Study Outline
Prayer
Before we pray to God, we must have the correct
attitude and understanding of who he is and who we are. God is vastly superior
to anything our mortal minds can fathom because his holiness, power, and wisdom
are beyond human comprehension. Therefore, we should approach God with
humility, sincerity, and reverence, knowing that we are undeserving and
unworthy and our only access to God is through his mercy, forgiveness, and
grace.
1 Peter
5:5-6 ... All
of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God
opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves,
therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Isaiah
57:15 For thus
says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I
dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones.
Prayer brings life to our relationship with God, and
we must make every effort to enter his presence under the right conditions.
Many obstacles make our prayers ineffective or just plain worthless. If we know
what displeases God, we can make changes and increase the chances of entering
his presence and having our prayers heard and answered. The following is a list
of hindrances to prayer.
By far, sin is the biggest obstacle that can kill our
prayers, except when we pray for forgiveness and mercy. If anyone is living in
unrepentant sins, all their prayers are offensive to God until they sincerely
repent and put away their sin.
Psalms
66:18-20 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly, God has heard me; He has attended to
the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, Nor
His mercy from me!
Proverbs
15:8 The
LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright
pleases him.
Proverbs
15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Proverbs
28:9 If anyone
turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.
Similar to
the sin problem is the aftermath of sin, which is a guilty conscience. The only
remedy is to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness and cleansing by the
blood of Jesus. We must expose, renounce, and confess our sins to God and ask
Jesus to cleanse our conscience so we may pray with faith and confidence.
1 Timothy 3:9 … holding the mystery of the faith with a pure
conscience.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin … If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 9:14 … how much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
If we harbor unforgiveness
towards others, God will not forgive our sins. If we hold onto anger and hatred
and are unwilling to forgive, our prayers will not be heard or answered. First,
as much as possible, we need to reconcile and forgive those who have offended
or hurt us.
Luke
11:2-4 He said
to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your
kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we
also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.
'"
Mark
11:25, 26 "And
whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive
him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
If we are offended and
bitter in any relationship, our conscience will be clouded, and our prayers
will be hindered. We need to go to that person and set things right, ask for
forgiveness and reconciliation.
Matthew
5:23-24
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember
that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of
the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and
offer your gift.
1 Peter
3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them (wives) with understanding, giving
honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
When
we are double-minded, divided between serving God and serving sin, we will not
receive any answers to our prayers. You cannot serve two masters; we must
choose one or the other.
Luke 16:11-13 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling
worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been
trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your
own? "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and
love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve both God and Money."
James
1:6-8 But when
he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of
the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will
receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he
does.
James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash
your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Jesus was clear that the
prayers of the hypocrites were only for show, to receive the praise of man.
Prayers for self-promotion, recognition, and religious theatre will only
increase the sentence of judgment against religious frauds.
Matthew 6:5-7 "And when you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the
street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have
received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close
the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do
not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because
of their many words.
Matthew 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Religious people mindlessly repeat prayers written by
others, they speak with their mouths, but their hearts are far from God. They
think that denominational, professionally prepared prayers read off verbally by
rote in mindless repetition will find favor with God, but those prayers have no
value or merit.
Luke 20:46-47 "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to
walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and
have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at
banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.
Such men will be punished most severely."
Matthew 6:7 "And when you pray, do not use vain
repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for
their many words.
Sometimes we don't know what to pray for or how to
pray. If you have what you might consider an emergency, it may seem obvious how
to direct your prayers. That is potentially one of the biggest problems we have
in prayer. Because, what we want for ourselves, may not be what God wants for
us. In other words, God's will may cross our will. As Jesus faced the cross, He
prayed and was sweating big drops of blood, saying not my will, but thy will,
be done. Jesus, soaked with blood, sweat, and tears, said the spirit was
willing, but the flesh was weak. We all have the same weakness, that is, our
flesh.
Matthew 26:38-41 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly
sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little
farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it
is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You
will." … "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
James
4:1-3 Where do wars
and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure
that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet
and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not
ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend
it on your pleasures.
Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their
minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit,
the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind
of the Spirit is life and peace; because the mind of the flesh is hostile
towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be. Those
who are in the flesh can't please God.
We just saw a long list of hindrances, which only
points to why prayer can be a struggle or battle. There are so many things that
either keep us from praying or from praying effectively. Even when we have the
right attitudes, motives, relationships, and a strong desire to pray, we still
fall short in our strength. The Bible tells us that we have weaknesses in
prayer and that everyone needs help. Real prayer is not just words but
dependence on God, not only for answers, but for the prayer itself.
