In the model prayer Jesus gave us in Matthew chapter 6, after asking for daily bread and forgiveness, He teaches us to pray, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

This is a prayer for protection and guidance in the spiritual battles we face every day. Jesus isn't suggesting that God tempts us—James 1:13 makes it clear that God does not tempt anyone. Temptation comes from our own sinful desires, from the world around us, and from Satan himself, whom the Bible calls the evil one or the devil.

When we pray Lead us not into temptation, we're asking God to guide our steps away from situations, people, or circumstances where we know we're weak and likely to fall. It's an acknowledgment that we can't trust our own strength to avoid sin—we need divine direction to steer us clear of danger.

Then we pray, Deliver us from the evil one. This recognizes that there's a real enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan wants to destroy our faith, our relationships, our witness, and our joy. But God is greater, and He promises to deliver us when we cry out to Him.

So bring your vulnerabilities to God daily. Pray for protection from temptation in areas where you're prone to stumble—anger, lust, pride, worry, whatever it is. Ask Him to lead you in paths of righteousness and to deliver you from the schemes of the evil one. When you pray this way, you're not living in fear; you're living in dependence on a powerful Father who loves to keep His children safe and strong.

Pray with confidence: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. He hears, and He is faithful to protect and deliver.

 God promises to deliver us when we cry out to Him. 

1. Ask God to guide you today and to give you the discernment and wisdom to avoid tempting situations. 
2. Ask the Lord to deliver you today from the evil one’s schemes and attacks. 
3. Ask the Lord to protect our church as together we seek to fulfill the mission of making disciples around the world.

In the model prayer Jesus gave us in Matthew chapter 6, after asking for daily provision, He teaches us to pray, Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

This is one of the most challenging parts of the prayer because it directly ties God's forgiveness of our sins to our willingness to forgive those who have sinned against us. Jesus isn't saying that we earn God's forgiveness by forgiving others; forgiveness from God is always by grace through faith in Christ. But He is saying that if we have truly experienced God's forgiveness, it should transform how we treat others. A person who has been forgiven much will forgive much.

Right after giving the model prayer, Jesus emphasizes this point in verses 14 and 15:

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

This doesn't mean God withdraws salvation from believers who struggle to forgive; it means that unforgiveness hinders our fellowship with Him and blocks the free flow of His forgiveness in our daily walk. Unforgiveness is like a dam that holds back the river of grace in our lives.

Think about it practically: If you're harboring bitterness toward someone—maybe a family member, a coworker, or even someone from years ago—when you come to God in prayer asking for forgiveness of your own sins, that bitterness stands in the way. It affects your relationship with the Father. Jesus wants us to deal with it honestly.

So in prayer, bring those offenses to God. Ask Him to help you forgive as He has forgiven you. Release the debt. Let it go, not because the other person deserves it, but because Christ paid your debt in full on the cross, and you've been set free. When you do, you'll experience greater freedom in prayer, deeper intimacy with God, and the joy of reflecting His mercy to others.

Pray this part of the model with an open heart: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. As you forgive, you'll find God's forgiveness flowing freely in your life.

Unforgiveness toward others is like a dam that holds back the river of God’s grace in our lives. 

1. Is there anyone in your life you need to forgive? Ask God to give you the grace to do what He wants you to do, which is to forgive them. 
2. Pray that the Lord will pour out His grace upon our church family and give us all the strength to forgive all the people who have wronged us. 
3. Ask God to heal the hearts of all in our church family who have been wounded by the wrongs of others.

In the model prayer that Jesus gave us in Matthew chapter 6, after we've prayed for God's name to be glorified, for His kingdom to come, and for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, Jesus then teaches us to pray, Give us this day our daily bread.

This is a prayer of simple, humble dependence on God for our basic needs. Jesus is telling us to ask our Father for the provision we need today—not for tomorrow, not for next week or next year, but just for this day. It's a reminder that we are not self-sufficient; we are dependent on God for everything, even the most basic things like food and sustenance.
Think about the Israelites in the wilderness. God provided manna for them every single day. He told them not to gather more than they needed for that day—except on the day before the Sabbath, when they could gather for two days. If they tried to hoard it or store it up, it would spoil. God was teaching them to trust Him daily, to rely on Him one day at a time for their provision.

Jesus is teaching us the same thing in this prayer. When we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” we're acknowledging that God is the source of all we need, and we're choosing to trust Him for today without anxiety about tomorrow. In the same chapter, just a few verses later, Jesus says, Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This doesn't mean we shouldn't plan or work responsibly. It means we bring our needs to God daily, trusting that He will provide what is necessary for today. Whether it's physical bread, strength for the day, wisdom for decisions, or grace to face challenges, we ask our loving Father to meet us right where we are, one day at a time.

So pray this simple prayer with confidence: “Father, give us this day our daily bread.” He hears, He knows your needs before you ask, and He delights to provide for His children.

In Matthew chapter 6, in what is often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus gave us a model—a model prayer to guide us in how to pray in almost any and every situation. One of the phrases He told us to pray was “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In that phrase we find one of the great purposes of prayer.

One of the purposes of prayer is for me to bring my will into submission to God's will. How many times have you had something that was troubling you, and you've gone to God in prayer? You begin to pour out your heart to God. You begin to tell God how you want Him to intervene and what you want Him to do. You instruct Him exactly what needs to happen. But the more and more you pray about it you begin to realize that you need to submit to whatever it is that God wants to do. So you pray, “Lord, not my will, but Your will be done”. So one of the great purposes of prayer is to bring your will into submission to the Father’s will.
 
