Note before sharing the sermon: sometimes I don’t have anything to share because the message alone is enough. (Spoiler - there is a surprise at the end of this post but it’s not about any thoughts or reflections that I have. Basically, I liked the sermon. And now I’ll let it speak for itself.)
Church 4/6/2025
Sermon message:
Announcement: water baptisms next week.
Thesis: Don’t stop praying.
Don’t give up if you’ve been disappointed or discouraged. Don’t cave to pressure if others are trying to dissuade you from praying.
Consider Daniel. He willingly put up with being in a lion’s den.
A quote from Billy Graham:
Morning prayer opens up God’s blessings and mercy and treasures.Evening prayer shuts us under God’s protection for the night.
Luke 18:1 (all translations NKJV unless otherwise denoted)
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Even worldly studies confirm prayer works: people seem to have a comfort that others who don’t pray don’t have. They confirm that people who pray also seem to be people of strength.
Don’t stop praying.
Point #1: prayer changes our focus and releases God’s power.
Consider Peter in the boat when Jesus Jesus was walking on the water. Peter walked on water so long as he focused on Jesus, but began to sink as he focused on the storm over Jesus. Then Jesus helped him shift his focus back to Him.
Acts 4:24
So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
The believers refocused after having received bad news.
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Another case: Paul and Silas were in prison.
Acts 16:24-26
Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Jesus directly taught us how to pray as well.
Matthew 6:9
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Refocus on God.
Point #2: prayer draws us closer to God.
Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Don’t stop praying.
Point #3: God has given us different kinds of prayer.
Ephesians 6:18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Petition prayer
James 4:2
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Giving God thanks
Philippians 4:6 again
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
2 Timothy 1:3
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,
Intercessory prayer
1 Timothy 2:1-3
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
Criticism is easy to do; but rising above the temptation to criticize is not easy to do but important for following Jesus.
Prayer of submission.
Father God, let Your will be done, not mine.
Praying in known tongues.
i.e. English, French, German, etc.
Praying in unknown tongues.
Like the day of Pentecost.
Consider Paul’s delineation:
1 Corinthians 14:14-15, NKJV
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15, AMP
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying]. Then what am I to do? I will pray with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will pray with the mind [using words I understand]; I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].
Don’t stop praying.
Point #4: You can change from prayer of petition to the prayer of thanks.
If you believe in your heart that it is done, then as you keep praying, switch over to prayer of thanks. But don’t stop praying. Don’t fall for the lie that says repeating petitions equates to lack of faith. It can but God will speak to your spirit and let you know it’s time to switch over to thanksgiving.
1 Kings 17:21-22
And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.
1 Kings 18:42-43
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”
So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
But don’t let anyone stop you from praying. Don’t feel condemned by anyone for praying.
James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
2 Thessalonians 1:11
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,
Romans 1:8-9
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray without ceasing,
Point #5: You can change from known tongues to unknown tongues.
Note re praying in unknown tongues only: it’s important to still pray in your original language.
Note after sharing the sermon: the following song was shared after the conclusion of the message. I thought it was really powerful; as such, below are the lyrics to the song:
[Verse 1]What’s your impossible? Your “I need a miracle”?What’s got you barely hanging by a single thread?What looks so hopeless now? What weighs down your heart with doubt?You beg for a breakthrough but no sign of breakthrough yet
[Pre-Chorus]When you’ve cried and you’ve cried ’til your tears run dryThe answer won’t come and you don’t know whyAnd you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time
[Chorus]Don’t stop prayingDon’t stop calling on Jesus’ nameKeep on pounding on Heaven’s doorAnd let your knees wear out the floorDon't stop believing’Cause mountains move with just a little faithAnd your Father’s hеard every single word you’rе sayingSo, don’t stop praying
[Verse 2]He's close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spiritThe Alpha and Omega knows how your story ends
[Pre-Chorus]When you’ve cried and you’ve cried ’til your tears run dryThe answer won’t come and you don’t know whyAnd you wonder if you can bow your head even one more timeOh, do it one more time
[Chorus]And don’t stop prayingDon’t stop calling on Jesus’ nameKeep on pounding on Heaven’s doorAnd let your knees wear out the floorDon’t stop believing’Cause mountains move with just a little faithAnd your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayingSo, don’t stop praying
[Post-Chorus](Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)Oh-oh(Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)No, don’t stop praying(Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)Oh (Oh)
[Bridge]Don’t stop praying for the prodigalDon’t stop praying for the miracleHallelujah, hallelujah and amenDon’t stop praying that addictions endDon’t stop praying for deliveranceHallelujah, hallelujah and amenOh, don’t stop praying for the sickness healedDon’t stop praying for His power revealedHallelujah, hallelujah and amenNo, don’t stop praying for the Kingdom comeDon’t stop praying that His will be doneHallelujah, hallelujah and amen
[Chorus]Don’t stop prayingDon’t stop calling on Jesus’ nameKeep on pounding on Heaven’s doorLet your knees wear out the floorDon’t stop believing’Cause mountains move with just a little faithAnd your Father’s heard every single word you’re sayingSo, don’t stop praying
[Post-Chorus](Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)(Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)No, don’t stop praying(Don’t stop, don’t stop praying)Don’t you give up now (Oh)No, don’t stop praying