Our Lord Jesus Praying

John 17:1    These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Introduction:

Lu 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

1. To be a disciple we must take up our cross, which will provide suffering, trials, and dying
2. All this will lead to the glorious resurrection
3. This journey must begin with prayer

1. First of all, our prayer must glorify God

John 17:1   These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

Ro 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen

Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Re 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1. Our prayers must not to be asking amiss

James 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

III. Our prayers must be according to the will of God

 Mt 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

1 Jo 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:

1. Enlist others in praying if we are serious

Luk 22:45  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46  And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

1. We must be in earnest when we pray

Lu 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

1. We must pray to the Father, through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit

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

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 8:26   Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Conclusion: Pray without ceasing

Lu 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;