Once we have surrendered our will to His will, then we begin to ask Him to accomplish His will. As you pray for His will to be done, He works through your prayers to bring about His will on earth just as it is in heaven.

Now there are times that we know the will of God—we know exactly what He wants done because He's revealed it in His Word. In those times we can pray with confidence (1 John 5:14-15). For example, maybe we're praying for somebody to come to faith in Christ. We know that the Bible says God is not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). So when you're praying for a lost person, you can pray, “God, may Your will be done—save this soul in the name of Jesus for the glory of Jesus.” You can know that as you are praying, at that very moment God is working to bring about His will on earth just as it is in heaven.

But there are times that you don't know God's will about a situation. In those situations you pray, “Father, I don't know how to pray. Show me what Your will is so I might know what to pray for.” If He shows you His will, then you can begin to ask Him for His will to be done. He will begin to bring His will to pass on earth as it is in heaven through your prayers.

But in those times that you just don't know what to pray for, you say, “Father, I don't know how to pray, but may Your will be done.” The Bible tells us in Romans 8:26-27 that the Spirit of God intercedes for us according to the will of God. In those times you ask in faith by praying something like, “Father, I don’t know what your will is but I know the Holy Spirit is praying right now according to your will. So I am asking that your will be done in this matter and I want to thank you that you are bringing about your good and perfect will.”

So pray according to God's will, and when you do, you can know that as you are praying, His will is being done and being brought to pass on earth as it is in heaven.

One of the big mistakes people often make in prayer is viewing prayer as a means to get God to do what we want Him to do. Many of us want God to use His power to build our kingdom, our bank accounts, our fame, our comfort etc. But Jesus taught us to pray in the model prayer, “Your kingdom come...” One of the main purposes of prayer is for God to use our prayers to bring about the expansion of His kingdom in this world.

The kingdom of God is wherever God is reigning. God reigns in heaven so therefore, the kingdom of God is in heaven. When Jesus is King of my life, then the kingdom of God is in me. One day Jesus will reign over this earth with a rod of iron and when that comes to pass, the kingdom of God will be on the earth. So for us to pray “Your kingdom come,” we are asking for the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives. We are asking for Jesus to return and bring about His kingdom in this world. But when we pray for a specific prayer request, we are asking for God to rule and reign over that particular situation.
 
The Lord wants to expand His kingdom or His rule and reign over the hearts of men. He wants all men to be saved and to live their lives in submission to His will. So for us to pray for His kingdom to come, we are praying for souls to be saved, for His reign to extend over the hearts of men. Over the next three years, our church is unifying together to seek to accomplish goals that will extend His kingdom around the world. We are calling this three-year emphasis, “Advancing the Kingdom”. That is one of the main purposes of prayer; Advancing His Kingdom. God wants to advance His kingdom through your prayers. He will work to advance His kingdom where you live, where you work, where you worship, where you shop, etc. as you pray and ask for His kingdom to come. One day everyone will be forced to bow before Jesus and confess He is Lord. But right now, He doesn't force anyone to bow. But as we pray for His kingdom to come in whatever situation we are praying about, we are inviting Him to come and work in that situation. He isn’t forcing Himself, He is being invited by you into that matter about which you are praying. So when you pray, invite Jesus to work to bring about the expansion of His rule and reign in the matter about which you are praying.

In Matthew chapter 6 we see that God does not answer our prayers because we pray fancy, eloquent, or beautiful prayers. God doesn't answer our prayers because we pray long or wordy prayers. He doesn’t answer prayers because we pray the same thing over and over again.

So why does God answer prayer? Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew chapter 6. This prayer was not really intended to be recited as though it's some sort of special magical prayer, but it is an example—a model—for how we should pray. Jesus said in verse 9,

Hallowed is not a word we use very often in our everyday conversations, but the word hallowed means to be set apart as holy, to be treated as special, to be given great respect and honor. Another way of saying it is to be glorified.

So God answers prayer in order to glorify His name. God wants people to know what He is like. I think a great example of this is found in 1 Kings chapter 18, when the prophet Elijah—at God's command—had called together a challenge to the prophets of Baal so that the God who answered prayer would be proven to be God in Israel.

And so Elijah steps up when it's his turn to pray, and he prays this in verse 36:

So God answered that prayer so that the people of Israel would know that Yahweh—He is God.

That is one of the main reasons why God wants to answer your prayers. He wants people in your life to see that He is the living God who hears and answers prayer. He wants you to know, He wants your kids to know, He wants your family to know that He is God.

So when you pray for the purpose that God might be glorified, you can pray with confidence—He's hearing and answering your prayers.

When God revealed Himself to Abraham, the father of our faith, He revealed Himself as El Shaddai—God Almighty. So when Abraham prayed to God, and so did his son Isaac and his son Jacob, they all called God the Lord Almighty, our God Almighty.

When God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush, and Moses asked, “What is your name?” God said, “My name is Yahweh. It is by the name Yahweh that you and future generations to come will know Me.”

But you can imagine how startling and radical it must have seemed when Jesus was talking to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6:9, Jesus said,

Father.

When God Almighty revealed Himself to you through His Son Jesus, He said, “This is what I want you to call Me: Father.”

God wants you to call Him Father because He loves you so much and you are His children. In 1 John 3:1 it says,

God says, “I want you to call Me Father because I love you and you are My children.”

