Sunday Sermon
HIGHER PRAYER, THE PRAYER THAT GOD LOVES
Date: August 26, 2007
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Matthew 6:6-8
Listen to Audio Sermon

(Mat 6:6) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

(Mat 6:7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

(Mat 6:8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

AFTER SPEAKING THESE WORDS, THE LORD TEACHES THE APOSTLES TO PRAY WITH THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE:

(Mat 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.

(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

THAT PRAYER HAS 66 WORDS IN IT AND ONLY SIX (6) WORDS DEAL WITH ASKING GOD FOR WHAT WE NEED.
I BELIEVE WHAT WAS SPOKEN BY THE LORD IN MATTHEW 6:6-8 IS TELLING US THAT HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED AND HE WILL SUPPLY IT IF WE SEEK HIM FIRST. HE EXPLAINS HIS DESIRE TO MEET ALL OUR NEEDS AND EXPLAINS TO ALL BY COMPARISON HOW THESE NEEDS WILL BE MET AND WHY. LETS LOOK AT MATTHEW 6:19-33 AND SEE WHAT REVELATION HE IMPARTS TO US IN THE LAST TWO VERSES.

(Mat 6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

(Mat 6:20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

(Mat 6:21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

(Mat 6:22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

(Mat 6:23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

(Mat 6:24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

(Mat 6:25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

(Mat 6:26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

(Mat 6:27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

(Mat 6:28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

(Mat 6:29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

(Mat 6:30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

(Mat 6:31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(Mat 6:32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

(Mat 6:33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

(Mat 6:34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

AFTER GIVING THE LORD'S PRAYER AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT PRAYER SHOULD BE LIKE. AND IN THAT PRAYER LITTLE IS MENTIONED ABOUT OUR PERSONAL NEEDS. SIX (6) WORDS ONLY AND THE REMAINING 60 WORD TALKS ABOUT HIS KINGDOM AND HELPING US TO LIVE A CLEAN LIFE FOR HIM AND BRINING HIS KINGDOM AUTHORITY INTO ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE. ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING THIS?

WE ARE ALWAYS PRAYING FOR THINGS AND GOD IS SAYING I KNOW WHAT YOU NEED, PRAY A PRAYER THAT BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO ME.

IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THIS FORM OF HIGHER PRAYER, WE MUST UNDERSTAND ?GOD?S INTOLERABLE COMPLIMENT OF LOVE.? LET?S USE TWO ANALOGIES:
1. AN ARTIST LOVE FOR AN ARTIFACT - EPHESIANS 2:10
(Eph 2:10) For we are his workmanship (poema), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
A poema expresses the heart of the artist. The Artist?s love for his vision of the finished product will never allow Him to settle for a flawed poema or the thing he is creating.

2. A FATHER?S LOVE FOR HIS CHILD - ROMANS 8:15-17;29
(Rom 8:15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

(Rom 8:16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

(Rom 8:17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(Rom 8:29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

WE ARE INDEED HIS CHILDREN AND HIS LOVE FOR US CAUSES HIM TO INSIST THAT WE ULTIMATELY MEASURE UP TO THE STATURE OF OUR ELDER BROTHER(THE MAN JESUS).

GOD'S PRIORITIES FOR US ON THIS EARTH IS THAT WE SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD FIRST AND THAT WE BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON AND THAT WE ENFORCE THE VICTORY THAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY WON. WE ARE NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEEDS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WORRIES ABOUT, LIKE FOOD SHELTER AND CLOTHING.

I BELIEVE THAT GOD?S WILL IS THAT WE REFLECT THE PERSON AND CHARACTER OF HIS SON JESUS AS WE WALK ON THIS EARTH.
THE PRAYER THAT GOD LOVES IS THIS TYPE OF HIGHER PRAYER WHERE WERE ARE ASKING ONLY TO BE MADE MORE PLEASING TO THE FATHER. AND PRESENTING ALL THAT JESUS WAS WHEN WE PRAY THE ANSWER IS ASSURED.
LOOK AT 1 JOHN 5:14-15 -

(1Jo 5:14) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

(1Jo 5:15) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS WILL IS FOR YOUR LIFE? ISN'T IT THAT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST AND THAT CHRIST LIVES HIS LIFE THROUGH US?

