PRAYER

The Greek Root word for "prayer" proseuchomai {pros-yoo’-khom-ahee} (appears 85 times in the Greek New Testament)means " to speak to or to make requests of God - ‘to pray, to speak to God, to ask God for, prayer" (SD).

  1. HOW TO PRAY.
  1. ADDRESS OUR PRAYERS TO GOD THE FATHER (MT. 6:9-14; LK. 11:1-2).
  2. CLOSE OUR PRAYERS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST (COL. 3:17; JN. 14:13-14; 16:23-27).
  3. THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US PRAY (JUDE 20; EPH. 6:18; ROM. 8:26-27).
  4. PRAY W/ITH FERVENCY AND DEPTH OF FEELING (HEB. 5:7; PS 62:8; 39:12; JUDG 20:26).
  5. PRAY W/ITH PERSEVERANCE (LK. 18:1ff; 11:5-9).
  6. PRAY W/ITH CONFIDENCE (1 JN. 5:13-15; HEB. 4:16).
  7. PRAY W/ITH FAITH (MK. 11:24; MT. 21:21-22).
  1. HOW OFTEN ARE WE TO PRAY?
  1. PRAY ALWAYS, CONSTANTLY, REGULARLY (LK. 18:1; ROM. 1:9-10; 1 THESS. 5:17; EPH. 6:18; PS. 119:164).
  2. PRAY ANYTIME, DAY OR NIGHT (2 TIM. 1:3; MK. 1:35; LK. 6:12; 1 THESS. 3:10; 1 CHRON. 23:30; PS. 86:3).
  3. PRAY AT MEAL TIMES (JN. 6:11, 23; 1 TIM. 4:3-4; ACTS 27-35; DT. 8:10).
  1. POSTURES AND GESTURES IN PRAYER.
  1. ARMS AND HANDS DURING PRAYER.

LIFT UP - (1 TIM. 2:8, PS. 63:4).

SPREAD OUT, (EX. 9:29; 1 KINGS 8:54; 2 CHRON. 6:13).

  1. BODY DURING PRAYER.

BOW - (1 CHRON. 29:20; EX. 34:8; GEN. 24:26).

KNEEL - (LK. 22:41; ACTS 9:40; 21:5; 2 CHRON. 6:13).

FACE TO GROUND - (MT. 26:39; EZEK. 9:8).

SIT - (NEH. 1:4; 2 SAM. 7:18; JUDG. 20:26).

STANDING - (GEN. 24:12-14; LK. 18:10-13; 1 KI. 8:22).

HEAD LOOKED TOWARD HEAVEN - (JN. 17:1).

BOWED THEIR HEADS - (2 CHRON. 29:29-30).

  1. ELEMENTS OF PRAYER.
  1. ADORATION (MT. 6:9; PS. 63:1-8; 27:4; 18:1; Sing JAM. 5:13; PS. 96:1-3).
  2. CONFESSION (DAN. 9:20; 1 JN. 1:9; PS. 32:5-6; LK. 11:4).
  3. INTERCESSION.

a. ENEMIES (MT. 5:44; LK. 23:34; ACTS 7:60).

b. UNSAVED (ROM. 10:1).

c. EVERYONE (1 TIM. 2:1).

d. BELIEVERS (JAM. 5:16; EPH. 6:18).

e. CHILDREN BY PARENTS (JOB 1:5; GEN. 17:18-20).

f. PUBLIC AUTHORITIES (1 TIM. 2:1-3).

g. MINISTERS (ROM 15:30-32; EPH 6:19; 2 THESS. 3:1-2).

  1. PETITION (ASK GOD FOR).

a. ANYTHING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL (MT. 21:21-22; 1 JN. 5:14-15; MK. 11:22-24; JN. 16:23-24; ISA. 58:9).

b. DAILY PROVISION (MT. 6:9-11).

c. HELP (MT. 15:25; PS. 18:6; 1 SAM. 12:8).

d. HOLY SPIRIT (LK. 11:13).

e. INSTRUCTION (EX. 33:12; PS. 25:4; 86:11; 119:12, 33).

f. PHYSICAL WELL-BEING (2 KINGS 20:1-7; JAM. 5:13-15).

g. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT (COL. 4:12; 1:9; EPH. 1:16-19).

h. FORGIVENESS (MT. 6:12; PS. 51:1-14; 25:7...18).

i. WISDOM (JAM 1:5; 2 CHRON. 1:7-12).

j. DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL ONE (MT. 6:13).

  1. THANKSGIVING.

a. ANSWERED PRAYERS (JN. 11:41).

b. FOOD (MT. 14:19; ACTS 27:35; 1 COR. 10:30).

c. WONDROUS DEEDS (PS. 103:1-22; 1 CHON. 16:7-10).