Now there are some of you who, when you think of the word “father,” it doesn't bring up really good positive feelings for you. Maybe your earthly dad was difficult. Maybe he was cruel. Maybe he was strict. Maybe he was mean. Maybe he was harsh. Maybe he was even abusive. Maybe he was absent. So when you think of the word “father,” you don't think of good feelings.

But you don't need to compare your heavenly Father to your earthly father. Your earthly father may not have been a good example. What you need to do is renew your mind. You need to get into the Scriptures. You need to look at the Gospels and specifically study the person of Jesus. For Jesus said, “When you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

And as you study and look at the life and person of Jesus, your mind will be changed and be renewed, so that the day will come that when you cry out “Father,” you will feel the love that He has for you.

If God knows everything, has all power, and has a good will that He wants to accomplish in your life and through your life, then won't He just do it whether you ask Him or not? Why does He want you and me to pray about something if He's going to do what He wants to do anyway? Have you ever had thoughts like that?

Part of the answer is that God has not only a good, perfect, and acceptable will that He wants to accomplish in your life and through your life, but God has also ordained the means by which He is going to bring that to pass.

For example, a farmer could say, “Well, you know what, God has all power, and if God wants to, He could just cause that cotton crop to grow whether I plant anything or not.” And the truth is, that's correct—God could do that. But God has chosen that if He wants there to be a harvest of cotton, the means by which that will happen is for the farmer to plant cotton. So a farmer has to plant cotton to bring about a harvest of cotton.

Just as God has ordained the means of sowing and reaping in the physical world to bring about His purposes, so in the spiritual world God has chosen the means by which He gets His good and acceptable and perfect will done in and through your life. That means is prayer. The means is you asking Him.

You could compare prayer to spiritual sowing and reaping: If you want to reap God's will, you must pray and ask Him for it.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:8-9:

Jesus says your Father already knows what you need before you ask Him, but here's how you need to ask Him. You see, God has ordained the means of prayer by which He gets His will done in and through your life.

In the same sermon, in the next chapter, Matthew 7:11, Jesus said: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

And James 4:2 says, You do not have because you do not ask God. So if God knows everything, why does He want you to pray? Because prayer is the means by which God accomplishes His good, acceptable, and perfect will in your life.

Prayer is the means by which God brings about His will in and through your life. 

1. Ask the Lord to lead you to pray for the things He wants to do in your life. 
2. Ask God to lead you to pray about things He wants to do through your life. 
3. Ask the Lord to accomplish His will in and through our church through our “Advancing the Kingdom” emphasis.

After teaching us what prayer is not—showy public displays or endless repetition—Jesus then gives us a positive example. He says in Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray.” He then gives us what we call the Lord's Prayer: 

Jesus didn't give this prayer as a ritual to repeat word for word every time we pray, like some kind of magic formula. He gave it as a model, a pattern to shape how we approach God in prayer. It's a simple outline that covers the essentials of what real prayer should include.

First, it starts with worship and reverence: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We're reminded to begin by honoring who God is—our loving Father—and acknowledging His holiness.

Then it moves to surrender and alignment: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Before we ask for anything for ourselves, we're called to submit to God's purposes and priorities.

Next comes a petition for our needs: Give us today our daily bread. This is simple dependence on God for provision, one day at a time.

Then confession and forgiveness: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Prayer includes dealing honestly with sin and extending grace to others.

Finally, protection and deliverance: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. We ask God to guide us away from trials we can't handle and to guard us from evil.

Jesus gave us this model to show that prayer doesn't have to be complicated or long-winded. It's relational—talking to our Father about His glory, His will, our needs, our sins, and our protection. Use this pattern as a guide, and you'll find your prayers becoming more focused, biblical, and powerful, because they're shaped by the One who knows exactly how to pray perfectly.

Jesus gave us a model prayer to teach us how to pray powerful prayers. 

1. Ask God to enable our church to be a part of starting 1000 churches over the next three years through our Advancing the Kingdom emphasis. 
2. Ask the Lord to empower us to help in training 1000 pastors around the world to plant churches and take the Gospel of Jesus where the people have not heard. 
3. Ask God to use our church to make the Gospel known to every person in McKinney over the next three years.

Many of us feel like we're not very good at prayer because we often have a hard time praying for a long time about something. We will try to tell God about a need, or about something we desire, or we're burdened about, but we feel like we didn't pray about it long enough. So we repeat ourselves, and then we turn around and maybe say the same thing again and again. We feel like somehow for our prayers to be powerful, we have to talk about it a lot to God.

But Jesus taught us something totally opposite of that. In Matthew 6:7-8, Jesus said:

Jesus said your prayers are not answered because of your many words. Our prayers are not powerful because we pray long prayers. Our prayers are powerful because we're talking to a powerful Father, and we are His children simply telling Him what we need.

When I was a pastor many years ago in my hometown, I had an elderly deacon who was a wonderful man of prayer. He wasn't very eloquent; he wasn't very educated, and he often mispronounced his words. But when I say he could really pray, I don't mean that he prayed beautiful prayers. What I mean is that when he prayed, he got answers.

I remember one time we were badly in need of rain, and he felt burdened to pray for rain. He told me later that he went home one night and as he lay in his bed, he spoke out loud and said, “Lord Jesus, you know we need rain. Let me hear from you, Lord.” He said he lay there for a few minutes in the silence, listening—and nothing. So then he said again, “Lord, let me hear from you.” And he said in just a few seconds, he began to hear the raindrops hit the tin roof of his old house.

