Through prayer, we are able to carry on an intimate and personal relationship
with God; it strengthens our relationship with him. It helps us to overcome
temptation through divine intervention.
Jesus gave us a basic outline, not a substitute for our own thoughts, on how
and what we need to be thinking when we pray to our father, it should not be a
prepared prayer that we are to memorize and repeat over and over again. God does
not want to hear prepared prayers, speech's, or chanting's, they are meaningless
to God, God expects to hear from your heart as you would speak to a close
friend. Give glory and thanks to God, you don't need to be long winded, ask for
the important things you need, such as knowledge and the strength to over come
the temptations of this evil world. There is no need to ask for things like
food, shelter, or clothing, for he provides these without our even asking.
There are two types of prayer found in scripture, private prayer as stated in
Matthew 6:6, and public prayer as found in 1 Kings 8:22-23.
Private Prayer
True prayer should be done in private, this is very important, you can talk
to God while driving your car, or out walking your dog, there are many times in
the day you can communicate. In private prayer, we pour our heart out to God and
tell Him all that is on our mind.
2 Chronicles 6:19-21 "Have respect therefore to the prayer of
thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry
and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: That thine eyes may be
open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said
that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy
servant prayeth toward this place. Hearken therefore unto the supplications
of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this
place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou
hearest, forgive."
Daniel 6:10 "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,
he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave
thanks before his God, as he did aforetime."
Matthew 6:5-13 "When you pray, you are not to be as the
Pharisees are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the
street corners, that people may see them. Instead I say to you, they have
their rewards. But you, when you pray, enter into a closet, and when you
shut the door, pray to God in secret, and God which sees in secret will
reward you openly. Now when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the
heathen do, for they think that they will be heard because of their long
speeches. Be not like them, for God knows what you are in need of before you
ask him. In this style you should pray, Our father which is in heaven, holy
is your name, your kingdom will come, and your desire will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we
forgive those that sin against us. And give us strength to over come
temptation, also protect us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
Matthew 21:22 "With all things, what ever you ask for in prayer,
believing, you will receive."
Mark 9:17-29 "And one of the multitude answered and said,
Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And
wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with
his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should
cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless
generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring
him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway
the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he
asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said,
Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the
waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on
us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are
possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child
cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul
spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out
of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore,
and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is
dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And
when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why
could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth
by nothing, but by prayer and fasting."
Luke 11:1-4 "And it came to pass, as he finished praying one
day, one of his disciples asked him, Lord teach us how to pray, like John
taught his disciples. So he said to them, When you pray, communicate like
this, Our father who is in heaven, holy be your name. your kingdom will
come, and your will be done, even as it is in heaven, so also on earth.
Thank you for our daily bread. Please forgive us our sins, for we also
forgive those that sin against us. And give us strength from temptation;
also protect us from evil."
Luke 21:36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man."
Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will
of God."
Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious for anything, but in every
thing use prayer, and appeal with thanksgiving to let your requests be made
known to God."
James 5:16 "The fervent prayer of a righteous man will profit
much."
1 Timothy 2:8 "I will therefore that men pray everywhere,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
1 John 5:14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have in him,
that, if we ask any thing according to his will [are you asking for what
is right?], he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we
ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
Public Prayer
The purposes of public prayer is different from private prayer. We are
leading others to look on God and directing their attention to the Lord to rely
on Him.
1 Kings 8:22 "And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in
the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands
toward heaven:"
1 Kings 18:36 "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"
Ezra 10:1 "Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed,
weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled
unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and
children: for the people wept very sore."
Act 20:36 "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and
prayed with them all."
John 11:41 "Then they took away the stone from the place where
the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank
thee that thou hast heard me."
Why Don't you get what you pray for?
Most of the book of Job was about unanswered prayers of intervention, and yet
he lost everything dear to him.
Heman the Ezrahite (Psalm 88) prayed for healing, but his prayer was never
answered that we know of.
Paul prayed for relief from an affliction three times, and what was the
answer he received? No!
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
When trials come upon us, the Lord supplies the faith and strength to endure
it. This world is a training ground for God's people, we can accept the trials
and tribulations of it, or we can turn our backs on him for not giving us
what we ask for.
Proverbs 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the
law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
This may be the biggest reason, everyone has fallen for the once saved always
saved, and the nailed to the cross when it comes to keeping the laws .
Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways (conditions); then will I hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Psalms 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will
not hear me:"
Mark 11:25-26 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have
ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you
your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is
in heaven forgive your trespasses."
John 15:7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you (do
you live according to scripture?), ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you."
James 4:3 "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that
ye may consume it upon your lusts."
1 John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because
we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight
[if you want an answer to your prayer, remember the conditions]."
If you pray with a need, do it in a humbled attitude and it's a good idea to
fast. Remember that, prayer is worship!
