공동체와 양육

Sobriety Test in Prayer (1PE4:7, MT26:40-41)

2010.01.10Rev. Mike Lee

Prayer requires self-control and a sober mind, staying alert against temptation, and giving our full attention to God instead of praying half asleep or in a hurry.

Prayer promotes self-control as a fruit of the Spirit (vv. 7)

Prayer promotes self-control, which the Bible names as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. In prayer we confess our sins, put off the old self, and put on the new self. Paul also compares this discipline to athletes who train with self-control for a prize that will not perish. The speaker notes that Michael Phelps trains six hours a day, six days a week, and asks how dedicated we are to prayer.

Pray with a sober mind and full attention

Peter uses the word sober-minded, from the Greek sophreno, which means to think sensibly and be in one's right mind. He uses it in 1 Peter 1:13 and 5:8 for being alert against the devil, and here he applies it to prayer. The speaker tells of a police officer who warned him that driving half asleep is like driving drunk. In the same way, prayer said while half asleep often makes no sense, so we should give God our full attention.

Prayer guards us against falling away in trials (vv. 40-41)

Jesus found his disciples sleeping in Gethsemane and told Peter to watch and pray so that they would not enter into temptation. The speaker understands this temptation as the temptation to fall away from faith during trials, not only the temptation to sin or to sleep. Jesus himself prayed in Gethsemane for strength to endure what lay ahead. Prayer gives us access to the heart of God and sustains us in spiritual warfare against the devil, who seeks to devour us.

Make prayer a non-negotiable daily discipline

The speaker suggests setting aside a set time for prayer, early in the morning or late at night, and treating it as a date with God. He compares this to a courtship in which one gives everything to the other person. He notes that the average Christian prays three to seven minutes a day, including mealtime prayers, and says that this is too little. He also recommends keeping a prayer journal to record requests and answers, as people track their workouts at a health club.

Apply to Life

  • Let us set aside a regular time for prayer and make it a date with God.
  • Let us pray with a sober mind and give our full attention to God.
  • Let us pray against the temptation to fall away from our faith during trials.
  • Let us keep a prayer journal to record our requests and what God shows us.
  • Let us put off the old self and put on the new self through prayer and self-control.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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