I love the awesome sight of the sunset in the desert here in southern California.  It reminds me of God's power and makes me realize that I'm also part of his creation.  So at times I wonder how important am I when I see the signs of God's awesome power.  I mean I know God loves me so much he sent his son Jesus, who was God in the flesh, to die for my sins.  I know that Jesus departed or should I say overcame death to return to heaven that the Holy Spirit might become my keeper.

How important are my prayers in the overall theme of world events?  What about the conditions in my own home, on my job, in the neighborhood, the city, state, country and world we live in?

I have to dive into God's word for the answer to those questions.   So I invite you to come with me you may want to get out your Bible, pray and follow along, it's important for you to know that what I'm putting down stands up to the light of God's Holy Word

The authority

John 1:1 Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. . 3 He created everything there is--nothing exists that he didn't make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind.

In some versions of the Bible the reference to Jesus Christ is actually interpreted the "Word".

-- King James
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now this brings me to my subject "Prayer", the words we share with God, by the grace of God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I want to stop here for a moment and point out if you try to go to God through any other means you can't make it.  Jesus said "John 14:6 Jesus said to him, ``I am the way and the truth and the life! The only way anyone can come to the Father is through me!"

How often should we pray                                                                

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians To the congregation of the Thessalonians about how great God's love for them in Christ was and in ending the letter he talked about the importance of prayer.   Open God's word to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 & 18 " 17 Pray continually. 18 Thank God at all times. This is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus. 

Now I'm not sure what continually means to you, but to me it means always, constantly.  I heard my pastor say the word that was used for continually was interpreted from the same word that would be used to say a constant cough. 

What Should we Pray for

The Lords Prayer was meant as an example not a mantra, when Jesus was asked how to pray he answered;

Matthew 6:7 ``When you pray, don't use words without thinking, as people in the world do. They think that by saying many words they will be listened to.8 Don't be like them. Your Father knows the things you need, even before you ask Him."

The way Jesus said to pray is in Mathew 6: 9-13.

 9   This is the way you should pray: `Father in heaven, may Your name always be kept holy.
10. May Your kingdom come. May what You want done be done. May it always be here on earth as it is in heaven.
11. Give us the food we need each day.
12. Forgive us of the sins we have committed, as we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us.
13. Keep us away from temptation. Rescue us from the evil one.'

Jesus said, pray that Gods name be kept holy.  Look around in the world today when some people use God's name it's only in a casual passing manner.  Worse yet in many cases God's name is used in vain. We see in the Bible there is a constant battle going on in heaven and it spreads evil here on earth.

Matthew 11:12 From the time when John until now, the kingdom of heaven is being attacked; violent men are trying to capture it.

So this is why Jesus said "May Your kingdom come. May what You want done be done. May it always be here on earth as it is in heaven."  See God is always prevailing in heaven and we should pray for his prevalence here on earth  as it is in heaven. 

It's up to us to be prayer warriors and to ask God to prevail here on earth.  We need to pray about all things.  Ask for our needs and pay the price of forgiveness, as we give the same to people who offend us.

If crime is out of hand in our community, politics are unjust and our job is getting the best of us we need to pray. 

Here is a great example of a prayer warrior, turn your Bible to 1st Kings where the prophet Elijah does battle with 150 of Baal's priests.  This battle was waged to turn God's people to the one and only real God.  It went like this starting at 1 Kings 18:15

