Immeasurably More | Praying More for More
Immeasurably More: Praying More for More
Ephesians 3:14-21 Matthew 6:5-15, Luke 11:1-13
January 19th, 2025
More people + More prayer = Immeasurably More!
Ephesians 3:16-21 (NIV) 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
3 Core Prayers for 2025
Father, strengthen me in the power of the Holy Spirit in my inner being so that Christ may dwell in my heart.
Father, broaden and deepen my experience with love of Christ.
Father, fill me up with your fullness.
1 Core Conviction
Our God… is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
Immeasurably More = Hyper-ek-perissou
Hyper = Over and above.
Ek = exhaustlessness.
Perissou = exceedingly, abundantly, beyond what is expected, imagined and hoped for.
God wants us to experience more of Him and His love than we do right now and He wants to do more in us, with us, through us and for us than we could ever ask or imagine.
2 “More” Hazards to Avoid
When more substitutes for trust/faith.
When more becomes all about me.
The Always’ of More.
There is always more to God if you want more of God.
God’s more is always for more than just you.
God always rewards more stewardship with more to steward.
God is always more important than His more.
Matthew 6:5-15 (NIV) 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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The Lord's Prayer teaches us how to…
V9. Posture ourselves in prayer. Honoring children approaching an honorable father.
V10. Pray with trust, not angst. Your Kingdom and your will be done, not mine.
V11.Ask for daily provision. Our Father is a stable & dependable provider.
V12. To receive life through repentance/confession and give life through forgiveness.
V13. Be situationally and spiritually alert. Our enemy is real but less than. Satan nor his schemes are any match for God’s power or leadership. God > Satan. God in us > Satan against us.
Luke 11:1-4 (NIV) One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
Luke 11:5-10 (NIV)
The Shaping Power of Persistence
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Jesus teaches us to pray bold, shame-lessly persistent prayers, undeterred by “not now” answers.
Luke 11:11-13 (NIV)
The Scope of God’s Provision
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Our “Much More” Father doesn’t give us “one time” things, He gives us the all-time Holy Spirit.
The Lord's Prayer teaches us how to…
V9. Posture ourselves in prayer. Honoring children approaching an honorable father.
V10. Pray with trust, not angst. Your Kingdom and your will be done, not mine.
V11.Ask for daily provision. Our Father is a stable & dependable provider.
V12. To receive life through repentance/confession and give life through forgiveness.
V13. Be situationally and spiritually alert. Our enemy is real but less than. Satan nor his schemes are any match for God’s power or leadership. God > Satan. God in us > Satan against us.
Jesus teaches us to be boldly persistent in our asks and supremely confident in the God of our ask. He teaches us not give up in the gap between ask and answer, but to triple down on an immeasurably more Father.
Praying more for more.
1. I don’t know how to pray.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
2. I don’t feel worthy enough to pray. Our goodness is not the qualification for the relationship or the path of connection, God’s goodness is. Our performance isn’t what earns us an audience, it is our repentance and humility. Your feelings of unworthiness are attached to spiritual lies which are holding you captive. Freedom comes through a relationship with Christ cultivated in prayer.
3. I don’t have time to pray.
“The neglect of private prayer is the most common reason people lose their faith.” John Wesley
“If you are too busy to pray then you are too busy!” Mother Theresa to an Indian Bishop who claimed he was so busy his schedule was squeezing out his prayer time.
“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first 3 hours in prayer.” Martin Luther when was asked what his plans were for the day.
Prayer isn’t a check box it is the box the checks all other boxes. Pastor Charlie