PRAYER

Contents

 

             introduction

             Principles of Prayer

             Enemies to Prayer

             Types of Prayer

             When to Pray

             Benefits of Prayer

          Conclusion

 

 Introduction:

Prayer is the act of communicating with God.  For communication to be effective, there must be an agreed upon set of symbols i.e. a language between the two parties.  In Christendom, the prescribed language is the language of faith, it is also the language of the supernatural.

              James 1:6-7; Heb 11:6

Prevailing Personal Pointed Persistent Prayers enables us to set the supernatural power of God at work in overcoming the natural and supernatural problems and situations of life.

             James 5:16b

Prayer is God’s commandment to man, in this study we aim to learn about the intricacies of prayer.

 

Principles of prayer:

Text: Mt 6:5-15

 

Throughout the bible, God calls on us to pray, with a promise that He will answer but often times than not, he attaches a condition that must be fulfilled.

 

Deductions:

1.      Mt 6:9…  Our Father which art in heaven: We must enter into the right relationship with God.  The lord will answer only those who are his children, who obeys his commandments

Jn 15:16, 7; 1 Jn 3:22

2.      Keep the channel of access to him free from sin and self: all manner of sin is an abomination to God, He is holy and cannot behold iniquity, hence cannot answer the prayers of sinners for the prayer of a sinner is an abomination to God

Ps 66:18; Isa 1:2-20; Prov 28:9; 21:7; James 4:3; Mt 6:5-8.

3.      Pray in faith, the natural child has faith in his father that when he asks he will receive.  God expects us to ask in faith, in fact, we can receive nothing from him except we ask in faith

James 1:6-8; Heb 11:6; Mk 11:24; Jer 29:13

4.      Asking According to the will of God, anything outside his will, he would not grant

James 4:3; Mt 20:21-22; Mk 14:36; Jon 4:3; Nu 11:15.

 

Thought: Mk 11:24

Ask and it shall be given unto you.  Have you fulfilled the condition that entitles you to an answer?  Is your relationship right with God and have you asked in faith according to His will?


 

Enemies of prayer

Text: Mt 6:5-15

 

Deductions:

 

1.      Anything that will contend against the kingdom of God or His will to be done on earth is an enemy to prayer since in prayer we must ask the Lord for his will and his kingdom.

2.      Mt 6:5,7…  The Flesh; self.

The flesh is weak towards the things of God but very strong to contend against the spirit.  We must seek to mortify our flesh, bring it under control so as to pray and pray aright.  Every prayer offered to please self is an abomination to God.

       Mk 14:32-38; Gal 5:17; 1 Pet 3:7; Mt 5:23-24.

Lopsided prayers; stressing petitional prayers and neglecting worship, adoration, praise, and thanksgiving; Spasmodic prayers, irregular, infrequent prayers are all due to the rule of the flesh.

3.      Mt 6:10,13…  The devil

Always in contention against the kingdom of God, but there is nothing he dreads so much as prayer, oft times he may laugh at our toiling, mock at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.

Job suffered for a long time until he prayed.

The devil uses various devices to effect his will

Discouragement:  2 Cor 5:7; Num 32:9 Accusations:  Rev 12:9-10; Rom 8:1 Deceptions:  2 Cor 11:13-15 Hindrances:  Dan 10:11-12

 

Thought: 1 Jn 3:22

We can deduce that any dishonesty, vengefulness, arrogance, animosity, selfishness rears unpassable barriers between God and man and that every act and aspect of life, all duties, all privileges, all associations with no exception affects or facility and potency in the moment of prayer

 

Types of prayer

Text:  1 Tim 2:1

 

Prayer can be in groups as in a congregation, fellowship, family or a group of friends: Mt 18:19

Or personal: Mt 6:5-6

 

1.      Supplications:  To make a humble request (Collins dictionary)

Phil 4:6

2.      All manners of prayers:  all types of prayers

Eph 6:18

3.      Intercession:  To come between parties or act as mediator or advocate.  It is to get the ear of the king on behalf of another.  There are two parts to intercession:

a.      Warfare: to face Satan and the powers of evil in the name of Jesus on behalf of another.

Isa 59:14-17

b.      Travail:  To pray in the presence of the Lord with a deep burden, as a woman in labour pains:

Isa 53:10-12; Lk 22:42-44

4.      Thanksgiving:  Phil 4:6

5.      Praiseworship: Ex 34:8

6.      Petitional prayer: A formal request presented to a higher authority demanding a sort of action, it means to entreat to act.

Phil 4:6 (NIV)

 

When Where and How to pray

Text:  1 Thess 5:17

 

1.      Early morning,  afternoon, evening  Dan 6:10

2.      All night. Lk 6:12

3.      Allways

 

Where to pray:

Mt 6:5-6; Mk 1:35; Acts 12:12

How to pray:

             Bow:                  Ex 34:8

             Kneel:               Lk 22:41

             On the face:              Mt 26:39; 1 Kings 18:42

             Standing:               Mk 11:25; 1 Kings 8:22

             Fervently:               James 5:16-17

             Earnestly:               1 sam 1:10-18

             Without ceasing: 1 Thess 5:17

             According to the will of God: James 4:2-3; Rom 8:26

 

Thought: 1 Tim 2:1

Many Christians are so often defeated because they pray so little, forgetting that the secret of all failure is in our failure in secret prayer, which being the greatest power on earth moves the hand that moves the world.  The greatest thing we can do for God or for man is to pray, for we accomplish far more by our prayers than our work since prayer can do everything that God can do because when we pray God works.

 

Benefits of prayer

Text: Ex 33:12-19

 

1.      Obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need

Ex 33:13; Heb 4:16

2.      Enjoy the presence and protection of God

Ex 33:13; Ps 125:2; Zech 2:5

3.      Rest in the Lord

Ex 33:14; Heb 4:1

4.      Fullness of joy

Jn 16:24

5.      Sacrifice unto God

Rev 5:8; 8:3

6.      Kept from temptation

Mt 26:41

7.      Bring glory to God

Jn 14:13

 

Thought: Jn 15:7

Our strength, our faithfulness, depends on the grace of God, it depends on prayer, our joy depends on answered prayers (Jn 16:24) and if we will do much for God, we must ask much of God therefor we must be men of prayer.

 

Conclusion:

Every failure in prayer (all prayers are answered, but not necessarily how and when we desired nor are all granted) is a clarion call to search the heart to see what is wrong there.  For the promise is unmistakable in its clearness: if ye shall ask anything in my name that will I do (Jn 14:14).  God cannot lie and he delights to answer prayers, we glorify him by asking. (Jn 14:13)  Hence, he who prays puts not God to the test but his own spiritual life.  Answers to prayers do not depend on our feelings but upon the trustworthiness of Him who promised.

Has your prayer life been changed, is prayer to you a duty, a privilege, a pleasure, real joy, or necessity?