For many people prayer is simply a way to ask God for the things they need, desire, or want. And prayer is perhaps a way to intercede for others. Although these are parts of the answer to the question What is prayer ?, prayer is designed by God to be much more than that.
For some people prayer is just another thing to do on the “religious checklist” in order to be a good religious person. You can approach prayer, reading and studying the Bible, going to church… in a religious way, and totally miss the real meaning to the question What is Prayer ?
Why Many People Do Not Pray & Spend Time With God
Why do you think many Christians do not pray and spend quality time with God daily, like Jesus did ? Some are too busy, some have wrong priorities, some are living for self and not for God. For some the cares of the world have crowded in and robbed them of the joy of having intimate fellowship with God. Some have a lack of discipline, some lack faith, some are living in disobedience, some don’t know how to pray and have fellowship with God, and some have a wrong understanding of who God is.
Many people do not understand that God is love relationship oriented, and that His heart’s desire is to have close and intimate fellowship with His children. Many do not understand that being a Christian is all about having a growing love relationship and fellowship with the One who loves them completely and unconditionally, and that it is not about being religious.
PRAYER IS VITAL TO HAVING INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
- “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.” – 1 Corinthians 1:9
- The Greek word in this verse for fellowship is “koinania”
- God’s main call for your life is to have“koinania fellowship” with Him
- “koinania” fellowship is “the fullest & closest possible fellowship with God, oneness and unity with God, and a partnership with God in His kingdom work and mission
We need to always remember that the greatest desire in God’s heart is for you to have a growing and intimate love relationship and daily fellowship with Him.
What is the first thing that you think of when you hear the word “prayer” ? Do you think of asking for things ? Praying for someone else ? Or something else ? Let’s see what God’s Word tells us about what God intends prayer to be:
PRAYER IS THE INTIMATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HEAVENLY FATHER AND HIS CHILDREN.
- “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” – Psalm 62:8
God wants your communication with Him to be honest, open, and transparent. He wants to hear about whatever is in your heart – if you’re struggling, or angry, or worried, or anxious, or afraid or hurt,… He cares deeply and wants you to share everything with Him.
COMMUNICATION IS THE ACT OF MAKING ONE’S SELF UNDERSTOOD; THE EXPRESSION OF ONE’S THOUGHTS & IDEAS & OPINIONS & OF SELF. A GOOD RELATIONSHIP REQUIRES INTIMATE COMMUNICATION.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words “eternal life” ? Do you think in terms of time & eternity ? Do you think of heaven ? Or something else ? God defines eternal life as having an intimate relationship & fellowship with Him, where you are getting to know Him more and more, and thus trusting & obeying & following Him. Intimate communication with God is vital to getting to know God better, and hearing His voice is critical to knowing Him and His plans and agenda and dreams for you and your life.
- “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” – John 17:3
- “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.” – Isaiah 43:10
- “Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” – Exodus 33:11
- “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” – Exodus 33:13
David always spent time with God and openly poured out his heart to God
-
- “I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. And I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” – Psalm 142:1-4
To Know God In Personal & Real Ways
See “Can We Know God Personally ?” – the Biblical words for “know God” mean much more than our English word, which sounds like it means to know about God. God wants you to know Him by seeing and experiencing Him in and around your life. When you see and experience God’s faithfulness in your life for example, you then know that God is faithful. This is a much better and more intimate and real knowledge of God than just knowing about Him.
GOOD COMMUNICATION REQUIRES 2 PEOPLE (GOD COMMUNICATES WITH US AND WE COMMUNICATE WITH HIM IN PRAYER)
A close and intimate relationship needs to be a 2-way relationship. Intimate communication needs to be 2-way also, or it is not good communication. Hearing God’s voice is by far the most important part of our prayer and fellowship time with Him. If you are not hearing God’s voice, you are missing out on getting to know Him more, you will miss His plans for you, and you will miss out on the full & abundant life that He wants you to have, which is only found in Him.