LOOK AT GALATIANS 2:20
(Gal 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

NOW BE HONEST, CHRIST LIVING IN YOU MEANS THAT YOU?RE DESIRES NO LONGER ENTER THE PICTURE, RIGHT?
THE PRAYER THAT GOD LOVES TO HEAR IS WHEN WE ASK HIM TO MAKE US MORE LIKE JESUS. PULL OUT OF US ALL THE SELF LIFE AND LET JESUS DO IN US WHAT HIS WILL IS FOR US.

NOW I ASK, WHAT IS THE REASON OUR PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED? JAMES 4:3 TELLS US THE REASON.
(Jam 4:3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT JAMES IS SAYING? IT?S A BREAKTHROUGH IF YOU DO AND YOUR PRAYER LIFE CHANGES.
MATTHEW 6:33 SEEMS TO SAY WHAT?
(Mat 6:33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

DOES THIS VERSE SEEM TO INDICATE THAT IT IS GOD?S WILL THAT WE SPEND MUCH TIME AND ENERGY PRAYING FOR OUR NEEDS? I THINK NOT, BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNOWS.

MATTHEW 6:31-32 -
(Mat 6:31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(Mat 6:32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

TAKE NO THOUGHT, NO, NO, NO THOUGHT FOR WHAT YOU NEED, BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNOWS. HELLO, ANYONE!

OUR PRAYERS REVEAL WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US. AND WHEN GOD HEARS US ASK TO BE MORE LIKE HIS SON HE DELIGHTS NOT ONLY IN HEARING, BUT ALSO IN ANSWERING THEM.
MAYBE THE BEST WAY TO PRAY FOR YOU?RE EARTHLY NEEDS IS NOT TO PRAY FOR THEM AT ALL OR AT LEAST MINIMIZE THE TIME WE SPEND PRAYING FOR THEM. IF YOU ARE A KINGDOM SEEKER THAT ALL YOUR NEEDS WILL BE ADDED ONTO YOU. AMEN? AND IF YOU?RE AND EARTHLY NEEDS SEEKER, THEN YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THE EARTHLY NEEDS NOR THE TREASURES OF THE KINGDOM.
ARE YOU GETTING THIS?

LET'S CONSIDER PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 AND TRY TO FORM A CONCLUSION
(Phi 4:6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

(Phi 4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

HOW ABOUT PRAYING AND LETTING IT GO BECAUSE GOD KNOWS YOUR NEEDS AND WILL CARE FOR YOU BETTER THAN THE LILIES OF THE FIELD AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR. THEN YOU CAN MOVE ONTO THE BETTER THINGS AND START PRAYING THE HIGHER PRAYERS THAT GOD LOVE TO HEAR.

IF YOU CHECK OUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT YOU WILL SEE THAT MOST TIME THE PRAYERS THAT WERE OFFERED TO GOD WAS THAT HE WOULD GROW THE PERSON PRAYING OR THE PERSON BEING PRAYED FOR. WHY WAS THIS? BECAUSE GOD'S PRIORITY IS KINGDOM GROWTH, NOT ONLY IN NUMBERS BUT ALSO IN UNDERSTANDING WHO HE IS AND WHAT HIS ULTIMATE PLAN IS. WHEN TEACHING THE APOSTLES TO PRAY, THE FIRST REQUEST WAS THAT HIS KINGDOM WOULD COME AND THAT HIS WILL WOULD BE DONE.
(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

THIS REPRESENTS SURRENDER OF OUR WILL AND INVITING HIS WILL TO BE DONE. IN ESSENCE, LORD HELP ME TO SURRENDER MY WILL ON THIS EARTH.