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind
you of everything I have said to you.
Romans
8:26-27 In the
same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that
words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with
God's will.
Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all
kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep
on praying for all the saints.
Jude 1:20 … dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy
faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
The disciples of Jesus were Jewish; they had observed
and practiced their religion from birth. They had seen many "holy
men" pray and had participated in the annual Jewish feasts and ceremonies
that repeated the same prayers from the Psalms and other scriptures for
centuries. As religious Jews, the disciples of Jesus had seen, heard, and
learned all about prayer but had never seen anyone pray like Jesus. The
disciples must have been so impressed by all the unbelievable miracles,
healings, and teaching revelations, and they asked plenty of questions about
parables, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end times. But the only thing
they specifically asked Jesus to train them to do, was prayer.
Luke
11:1-10 "And
it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased,
one of his disciples said unto him, Lord,
teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
The most powerful way that Jesus taught his disciple’s
regarding prayer was the living example they saw in him. There were times in
Jesus’ ministry that they were so busy they had no time to eat, and at the end
of the day, late at night, when the disciples were exhausted and went to sleep,
Jesus would go out by himself and pray ALL NIGHT. The physical stamina required
for his rigorous life of prayer was nothing less than a display of the power of
God. No doubt that watching Jesus pray made a permanent impact on the
disciples. Jesus was a living and breathing example of total obedience, dependence,
and communion with the Father.
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the
truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his
Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
John 5:30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear,
and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Matthew
14:23 And when
he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Luke
6:12-13 And it
came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and
continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto
him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before
day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark
6:46-47 And when
he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when
even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
Luke
5:15-16 But so
much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came
together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he
withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
The apostle Paul was also a role model of dependence
on God. Paul said when I am weak, I am strong in Christ. The rich and powerful
can peddle money and influence to deal with their problems. But the weak and poor
are desperate and depend on God as their only hope, so they urgently and
passionately cry out to God for help.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these
surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a
messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take
it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all
the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
James 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those
who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit
the kingdom he promised those who love him?
2 Chronicles 16:7-9 … For the
eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him.
James 5:16-18 … and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man
with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain;
and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed
again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
To
discern the will of God when we pray, we should find a Bible verse that fits
our situation and pray in harmony with the scriptures. Quoting verses in
prayer, when taken in context, assures us that we are praying for the will of
God. If quoting verses becomes our regular practice, we will memorize more of
the Bible, and our prayers will be more powerful.
Daniel 9:2-3 … I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures,
according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the
desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So, I turned to the Lord
God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in
sackcloth and ashes.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of
things which are visible.
Hebrews 1:2-3 … has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,
whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding
all things by the word of His power,
2 Peter 3:2-7 that you may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the
apostles of the Lord and Savior … For this they willfully forget: that by
the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of
water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being
flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by
the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
In the Old Testament temple, the priest would burn
incense daily as part of their service to God. God instructed Moses to make
incense with four different ingredients in equal amounts, without any variation
or imitations. Burning incense is symbolic of prayer and identifies four types
of prayer and the balance needed in our prayers.
Exodus
30:34-35 And the
LORD said to Moses: "Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha
and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there
shall be equal amounts of each. "You shall make of these an
incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and
holy.
Rev 8:3-4 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and
stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of
all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the
incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the
angel's hand.
Psalms
141:2 Let my
prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the
evening sacrifice.
There were four ingredients to the incense, and the
Apostle Paul also mentioned four types of prayer, request
(or supplications), prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks. There
should be equal amounts, or a balance, between the different kinds of prayers.
One aspect of a balanced prayer life is that it creates variations so that we
don't get stuck in a rut and pray the same routine every time. Prayer should
not become boring, monotonous, or repetitious.
1 Timothy
2:1-4 I urge,
then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live
peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and
pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth.
1
Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my
mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray
with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing
with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Note: Questions
about praying in the Spirit, or speaking in tongues, are answered in the book
“Holy Spirit Baptism.”
Jesus used the example of a persistent widow
pestering, nagging, and begging a judge as an example of the attitude that gets
answers to prayer. We should be relentless in bringing our petitions before God
the great judge until He answers our prayers.
