Pray Like You Have a Father (3)

Look again at Romans 8:15 and notice the words “we cry out.”

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

“We cry out” is another way of saying, “pray.” All those who believe in Jesus have received the Holy Spirit who moves us to pray. “We cry out” is in the present tense and means that this is an ongoing activity in the Christian life. It is also an intense word that can even be translated “scream” or “shriek.”

Then why do we have such a hard time praying? Here are some possible reasons:

(1) We aren’t a Christian. Christians pray according to this verse.

(2) We have such a perfectionistic standard for what constitutes a life of prayer that we will never consider ourselves to be “a praying person.”

(3) We are in a spiritual battle and think it ought to be easy and fun.

(4) We have sinful attitudes and beliefs that keep us from a lifestyle of prayer.

The Holy Spirit is in us to lead us into the truth and to lead us to obey in many ways and yet we still sin and are imperfect, including in the area of prayer.

What kinds of sinful attitudes and beliefs keep us from being imperfectly, yet truly, devoted to prayer?

(1) We are not looking to God as our Father for what we need and desire.

You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. (James 4:2);

(2) We see what we do as more important than what God does.

²⁴The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,

²⁵with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

²⁶and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

(3) We lack confidence in God as our Father.

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. (James 5:13a)

We need to meditate on and pray over the truth that God is our Father and let it move us to pray like we have a Father.

(This is an excerpt from the message on Sunday, Praying Like You Have a Father, that can be found at www.coastcommunitychurch.com/resources/sermon/WS-795)