INTIMACY WITH GOD COMES AS YOU DESIRE & SEEK TO KNOW HIM, HIS WILL & PLANS, AND HIS WAYS
Review “Prayer Is Passion For Seeking God”
- The Greek words (New Testament) for Pray or Prayer mean:
- to want
- to desire
- Long for
- to ask or beg
- great poverty or lack or need
- a seeking or asking of God
- to pray earnestly or fervently
- The Hebrew (Old Testament) & Greek (New Testament) words for Seek mean:
- to seek the face of God
- to desire
- Examine or explore
- to seek earnestly
- to diligently search for
- Crave
- to investigate
- to pursue
God needs to touch all of our hearts so that He is our first love and that we will have a passion to seek to know Him
- “I will give them a heart to know me .” – Jeremiah 24:7
- “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. And I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 36:36
PRAYER/TIME WITH GOD IS VITAL TO BEING CLOSER TO GOD, “ONE” WITH GOD, AND TO GROWING MORE LIKE JESUS (SPIRITUAL GROWTH)
- “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” – John 17: 20-21
- “Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant-the Ten Commandments. 29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” – Exodus 34:28-29
- “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” – Romans 8:28-29
“Prayer is designed more to adjust you to God, than to adjust God to you & your desires.” – Oswald Chambers
“The time a Christian gives to prayer & fellowship with God is not meant for his/her carnal or natural life, but to nourish the life of Jesus in him/her.” — Oswald Chambers
PRAYER IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR A SINNER TO COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY & HOLY GOD, AND COMMUNICATE & FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
- “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ” – Psalm 51:1-4
- “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ” – Psalm 51:10-12
- “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the LORD,” – Acts 3:19
PRAYER IS A MINISTRY THAT WE ALL ARE TO PARTICIPATE IN; PRAYER IS DOING GOD’S WORK.
- “If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it, you
have more business on hand than God ever intended you should have.” – D.L. Moody
God’s Word shows that our prayers touch God’s heart, and He will respond and work in others’ lives when we call upon Him and intercede for others.
PRAYER IS GOD’S WAY FOR HIS CHILDREN TO ASK HIM FOR THE THINGS THEY NEED & DESIRE, AND TO SEE & EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS, MERCY, GRACE, FAITHFULNESS,….
- “Taste and see that God is good.” — Psalm 34:8
CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND PRAYER IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING GOD’S POWER: (POWER FOR YOUR LIFE, AND POWER FOR CHANGING THE PEOPLE & THE WORLD AROUND YOU)
It is not the act of prayer itself that is the key to unlocking God’s power. Many people and churches perform the act of prayer, but yet they are dead. When you have a close and right fellowship with God you will then have a powerful prayer life. Focus and concentrate on your fellowship with God first.
- “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16b
“Anyone who takes the time to enter into an intimate love relationship with God can see God do extraordinary things through his or her life.” – Experiencing God
“The closer you get to God, the greater the impact you will have on others’ lives. – Top Gun Training
“To be little with God is to be little for God.” – E.M. Bounds
SPENDING TIME WITH GOD & PRAYER IS WHERE THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE FOUGHT AND WON ; GOD’S VICTORIES AND BLESSINGS ARE WON IN YOUR PRAYER TIME WITH GOD:
- “Finally, be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand… And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the LORD’s people.” – Ephesians 6:10-18
- Proverbs 21:30-31 – “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”
- Psalm 33:10-11 – “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
- “LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you… Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:6,12
- “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” — 2 Chronicles 20:15-16
God Is Our Victory
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” – 2 Corinthians 2:14
- Paul is specifically writing about the ministry and mission of sharing the Gospel with others in this verse and others surrounding it.
- When we are walking rightly and closely with God, and when we are doing what He tells us to, we will see God’s great power. The context of what Paul is talking about is the kingdom work & mission of sharing the Gospel. Jesus commanded His followers to do this in Matthew 4:19
“The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” – Jonathan Edwards
Jesus Teaches His Disciples About Prayer in The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer in Luke 11. There are many other Bible verses and teachings on prayer, but this is a very good place to start when you want to learn to pray. To pray the way God wants you to pray.
