HABAKKUK: THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) The book of Habakkuk devotes its last chapter to a prayer. All of God's people - young or old, rich or poor, powerful or lowly - have the same vital access to their loving heavenly Father. Prayer is our direct line to God. The purposes and procedures may vary, and problems may at times hinder it, but it is always our lifeline to the Master.
b) Let's look at the purpose of prayer.
1. The purpose of prayer
a) Praise God for who he is and what he has done
i) 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. (Psalms 67:3 NKJV)
ii) 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, And with Your glory all the day. (Psalms 71:8 NKJV)
iii) 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)
b) Give thanks for God's blessings
i) Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalms 107:1 NKJV)
ii) 28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. (Psalms 118:28 NKJV)
iii) 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)
c) Confess your sins and have a desire for forgiveness
i) 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalms 32:5 NKJV)
ii) 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. (Daniel 9:4-5 NKJV)
iii) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
d) Present your petition for your personal needs
i) 9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! 10 For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away. (Psalms 31:9-10 NKJV)
ii) 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40 NKJV)
iii) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)
e) Intercede on behalf of others' needs
i) 11 Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. (Exodus 32:11-12 NKJV)
ii) 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. (Acts 12:5 NKJV)
iii) 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18 NKJV)
The End ...
0. Introductiona) The book of Habakkuk devotes its last chapter to a prayer. All of God's people - young or old, rich or poor, powerful or lowly - have the same vital access to their loving heavenly Father. Prayer is our direct line to God. The purposes and procedures may vary, and problems may at times hinder it, but it is always our lifeline to the Master.
b) Let's look at the purpose of prayer.
1. The purpose of prayer
a) Praise God for who he is and what he has done
i) 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. (Psalms 67:3 NKJV)
ii) 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, And with Your glory all the day. (Psalms 71:8 NKJV)
iii) 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)
b) Give thanks for God's blessings
i) Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalms 107:1 NKJV)
ii) 28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. (Psalms 118:28 NKJV)
iii) 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)
c) Confess your sins and have a desire for forgiveness
i) 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalms 32:5 NKJV)
ii) 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. (Daniel 9:4-5 NKJV)
iii) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
d) Present your petition for your personal needs
i) 9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! 10 For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away. (Psalms 31:9-10 NKJV)
ii) 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40 NKJV)
iii) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)
e) Intercede on behalf of others' needs
i) 11 Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. (Exodus 32:11-12 NKJV)
ii) 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. (Acts 12:5 NKJV)
iii) 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18 NKJV)
The End ...
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