Prayer

1. HOW TO PRAY:

Luke 11:1–4   Lord, teach us to pray … when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven (See also Matthew 6:9–13.)

A. Praise and thank God before petitioning Him:

Psalm 95:2   Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4   Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful … and bless his name

Philippians 4:6   With thanksgiving let your requests be made known

B. If you have the gift of tongues, pray and praise in it:

1 Corinthians 14:2,4   He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh …  unto God [and] edifieth himself

1 Corinthians 14:39   Forbid not to speak with tongues

Ephesians 6:18   Praying always with … supplication in the Spirit

Jude 1:20   Building up your … faith, praying in the Holy Ghost

C. Be specific and ask for what you need:

1 Kings 3:5,9–10   [God told Solomon:] Ask what I shall give thee

Matthew 7:7–8   Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find

Matthew 21:22   Whatsoever ye ask in prayer … ye shall receive

John 16:24   Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full

Philippians 4:6   Let your requests be made known unto God

James 4:2   Ye have not, because ye ask not

D. Pray to the Father in Jesus’ name:

John 14:13–14   Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do

John 16:23   Whatsoever ye … ask Father in my name, he will give

  (See also John 15:16; 16:26; Ephesians 2:18.)

E. Prayer also includes you listening to God:

Genesis 24:63   Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide

Numbers 9:8   Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command

1 Samuel 3:9–10   If he call thee … say, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth”

Psalm 4:3–4   Lord will hear … commune with your heart … and be still

Psalm 46:10   Be still, and know that I am God

  (See also Ecclesiastes 5:1; Zephaniah 1:7; Zechariah 2:13.)

F. Listen by meditating on God’s Word:

Joshua 1:8   Thou shalt meditate therein [the Law] day and night

Psalm 1:2   In his law doth he meditate day and night

Psalm 119:148   [Before] the night watches … I meditate in thy word

1 Timothy 4:15   Meditate on these things; give thyself wholly to them  33

G. Be diligent in prayer:

Isaiah 64:7   There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth himself to take hold of thee

Daniel 9:13   All this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer

Jonah 1:6   What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God

Luke 18:1   Men ought always to pray, and not to faint

Luke 22:46   Why sleep ye? Rise and pray

2. CONDITIONS TO GETTING PRAYER ANSWERED:

A. Pray in faith:

Matthew 21:21–22   Have faith … doubt not … whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive

Mark 11:24   When ye pray, believe that ye receive and ye shall have

Romans 4:21   Being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform

Hebrews 11:6   He that cometh to God must believe that he is

James 1:5–7   Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering

  (See also Matthew 17:18–20; Luke 7:1–10.)

B. Obey God and do His will:

John 9:31   If any man … doeth God’s will, him he heareth

John 15:7   If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you

1 John 3:22   We ask, we receive, because we keep his commandments

  (See also Isaiah 58:6–9.)

C. Pray according to God’s will:

Psalm 143:10   Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God

Matthew 6:10   Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven

Luke 22:42   Nevertheless not my will, but thine [God’s], be done

John 5:30   [Jesus]: I seek not mine own will, but [God’s] will

1 John 5:14   If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth

D. Pray humbly:

Daniel 9:18   We do not present our supplications [because of] our 

righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies

Luke 18:10–14   The publican [said], God be merciful to me a sinner

James 4:6   God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble

3. PRAYER PROMISES:

2 Peter 1:4   Are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises

A. Remind God of His promises when praying:

Genesis 32:6–12   Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed [and prayed, reminding God of His promises of protection]

Nehemiah 1:4–11   [Nehemiah prayed:] Remember … the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses

B. Some promises to claim in prayer:

Psalm 37:4–5   Delight thyself in the Lord: and he shall give thee desires

Psalm 81:10   Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it

Isaiah 65:24   Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear

Jeremiah 33:3   Call unto me, and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things

John 15:7   Ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you

John 15:16   Whatsoever ye ask in my name … [God will] give it

C. God promises to hear prayer:

2 Samuel 22:7   In my distress I called … he did hear my voice

Psalm 34:15,17   The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth

Psalm 72:12   He shall deliver the needy when he crieth

Psalm 91:15   He shall call upon me, and I will answer him

D. God’s blessings for those who seek Him:

2 Chronicles 26:5   As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper

2 Chronicles 31:21   He [sought God] with all his heart, and prospered

4. THINGS THAT HINDER OUR PRAYERS:

A. Disobedience:

Deuteronomy 1:43–45  Ye would not hear, but rebelled against [the word] of the Lord … the Lord would not hearken to your voice

Deuteronomy 3:23–27   [Moses’ request to enter Canaan denied] (See also Numbers 20:12.)

1 Samuel 28:5–6   When Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not (See the reason in 1 Samuel 28:15–19.)

Isaiah 1:15   When ye make many prayers, I will not hear

Micah 3:4   Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear … they have behaved themselves ill

  (See also 1 Samuel 13:8–14; 14:37; Hosea 5:6.)