  1. WHY PRAY?
  1. ASSURES ONE OF THE LORD’S PRESENCE (JAM. 4:8; PS. 145:18).
  2. BRINGS BLESSING FROM GOD (MT. 7:11; ROM. 10:12).
  3. BRINGS HELP IN TIME OF NEED (HEB. 4:16).
  4. BRINGS JOY (JN. 16:24).
  5. BRINGS PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL HEALING (JAM. 5:15-16).
  6. BRINGS UNDERSTANDING (JER. 33:3).
  7. IS POWERFUL & EFFECTIVE (JAM. 5:16).
  8. PLEASES GOD (PROV. 15:8).
  9. STRENGTHENS AGAINST TEMPTATION (MT. 26:41).
  1. HINDRANCES TO PRAYER.
  1. DISOBEDIENCE (MIC. 3:4; DT. 1:43-45; JER. 11:10F).
  2. DOUBT (JAM. 1:5-7; MK. 11:22-24).
  3. FAILURE TO HEED GOD’S LAW (PROV. 28:9).
  4. ARROGANCE (JAM. 4:6-10; JOB 35:12-13).
  5. HYPOCRISY (MK .12:38-40; MT. 15:1-9).
  6. LOSING HEART (LK .18:1).
  7. MEANINGLESS REPETITION (MT. 6:7).
  8. REFUSAL TO HELP THE POOR (PROV. 21:13).
  9. SELFISHNESS OR WRONG MOTIVES (JAM. 4:3).
  10. UNCONFESSED SIN (JN. 9:31; ISA. 59:1-2).
  11. SECRET SIN (PS. 66:18).
  12. AN UNFORGIVING SPIRIT (MK. 11:25; MT. 6:14F).
  13. IMPROPER HUSBAND & WIFE RELATIONSHIP (1 PET. 3:7).
  1. ANSWERED PRAYERS.
  1. MOSES.

God made the waters of Marah sweet so the people of Israel could drink (Ex. 15:24-15:25).

  1. MIRIAM'S LEPROSY (NUM. 12:13-15).
  2. HANNAH.

She prayed for a child & God answered her prayer (1 Sam. 1:10, 19-20, 27).

  1. HEZEKIAH.

Good king of Judah (716-687 B.C.). Hezekiah was extremely ill and about to die, however, he immediately prayed to God. God responded to his prayer, allowing Hezekiah to live another 15 years. (Isa. 38:2-6).

  1. JEHOSPAPHAT.

He was the 4th King of Judah (873-849 B.C.). God drew the chariot commanders away from him and they stopped pursuing him (2 Chron. 18:31-32).

  1. JONAH.

He served as a prophet to Israel and Assyria from (793-753 B.C.). Jonah prayed to God from inside the fish and God delivered him safely (Jonah 2:1-10).

  1. EZRA PRAYED FOR SAFE JOURNEY (EZRA. 8:22-23).
  2. MOSES CHANGED GOD'S MIND (EX. 32:9-14).
  3. CHURCH PRAYER.

Herod had Peter arrested. While Peter was in prison, the church earnestly prayed to God for him. God sent an angel to rescue Peter (Acts 12:5, 7, 12).

  1. EXAMPLES OF PRAYERS.
  1. GROUP PRAYERS (ACTS 1:14; 4:24; 12:12; 21:5; LK. 1:10; MT. 18:19).
  1. FAMILY PRAYERS (ACTS 21:5; 10:2).
  1. JESUS' PRAYERS.

He prayed at all the important events in His life: Baptism (Lk. 3:21) Transfiguration (Lk. 9:29); & Garden of Gethsemane before Crucifixion (Mt. 26:36-46).

Prayers of Thanksgiving (Jn. 6:11; 11:41; Mt. 26:27).

Intercessory prayers (Jn. 17; Lk. 23:34; 22:31).

  1. NOTABLE PRAYERS.
  1. ABRAHAM FOR SODOM (GEN. 18:23).
  2. DAVID WHEN DENIED BUILDING TEMPLE (2 SAM. 7:18).
  3. SOLOMON AT DEDICATION OF TEMPLE (1 KINGS 8:22).
  4. HEZEKIAH FOR JUDAH (2 KINGS 19:14-19).
  5. EZRA FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE (EZRA 9:6).
  6. DANIEL FOR THE CAPTIVE JEWS (DAN. 9:4).
  7. LORD’S PRAYER (MT. 6:9).
  8. PAUL FOR EPHESIANS (EPH. 3:14-21).
  1. DOES GOD HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THE WICKED OR THE UNRIGHTEOUS?
  1. GOD IS THE ONE WHO DETERMINES WHOSE PRAYERS HE HEARS AND WHOSE HE DOESN'T. HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW PASSAGES THAT SEEM TO SUGGEST THAT GOD, AT TIMES, DOES NOT LISTEN TO SOME PEOPLE'S PRAYERS (1 PET. 3:12; PS. 66:18; ISA. 59:2; PROV. 15:29).
  1. MISC. INFORMATION ON PRAYER.
  1. SOMETIMES, WE DO NOT GET WHAT WE PRAY FOR.

a. PRAYER OF JESUS "LET THIS CUP PASS" (MT. 26:39, 42, 44).

b. JESUS PRAYED THAT ALL BELIEVERS WILL BE ONE (JN. 17:21).

c. PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH (2 COR. 12:8-9).

d. OF ISRAELITES, WHEN ATTACKED BY AMORITES (DT. 1:45).

  1. WE MUST HAVE PATIENCE, WHILE WAITING ON GOD TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.

(Heb. 6:13-15) Abraham waited patiently--it was 25 years from the time God had promised him a son (Gen. 17:16) to Isaac’s birth (Gen. 21:1-3).

  1. PRAYER SHOULD PRECEDE MAJOR DECISIONS.
  1. JESUS PRAYED BEFORE SELECTING TWELVE APOSTLES (LK. 6:12).
  2. DISCIPLES PRAYED FOR NEW APOSTLE (ACTS. 1:24).
  1. IS TALKING DIRECTLY TO JESUS WRONG?

Although our prayers are to be addressed to God, in the name of Jesus, it is not wrong to personally address Jesus in our prayers. Stephen, when he was dying, addressed his prayer to Jesus (Acts 7:59-60). Jesus told His disciples, "you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (Jn. 14:14). That surely implies that the petition is made to Jesus (Gospel Minutes).