Now that's some powerful prayer.

The power of prayer does not come from your many words. It comes from the power of your Father that you're talking to as His child. So make your needs known in simple faith.

Many Christians have very little faith that their prayers will be answered. When asked why, they often say, “Well, I just don't pray very well.” They reach this conclusion after attending a prayer meeting, a public worship service, or a Bible study where someone is called on to pray. That person stands up and offers a beautiful, articulate, perhaps even passionate prayer. The listener thinks, “Wow, that was a powerful prayer and I just can't pray like that.” Because they aren't as articulate or aren't comfortable speaking publicly, they assume their own prayers lack power.

But whether you are articulate or not, whether you communicate smoothly or not, or whether you can weave your words into something beautiful really has nothing to do with how powerful and effective your prayers are.

Jesus Himself addressed this very issue in Matthew 6:5–6:

In this passage, Jesus isn't saying that anyone who prays beautifully in public is automatically a hypocrite. What He is highlighting is that the Pharisees who offered those impressive, articulate public prayers—prayers that wowed the crowds—did not impress God.

What impresses God is something far simpler: the person who goes into their room, into their closet, locks the door, and alone with Him, pours out a simple, childlike prayer. God says of the one who does this, “I want to reward them.”

So don't base your confidence in answered prayer on how articulate you are or how well you communicate. Instead, place your faith in a loving Father who delights to answer the simple prayers of His children.

God invites us to pray for great things—things far beyond small, routine requests—because He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. But why does God want us to ask for such big things? The ultimate reason is tied to His glory.

In John 14:13, Jesus said,

Notice the purpose clause: so that the Father may be glorified. When we pray for great things in Jesus' name—meaning in alignment with His character, will, and purposes—God answers in ways that display His greatness, power, and goodness to the world around us.

Think about the prayers in Scripture that God answered dramatically. Elijah prayed for fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, not for personal comfort, but so that the people would know that the Lord—he is God (1 Kings 18:37). Jesus prayed before raising Lazarus in John 11:41–42, saying,

The miracle was massive so that God's glory would be revealed and people would believe.

God still works that way today. When you pray for great salvations in your family, for revival in your church or community, for breakthroughs in impossible situations that point people to Him, or for provision and healing that can only be explained by God's hand—those are the kinds of prayers He delights to answer. Not for our name to be made great, but for His.

The limit on our prayers often isn't God's willingness or ability—it's our vision and faith. We ask for small requests because we think small. But when our prayers are shaped by time in His Word and abiding in Christ, they grow to match His heart for His glory.

So today, shift your prayers toward things that will magnify God. Ask for great things that showcase His power, draw people to Jesus, advance His kingdom, and bring Him honor. Pray boldly, in Jesus' name, for the Father's glory—and watch Him move in ways that leave no doubt it's Him.

God delights to answer prayers that bring glory to His name. 

1. Pray that God will give our church family the boldness to invite people to church. 
2. Ask God to create an “invitation culture” in our church where we learn to value inviting others to church. 
3. Ask God to give you an opportunity to invite someone to church this week.

One day I was babysitting my grandsons. When I got there that morning, the youngest one—the three-year-old—was still asleep. A little bit later he woke up, I went in and got him, and after I held him for a little bit, he told me he was hungry. So I took him downstairs, put him in his highchair, and asked him what he wanted for breakfast. He told me he wanted a muffin.

So you know what I did? I went over to the refrigerator and pulled out some broccoli from the night before and put the broccoli on his tray. Now he doesn't like broccoli, but I thought, well, it's good for him. No, I didn't do that—you know I wouldn't do that. He wanted a muffin, and so I got him a muffin.

Yet many of us think God is a broccoli-giving God. We think that if we ask God for something we want, God is going to give us something that maybe is good for us, but we'd never really like it. And yet Jesus taught us something totally opposite about God and when we pray.

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 verse 9-11:

Jesus said, why is it that you think that if you ask God for something good, God is going to give you something different—something that you'd never in this world want? Jesus taught us that God the Father has so much more He wants to give to those who will ask Him.

But did you get that? He said you have to ask Him. There are so many good things that God wants to do for you and do through you, but He says, “I will only do it if you ask.”

So today, trust the goodness of God. Ask Him for those desires that He's put into your heart.

In John 15:7, Jesus said, 

Ask whatever you desire. How in the world could Jesus say such a thing? It's because Jesus knows that if you are right with Him, spending time with Him, and spending time in His Word, then He works in your life to create in you the desires He wants you to have.

I remember one time when my daughter Rachael was a little girl. She wanted an American Girl doll for Christmas. At that time, if you were going to get one of those dolls, you had to order it six to eight weeks in advance to guarantee delivery by Christmas. We were getting really close to the cutoff point where it would be too late to order it, and she would not make up her mind which one she wanted. Every day we would go over the catalog together.

Finally, one day just in the nick of time, she said, “I want Samantha.” So as quick as we could, my wife got on the phone and ordered the Samantha doll. Well, about a week later, Rachael was still flipping through the catalog, and one day she said, “You know what? I've changed my mind. I think I want Kirsten now.” Kirsten was a cute doll, but Samantha was already in the pipeline, and it was too late to make a change.

So every day from that point till Christmas, just about, I would sit down with Rachael in the evening and flip through the catalog with her. I'd say, “You know, Kirsten is cute all right, but personally I like Samantha.” Then I would talk about all the experiences she and Samantha could have together. I'd make up all these stories and adventures. And then I would say things like, “You know, it may just be me, but I even think you and Samantha sort of look alike.”

