Psalm 139:15—18 (NLT)
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

Luke 12:6,7 (NLT)
“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

Matthew 6:7,8 (NLT)
When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

Luke 11:1—4 (NLT)
Once, Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

• Prayer is about bringing the Kingdom of God into our circumstances.

• Prayer is us, as the children of God, connecting heaven and earth.

• God is looking to partner with his children to advance his Kingdom here on earth. It is our job, and prayer is our activator.

Genesis 18:16—21 (NLT)
Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way. “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

• God can do anything he wants, anytime he wants. But he has chosen to advance his Kingdom on earth through us, his church, and his children.

• God has a plan for your family, neighborhood, workplace, communities, state, and country, and he wants to partner with us to see his Kingdom advance.

1.   Prayer is the key to linking heaven’s resources to earthly opportunities for advancing God’s Kingdom.

Luke 11:5—13 (NLT)
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Luke 11:5—8 (NLT)
Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

• The emphasis of prayer is not on the Father's willingness to answer (because the Father is willing). The emphasis is on the asking. It is the asking that activates Prayer’s Power!

2. As God’s children, we are in the position to petition heaven. It is our birthright.

Genesis 2:15 (NLT)
The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

• Prayer is our most potent weapon in accomplishing our purpose here on earth.

• Prayer unlocks heaven’s resources, connects us with God’s plans, and empowers us to take ground.

3. Prayer is what engages heaven here on earth.