Pray in Faith
To pray in faith, we must seek God's heart, believe that He will answer our prayers, and enter into the reality of what He feels for the suffering humanity around us.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the importance of praying in faith, drawing inspiration from the passionate prayers of biblical figures like Hannah, Moses, David, and Paul. He highlights the need for believers to seek God's heart and understand His burdens for humanity, as true intercession comes from a place of deep compassion and connection with God's feelings. Yohannan recounts Dr. Bob Pierce's experience in China, urging listeners to pray for their hearts to break for what breaks God's heart. He stresses that faith is essential in prayer, referencing Jesus' teachings on believing in the power of prayer to bring about change. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a heartfelt, faith-filled approach to prayer that aligns with God's will.
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Study the lives of Hannah, Moses, David and Paul. You will find this passion in their prayers as well. In Ephesians, you read about Paul praying for these people. It's like he is in anguish. He talks about his "tribulations" for them (see Ephesians 3:13). In Galatians he says, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19).
How do we get this burden? We simply seek it. We ask God to change our heart. We say, "Lord, what is on Your heart? What is Your concern? Lord, please let me under stand it." Then He brings the thoughts and gives us the burden to intercede. We cannot create this burden on our own. God does not care about lip service. He wants us to enter into the reality of what He feels for the suffering humanity all around us. He wants to share with us His burdens and His joy in seeing these prayers answered.
I was in Singapore for a leaders meeting in 1971. There I heard Dr. Bob Pierce, found er of World Vision, tell of his early years when he visited China. He said that when he saw the multitudes in China, he was bro ken-hearted. He wept on the streets of that nation. Then he took his Bible and wrote on the leaflet inside, "Let my heart break for the things that break God's heart." Let that be our prayer also.
Pray in faith. We must believe. Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark 11:24). Matthew 17:19-20 says, "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' So Jesus said to them, 'Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.' "
Sermon Outline
- The Passion of Prayer
- Getting the Burden
- Praying in Faith
- Believe that God will answer our prayers
- Jesus' teaching on faith in Mark 11:24 and Matthew 17:19-20
Key Quotes
“Let my heart break for the things that break God's heart.” — K.P. Yohannan
“Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- We must seek God's heart and ask Him to change our heart to get the burden to pray for others.
- Believing that God will answer our prayers is the key to praying in faith.
- Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains and make the impossible possible in prayer.