Luke
18:1-7 Then
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray
and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge
who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that
town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my
adversary.' "For some time, he refused. But finally, he said to
himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this
widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't
eventually wear me out with her coming!'" And the Lord said,
"Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about
justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep
putting them off? I tell you; he will see that they get justice, and quickly.
However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Ultimately, as we bring our petitions in prayer, we
enter God's courtroom and make our case before God, the judge of all. One
example would be how Abraham made intercession. Once God revealed that he would
destroy Sodom, immediately, Abraham interceded with God on behalf of his nephew
Lot. Abraham, like an attorney, presented the case for Lot's rescue by
appealing to God's justice, saying, surely you will not destroy the righteous
with the wicked. Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is right? Abraham
respectfully made his plea for Lot, and God granted his petition and sent two
angels to save Lot from destruction.
Genesis 18:25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing as
this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should
be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth
do, right?"
We have a better intercessor than Abraham, Jesus is
the one who represents us before the Father, and he has purchased our pardon
with his blood. And now he ever lives to make intercession for us and present
our case before the Father.
John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 Timothy
2:5 For there
is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 7:24 But He, because He continues forever, has an
unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost
those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make
intercession for them.
We have an adversary, an accuser, and a slanderer who
wants to destroy us, and he is like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. He is like a prosecuting attorney who continuously persecutes the
righteous, which is why prayer is always a battle.
1 Peter
5:8 Be sober,
be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour.
Revelation 12:9-10 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of
old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast
to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice
saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren,
who accused them before our God, day and night, has been cast down.
One day the accuser will be cast out of heaven, but
for now, we have to battle his army in prayer. But God has equipped us with
superior weapons, and we have the victory in Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish
all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Ephesians 6:12-18 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places ... praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to
this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
The Bible paints a picture of the type of battles
taking place in heavenly realms when we pray. Daniel had visions from the Lord,
and when he prayed to receive an understanding of the visions, God dispatched
the angel Gabriel to give him insight. But as Gabriel was on his way to talk to
Daniel, he encountered resistance from ruling fallen angels that exercised
dominion over the empire of Persia. These principalities and wicked powers
battled with Gabriel for 21 days while Daniel prayed. Finally
Michael, one of the chief princes among God's angels, came and helped Gabriel
so that he could appear to Daniel. After delivering the message to Daniel,
Gabriel would return to battle the spiritual wickedness over Persia again but
pointed to future conflicts with the coming empire of Greece.
Daniel 10:12-20 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for
from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble
yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of
your words. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me
twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to
help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. "Now I
have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter
days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come." ... Then he said,
"Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight
with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of
Greece will come.
Regarding prayer, we have seen terms that relate to
making your case in court or using military tactics and strategies to win a
victory. That points to the fact that we must be diligent, study the word,
prepare and fight with our arguments from the written word, and present our
case before God the judge.
Isaiah
1:18 "Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
The Hebrew word translated here as "reason"
literally means to: argue, decide, dispute, judge, plead, and rebuke. In other
words, God says, "come let us argue, come let us decide, come let us
dispute, come let us judge, come let us plead, and come let us rebuke, with
each other." To do all that, we need to use all our reasoning and
rationalization skills. That's part of loving God with all our hearts, minds,
soul, and strength. These meetings are not just light or frivolous chats but
pivotal interventions. When Job was in affliction and assailed by the
accusations of the slanderer Satan and his friends, he was like a lawyer, ready
to present
his case in court before God:
Job
13:15-18
"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him, Nevertheless I will argue my
ways before Him (to his face). Behold now, I have prepared my case. I know that
I will be vindicated.
Also, we must be ready to take our prayers into the
battle with the Satanic powers. Our armory of weapons is the scriptures that we
use as arrows to shoot down and defeat our enemies. The sword of the Spirit is
the word of God that we use to cast down every stronghold of the Devil with
logical, rational, and intelligent arguments by the inspiration and the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my
brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore,
take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded
your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and
having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking
the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance
and supplication for all the saints.
2 Corinthians
10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all
disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
God is not obsessed with form and substance but looks
at our hearts and sees our emotions. If we mouth prayers with our lips, but our
hearts are far from God, he will not hear us.
Matthew 15:7-9 "Hypocrites!
Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with
their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of
men.'"
As always, Jesus is our example, and nobody ever
prayed with the same emotion as Jesus, and his burden was so heavy that when he
prayed, he was sweating drops of blood.
Luke 22:44-46 And being in
agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of
blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come
to His disciples, He
found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said
to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into
temptation."
