Engage in Prayer

Why Pray ?

  • Prayer is God’s method for us to engage Him
    • “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
  • Prayer is how we learn of God’s plans for us
    • “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
  • Prayer is Powerful
    • “…whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22)
  • Jesus prayed extensively;  Be like Jesus
    • “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” ( Luke 6:12)
    • While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. (Hebrews 5:7)

“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven” (Psalm 107:28-30).

“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)

How to Pray; Tips and best practices

  • Pray for yourself in private
    • “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father…” (Matthew 6:6)
  • Do not pray for public effect
    • “Do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray…to be seen by others.” (Matthew 6:5)
  • Speak Out Loud
    • “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).
  • Speak from your heart
    • “…those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart…” (Matthew 15:18)
    • “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God” (1 Chronicles 22:19)
    • “… Jesus… offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears… and God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.” (Hebrews 5:7)
  • Be BOLD, pray with conviction>
    • “The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
  • Focus on Quality not Quantity
    • “…when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)
  • Confront Evil Directly
    • “Our battles are not of flesh and blood but against powers and spirits of wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12).
  • Use Jesus Name
    • “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).
  • Persevere – Don’t give up until you see results
    • “Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
  • Don’t focus on all of the details “of your problem”, focus on forming the solution
    • “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).
    • Focusing  on the problem is actually worship to the Devils work 
  • Learn God’s nature to understand his will, come into alignment with his will. 
  • Ask for help implementing His will
    • Help me see your path…
    • Give me strength 
  • Speak affirmative results, Claim his promises,  rather than Begging for him to act
    • “I speak healing in Jesus name”  rather than; “God would you please heal me… if it is your will
  • Believe to Receive
    • “….whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24)
  • Be careful what you ask for…your will get it 

Types or Modes of Prayer

  • Praying by yourself, for yourself
    • Praying in petition: Lord, I need your help right now…
    • Listening mode: Get quiet and listen for Gods voice – Lord, please help me understand….
      • “Quiet your heart in his presence and pray; keep hope alive as you long for God to come through for you. And don’t think for a moment that the wicked in their prosperity are better off than you.” (Psalm 37:7)
  • Prayer involving others
    • Praying for Someone – Intersession – ie: Lord I am asking you to help person xyz 
    • Praying with someone – Coming into agreement and reinforcing their prayer… “We are praying today to…”
    • Praying over someone – Group of people in agreement – Releasing the Holy Spirit into action
      • “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:14-15)
    • Leading someone in prayer – ie: Repeat after me… an powerful method of instruction. Hearing words come out of your mouth can help train your brain, and move belief into your heart

How Often to Pray:

  •  Pray often, you can’t pray too often 
    • “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
    • “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)
  • Start the new day off right
    • “Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.
      My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.” (Psalm 5:2-3)
    • “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You;
      My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1-2)
    • Nice listing of some morning prayers <click here>
  • End the day by sending your subconscious off to sleep in the right frame of mind
    • “O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!” (Psalm 141:1-10)
  • God is always with you, Talk to him
    • Riding in the car:  If your best friend was riding with you wouldn’t it be weird if you didn’t talk to them as you drive from place ot place
    • As you go about your day:  Thank Him for his blessings
    • When you have a challenging situation: Ask Him to help you see things as He sees them, so you can position yourself to be helpful.  

Prayer Structure

  • Praise God
  • Humble Yourself
  • Advocate for a positive outcome in alignment with his promises
  • Recognize His position and authority
  • If you are seeking input or a dialog, quiet your self and listen for his voice (constructive words, pictures, thoughts) 
  • Thank Him 

The Lords Model Prayer: 

 The Lord taught his disciples how to pray using this model prayer:   (Matthew 6:9-13)

1 – Recognize His position, Give Him Praise:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

2 – Advocate for release of His Promises and Blessings into being:

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

3 – Open yourself to receive His truth here and now, His daily bread, do not fret about the future:

Give us this day our daily bread.

4 – Thank Him for loving us and forgiving our past, as He loves us, we must love others and forgive them:

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

5 – Ask Him to help you reject Evil

And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

6 – Confirm His position and Your heavenly perspective

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

7 – Ratify your agreement with all you have said –  “Let it be done”

Amen.   

Bible Parables about Prayer

The Friend At Night (Luke 11:5-8) – Be bold, God will always answer your prayers

“Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;  a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’  And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” 

The Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) – Have Faith, God will answer your prayers

“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 what people thought. 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 what people think,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!  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?” 

Further information about prayer

Prayer Resources