Leading Scripture: Luke 22:39-46

1st Point

• Who do we look to when in anxiety?
• Jesus is emphasising on prayer and practically He did it.
• When He was troubled in Gethsemane he prayed and God strengthened him
• God will not ignore us when we pray in earnest.

2nd point

–          Prayer protects us from temptation. (Ref. vs. 46)

• When Jesus found His disciples sleeping, He reminds them to get up and pray so that they would not fall into temptation.
• It’s not practical that you can fall into sin if you pray to God to guide or lead you the time you’re being tempted.
• The world is in a mess today because we have drifted from prayer; that earnest prayer we need to make to God. Unless we do so (pray earnestly), we’re doomed!

 Some examples of how the world has gone astray

— Fuel theft at ESCOM and corruption in general

— Adultery and promiscuity in homes

• We all get tempted. But If these (from the example) prayed to God to prevent them from doing such, God would help them.
• God will only listen to earnest and honest prayers

3rd Point

–          Prayer is extremely powerful. (Ref. James 5:16-18).

• If we repent our sins and pray earnestly to God for all these things that we pray for, God will listen and intervene for He is not a God that is deaf!
• Prayer is a weapon that works on anything that works against God. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Do not under estimate the power of prayer. Prayer is so powerful that it can do anything. In Philippians 4:6-7 the Word says do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.. . . .
• If the multitudes are not doing the will of God, God will not listen. God wants us to transform and comfort to His will.
• We must put ourselves in a situation where the will of God will manifest itself. And until we do that we can pray and nothing will happen.

4th Point

–          Prayer overcomes so many things

• In Psalm 6:9-10 when David cried unto God for mercy, God protected him.
• In John 11:38-44, though Lazarus was decomposing, God brought him back to life because of prayer.

Conclusion

• God wants us to pray in earnest to Him to change situations
• God wants us to be genuine with our prayers as Christ was genuine and in earnest. That’s why He says “if My people (1 Chronicles 7:14)…. Pray in earnest”
• God will not abandon us if we pray in earnest
• We need to pray in humility and God will do magnificent things and change situations in our lives
• On prayer, Christ gave a reference on how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer)
• “The situation of the world, of our country has reached a tipping point. We need to pray for our country. As God listened to the prayer of Moses (Exodus 32) when he interceded for the Israelites and relented, God can also relent if we are to pray for our country”
• “God hears prayer, as he listened to the prayer of Hezekiah and added 15 more years to his life (Isaiah 38:1-5), God can also intervene in our situations”

Macleod Nkhoma