(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

TEACH US TO FORGIVE AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS. I NEED TO BE SOMEONE WHO TRULY KNOWS HOW TO FORGIVE SO THAT GOD CAN FORGIVE ME MY TRESPASSES.
13 SAYS KEEP US ON THE RIGHT TRACK SO THAT THE ENEMY CANNOT HARM US.
EVERYTHING SEEMS TO POINT TO WHAT GOD IS WANTING TO MAKE US, SONS OF GOD IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. GOD HELP US!

LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE HIGHER PRAYERS OF PAUL;
EPHESIANS 1:16-2:1
(Eph 1:16) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

(Eph 1:17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

(Eph 1:18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

(Eph 1:19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

(Eph 1:20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

(Eph 1:21) Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

(Eph 1:22) And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

(Eph 1:23) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

(Eph 2:1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

16 I AM ALWAYS PRAYING FOR YOU.
17 GOD GIVE THEM WISDOM AND REVELATION IN KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
18YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING AND WHAT YOU HAVE INHERITED THROUGH CHRIST.

19 KNOW THE POWER THAT HIS POWER GIVES YOU.
20 THIS BEING CAUSE BY THE VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION.
21 NOTHING IS HIGHER THAN JESUS.
22.EVERYTHING IS UNDER THE FEET OF JESUS.
23 JESUS IN YOU IS EVERYTHING.
2:1 YOU ARE NO LONGER DEAD IN SIN, BUT HAVE BEEN MADE VERY MUCH ALIVE.

ARE YOU SEEING THIS? ALL HIS PRAYERS WERE TO BUILD UP THE BODY OF CHRIST.
IF YOU CAN JUST GET JUST A GLIMPSE OF WHAT GOD IS TRYING TO DO IN YOU THROUGH PRAYER, YOU WOULD JUMP OUT OF YOUR SKIN AND YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NO TURNING BACK IN GOD. IT WOULD BE FULL ENGINES AHEAD!

COL 1:9-13 IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE SAYING AND GIVING A SAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD PRAY.
(Col 1:9) For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

(Col 1:10) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

(Col 1:11) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

(Col 1:12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

(Col 1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

WHAT IS THIS PRAYER SAYING? I PRAY THAT YOU HAVE WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. THAT YOU WOULD WALK PLEASING TO GOD, INCREASING IN KNOWLEDGE, STRENGTHENED WITH ALL MIGHT ACCORDING TO HIS POWER. THAT GOD HAS MADE US WORTHY TO THE INHERITANCE BY CHRIST JESUS. YOU ARE NO LONGER IN DARKNESS AND THAT YOU ARE NOW A SUBJECT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
LETS LOOK AT ONE MORE IN EPHESIANS 3:14-19

(Eph 3:14) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

(Eph 3:15) Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

(Eph 3:16) That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

(Eph 3:17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

(Eph 3:18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

(Eph 3:19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

AGAIN ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD FOR THE INCREASE IN THE BELIEVERS. NOT A SELFISH PRAYER ONE.

1 JOHN 3:22
(1Jo 3:22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

WE ARE NOT ONLY BECOMING WORTHY OF ANSWERED PRAYER THROUGH OBEDIENCE BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF OUR BEING GENUINE.
IF I PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH BUT DON?T STRIVE TO HIT THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD, THEN MY PRAYER ISN?T GENUINE.
CLEAN ME UP LORD, HELP ME BECOME MORE LIKE CHRIST. REMOVE FROM ME OLD THE OLD SIN STUFF AND PUT ME ON THE RIGHT PATH.

LET'S CONCLUDE WITH JOHN 15:7-8
(Joh 15:7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

(Joh 15:8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

ANSWERED PRAY CAUSES US TO BEAR FRUIT THAT GLORIFIES GOD. WHAT TYPE OF FRUIT MUST THIS BE?

