Building Up A Prayer Life

John 15:7

Intro:
1. This verse holds a lot of promise about prayers and supplication getting answered, but it also speaks about the
conditions upon which our prayers and supplication will be answered.
2. This afternoon, I would like to focus on the latter part.
3. The conditions is two-fold:
a. That we abide in Christ;
b. His words abide in us.
i. These two conditions can be met if we build up a prayer life.
4. Our topic this afternoon is “Building Up A Prayer Life”
a. If we haven’t built a prayer life, may we start one; otherwise let’s continue to grow in our prayer life.
b. Prayer life is the time we spend and the commitment we have in talking with God.
i. This definition is based from our text.
ii. It is through abiding with Christ and his words in us that we begin to build up our prayer life.
5. In what way?

I. Dependence on Christ
1. Our text is the Lord’s explanation of the illustration of the vine and the branches.
a. The vine can exist even without the branches, but the branches cannot exist without the vine.
 That’s why the Lord says, “without me ye can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5)
b. Our dependence on Christ must be from this sense, that without him, we can do nothing that will make
us a fruitful Christian.
 Also in the sense that branches rely on the vine for its life: our life depends on the Lord.
c. Sometimes we forget what Jesus said, and think that we only need the Lord when we need Him the
most.
 But the truth is we need Him every moment of our life.
2. This is the “sense of dependence” we need to put in mind, and the same is what the world wants us to neglect
and forget.
a. As the world emphasizes on skills and talents, slowly even Christians are swayed to neglect such
dependence on the Lord
b. As the world emphasizes on pride and hardwork, slowly even Christians are swayed to diminish God’s
role in their life.
c. And in the process it prevents Christians from developing or building up a prayer life.
 They do pray, only when they feel they need to.
 But there is no prayer life.
3. That is why in building up a prayer life, the sense of dependence on Christ must be part of us.

II. Continuance in Christ

1. For the branch to exist, the branch must continue to remain with the vine.
2. Simply, to continue in Christ means, we continue to trust Him.
a. Trusting Christ also means to persistently trust Christ
i. Our enemy does not want us to persistently trust Christ. Our enemy may not be able to
completely stop us from trusting Christ, but he does not want us to persist on trusting Christ.
ii. I Thess. 5:16-18 encourages to continue persisting by rejoicing evermore, pray without ceasing,
and to give thanks.
iii. Romans 5:3-5, encourages us the same, so that we can persist amidst the opposition.
 Because the enemy does not want us to persistently trust the Lord.
 He will throw every reasons and circumstances to doubt Christ, and we need to persist.
3. If we are going to build up our prayer life, or continue building it up, we need to continue in Christ – we need to
persistently trust the Lord.

III. Obedience to Christ

1. Keeping the words of Christ is to obey God’s word.
a. John 10:30 – they are one
b. John 15:10 – they are the same.
2. Obedience is an essential element to our Christian life as a whole
a. It is our form of showing love Christ (John 14:15)
b. It is also our act or remaining in Christ’s love
 We remain in his care, therefore we obey his instructions.
 We carry his yoke, because it light. (Mt. 11:29)
3. But this is where we usually fail:
 a. Many would want to be faithful, religious, active in the church; but even when they desire this, love for
the Lord is in wanting.
 Many would want the blessings of being faithful and active in church, but not many are willing
to obey the Lord
 Even in obedience, we compromise.
b. That is why we fail in building up our prayer life – we look at prayer as a form religious act that must be
performed and we lack that great element of loving God and his presence.
4. If we do not desire to obey Christ, how can we build up our prayer life?
a. Obedience is the practical application of abiding in Christ.
b. Prayer life is built up not only by depending and continuing in Christ but also by loving Christ through
obedience.

Conclusion:
Prayer life is built by abiding in Christ and His words to abide in us: Depend, Persistently Trust, and love Christ through
obedience.