Pray like Jesus | John 14:12-14 | Gary Hamrick

Summary

Pastor Gary Hamrick teaches from John 14:12–14, where Jesus promises to act on requests made in his name. Hamrick explains that this is not a blank check: prayer should reflect God’s character and purposes, rather than simply asking for whatever a person wants.

Prayer is described as communing and connecting with God—speaking, listening, asking for oneself, or praying for others. It can happen in many settings and postures. “Praying without ceasing” means maintaining an ongoing attitude of communication with God, not reciting long prayers continuously. Prayer is also a spiritual discipline: a practice that helps strengthen a person’s relationship with God.

Three Essentials for Prayer

1. Prayer must glorify God.

   • Jesus says requests are answered “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
   • Hamrick contrasts self-centered requests—such as seeking fame for personal status—with asking God to provide opportunities and abilities that can honor him.
   • He points to James and John’s angry request to call down fire on a Samaritan village as an example of a request Jesus rebuked. Herod Agrippa’s failure to give God glory serves as a warning against claiming God’s honor for oneself.

2. Prayer must accord with God’s will.

   • Hamrick uses 1 John 5:14 and Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane as models: make requests honestly, but surrender the outcome to God.
   • The Lord’s Prayer likewise asks for God’s will to be done.
   • Scripture makes some aspects of God’s will clear—for example, praying for people’s salvation. For uncertain decisions, such as a job, move, or relationship, Hamrick advises asking for guidance rather than confidently declaring that one’s preference is God’s will.
   • The underlying lesson is that God’s will is better than a person’s own preferences, even when that is not immediately apparent.

3. Prayer must be offered with right motives.

   • James 4 warns against asking for things to satisfy selfish desires or support a worldly, ungodly way of life.
   • Hamrick connects effective prayer with a righteous life and motives that honor God.
   • Prayer need not be elaborate or lengthy: sincerity matters more than impressive wording or religious language. Jesus warns against showy prayers and empty repetition.
   • Hamrick encourages making prayer a first response rather than a last resort.

The sermon closes by urging listeners to become more prayerful, seek God’s presence rather than only what God can provide, and trust him to hear and act for their good.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Gary Hamrick — sermon speaker.
• The Bible — especially John 14:12–14; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 9:54–55 and 22:42; Isaiah 42:8; Acts 12:23; 1 John 5:14; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 6:5–10; James 4:1–4 and 5:16; and Romans 12:12. Jesus’ teachings and prayers are quoted through these passages.
• Barna Group — cited for a survey about how respondents pray.
• E. Stanley Jones — quoted on prayer as surrender and the alignment of one’s will with God’s.
• J. Edwin Orr — quoted on keeping prayers brief and earnest.
• Oswald Chambers — quoted on prayer as a first line of response rather than a last resort.
• An unidentified Confederate soldier — a prayer attributed in the sermon to a soldier whose coat pocket was found after the Battle of Gettysburg.