Elijah was another example of fervent and passionate
prayer. Elijah prayed, and it did not rain for three and a half years, and when
he prayed again, heavy rain fell and ended the drought.
James 5:14-18 The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature
like ours (subject to like passions as we are), and he prayed earnestly
that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six
months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced
its fruit.
Elijah's prayers were passionate, powerful, and to the
point. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a prayer contest, they would
set up an altar with a sacrifice and call on God, and the God who answered by
fire would be the winner and recognized as the only true God. The prophets of
Baal prayed all day, and nothing happened. Elijah had them dig a trench around
the sacrifice and drench it with water three times so that the trench filled
with water. Elijah stepped up and prayed a few words, and the fire came down.
1Kings 18:36-39 And it came to
pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the
prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let
it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant,
and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me,
that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned
their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the
burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the
water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on
their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
We already saw how Jesus battled with the flesh and
the Devil and how Daniel's prayers impacted angelic wars in heaven. When we
pray, unseen things happen in spiritual realms. Prayer is a fierce battle, and
every time we set out to pray, something will happen or enter our minds to take
us on a detour away from prayer. Our flesh does not want to pray and would
choose to do anything else like eat, or watch videos, and the "to do"
list will flash into our minds. There is a reason all that happens, prayer is a
war, and many times, the hardest part is getting started.
The primary objective of the antichrist is to take
away the daily sacrifice, which will happen in the temple during the great
tribulation. The antichrist is not here, but the spirit of the antichrist is
already in the world, and that demonic spirit wants to extinguish all daily
prayers and pervert the truth.
1 John 4:2-3 … but every
spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit
of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in
the world.
Daniel 8:11-12 It set itself up
to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took
away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was
brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily
sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and
truth was thrown to the ground.
Unlike any time in history, we need to pray now more
than ever, and our destiny may depend on it. The whole earth will be deceived
in the end times by the antichrist. Of course, global deception couldn't
happen. Right? That would be like saying that the entire planet would lock
themselves inside their houses, and close churches, businesses, and schools,
under a medical tyranny. Or that a global mandate would force healthy people to
wear masks and take untested experimental vaccines for a flu virus created in a
lab that would kill less than one percent of the people, but the cure, the
vaccine would kill or make infertile untold millions. Deception like that could
never happen on a global scale, could it?
The Bible tells us that far, far, far worse things are
coming, and Jesus is coming for those who battle to restrain the antichrist
from coming forward. And Jesus also tells us to pray that we are considered
worthy to escape that time.
2 Thessalonians
2:4-7 (speaking of the antichrist). He will oppose and will
exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he
sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. And now you
know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper
time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one
who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
Luke 21:34-36 "But take
heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing,
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. "For
it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. "Watch
therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these
things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Again, we are thrown to our knees, realizing we cannot
fight these battles in our strength and it is only by the Holy Spirit that we
can rise to this pivotal time on the prophetic clock. We need the Holy Spirit
and the Spirit of prayer in continual communion with God. One attribute of the
Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of grace and supplication, or grace and
prayer, which references a set time with the Jews. But we also have access to
the same Spirit of grace in prayer through the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who
searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes
for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Zechariah 12:10 "And I
will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a
spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have
pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and
grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Are you ready for the battle? It's time to develop a
strategy. The enemy wants to take away daily prayer, so the top priority should
be to set a daily time for prayer. We saw that Jesus prayed all the time, and
Daniel prayed three times a day, consistently, even when they made a law
against praying. The only way to be consistent is to schedule a time and make
it a habit. From this point, the focus is on providing information to help make
a game plan, strategy, and marching orders to enter the battlefield.
This study only covered a few aspects of prayer
because prayer is not a destination where you arrive and are finished. Prayer
is meant to be a lifestyle of continuous communion with God and is a journey
whereby we grow and have new experiences with God every day of our life. Since
prayer represents an intimate personal relationship with God, each individual
will be unique in how they commune with God. Therefore, canned prayer programs
and outlines may be fruitful in intercession and group prayers but cannot be a
substitute for sincere, passionate, heartfelt conversations with God. For that
reason, we provide a little information for each person to process, filter, and
implement into their prayers as the Holy Spirit guides them.
Next, we will see an outline of what Jesus said about
prayer, and then we will look at examples from the first church and letters to
the churches.
