Partner with God in prayer

by Pastor Wilson Teo

Come to him before crisis happen and before planning our plans through prayer

Big idea:
God allows us to participate his purpose on earth through prayer

Matthew 6:9
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,


* Approach God as Abba Father

Prayer is about having a conversation with God, our Abba Father

Prayer is not a one way street that we download all our prayers to God

Prayer is not a monologue with God

Matthew 6:10
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

* This verse emphasize the need to first seek God's mind and Will before we present our laundry list to God

know God's heart and mind over that matter in my life

Intimacy with God enable to know what's on God's heart and mind, over the issue that I bring to Him instead of insisting my desire and my way in that matter

When my prayers are not answered the way I want and desire，I begin to see things in God's perspective

Old Testament example of God spare the righteous from Abraham's plea:

Genesis 18:16-32
When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[a] 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” 22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.[b] 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[c] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” 29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”


Abraham is an example of biblical ancient figure praying to God

Abraham understood that Sodom deserved to be punished and also God's character of righteous and justic and His heart always ready to be merciful to the righteous

We can learn like Abraham To take time to understand God's character and steer out prayer towards God's heart and mind

Ask for God's heart, purpose and mind for .... Then wait

Because of this prayer and waiting, We will not be reacting out of fear and anxiety

How do you want me to steward my finances?

The issue of God's will in prayer:
- what's the point of praying when God's will has already decided on the outcome?

Sodom and Gomorrah
- God can change His mind

Also there are incident that God did not change His mind even with petition and prayer such as Jesus prayer below

Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”


Matthew 26:42
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”


Only through seeking His heart and mind will we know whether Is this matter settled in the heart of God or not?


1 Samuel 23:7-13
Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” 12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” 13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.


God's foreknowledge about a future event does not always mean that he will always predestine it to occur. However, This does not mean God cannot predestine an event if He wants to. Look at the example below:

1. David fled keilah upon receiving God's answer
2. Saul stop pursuing

A. God invites us to seek his heart and mind through prayer
B. God involves us by aligning our prayers to his will and purpose on earth