Some of us regard prayer as a mystical activity beyond our
capability and reach – a unique gifting which GOD dispenses to special people,
like pastors and a few chosen saints. We seek out these people when we have a
need for prayer since we think that they alone are capable and GOD listens only
to these chosen few. Not so!
JESUS, the GOD MAN prayed; He also encouraged His disciples to
pray frequently (Luke 18:1, 21:36). The Apostle Paul’s most urgent instruction to
Churches and congregations of his time was that they pray always and
continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans
12:1, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2).
All GOD’s children must pray. We must
learn to pray for our own personal concerns as well as for those of others – like
JESUS did and as GOD’s WORD commands us to do.
“….pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer
of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16
Our good and faithful Father never asks us to do something and
then leave us ill-equipped to do it. As He tells us His will for our lives, He
simultaneously gives us tools to perform it. We overcome our prayer-shyness and
intimidation by using what we already have – GOD's WORD. This is how we will build
confidence in our prayers and know that we are making sense when we pray.
“The best we can say
to God in prayer, is what He has said to us.” – Matthew Henry.
The following are but a few of the verses in GOD’s WORD that
speak to and about prayer, and the prayer life a child of GOD ought to have:
- …if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins…2 Chronicles 7:14
- “….when you pray, I will listen.” Jeremiah 29:12
- And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14
- And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:15
- Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18
- Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. James 5:13
- “….you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
- “I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5:44
- “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Matthew 26:41
- I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Psalm 17:6
- He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas. Psalm 102:17
- Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12
- Answer me when I call to you, O God…. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1
- The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29
- One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. Luke 18:1
- ….we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us…. Romans 8:26
- Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6
- Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2
- pray continually… 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. 1 Timothy 2:8
Meditation on these verses will acquaint us with what GOD’s WORD
says about prayer, praying and the power of prayer! But how exactly do we use them in prayer?
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them;
intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings
and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives
marked by godliness and dignity. This
is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to
understand the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
To be continued…
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Abba
Father, YOU are our LORD and KING, Our GOD Holy and Righteous. We are so grateful that YOU always provide
exactly what we need, so we can do your will. Teach that when we pray we draw
closer to you and you draw closer to us. Remind us that YOUR chief desire for
us is that we make delight in YOU and glorify your NAME. So Father, may we
never seek our own desires but humble ourselves before YOU and allow YOU to
lift us up in honor. Remind us that we need not be anxious about our needs
since you know them all before we even speak them, so we cast our cares on YOU with
confidence, knowing that YOU care about everything that concerns us. To YOU belong all
dominion, all power and all glory, for ever and ever. We pray and ask all
things in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our LORD, the NAME above all names.
Amen!
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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