YOU ARE INVITED

Knowing God Part 1

What comes to your mind when you
hear the word “ PRAYER”?
◦ Is it a duty or obligation?
◦ Do you want your prayers to be answered?
◦ Are you so busy and overwhelmed with all that is going on with
your lives.. and prayer is your least priority?
◦ What if our God puts you aside and answers our prayers when
He feels like it just like we do.
◦ But our God is good, His mercy never comes to an end and we
can go to Him 24/7.
◦ God invites us not because He needs us but because we need
Him.
Hebrews 4:16

Therefore let us draw near with confidence

to the throne of grace, so that
we may receive mercy and find grace to
help in time of need.
Therefore – the greatness of God, what He did for us because of Christ Jesus.
Confidence- (certainties or sureness) that God will hear our prayers
Grace- is giving us something we do not deserve
Mercy- withholding something that we deserve
We all need GRACE
◦Grace is Gods favor upon your life.
◦Grace is Gods power to help you do what
He wants us to do.
◦Grace is Gods ability to change your heart
so that you will begin to do what He wants
you to do.
We all need MERCY
◦so that God will not allow us to suffer the
foolish choices we make in our lives.
Do not over estimate yourself
and underestimate God
◦Do not over estimate yourself (thinking that you
don’t need Gods mercy and grace and that you
can take things on your own when you are
impatient to wait for God’s answer)
◦ Underestimate God (thinking that delay is
answered denied, always remember our God is
in control and He is the almighty God nothing is
impossible with God).
Let us not be ignorant of our needs,
we are blinded by our spiritual poverty.

Let us avail of Gods invitation to enter

the throne and receive Gods benefits
Acts 13: 2-3
2While they are worshiping the Lord and Fasting the
Holy Spirit said“ Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work which I have called them” 3So after
they had fasted and prayed they place their hands
on them and sent them off.
worshiping + fasting = act of worship (you are in God’s
blessing therefore you receive GRACE
What kind of GRACE? the ability to listen and have that
direction in life.
When God speaks people change

He is giving us the key to:

◦ Prosperity and Abundance
◦ To hear and experience Him and have a deeper relationship with
Him.
◦ To receive His grace and direction in life
◦ To be equipped and be a blessing to others and fulfil our purpose
in life.
◦ To be with Him eternally
Luke 11:1
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place,
after He had finished, one of His deciples said to Him
“Lord teach us to pray just as John also taught his deciples.

Prayer:
◦is foundational to the life of any child of God
◦it is like breathing air
◦it is the invitation of God to bless us that we may
find grace
Luke 11:2-4

2And He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be Your name
◦ Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day
our daily bread. 4And forgive as our sins,
◦For we ourselves also forgive everyone who
is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation”.
Remember

◦ When prayer becomes a duty, it becomes dangry

(drunk + angry)
◦ When prayer is a ritual it becomes burdensome
◦ But if you think of prayer as a privilege
◦ dangry = delight ( pleased, happy, glad, overjoyed )
◦ But if you think prayer not as burden but a relationship
◦ burden= joyful
Luke 11:5-6
5Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a
friend, and goes to him
at midnight and says to him,” Friend, lend me three
loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a
journey, and I have nothing to set before him.
Why will you come to the Lord just
when you realize your desperation ?

Desperate people learn to pray

desperately.
To pray desperately is the best
prayer, because prayer is not the
mouth but the heart.
LUKE 11:7

and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door
has already been shut and my children and I are in bed, ‘I cannot
get up and give you anything .

LUKE 11:8
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything
because he is
his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give
him as much as he needs.
Luke 11:9-10
9 So I say to you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you
will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who
asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who
knocks, it will be opened.

So it is clear... keep asking and it will be given to you. Seek the Lord ,
how?
(through prayer and fasting, devotion, quite time, intercession, obey,
faith), seek for His presence and you will find Him He will answer, knock,
be persistent don’t stop, never cease in praying and eventually the door
will be open to you (answered prayer).
Reasons of unanswered prayers
God does not answer our prayer immediately because He wants to
mold our character.
God does not answer your prayer because you are not ready for His
answer.
Sometimes He wants you to wait for His perfect timing.
Because He sees what’s ahead of us, He knows what’s best.

Remember
◦ We need to trust and have faith and to be persistent in prayer.
◦ God is Never too late, do not doubt.
◦ Prayer is a privilege to partner with God.
LUKE 11:11-12
11Now suppose one of your fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he
Will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
12 Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a serpent,
will he?

LUKE 11:11-13

If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give theHoly
Spirit to those who ask Him?
Why is the Holy Spirit connected in prayer?

◦Because you need the Holy Spirit to pray

◦Because you need the Holy Spirit to persevere
◦Because you need the Holy Spirit to understand
the heart of God.