1 Kings 18:15 But Elijah said, ``I swear by the Lord God of the armies of heaven, in whose presence I stand, that I will present myself to Ahab today.'                     16. So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come; and Ahab went out to meet him.
17. ``So it's you, is it?--the man who brought this disaster upon Israel!'' Ahab exclaimed when he saw him.
18. ``You're talking about yourself,'' Elijah answered. ``For you and your family have refused to obey the Lord, and have worshiped Baal instead.
19. Now bring all the people of Israel to Mount Carmel, with all 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.''
20. So Ahab summoned all the people and the prophets to Mount Carmel.
21. Then Elijah talked to them. ``How long are you going to waver between two opinions?'' he asked the people. ``If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!''
22. Then Elijah spoke again. ``I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left,'' he told them, ``but Baal has 450 prophets.
23. Now bring two young bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without putting any fire under the wood; and I will prepare the other young bull and lay it on the wood on the Lord's altar, with no fire under it.
24. Then pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord; and the god who answers by sending fire to light the wood is the true God!'' And all the people agreed to this test.
25. Then Elijah turned to the prophets of Baal. ``You first,'' he said, ``for there are many of you; choose one of the bulls and prepare it and call to your god; but don't put any fire under the wood.''
26. So they prepared one of the young bulls and placed it on the altar; and they called to Baal all morning, shouting, ``O Baal, hear us!'' But there was no reply of any kind. Then they began to dance around the altar.
27. About noontime, Elijah began mocking them.``You'll have to shout louder than that,'' he scoffed, ``to catch the attention of your god! Perhaps he is talking to someone, or is out sitting on the toilet, or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!''
28. So they shouted louder and, as was their custom, cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
29. They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but there was no reply, no voice, no answer.
30. Then Elijah called to the people, ``Come over here.''And they all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down.
31. He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,
32. and used the stones to rebuild the Lord's altar. Then he dug a trench about three feet wide around the altar.
33. He piled wood upon the altar and cut the young bull into pieces and laid the pieces on the wood.``Fill four barrels with water,'' he said, ``and pour the water over the carcass and the wood.''After they had done this he said,
34. ``Do it again.'' And they did.``Now, do it once more!'' And they did;
35. and the water ran off the altar and filled the trench.
36. At the customary time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah walked up to the altar and prayed, ``O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant; prove that I have done all this at your command.
37. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.''
38. Then, suddenly, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even evaporated all the water in the ditch!
39. And when the people saw it, they fell to their faces upon the ground shouting, ``Jehovah is God! Jehovah is God!''

So you say this is a great example of a prayer warrior, if God would send fire down for me you can bet I'd be a super prayer warrior.   I've been called to show you another side of Elijah's prayer life.  The one where he had to pray through.  It wasn't as exciting as doing battle with false prophets and priests.  Elijah prays to end a drought.  You see at the same time he was doing spiritual battle with Baal, there was a great drought in the region.  Look at 1 Kings 18:41

41. Then Elijah said to Ahab, ``Go and enjoy a good meal! For I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!''
42. So Ahab prepared a feast. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and got down on his knees, with his face between his knees,
 

He probably put his head down like that to keep from being distracted and he started praying for rain. He sent his servant to look out at the sea for a sign of the coming rain.  But there was not a cloud in the sky.  Elijah didn't quit praying as we see in the scripture he sent the servant seven time before he got a sign that his prayer was being answered.

43. and said to his servant, ``Go and look out toward the sea.''He did, but returned to Elijah and told him, ``I didn't see anything.''Then Elijah told him, ``Go again, and again, and again, seven times!''

On the seventh try there was a small token that indicated Elijah had prayed through, God was getting ready to act on his faith.  I wonder how many times we stop just short of praying through.  When Elijah got the sign he acted immediately in faith.

44. Finally, the seventh time, his servant told him, ``I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea.''Then Elijah shouted, ``Hurry to Ahab and tell him to get into his chariot and get down the mountain, or he'll be stopped by the rain!''


He was ready when the answer to his prayer came he recognized it and acted in faith.

45. And sure enough, the sky was soon black with clouds, and a heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm. Ahab left hastily for Jezreel,

When the answer to your prayer comes, be ready to recognize it, take the appropriate action and to act in faith moving in the way and manner God would have you move.

 46. and the Lord gave special strength to Elijah so that he was able to run ahead of Ahab's chariot to the entrance of the city!

Our prayer should be for our loved one, Gods servants, our enemies and everyone Jesus died for.  Remember that God isn't willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  Let's be glad with them when they turn to God.   A sinner knows he is in sin he just need to know this;

Revelation 3:20. ``Look! I have been standing at the door and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.
21. I will let every one who conquers sit beside me on my throne, just as I took my place with my Father on his throne when I had conquered.
22. Let those who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.''