One day Rachael looked at me and said, “You know what? I've changed my mind. I think I want Samantha.” You know what she got for Christmas? She got just what she desired. She got Samantha. But you see, I had worked in her life to create in her a desire for what I wanted to give her.

God says that when you spend time with Him and you spend time in His Word, He works in your life to create the desires that He wants to give you. So those desires in your heart right now, if you've been spending time with God—they're from Him. Ask for great things in confidence with the desires of your heart.

When my children were young, my parents—who lived in Louisiana—would come over as often as they could to spend time with them. They didn't get to be as involved in their grandkids' lives as they would have liked. So one time, when my son Brett was about four years old, my mom and dad drove over from Louisiana. My dad wanted to buy Brett a special toy. He wanted to spend some money on him and give him something really nice from his Big Paw Paw and Mamaw.

I remember us going to a toy store. My dad took Brett up and down the aisles, pointing out these pretty expensive gifts. He'd say, “Would you like something like this?” He was so excited, willing to do something really special for Brett. But somewhere along the way, Brett got fixated on this little, inexpensive, really just cheap doodad of a toy. In spite of everything my dad could do, he could not get Brett's attention off that toy. Dad would say, “Well, what about this? We could buy that, but that's not all that special. What about this?” But no matter what Dad said, Brett had made up his mind—he wanted this little toy.

I'll never forget the body language of my dad when I could see that he'd finally resigned himself to the fact that he was going to give  Brett what he asked for. He wanted to do so much more, but he gave him what he asked for.

I think what an example of how God must feel about you and me. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20,

God is able to do super abundantly above all that we could ask or even imagine. But we often ask for so little. God is limited far more by our asking for too little than for too much.

So ask God today to guide you in what great things He wants you to ask Him for. Prayer is the means by which God does great things through your life.

God is limited far more by our asking too little than for too much. 

1. Pray that many souls will be saved this year through Brookhaven and that they will follow the Lord in baptism. 
2. Pray they connect to our church small groups so they can begin to grow as followers of Jesus. 
3. Ask God to raise up small group leaders in our church family who can help shepherd all the flock of God that He is giving to us.

We've been talking about praying for great things—asking God for more than small, safe requests because He invites us to come boldly to His throne. Many of us hold back because we think we're asking too much or that God might say no to big prayers. But God doesn't rebuke us for asking big when it's in line with who He is and what He's promised.

Look at the pattern in Scripture: God often points back to what He's already done as the basis for trusting Him for more. In Jeremiah 32, when the situation looked impossible—Jerusalem was under siege, and God told Jeremiah to buy a field as a sign of future restoration. Jeremiah prayed a prayer of praise. He recounted God's mighty acts: creating the heavens and earth by His great power, performing signs and wonders in Egypt, bringing Israel out with a mighty hand, giving them the land. Then he said, in essence, “Lord, You've done all this—nothing is too hard for You, but why are you commanding me to buy a field now in this hopeless moment?”

God answered by affirming, I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27). He reminded Jeremiah of His power and faithfulness, then promised restoration beyond what seemed possible.

God does the same with us. He says, “Remember what I've done for you—how I've answered prayers before, how I've provided, healed, saved, delivered. Based on that track record, ask Me for great things now.” He doesn't want timid prayers; He wants prayers that stretch our faith and showcase His glory.

In the same way, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a model that includes asking for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven—big, world-changing requests. Don't shrink back. Let God's past faithfulness fuel your present boldness.

Today, reflect on what God has already done in your life or in Scripture. Then pray bigger—pray for things that only His power can accomplish, so when He answers, it's clear it's Him. He is able, and He delights in showing it through the prayers of His children.

 Let God's past faithfulness fuel your present boldness. 

1. Ask God to put the desire for what He wants done in the hearts of our church family.
2. Pray that every church member will have a desire to be a part of what God is doing in and through our church over the next three years. 
3. Pray that our people will have a great desire to give financially to support this three-year vision to Advance the Kingdom.

Many of us hesitate to ask God for big things. We think we should be content, not greedy, or that we're bothering Him with too much. But Scripture shows God repeatedly inviting us to ask boldly for greater things—things that match His limitless power and character.

In Ephesians 3:20–21, Paul prays this powerful benediction:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Notice Paul doesn't say God can do a little more, or even a lot more—he says immeasurably more. Beyond what we can even ask or think. The limit isn't on God's side; it's often on ours because we ask too small. God wants to display His glory through answering prayers that are big enough to point people to His greatness.

Think about the examples in Scripture. When Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God's people, God didn't just give him wisdom—He added riches, honor, and long life too, because Solomon's request aligned with God's purposes and showed dependence on Him (1 Kings 3). Or consider Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10, who prayed, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. God granted his request because it was bold yet humble and God-honoring.

God isn't impressed or annoyed by big requests when they're rooted in faith in who He is. He brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders; He parted seas, fed multitudes in the wilderness, and raised the dead through His Son. He hasn't changed. He still delights in doing great things for His glory when His children ask in faith.
So today, ask the Holy Spirit to expand your vision. Pray for things that require God's supernatural power—salvations in your family, breakthroughs in impossible situations, revival in your community, provision that only He can supply. Ask big, not out of selfishness, but so that when He answers, everyone sees it's Him.

God wants to glorify His Name through answering prayers that are big enough to point people to His greatness. 

