Does prayer work?

Last Sunday evening I preached about Philippians 1.19ff. I enjoyed it because people joined in.
Here's a version of it:

"Do you believe prayer achieves anything?  Really?

Do you believe the Holy Spirit makes any difference?  Really?

Paul in detention in Rome in AD62 (prob).  As far as we know never released, but executed within next 5 years.

Writes to the first church he planted in Europe - northern Greece - an imperial colony and tax-haven.

It’s a pretty healthy church, but with problems both outside and inside.

Back to the questions.

• Do you believe prayer achieves anything?  Really?

• Do you believe the Holy Spirit makes any difference?  Really?

Possible answers:

1. ‘Yes, and this is why I do.’

2. ‘Yes and no - in theory, but never for me.’

3. ‘No. I’ve seen no evidence to convince me.’

Answers from the congregation

“Yes. Because I’ve experienced several answers - not always what I’ve wanted! - when people have prayed for me.”

“As I’ve got older, I’ve come to know Jesus as my friend as well as my Saviour, and I’ve found him answering my prayers as I’ve come to understand his will.”

“I think we often find that God has answered our prayers - as we look back. Like for example our moving to Grove.”

I have a prayer partner on the other side of the world. It is extraordinary how often and how specifically her prayer requests are answered. 

Do you remember 3 weeks ago when Pope Francis called for people of faith worldwide to fast and pray (7 July) for peace in Syria, and what happened by the Monday?  From the imminent danger of US missiles to promise of Assad handing over chemical weapons… Unbelievable breakthrough towards peace!  A friend on Facebook reminded me of wartime national days of prayer, and the miraculous answers that followed (When the nation prayed).

Conclusion: God definitely does answer prayer now.

        

What does St Paul believe?

Verse 19 “I know that through your prayers and the help (God’s provision NIV) of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance”. 

He knows.  He knows their prayers will be answered.  He knows that the Holy Spirit will be at work on his behalf.  In fact, it appears that his “deliverance” would turn out “to depart and be with Christ”, which was far better (verse 23).

How does he know?

• Through relationship

• Through experience

Relationship

“I know whom I have believed and am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Timothy 1.12).

He has met with Jesus - dramatically! - and lives his whole life with daily reference to him.  “So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2.20).

“So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 9.17).

Experience

Paul not only prays for the young Christians constantly; he also keeps asking for their prayers for him.

And for him prayer is a two-way conversation, not always comfortable!

“And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me” (Acts 20.22,23).

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12.8,9).

“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (James 5.16-18).                                        [NB Remember that “righteous” here doesn’t mean that we are good, but it means we’ve been made right with God because of Jesus.  We are righteous because we’re in a relationship with Jesus; we’re trusting him.]

So let’s be encouraged.  And be challenged to pray.  “Prayer... has great power as its working.”

Congregation asked what to pray for. 

Father, you know these needs of our church, which your Holy Spirit has put on people’s hearts. Put them on ours too, so that we all pray fervently and effectively according to your will, through Jesus Christ and to his glory. Amen."