Today we will talk about prayer, we are still in the book of Luke, and one of his emphases is on Prayer, he mentions prayer more than any other gospel.
He has more parables on prayer than any other book.
He mentions on many occasions the private prayer life of our Lord.
Prayer.
In Luke 6:12 and it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
In those days, Just a notable point comes to mind when it says those days, I believe the Lord was laying a foundation for the ministry, whenever you have to make some big decisions in your life it is time to pray, Jesus was the son of God yet he felt the need to pray, about to change direction in your career pray, your about to marry pray, move to a new area pray.
Today I will address just one area when it comes to prayer; the message is borne out of what I have seen over the last ten years ago. Some practices have come in that are not really scriptural, and lack understanding and I will address these over the weeks.
The Area I will address is the approach, there is a set way to approach the Lord, which is seen throughout scripture, and you can get this right your life will change your relationship will change.
You have to know how to approach God.
Exodus 3:1-6
Moses sees a bush on fire but it is not burning, being inquisitive he gets closer and closer to investigate, the a voice calls out Moses Moses, do not come any closer for the place where you are standing is Holy, or Hallowed ground.
In other word Moses was going to receive his first lesson in approaching the Lord.
Moses you must take your shoes off.
And I would suggest that when Moses took his shoes off it was a sign of Humility.
Any thing to do with feet in this sense means humility.
Jesus in humility wanted to wash peters feet; Jesus said we should wash one another's feet, Humility.
In the book of Isaiah six when the glory of God appears to him, he also is having and encounter with the Lord, he witnesses strong angels, in fact they are called seraphim's, they seen also in the book of revelations 4, and in the book of Ezekiel.
Isaiah saw them mighty and powerful, and they were in the temple, acknowledging the glory of God, and at there cry the temple shook.
They had six wings, two covered there face, for they could not look at the glory of God….Reverence, with two they flew….Action…..and two covered there feet …Humility.
Must approach God with humility
When you approach God in the right way he will hear you! Humility, we are nothing before him; to be honest we are vile human beings, when Isaiah saw the Glory he woe is me.
God was teaching Moses, God was teaching Isaiah….when you approach me you must approach me with humility.

I am not going to get too technical today but Just look at the order of the Tabernacle, you could not brazenly go into the holy of holies, you would die, in fact only the high priest could go in there and not without blood.
He even had a bell and a Long rope attached to him so if you did not here that bell you would have to drag him out.
Humility ….we must fear God.
How do you approach God?
Jesus mentions this in Luke two men go into the temple to pray
Luke 18:10-14
Which one was heard, and which one are you.
There is a way to approach the Lord and get results
My view is this….if it is not working change it. If it does not fit any more.
To break it down ….. I had a grey suit I had for about ten years
I wore it to Kenya the first year and just about the second, I would have to breathe in for it to fit, buttons would break, the shoulders were getting to tight.
I get attached to clothes, eventually I had to part with it.
Maybe through ignorance you have prayed a certain way, demanding and shouting at God and commanding him, bodily you moving, decree ing things, and what a carry on. But if it is not working change it. You should have grown out of that panic, frantic prayer. Some prayers and prayer meetings today remind more of the prophets of Baal.
Let's turn to it!
I Kings 18:26- 29
They shouted screamed cried, from morning till evening, when nothing happened they began to cut themselves, still nothing after all that physical demonstration, the results were very small.
Elijah knew how to pray…history sys when he prayed he was prostrate, he would crouch down put his face in his hands and cry out. What a prostrate position.
He got a result, there is a way to pray and get results.

Personal testimony

Hezekiah is my favourite when it comes to prayer
This man faced some serious problems in his rule, but this man knew how to pray
II Kings 19:1-1And it came to pass, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. 4It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 5So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6And Isaiah said unto them, thus shall ye say to your master, thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

11Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 12Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? 13Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah? 14And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. 17Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 19Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.

God heard and he was delivered !

He knew how to approach God, Humility
I like some of the practices that took place in the old testament, one of them was in times of great distress and agony they would tear there clothes, wear sackcloth which was rough and itchy, and sprinkle ashes over their heads, you can see this middle eastern passion in the Arabs.
Basically the king would tear his bespoke or designer clothes, and humble himself, it displayed helplessness, and then God would have to intervene.
I wonder if Tony Blair our prime minister would do that in tragedy, I think not, because we no longer look to God in humility.
In reality does God really hear your prayers?
In the book of James it says that we should humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. So he will exalt us in due time.
Again Hezekiah prays concerning his Life
He has a boil and he is sick, The Lord sends a prophet who gives him a diagnosis. Thou shalt die and not live, you're not coming off that bed.
Hezekiah does not seek out a counselling session with his, Pastor, he turns his face to the wall, in humility again, and this moves the lord and fifteen years is added to his life.
Prayer in Humility.
Modern Christianity says its my right, early church fathers and prophets said, it is not my will but thine.
Daniel said we deserve confusion of faces, but incline your ear.

Sometimes God will allow affliction to humble you, David said when I was afflicted I turned to you psalms 119;67

Joel 2:1
Jonah prayed of affliction, and if you do not mind me saying it was self imposed, because failed to obey God
God heard him, if your approach is right god will hear, I never demand things I request. So in other words, after I have prayed or made my specific request, it is now out of my hands, it is in the hands of one that is greater and more powerful than I and you, I am talking about the one that stretched out the heavens like a curtain, that formed the sun.
He is able and very capable.
We used to sing a song in my Pentecostal church, take your burden to the lord and leave it there.
I do not care what it is God can take care of it.

What then is the point or message?
It is about approach
It is about humility
It is about Jesus, our requests are to be in his name and through him, even in prayer we must enter into what Jesus has accomplished already for us on the cross.
According to Colossians 2 satan was humiliated through the cross.

Prayer is by him, through him, in him, and because of him.