Pray for enemies
Matthew 5:44
Don’t pray to be seen of men
Matthew 6:5, 6
Don’t use vain repetitions
Matthew 6:7
An outline for prayer
Matthew 6:9 -13
Pray for workers in the harvest
Matthew 9:38
Pray in trials
Matthew 26:41
Pray in faith
Mark 11:24
Perseverance in prayer
Luke 18:1-8
Humility in prayer
Luke 18:9-14
Prayer for disciples
John 17:6-19
Prayer for all believers
John 17:20-26
Prayer to appoint a new apostle
Acts 1:24
Prayer for boldness
Acts 4:23-31
Prayer to appoint deacons
Acts 6:6
Prayed to receive the Holy Spirit
Acts 8:15
Prayed to send out missionaries
Acts 13:1-3
Prayed to appoint elders
Acts 14:23
The
apostle Paul's letters to the churches were to encourage, rebuke, and instruct,
but they also revealed his prayers for the various churches, which are relevant
today for us, and we should use them in our prayers. The following is a list of
prayers for the saints and churches.
Ephesians 1:15-19, Wherefore I
also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the
saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my
prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Ephesians 6:18-20 Praying always
with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with
all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance
may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the
mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that
therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for
you all with joy, for your
fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that
He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus
Christ;
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:8-11 And this I
pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all
discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the
fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise
of God.
Colossians 1:3,
9-13 We give thanks to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, … For this reason we also,
since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you
may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened
with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and
longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered
us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of
His love,
Colossians 4:2-4 Continue
earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying
also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the
mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it
manifest, as I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is
one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently
for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of
God.
1 Thessalonians
5:17-18 Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks: for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
2 Thessalonians
1:11-12 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God
would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of
His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of
our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians
2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God
and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope
by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
1 Thessalonians
5:22-25 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you
completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also
will do it. Brethren, pray for us.
2 Thessalonians
3:1-3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord
may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be
delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will
establish you and guard you from the evil one.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 I exhort supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings,
and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth.
James 5:13-17 Is any among you
afflicted? let him pray. Is any sick among you? pray over him, the prayer of
faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. pray one for another, that ye may
be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
The Old Testament has prayers from beginning to end,
but the best examples are in the book of Psalms, which is a collection of
prayers and songs. We will not outline the Psalms for you, but if you read five
Psalms a day, you will read all the Psalms in a month. David and the other
psalmist were very emotional and dramatic with their prayers and are beautiful
examples of pouring out your soul to God in prayer. The following example is
David’s prayer of repentance.
Psalm 51:1-12 Have mercy upon
me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your
tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash
me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the
bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out
all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your
Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by
Your generous Spirit.
It’s up to each person to decide what their commitment
to prayer will be. It’s up to each one to enlist as a prayer warrior, to get
their marching orders, build their arsenal, engage in the battle, and balance
their attack. It’s up to each person to enter the courtroom as an intercessor,
to do their research, prepare their arguments, state the legal precedence from
the written word of God, and present their case before God the judge.
Everyone has their particular way of praying because
we are all individuals with a personal relationship with God. There is no
authorized official template for prayer, but the most important thing is to
pray and spend time with God. We have included a few outlines that may help
organize and develop a disciplined prayer life.
Casual Prayer
Meals, Trips, etc.
Current Events
For special needs, etc.
Community Prayer
Church Meetings, etc.
Committed Prayer
Daily, Personal
Combat Prayer
Intercession, Spiritual Warfare
Continuous Prayer
Praying Always, Spirit of Prayer
All Men
Nations, People groups
Governments
To Live Peaceful, Godly Lives
Kings
Leaders, Presidents, etc
Rulers
Those in Positions of Authority
Family
Salvation, Provision, Healing, etc.
Church
Understanding, Discernment
Lost Souls
That
they would be Saved
God's house is called a house of prayer for all
nations. We should pray for all the nations, especially since we have access to
global news daily. God has declared a special blessing to those who pray for
Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 56:7 … these I will bring to my holy mountain and give
them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be
accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all
nations."
Psalms 122:6-7 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they
prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your
palaces."
Monday Australia
& Antarctica
Tuesday Central & South America
Wednesday Europe
Thursday Africa
Friday Asia
Saturday Israel & Middle East
Sunday USA, Canada, The Church
Quoting Bible verses is a
great way to pray, and if you find a verse that fits your situation, you can
use it as a sword to fight your spiritual battles. We see that Jesus used the
spiritual sword of the spirit, the word of God, to fight against Satan. At the
end of 40 days of fasting and testing, Satan came with three final attacks against
Jesus, and each time Jesus defeated him by saying, "it is written."