IS IT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT BLOOMING IN US? THAT COULD VERY WELL BE AND I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE TYPE OF FRUIT THAT WE BEAR. BUT ALSO THE FRUIT OF SOULS COMING TO GOD WHEN THEY SEE AND HEAR A TRUE REPLICA OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST LIVING IN THE FLESH RIGHT BEFORE THEIR OWN EYES AND EARS. ARE YOU GETTING THIS?
WHAT TYPE OF PRAYER MUST THIS BE REFERRING TO?

I BELIEVE THAT THIS PRAYER IS WHEN WE ARE ASKING GOD TO MAKE US LIKE JESUS AND BUILDING HIS CHARACTER IN US AND NOT ALWAYS ASKING FOR SELFISH THINGS THAT WE CAN HEAP IT UPON OURSELVES FOR FLESHLY GAIN.

VERSE 7 WHAT WILL ABIDING (LIVING) IN JESUS AND HIS WORD MEAN FOR YOU? YOU GET TO KNOW HIS CHARACTER AND WAYS AND THEN YOU CAN ASK THE FATHER TO DUPLICATE THAT CHARACTER IN YOU. HAVE HIM GIVE YOU A SPIRIT OF PRAYER THAT HE HAD AND A DESIRE TO CONTINUALLY SEEK HIS PRESENCE.

HIGHER PRAYER REQUEST GUIDE WHICH HAS BEEN GLEANED FROM THE PRAYERS
THAT WENT UP IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

HIGHER PRAYER REQUEST PRAYER GUIDE

1. GIVE ME WISDOM AND REVELATION SO THAT I MAY KNOW YOU BETTER.
2. OPEN MY SPIRITUAL EYES SO THAT I MAY BE ENLIGHTENED CONCERNING THE HOPE THAT COMES ALONG WITH MY CALLING.
3. OPEN MY SPIRITUAL EYES THAT I MAY BE ENLIGHTENED CONCERNING THE RICHNESS OF MY INHERITANCE AS YOUR CHILD.
4. OPEN MY SPIRITUAL EYES THAT I MAY BE ENLIGHTENED CONCERNING THE GREATNESS OF YOUR POWER THAT IS AVAILABLE IN ME.
5. STRENGTHEN MY SOUL AND SPIRIT THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN ME.
6. GIVE ME FAITH TO ALLOW CHRIST TO DWELL IN MY HEART.
7. LET ME BE ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE THROUGH CHRIST DWELLING IN MY HEART.
8. HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE BREATH, LENGTH, DEPTH AND HEIGHT OF CHRIST?S LOVE FOR ME.
9.ALLOW ME TO SUPERNATURALLY UNDERSTAND CHRIST?S LOVE WHICH CANNOT BE KNOW NATURALLY, SO THAT I MIGHT POSSESS THE FULLNESS OF GOD.
10. GIVE ME WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING SO THAT I MIGHT KNOW YOUR WILL.
11. HELP ME TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT PLEASES YOU.
12. HELP ME TO BE FRUITFUL IN ALL GOOD WORKS.
13. HELP ME TO CONTINUALLY INCREASE IN MY KNOWLEDGE OF YOU.
14. GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO BE PATIENT AND LONGSUFFERING WITH JOYFULNESS DURING DIFFICULT TIMES WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE.
15. I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME YOUR INHERITANCE.
16. I THANK YOU FOR DELIVERING ME FROM DARKNESS.
17. I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME INTO CHRIST?S KINGDOM.
18. ALLOW YOUR WILL TO BE ACCOMPLISHED HERE ON EARTH, ESPECIALLY IN MY LIFE.
19. ALLOW YOUR KINGDOM TO BE MANIFESTED ON THIS EARTH THROUGH ME AND MY CHURCH.
20. HELP ME TO FORGIVE OTHERS AS YOU FORGIVE ME.
21. KEEP ME FROM THE TEMPTATION OF THIS WORLD AND DELIVER ME FROM EVIL.