B. Disbelief:

Job 9:16   If I called, and he answered me; yet would I not believe he had hearkened unto my voice

Matthew 17:19–20   Why could not we cast him out? Because of your unbelief

Hebrews 11:6   Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is

C. Unconfessed sin:

Psalm 68:18–19   If I regard iniquity in my heart, Lord will not hear

Isaiah 59:1–2   Your sins have hid his face … that he will not hear

James 5:16   Confess your faults … and pray one for another

D. Doubts:

Proverbs 1:24–28   Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer

Proverbs 28:9   He that turneth ear … his prayer shall be abomination

Zechariah 7:12–13   Therefore … they cried, and I would not hear

James 1:5–7   Let not that man [who doubts] think he shall receive anything of the Lord

E. Resentment:

Mark 11:25   When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought

F. Selfish motives:

Deuteronomy 23:4–5  They hired against thee Balaam … curse thee. [But] the Lord would not hearken unto Balaam

James 4:3   Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts

G. Pride:

Matthew 6:5–6   Not be as hypocrites [who] love to pray [publicly]

Luke 18:10–14   God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are

H. Don’t pray long, repetitive prayers:

Ecclesiastes 5:2   God is in heaven … let thy words be few

Matthew 6:7–8   When ye pray, use not vain repetitions

Matthew 23:14   Woe unto you [who] for a pretence make long prayer

Joshua 7:6,10   [God told Joshua to stop praying and get up]

I. What happens when we don’t pray:

James 4:2   Ye have not, because ye ask not

  (See also Isaiah 64:7.)

5. PRIVATE PRAYER AND UNITED PRAYER:

A. Private prayer:

Matthew 6:6   When thou prayest, enter into thy closet … in secret

Mark 1:35   He … departed into a solitary place, and there prayed

Mark 6:46   He sent them away, he departed to a mountain to pray

Luke 5:16   He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed

B. United prayer:

Matthew 18:19–20   Where two or three are gathered together in my name

Acts 1:13–15   These all [120 people] continued with one accord in prayer … in an upper room

Acts 4:23–31   [After a beating, Peter and John held a prayer meeting]

Acts 12:12   House of Mary … many were gathered together praying

C. “Watching” in prayer:

1 Samuel 15:11   It grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night

Matthew 26:40–41   Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray

Luke 6:12   He [Jesus] continued all night in prayer to God

Acts 12:5   Peter was kept in prison … prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him

Ephesians 6:18   Praying always … and watching thereunto

6. WHEN TO PRAY:

A. Be in a continual attitude of prayer:

1 Chronicles 16:11   Seek the Lord … seek his face continually

Proverbs 3:6   In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct

Luke 18:1   Men ought always to pray

Luke 21:36   Watch ye therefore, and pray always

1 Thessalonians 5:17   Pray without ceasing (See also Ephesians 6:18.)

B. Pray in time of special need:

Psalm 27:8   When thou saidst, “Seek ye my face”

Psalm 50:15   Call upon me in the day of trouble

Psalm 107:19   They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth

Hebrews 4:16   Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may … find … help in time of need

James 5:13   Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray

  (See also 2 Chronicles 14:11–12; Psalm 34:4,6.)

C. Pray in the morning:

Psalm 5:3   In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee

Psalm 63:1   O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee

Psalm 119:147   I [rose before] the dawning of the morning, and cried

Proverbs 8:17   Those that seek me early shall find me

Mark 1:35   In the morning, rising up before day, he … prayed

D. Pray in the evening:

Genesis 24:63   Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide

Psalm 55:17   Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray

Daniel 6:10   Daniel … kneeled three times a day, and prayed

Mark 6:46–47   [Jesus] departed to mountain to pray … even was come 

E. Pray at night:

Psalm 42:8   In the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer

Psalm 63:5–6   When I … meditate on thee in the night watches

Isaiah 26:9   With my soul have I desired thee in the night

Lamentations 2:19   Arise, cry out in the night … pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord

Luke 6:12   [Jesus] continued all night in prayer to God

Acts 16:25   At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises 

(See also Psalm 4:4; 119:55,62.)

7. WHOLEHEARTED FERVENT PRAYER:

A. Stir yourself up; call on God wholeheartedly:

1 Samuel 15:11,16   It grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night

Isaiah 64:7   None … stirreth up himself to take hold of thee

Jeremiah 29:13   Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart (See also Deuteronomy 4:29.)

Lamentations 2:19   Arise, cry out … poor out thine heart like water

Luke 22:44   Being in an agony, he [Jesus] prayed more earnestly

Hebrews 4:16   Let us therefore come boldly … in time of need

Hebrews 5:7   [Jesus] offered up prayers … with strong crying and tears

James 5:16   Effectual fervent prayer … availeth much

  (See also Psalm 61:1–2; 119:10.)