Luke 4:3-4 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this
stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall
serve.'"
Luke 4:12 And Jesus made
answer and said to him, It is said in the
Writings, You may not put the Lord your God to the test.
When Jesus returns to judge the nations at the second
coming, scriptures say he has a sword coming out of his mouth, meaning he is
speaking the word of God, when he comes to make war.
Revelation
19:11-15 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.
And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He
judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head
were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was
clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the
nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself
treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
You can pray using your own words and thoughts, but
they will not have the same power as when you use scriptures. That is why we
suggest praying with the scriptures, which will also keep you aligned with the
will of God and the mind of God. We will use a healing verse as an example of
how you can personalize the scriptures when you pray.
1 Peter 2:24 … who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having
died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.
You would pray, “by whose
stripes I am healed,” or insert the name of the person you are praying for, “by
whose stripes Joe Sick Person is healed. Each verse is like a sword, but don’t swing the sword just once because
the more scriptures you can use in your prayers, the better.
Sometimes God will speak a
verse to you that will become your verse, that verse is perfect for your
situation and becomes part of your life. You may hang that verse at the top of
your list until the next verse pops off the page at you. The bottom line is to
build your list of prayer verses, like putting more arrows of victory in your
quiver.
Psalms 45:3 (speaking of Jesus). Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty
One, With Your glory and Your
majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and
righteousness; And your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the
King's enemies; The peoples fall under You.
2 Kings 13:17 "Open the east window," he said, and he opened it.
"Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The LORD's arrow of victory,
The following is a starter
list of scriptures that we can use in our prayers.
Luke 10:19 "Behold, I
give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Matthew 16:18-19 "And I also
say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. "And I will give you the
keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven."
2 Corinthians
10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to
punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon
formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in
judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the
LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD.
Psalms 18:29-36 For by You I can
run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is
perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in
Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet
like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to
make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the
shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, your gentleness has
made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip.
Psalms 18:2-3 The LORD is my
rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will
trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call
upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I
be saved from my enemies.
Psalms 149:6-9 Let the high
praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to
execute vengeance, to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters
of iron; to execute the judgment written:
Isaiah 53:4-5 He hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Exodus 15:26, I will put none
of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I
am the LORD that heals you.
Psalms 103:1-5 Bless the LORD, O
my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my
soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who
heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns
you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good
things, So that your youth is renewed like the
eagle's.
Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went
about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among
the people.
Matthew 12:15 But when Jesus
knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and
he healed them all.
Acts 5:16 Also a multitude
gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and
those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Luke 7:7 "Therefore I
did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my
servant will be healed.
Psalms 107:19-20 Then they cried
out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He
sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Luke 9:11 And the people,
when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of
the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
Deuteronomy 33:25 Your sandals
shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.
Deuteronomy 34:7 Moses was one
hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his
natural vigor diminished.
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that
fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;
and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Acts 4:29-31 "Now, Lord,
look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness
they may speak Your word, "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and
that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant
Jesus."
Mark 16:17-18 "And these
signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they
drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on
the sick, and they will recover."
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
Ezekiel 18:31-32 "Cast away
from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a
new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? "For
I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD.
"Therefore, turn and live!"
1 Timothy 1:15 This is a
faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to
them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from
your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He
is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Psalms 34:18-19 The righteous cry
out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The
LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a
contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD
delivers him out of them all.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Romans 10:13 For
"whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
Because we are in the end times, our world
is changing quickly to line up with Bible prophecy. Jesus said the signs of his
return would be like birth pangs, growing in intensity and frequency and
globally. All those signs happen at once, and we can see them happening in
real-time with wars, food shortages, pandemics, shutdowns, and natural
disasters, all leading to a one-world government ruled by the antichrist. Also,
there will be a great falling away from Christ, with churches becoming
perverted, politically woke, and government-controlled. Eventually, all true
believers will have to come out of the dead institutional denominations and
fake churches. Thank God we have a blessed hope that Jesus will rapture the
church before wrath and judgment hit the earth!
While we have time and freedom, we should
study the scriptures, share the gospel, and learn to live by faith. This book
is part of a series of basic teachings that all Christians should know and
teach. We call it the "toolbox series" because each study is a tool
for you to share your faith with others. For free resources and study
materials, visit our website at: Ears2Hear.online