day to day if you will make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Give us today our daily bread.
4. Depend on God for everything.
Psalm 121:1-2 – I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
5. Get your heart right with God and people.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
6. Engage in Spiritual Warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 – For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
7. Express your faith in God’s ability.
Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.