B. Pray fervently for others:

Romans 15:30–31   Strive together with me in our prayers to God

Colossians 4:12   Epaphrus … always labouring fervently for you in prayers

C. Don’t give up; be persistent:

Genesis 18:23–32   [Abraham repeatedly asks God to spare Sodom for the sake of the righteous. God agrees, if there are 10]

Genesis 32:24–28   [Jacob refuses to let angel go until he blesses him]

Luke 11:5–10   Because of his importunity [insistence] he will give

Luke 18:1–8   [Widow and unjust judge] Lest by her continual coming

Romans 12:12   Continuing instant [steadfast, persevering] in prayer

Ephesians 6:18   Praying always … watching thereunto with perseverance

James 5:16–18   The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man (See also 1 Kings 18:2,41–45.)

D. Challenge God to keep His Word and answer prayer:

2 Kings 2:14   [Elisha challenges:] “Where is the God of Elijah?”

Isaiah 45:11   Concerning the work of my hands command ye me 

(See also Exodus 32:11–14.)

E. Sometimes you can change God’s mind through prayer:

Genesis 19:17–21   I will not overthrow this city [Zoar], for the which thou hast spoken

Exodus 32:9–14   Moses besought the Lord … and the Lord repented of the evil which he [had] thought to do

2 Kings 20:1–6   [King Hezekiah was told he would die, but when he prayed, God changed His mind and healed him]

Amos 7:1–6   The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be

Jonah 3:4–10   [Nineveh repented, so God spared it]

F. Praying repeatedly:

1 Kings 18:42–43   Elijah [prayed] seven times

Matthew 26:44   [Jesus] prayed the third time, saying the same words

G. Fasting and prayer:

Ezra 8:23   So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us

Joel 2:12   Turn ye to me with all your heart, and with fasting

Matthew 17:21   This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (See also Deuteronomy 9:9,18; Acts 13:2–3; 1 Corinthians 7:5.)

8. OTHER POINTS ON PRAYER:

A. Jesus prays for us:

Romans 8:34  Christ … who is at the right hand of God … maketh intercession for us

Hebrews 7:25   He ever liveth to make intercession for [us]

  (See also Luke 22:32; John 17:9.)

B. The Holy Spirit prays for us:

Romans 8:26–27   [The Spirit] maketh intercession for the saints

C. Be thankful to God for answering prayer:

Psalm 116:1–2,7   I love the Lord, because he hath heard my [prayers]

  (See also Psalm 30:1–4; 66:16–17,19–20.)

D. Prayer is precious:

Psalm 141:2   Let my prayer be set before thee as incense

Proverbs 15:8   The prayer of the upright is his delight

Revelation 5:8   Golden vials full of odours are the prayers of saints

  (See also Revelation 8:3.)

E. Give thanks before eating:

1 Samuel 9:13   People will not eat till he … bless the sacrifice

Matthew 14:19   Looking up to heaven, he blessed and brake …  the loaves

Matthew 26:26   Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave

Mark 8:6   He [Jesus] took the seven loaves, and gave thanks

Acts 27:35   He [Paul] took bread, and gave thanks to God

1 Timothy 4:3–5   [Food] sanctified by prayer

9. WAYS GOD ANSWERS PRAYER:

A. The answer can surpass the request:

1 Kings 3:7–14   [Solomon prayed for wisdom and God granted him much more]

Acts 12:1–16   [Church prayed for Peter, but they were surprised at his miraculous release from prison]

Ephesians 3:20   Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask

B. The answer can be delayed (which tests our faith):

Job 30:20   [Job’s prayer not answered immediately]

Psalm 40:1   I waited patiently for the Lord, and he … heard my cry

Jeremiah 42:4,7   [Jeremiah’s prayer answered 10 days after he prayed]

Lamentations 3:25–26   The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him (See also Psalm 62:1.)

Daniel 10:2,12–13   [The answer to Daniel’s prayer was delayed for 21 days]

Luke 16:7–8   [Answer] his elect … though he bear long with them

Hebrews 10:36   Patience … after ye have done will of God, receive

Revelation 6:10–11   How long, O Lord? [Answer:] Rest yet a little season

C. The answer can be different from the request:

Deuteronomy 3:23–27   [Moses allowed to view the promised land, not enter]

John 11:1–3,6   [Jesus is asked to heal Lazarus, but lets him die,

then resurrects him] (See also John 11:14–15,32,37,43–45.)

2 Corinthians 12:7–9  [Paul prays for healing; instead is given grace to bear his affliction]

  (See also 2 Kings 5:9–13.)

D. Beware about insisting that God grant your request:

Psalm 106:15   He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul

  (See also 1 Samuel 8:4–22; 12:1,13,16–19, about when the Israelites asked God for a king.)