The Lord’s prayer begins with addressing God as “Our Father,” emphasizing a personal relationship. The prayer includes key themes: reverence for God’s holiness, the desire for His kingdom to come, daily provision, forgiveness of sins, and guidance away from temptation.
The Lord’s prayer teaches us how we ought to pray and live. We ought to pray and live for God’s glory, and be focused on building His eternal kingdom.
Let’s look into this very important teaching of Jesus. Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer as an example of how we ought to pray, and live.
Luke 11:1-4 : The Lord’s Prayer
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread. 4 ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
When Jesus prayed things happened. Many times extraordinary supernatural things. And his disciples noticed this right away, so they wanted to learn how to pray like Jesus. They wanted to see these same things happen when they prayed.
That is why in Luke 11:1 Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. Seeing Jesus pray and seeing the results He got led the disciples to have a teachable heart. It is always good for us to have a soft, humble, and teachable heart.
Jesus Teaches Us How To Pray In The Lord’s Prayer
A Close Relationship With God Is the Key to Prayer
Jesus begins to teach about how to pray in Luke 11:2 – “And He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.”
The first things Jesus mentions is to say Father. The word that Jesus uses for Father is “Abba”. This is a term of endearment that signifies a close & intimate relationship between a father and his child. Abba also signifies the total trust that a child puts into his/her loving father.
Many people have a hard time with their relationship with God. They cannot see God and thus have a hard time realizing that it is possible to have an intimate relationship of love with God the Father. Also, some people have had a bad relationship with their earthly father, and it is hard for them to see God the Father as someone who wants to have an intimate personal relationship. And it is hard for them to place child-like faith and trust in their Father.
Jesus is telling us that we can have a close personal relationship of love and total trust with God the Father. One of the steps to have this is to accept God’s unconditional, ever-lasting love for you. And to trust that what Jesus is saying about our Abba Father is true. We can have the type of intimate relationship and fellowship with Abba that Jesus had. A close love relationship & fellowship with God and a child-like trust of God is they key to having a powerful and effective prayer life.
Continuing the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:2
Luke 11:2 – “And He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.”
After saying “Abba Father” Jesus instructs his disciples to say “Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.” These words instruct us on how we ought to pray, and live. We ought to always pray and live our lives with one goal in mind. To pray and live so that God’s name is greatly revered and honored. We need to set our hearts on living so that all we do and say brings great glory and honor and reverence to God.
Anther thing Jesus mentions in verse 2 is “Your kingdom come.” First Jesus says “hallowed be Your name” and then “Your kingdom come.” Jesus is teaching us that we always ought to be focused on building God’s kingdom by doing the work & mission that Jesus gives us in His word. The Great Commandment and Great Commission of sharing the Gospel with others, and making disciples. Our hearts and minds need to ever be focused on God’s kingdom.
This also signifies that we always need to be ready for Jesus return, when He will come to establish His eternal kingdom and reign.
God Wants to Provide Our Needs
Jesus continues the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:3 – ” Give us each day our daily bread”. God loves His children very much, and He wants to provide our daily needs. He promises to do so in His word. So why does Jesus tell us that we should ask God to provide our “daily bread” ? First, Jesus is saying that we need to humble ourselves and acknowledge our need for God. Many people in today’s world don’t want to be dependent on anyone, including God.
Jesus is also teaching us that God cares for us, and He wants to be involved in our lives and in meeting our needs. Not just our physical needs, but our emotional and personal and spiritual needs also. Jesus is encouraging us to take our needs and problems to our loving Abba Father, and to depend and trust in Him. And when God answers our prayers He shows us all about His faithfulness and His love. We experience His faithfulness and His goodness and love first hand, and this is always better than simply reading about it in the Bible.
Another part of this is that by saying “daily bread” Jesus is teaching us to not ask God for an abundance of riches and things. We need to trust that God knows what is best for us. Sometimes an over abundance of material things is not good for us spiritually. Material things tend to pull us away from God and from depending on Him. And success and an over abundance of material things tends to cause us to not be humble, and to not be focused on living for God’s glory and His kingdom.