1. Ask God to raise up in our church a powerful army of men and women of prayer who will ask God to do the impossible for His glory.
2. Pray that the Lord will break the power of darkness over the minds of unbelievers in this area and that the light of the Gospel will shine into the lives of thousands of people.
3. Pray that through our church the Gospel might spread across the whole world.

Do you ever have thoughts that kind of go like this: “Maybe you shouldn't ask God for so much. Maybe you should just be content with what you've got, be thankful, and stop asking God for so many things.” Many of us had parents who, when we were younger, said things like, “You need to stop asking for so much and be thankful for what you have.” And so we sort of think that our Heavenly Father probably says things like that to us as well.

Yet when I look at the Scriptures, I really can't think of a time when God ever said to one of His kids, “Stop asking Me for so much.” I can't think of a time when God ever says, “you need to think smaller—you need to pray for smaller things or don’t pray for so much.” But rather, what you see in the Scriptures is God constantly encouraging His people to pray—pray more, ask for greater things, believe Him for bigger things.
 
For example, in Psalm 81:10 the Scripture says, I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

When I read that Scripture, I almost expect it to say, “I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt—so don't ask Me for anything else,” or “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of  Egypt—so be content with that; isn't that enough for you?” I expected the verse to say, “I brought you up out of Egypt, so don't expect Me to do a whole lot more for you.”

But instead, God said, “I brought you up out of Egypt. Do you remember that? Do you remember how I just decimated that land in order to show you My power and show them My power? Do you not remember how with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm I struck that land over and over again? With the blast of my nostrils, I opened the Red Sea so that you could walk across on dry land. I provided for you in the desert, and I gave you a homeland and caused the tribes to be defeated before you who were stronger than you. Do you not remember that?”

So in light of that, pray for things that are in keeping with My power. Ask Me for greater things. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. I believe that if you would ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and show you what God wants you to pray for, I believe it would be for bigger things than you're asking for now. So pray for greater things.

God commands us to ask Him for greater things than we are asking for. 

1. Will you pray for God to use our church’s Advancing the Kingdom emphasis to help win 100,000 souls to Jesus in the next three years?
2. Pray that through our Advancing the Kingdom emphasis we can be a part of starting 1000 churches over the next three years. 
3. Pray that through our Advancing the Kingdom emphasis 1000 pastors will be trained and equipped to start new churches and shepherd them to make disciples.

For the last six days we have been looking at James 5:16-18, where Scripture declares that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. God uses Elijah as the example—a man just like you and me—whose prayers stopped rain for three and a half years and then brought it back. We've examined three key characteristics of his prayers: praying according to God's will, for God's glory, and persistently/expectantly. Today we look at the fourth: Elijah prayed in faith with expectant action.

After Elijah prayed on Mount Carmel and the fire fell, he told King Ahab in 1 Kings 18:41, Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain. Notice what he did: he declared the answer was coming before any cloud appeared. He believed what God had told him, that it was going to rain, and he acted on it in faith before he could see it. Then he went up to the top of Carmel, bowed down, and prayed persistently—sending his servant seven times to look for signs. When the servant finally reported a small cloud the size of a man's hand rising from the sea, Elijah didn't wait around. He immediately told Ahab, Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you. Soon the sky grew black, the wind rose, and a heavy rain poured out.

Elijah's faith wasn't passive. He prayed, believed God's promise, and
then moved forward in action, as if the answer was already underway. He didn't sit idly waiting for proof; he prepared and proceeded with confidence that God would complete what He started.

Many of us pray but then do nothing— we wait for everything to change before we act. But God often expects us to take a step of faith before the answer comes. Elijah shows us how to pray according to God's will, for His glory, persistently, and in faith. When the righteous person prays like this, God moves powerfully to bring His answer to pass.

Today, whatever promise or burden you're praying about, ask yourself: What action of faith can I take today? Step out expectantly—prepare, move forward, trust God to finish it. Your prayers, combined with obedient faith, are powerful and effective, just as Elijah's were. Keep praying and acting in faith—God will show up.

Faith that doesn’t result in an action step isn’t really faith at all.

Pray something like this...

“Father, I thank you for letting me know that my prayers are powerful and effective when I pray like Elijah prayed. Help me to learn to pray like that. Is there a step of faith you want me to take today? Teach me to pray according to your will, for your glory, with perseverance and faith. May you Advance Your Kingdom through my life and my prayers.” 

We've been examining James 5:16-18, where God declares that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. He points to Elijah as proof: a man just like us whose prayers stopped and started the rain. We've seen two characteristics of Elijah's prayers so far: he prayed according to God's will and for God's glory. Today we look at a third characteristic of powerful and effective prayer. Elijah prayed persistently and didn’t give up.

After the fire fell on Mount Carmel and the people turned back to God, Elijah told King Ahab in 1 Kings 18:41, Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.  It had not rained in 3.5 years, but by faith Elijah knew it was going to rain before there was even a cloud in the sky. But God had told him that He was going to send the rain. Then he went up to the top of Carmel, bowed down to the ground with his face between his knees, and prayed.

He sent his servant to look toward the sea seven times. The first six times the servant reported nothing—no cloud, no sign of rain. But Elijah didn't quit. He kept praying. On the seventh time the servant said, A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea. Elijah immediately told Ahab to hitch up his chariot and hurry home before the heavy rain stopped him. Soon the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain poured down.

Elijah prayed persistently—he kept on asking until the answer came. He didn't stop praying when there were no immediate visible results. It is important to realize that just because it was God’s will to send rain, the answer didn’t come immediately. Six times nothing happened, but he prayed again. The seventh time the breakthrough came.

