Last Week – Forgiveness
THERE IS PEACE FROM GOD IN PRAYER
1. The REAL CURE for anxiety is to pray –
Philippians 4:6- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
2. Christians will find peace even during challenging times.
Philippians 4:7 –And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
3. Pray for peace during times of fear, loneliness, anxiety, etc.
4. Full trust is the only path to true peace.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Colossians 3:12-16 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
THERE IS STRENGTH FROM GOD
- Real strength comes from within: it is not an outward display all the time. – Ephesians 3:14-16, 20 – For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
- When we need to be strong, Christians can likewise pray for themselves!
- We are often weak because we do not practice earnest prayer.
God opens doors of opportunity
- Paul realized that God provided him opportunity to teach others
1 Corinthians 3:5 – For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
2. He knew that the Lord often opened doors for such opportunities
1 Corinthians 16:9 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
3. He therefore requested prayer that such opportunities would continue –
Colossians 4:3 – Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds
4. As a church, let us pray for opportunity and a willing heart to allow His strength to be known through us.
I Timothy 2: 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
