Pray First
21 Days of Prayer
Our prayer for 2025 is that we will be a people who live by faith, grow in grace, and pray first. Join us for 21 Days of Prayer this January.
https://www.venturechurch.org/21Days
Matthew 7:7-11 NIV
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.“ Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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 good gifts to those who ask him!
Nehemiah 1:1-11 NIV
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of SusaHanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave your servant Moses.“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
Elements of a Pray-First Life
I. Burden That Leads to Prayer
Nehemiah 1:4 NIV
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
A heart that breaks before God is a heart that God will use.
Elements of a Pray-First Life
I. Burden That Leads to Prayer
II. Boldness That Moves Heaven
P - PRAISE
R - REPENT
A - ASK
Y - YIELD
P - PRAISE
Nehemiah 1:5 NIV
Then I said: “LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments
When you start with praise, you shift your focus from the size of your problems to the greatness of God.
R - REPENT
Nehemiah 1:6-7 NIV
let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws you gave your servant Moses.
Freedom is found in confession.
A - ASK
Nehemiah 1:11 NIV
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
Y - YIELD
Yielding isn't giving up; it's giving over.
Prayer is not the least we can do—it is the most. It is not an act oflast resort; it is the foundation of all that we do. To pray is to standin the gap between heaven and earth, to bring the concerns of ourworld into the presence of a holy, sovereign God, and to watch Himmove in ways that exceed anything we could imagine or accomplishon our own.
Leonard Ravenhill
Elements of a Pray-First Life
I. Burden That Leads to Prayer
II. Boldness That Moves Heaven
III. Bravery That Steps Out
Nehemiah 2:1-8 NIV
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
Nehemiah 2:4-5 NIV
The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Prayer fuels courage.
Faith isn't just believing God will act; it's stepping out while trusting He already is.
Nehemiah 1:11 NIV
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
What’s in your cup today?
Pray first.
Bible Reading Plan
Dig deeper with the Bible Reading Plan and Daily Devos in 2025!
https://www.venturechurch.org/biblereadingplan