Many of us give up too soon. We pray once or twice, see no change, and conclude God isn't going to answer. But God often tests our faith through delay, building perseverance and deeper dependence. Elijah shows us to keep praying according to God's will, for His glory, and don't stop until the answer arrives. This should encourage us that just because something is God’s will does not mean that the answer will happen the first time we ask for it.

There is a mystery about prayer. Sometimes the answers come immediately like when Elijah asked God to send the fire and consume the offering. But then just a few minutes later Elijah asks God to send the rain He had promised and he had to pray seven times before God did it. Stop trying to figure out God and just keep asking Him for what He wants done. If what you're praying for aligns with God's Word and purposes, then don’t give up if the answer doesn’t come immediately. Keep going back to God with the same request, believing He hears and will act in His perfect timing. Your persistent prayers are powerful and effective—just like Elijah's.

Align your prayers with God’s will and keep praying persistently until the answer comes.
 
Pray something like this...

“Father, I acknowledge that I don’t understand why sometimes you answer prayer quickly and sometimes you require us to persevere in prayer. But you have taught us in your Word that this is how you work. So help me to not be discouraged in my prayer life when I don’t understand why you aren’t answering. Enable me to better align my requests with your will and then to have the perseverance to keep asking until your answers come.”

This week we've been exploring James chapter 5 verses 16 to 18, where we're told that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. God illustrates this with the prayer life of Elijah: he prayed, and it didn't rain for three and a half years; he prayed again, and the rains came. Elijah was just like you and me—God answered him not because he was special, but because of how he prayed. We've seen the first characteristic: he prayed according to the will of God. Today we look at the second: Elijah prayed for the glory of God.

After three and a half years of drought in response to Elijah's prayers, the people and even King Ahab were desperate. God proposed a test in 1 Kings chapter 18: a contest on Mount Carmel between Himself and Baal. The prophets of Baal went first—they prayed and cried out from morning to afternoon, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no response, no voice, no answer.

Then Elijah stepped forward at the time of the evening sacrifice. He prayed a simple prayer in 1 Kings 18:37:

Immediately fire fell from heaven, consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil, and even licked up the water in the trench. The people fell on their faces and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

That is the purpose of prayer: so that God can make Himself known as the living God who hears and answers. When the righteous person prays for God's glory, not just for personal relief, God moves in powerful ways. When we see God answer our prayers, it draws us closer to Jesus and those around us have a greater desire to experience Jesus in their lives as well.
 
Could the circumstances and needs in your life right now—those things you're praying about—have been allowed by God for this very reason? If you will pray for His glory, “Oh Lord, answer me so that I might know and those around me might know that you are the living God who hears and answers prayer” then your prayers will be much more powerful.

Pray for Jesus to be glorified as He reveals Himself through His answers.
 
Pray something like this...

 “Lord Jesus, you taught us in John 14:13 that you answer prayer in order that the Father might be glorified in the Son. I want to learn to pray in a way that enables you to reveal yourself to me and those around me so that all might fall down before you and confess that you are the living God who hears and answers prayer.”

This week we've been looking at James chapter 5 verses 16 to 18, where God says the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. He then gives an illustration with Elijah the prophet: when Elijah prayed, it did not rain on the land for three and a half years; he prayed again, and the rains came.

God didn't answer Elijah's prayers because he was special or because he was a prophet. Rather, He answered because there are four things Elijah did in his prayers that you and I can do when we pray. If we will pray like Elijah prayed, then God will answer our prayers, and they will be just as powerful as his.

Today let's look at the first one: Elijah prayed according to the will of God. The Bible tells us in 1 Kings 17:1 that one day Elijah walked into the presence of King Ahab and said to him, “It's not gonna rain again until I say so.” How did Elijah know that God would answer that prayer? I believe he was reading one day in the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 11:16-17, where God says to the people of Israel,

I think Elijah looked at his day in which he lived and saw that his people had turned from serving God to serving Baal. I believe Elijah began to pray Deuteronomy chapter 11. He may have prayed something like this. “Oh God, You promised that if your people turn from You that You would shut up the heaven and that it would not rain. So I'm asking You to do what You promised You would do.” When the righteous man began to pray what God had promised He would do, God answered, and God's will was done on earth as it is in heaven.

Then in 1 Kings 18, three and a half years later, God said to Elijah, “Go present yourself to Ahab; I'm about to send rain.” So Elijah goes back—you know the story—he calls fire out of heaven, the people repent, and then Elijah prays again, and when he begins to pray, the rains came. The will of God was for it to not rain until the people repented and then to give rain after they repented. But it was when the righteous man began to pray according to the will of God that God's will was done.

I wonder what it is that God wants to do in your life, through your life, and all around you that He has not yet done because you, the righteous person, have not yet asked. Pray according to God's revealed will in His Word today, and watch Him move powerfully.

Through the prayers of righteous people, God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
 
Pray something like this...

“Father, show me the things in my life that you want to do, that you have not done, because I have not asked. Forgive me for my prayerlessness. I want to be a person who learns how to advance your Kingdom and your will through prayer. I know this request is your will, so I want to ask you to lead me to pray for those things you want done and I want to thank you that you are going to answer those prayers.”

This week we've been talking about how the prayers of a righteous person really make a difference. James 5:16 says the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. Yesterday we saw that a righteous person is the term God uses to describe His children—those who have come into relationship with Him by faith in His Son Jesus. So if you're a child of God, James 5:16 is talking about you: your prayers are powerful and effective.

