Prayer
by Pastor Lawrence DiNovo, 2001
Memory Verse: Phillipians 4:6
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
Prayer is the most powerful tool in the Christian tool chest. Our bodies cannot live without food. Nor can we live without air. The same is true spiritually. We cannot survive spiritually without prayer. Prayer is the breathing of the new life in Christ. The more we pray, the more power we receive. Someone has said, “No prayer, no power; some prayer, some power; much prayer, much power.”
What is prayer?
Prayer is talking to God. In order for God to hear us, we much get near Him. Fortunately, God lives within the body of every believer (1 Corinthians 6:19), therefore it does not take much to get close to God. The closer we get to Him, the closer He gets to us! (James 4:8) It is in our prayer life that we fellowship and commune with God.
Prayer is asking. The word “ask” is used about thirty times in the New Testament to describe prayer. Look up the following verses and write down what God promises to all those who ask.
Matthew 7:7
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Matthew 7:8
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Matthew 7:11
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Matthew 21:22
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John 14:14
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John 16:24
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How should we pray?
First of all, offer praise and thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for you. When the apostles asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray,” Jesus said, “Pray after this manner, Our Father Who are in Heaven, hallowed be thy name…'” (Luke 11:2)
Then, tell God about your faults and sins. (1 John 1:9) Prayer has a great deal to do with the attitude of our hearts. Praise and confession of our sins will help us to pray with humbleness and power. Ask God to guide you in your thoughts and actions.
Also, begin to ask God for your needs. Tell Him all of your burdens and ask Him to help you to be strong. Don't be afraid to pray for yourself. You can be of no benefit to anyone unless you are strong in the Lord. The Heavenly Father is your friend now and He will listen to everything that is in your heart. Pray believing (Mark 11:24). Pray especially for those who need Christ for salvation.
Remember to pray with other believers. Their presence will be an inspiration to you. When you pray with other believers, there is a special presence of God. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
When you are closing in prayer,
pray that God will be glorified in the answer to your prayer(s) (1 John 5:14-15) thank Him for the victory in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14)1.
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We must pray with God's ________ abiding in us. (John 15:7)
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2.
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We must pray in Whose name? (John 14:14) ________
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3.
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We must ________ when we pray. (Mark 11:24)
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4.
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How should we come to God's throne? (Hebrews 4:16) ________
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5.
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When we bring our requests before God, we are to do it “by prayer and supplication with ________. (Philippians 4:6)
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6.
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We should pray directly to ________. (1 Timothy 2:5)
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7.
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“Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we ________ His ________ and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:22)
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8.
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What will happen if you pray and still have a desire to sin in your heart? (Psalm 66:18) ________
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9.
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What is the confidence that we should have when we are approaching God? (1 John 5:14-15) __________________________________________
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10.
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What will be the result if we always pray? (Luke 18:1) ________
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Every Christian should have a “prayer closet.” A special place that is private where you can meet with God alone every day and pray. Think of a place and a time when you can be alone with God and make an appointment to meet Him there. Get a notebook and a journal to write down your prayer requests and answers to prayers.
***All Scripture verses are from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted.***