Men Ought Always to Pray
Scripture: Luke 18:1Devotional Series: Sovereignty and Prayer
Teaching: Sovereignty and Prayer pt. 4 (WED 2024-12-04) by Pastor Star R Scott
Men ought always to pray; amen? And not to faint, praise God. Men ought always to pray and not to faint. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Are we praying more as the day of the Lord approaches or are we praying less? The Lord had a question for us, “When I come will I find faith on the earth?” If He comes, and faith is found on the earth, it will be evidenced in praying people. When He comes to find faith upon the earth; beloved, “without faith it is impossible to please God: for those that come to God must believe that he is, and that he is…a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Amen? See, faith has a purpose. When he’s talking there in Hebrews 11, we seem to think of faith as some kind of a power source that we try to tap into, and it is not.
Faith is not a force. Faith is not some kind of a virtue. Faith, true faith, is abiding in Christ, and His Words abiding in us. And us taking opportunity to declare the will of God in the circumstances that we find ourselves. It’s a privilege to pray; amen? Enter in boldly, the Scripture tells us, and we’ve spent so much time in that Hebrews passage but look back there again one more time. And I just want this truth to get into your heart as we look at Hebrews Chapter 4, verse 14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus”; amen? Look at it. A great high priest, Jesus.
Prayer is all about Jesus being lifted up, the Father being glorified. Prayer is about believing that He’s at the right hand of God the Father, His ears are open to the cry of the righteous. He is there praying for us. What is He praying for us? That we would pray more. We’re hindering ourselves, we’re robbing ourselves, by not praying more. We’re missing out on godliness and the character of God. It does not come by studying the Bible, it comes by intimate relationship and abiding in Christ. That’s what changes our lives, not knowledge. Communion, relationship. Dying to our own will. Taking up our cross daily and putting down all the fleshly appetites and making ourselves—isn’t it tragic that we even state it that way—making ourselves take hold of the privilege of prayer. Your spirit wants to pray, your flesh does not. What’s winning out?
So, we realize that it has to become our delight. Prayer must be consistent to where it becomes habitual, so that you will pray regardless of life’s circumstances. You will pray, as the Scripture says, always; amen? “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Some of us seem to think that we have to have some kind of a feeling, or some kind of an unction, or some kind of a spiritual desire to enter into that prayer room. We enter into that prayer room through obedience. Amen? Hallelujah! And we’ll see it as we go on in this study: that’s what faith is. I don’t need to feel anything to obey and to declare God’s Word is true. His ears are open. The Lord is making intercession. Whatever I ask in His Name, He will do it, praise God! That the Father would be glorified in the Son. So, it’s only flesh that keeps us from praying. And He makes that a very simple thing to us, doesn’t He, over in Matthew 10? Listen. Kill yourself. Crucify your flesh. Die to your carnality daily.
Faith is not a force. Faith is not some kind of a virtue. Faith, true faith, is abiding in Christ, and His Words abiding in us. And us taking opportunity to declare the will of God in the circumstances that we find ourselves. It’s a privilege to pray; amen? Enter in boldly, the Scripture tells us, and we’ve spent so much time in that Hebrews passage but look back there again one more time. And I just want this truth to get into your heart as we look at Hebrews Chapter 4, verse 14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus”; amen? Look at it. A great high priest, Jesus.
Prayer is all about Jesus being lifted up, the Father being glorified. Prayer is about believing that He’s at the right hand of God the Father, His ears are open to the cry of the righteous. He is there praying for us. What is He praying for us? That we would pray more. We’re hindering ourselves, we’re robbing ourselves, by not praying more. We’re missing out on godliness and the character of God. It does not come by studying the Bible, it comes by intimate relationship and abiding in Christ. That’s what changes our lives, not knowledge. Communion, relationship. Dying to our own will. Taking up our cross daily and putting down all the fleshly appetites and making ourselves—isn’t it tragic that we even state it that way—making ourselves take hold of the privilege of prayer. Your spirit wants to pray, your flesh does not. What’s winning out?
So, we realize that it has to become our delight. Prayer must be consistent to where it becomes habitual, so that you will pray regardless of life’s circumstances. You will pray, as the Scripture says, always; amen? “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Some of us seem to think that we have to have some kind of a feeling, or some kind of an unction, or some kind of a spiritual desire to enter into that prayer room. We enter into that prayer room through obedience. Amen? Hallelujah! And we’ll see it as we go on in this study: that’s what faith is. I don’t need to feel anything to obey and to declare God’s Word is true. His ears are open. The Lord is making intercession. Whatever I ask in His Name, He will do it, praise God! That the Father would be glorified in the Son. So, it’s only flesh that keeps us from praying. And He makes that a very simple thing to us, doesn’t He, over in Matthew 10? Listen. Kill yourself. Crucify your flesh. Die to your carnality daily.