Now in verses 17 and 18 of James 5, God gives an example to illustrate this powerful truth:

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Immediately when we read those verses, we think to ourselves, “Well, of course God answered Elijah's prayers. Elijah was special. Elijah was a prophet of God. Elijah was unique—I mean, this guy did miracles. So of course God answered his prayers. But I'm not Elijah, so this verse doesn't really apply to me.”

Brothers and sisters, that is the exact opposite of what this verse is teaching. God says in this passage that Elijah was a human being just like you—with the same feelings, with the same limitations, with the same shortcomings. God says, “I didn't answer Elijah's prayers because he was a prophet. Elijah's prayers weren't powerful and effective because he was unique and special. He's just like you in God's sight.”

God is saying to you in this passage: “If I answered Elijah's prayers—he's just like you. If I heard his prayers and they had such an impact that it didn’t rain for three and a half years, then he prayed again and it rained. If I will do that for Elijah, who was just like you, then I will do it for you.” God says your prayers are powerful and effective.
Do you really believe that?

Your prayers are as powerful and effective as Elijah’s.

Pray something like this...

“Father, thank you for speaking to me and assuring me that you work through my prayers in powerful ways. I don’t always pray like I believe that. I am sorry that I doubt you. I am sorry that far too often I base my faith on whether you will answer my prayers on how well I think I pray or whether or not I deserve it. I thank you that you have made me righteous in your sight by my faith in your Son, Jesus. Thank you for answering my prayers because of my relationship with Him. Help me to begin to pray with this confidence so you can do great things through my life. Empower me to be used by you to Advance Your Kingdom through prayer.”

Does it really make a difference when you pray? Does it really matter whether you pray about something or not? We started talking about that yesterday in this devotional on prayer that makes a difference. The truth is, God says in His Word that it does make a difference.

In James chapter 5 verse 16, the Scripture says, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. God says when a righteous person prays, it makes a powerful impact.

Immediately many of you might feel disqualified. You look at that verse and think, “A righteous person? Well, that counts me out because I am so far from what God wants me to be. I am so far from being like Jesus in so many areas of my life. I'm anything but what you would describe as righteous.”

But God says you are righteous if you have placed your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Righteous” is a term that God uses to describe His children who have come into a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Scripture says in Romans chapter 5 verse 1, Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God declares us righteous in His when we give our lives to the Lord Jesus and place our faith in Him to be justified. To be justified is to be righteous in the sight of God.

So that's a term God uses to describe all of His children. In Romans chapter 4, describing Abraham, it says he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Then in verses 23 and 24 it says, The words ‘it was credited to him’ were not written for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. So if you have placed your faith in Jesus, God has credited to you righteousness—the righteousness of Jesus—and He calls you righteous.

So say this truth out loud, right now: “I am righteous because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I am righteous in the sight of God. I am righteous.” Reject the lies of the enemy and keep repeating that truth and agreeing with God until you begin to believe it. And now James 5:16 applies to you: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

You are righteous in God’s sight because of your faith in Jesus. 

Pray something like this...

“Father, thank you that you have declared that I am righteous. I acknowledge that this righteousness is not a result of any good thing that I have done, but you have credited me with righteousness because of my faith in your Son, Jesus. Thank you for your grace poured out on me because of Jesus. You are amazing! Help me to believe what you say about me and to realize that I can believe what you say more than I believe how I feel. Help me to live today in the confidence and faith that I am right with you because of Jesus. Empower me to begin to pray like a righteous person.”

Do you believe that it really makes a difference whether or not you pray? Do you believe that if you pray, God does things that He will not do if you do not pray? After all, isn't God sovereign? Isn't He just going to do it whether you pray or not?

This is an issue you and I have to settle in our hearts and minds if we're ever going to have a consistent prayer life. You see, if you don't believe that prayer is absolutely a means by which God works in your life and through your life—if you don't believe it matters whether or not you pray—then you're never going to be able to consistently overcome the obstacles our enemy puts in your way as he tries to stop you from praying faithfully.

Having a consistent prayer life is hard work, but it's more than hard work—it is a spiritual war. So you and I must be convinced that it really makes a difference. Over and over in the Bible, God gives us many verses and promises where He says it matters when you pray—that when you and I pray, God promises to act, and when we don't pray, there are some things God does not do.

God not only gives us many promises, but He also gives us powerful illustrations from the lives of great saints in the Bible where He came through in answer to their prayers. One of those promises is found in James chapter 5, verses 16 to 18:

God said it really matters if you pray. The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. Then He says Elijah was just like you—a man just like you—but when he prayed, it didn't rain for three and a half years. He prayed again, and the rains came. It's easy for us to think, “Well, Elijah—of course.” But God says no, Elijah was just like you, yet when he prayed, it made a difference.

And so you and I need to be convinced that when we pray, God says it makes a difference. So pray today with confidence that God is at work when you pray.

Any thought that makes you think your prayers won’t make a difference is an attack from your enemy.

Pray something like this...

 “Heavenly Father, you have told me in your Word that it makes a difference when I pray. I confess to you that I don’t understand exactly how my prayers and your sovereignty work together, but you, oh Sovereign Lord, tell me that it makes a difference when I pray. So help me to live by your truth and not my feelings. Enable me to identify the lies of the enemy that hinder my prayer life. Change my prayer life over the next five weeks and increase my faith that you use my prayers to make a huge difference.”