TALKING TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
Seeking God for a Breakthrough — Part 4
Rick Warren
December 3-4, 2016
"Jesus' followers said, 'Lord, teach us to pray!' Then Jesus said, 'When you pray, begin by saying 'Our Father in heaven. . .'" Luke 11:1-2
MATTHEW 7:7-12
- GOD PROMISES TO ANSWER IF I KEEP ASKING.
"Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For anyone who asks will receive; and anyone who seeks will find, and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 - When I'm close to my Father, I just ASK.
- When I'm not close to my Father, I must SEEK.
- When a barrier is in the way, I KNOCK.
- GOD WILL NEVER GIVE ME ANYTHING THAT IS UNHELPFUL.
"If your child asked you for some bread to eat, would any of you fathers give her a stone instead?" Matthew 7:9 - GOD WILL NEVER GIVE ANYTHING THAT WILL HARM YOU.
"Or if your child asked for some fish, would you put a snake on their plate?" Matthew 7:10 - GOD WILL ONLY GIVE ME WHAT IS BEST FOR ME.
"Now since even you as a sinful, imperfect parent, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more does you good and perfect Father in heaven give only gifts that are good to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11
- GOD WANTS ME TO GIVE AWAY WHAT I WANT TO RECEIVE.
"So in every situation, always do to others what you would want them do to you. This sums up all the commands and teachings in the Bible." Matthew 7:12
ACTION PLAN: Make an ongoing list in your home for prayer requests and praise reports. As prayer requests and answers to prayer come up, write them down and see how God works through your prayer life.
ACTION PLAN: Read through Matthew 7:7-12 every day this week. Focus on one of these five points each day of the week.
FOR REVIEW AT HOME
You can watch these past messages online in full at Saddleback.com
Pt 1. HOW TO PRAY IN A CRISIS (5 Steps from Daniel 9:1-23) Oct. 30.
"If my people, who are called by my name,will HUMBLE themselves and PRAY and SEEK my face and TURN from their wrong ways, then I will HEAR from heaven and will FORGIVE their sin and HEAL their land!" 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
Pt. 2. PRAYING & FASTING FOR A PERSONAL BREAKTHROUGH 4 Keys - Nov. 20
"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God whatever you need but always ask for it with thanksgiving, asking him with a thankful heart for all he's done. If you do this, you'll experience God's peace which is far more powerful than we can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and emotions at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. Then fix your thoughts on things that are true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable, and fill your mind with thoughts that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:6-8
Pt. 3. HOW TO PRAY A 'BREAKTHROUGH' PRAYER (In situations that are beyond your control) 6 parts — 2 Chron. 20
"EVERY DAY Lord, I lift my hands to you in prayer and I call to you." Psalm 88:9
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ACTION PLAN: Take time to review the Message Action Plans for this series. Find a partner and go back through these together, making a commitment to apply the messages from this series into your life.
ACTION PLAN: Share the joy of Christmas by signing up to serve during Christmas at www.saddleback.com/ServeAtChristmas.