We Must Forgive Others to Have A Close Relationship With God
Jesus continues His teaching on prayer in Luke 11:4 – “ ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.”
In order to have a restored relationship with God and salvation, we need to confess our sins and then receive forgiveness from God for them. Then to maintain our growing fellowship with God, because we are sinners, we need to continue to confess to God when we sin. 1 John 1:9 is a great promise from God about this:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Jesus is teaching us that in order to maintain our close fellowship with God, we must forgive others when they “sin” against us. Whenever someone hurts or offends us, or does something to harm us, or does anything we do not like, we need to forgive them. If we do not forgive them, then we cannot receive forgiveness from God for our sins. And this leads to a broken fellowship with God. Forgiving others is vital to having intimacy with God, and to having a powerful and effective prayer life. And to being a person that God can use to bring glory to His name and to build His kingdom.
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
The Lord’s Prayer ends in Luke 11:4 with “And lead us not into temptation.” The version of the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6 continues with “but deliver us from the evil one.” Is Jesus implying that we need to literally ask God not to lead us into temptation ? Would God ever lead people into temptation ?
The book of James has the answer to that. James 1: 13-14 says, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”
James has more good advice about temptation and sin in James 4:7. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
So what is Jesus saying when he says “lead us not into temptation” ? We need to understand that we are unable to resist temptation without God’s grace. We are called to trust the Lord (not ourselves) for strength to resist temptation before it becomes sin. It is not the temptation itself that leads us to sin, but the lack of resistance and trust in the Lord for deliverance. Jesus is saying to submit to God daily, and to depend on God and pray for strength to resist giving in to the temptations you will face. Anyone who thinks that they do not need God’s help and strength to resist temptation & sin will surely fall.
Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:5-8
Luke 11:5-8 – “Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says
to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”
Jesus tells them a parable about a man who has a visitor, but he has not food for him. So he goes to another friend at midnight and asks him for 3 loaves of bread. At first the friend tells him no, and gives him some reasons that he cannot help him. Jesus says that if the man is persistent in his request, then the friend will indeed get up and give him as much as he needs.
God Blesses Humble, Fervent, Persistent Prayer
Jesus is teaching us first that we need to go to God and ask for Him for the things we need, as He did in the Lord’s prayer in verses 1-4. Jesus is not suggesting in this parable that God does not want to answer our prayers or take care of our needs. He is trying to teach us that we need to be persistent and fervent in our prayers. And we need to be willing to wait on God for His answers. God blesses humble dependence on Him, fervent prayers, and persistence. And He also wants us to persistently seek to know Him more and more, not just receive things from Him. If we are not willing to take the time to grow in our fellowship and knowledge of God, then when we ask things of Him we are simply using Him as some kind of spiritual Santa Claus.
Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:9-10
“So I say to you, 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.
The original meaning of the word “ask” in verse 9 literally means “to keep on asking”. And the original word for “knock” means to “keep on knocking”. The original word for “seek” means to “keep on seeking”. Jesus is teaching us to be steadfast and persistent in our prayers, and in asking God for the things we need. And to be steadfast and fervent and persistent in our seeking God. Seeking to know God more and more. And seeking to discern God’s will and plans for our lives.
Jesus is teaching us that being steadfastly committed to Him will eventually be rewarded. And persistently praying for God’s provisions and blessings will be rewarded. And seeking to have a more intimate fellowship with Him will be rewarded too.
Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:11-13
“Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
In verse 11 and 12 Jesus is still talking about asking for physical needs and food. God wants us to humbly depend on Him for all of our needs. But there is much more to life than our physical needs and food. In verse 13 Jesus teaches us that God will take care of us like a good earthly father would. But God will do and give us so much more than just meet our physical needs. God’s ultimate desire is to bless us spiritually as well, and help us to be more and more like His Son Jesus. God wants us to be Godly people of high character, and integrity, and of honor.
Jesus is also teaching us that we should be asking God for spiritual blessings and for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of the much more that God wants us to have. The abundant full life that God wants for us. And the close fellowship and oneness with Jesus that God wants for us. The Holy Spirit is also the source of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control (Galatians 5:22-23). And the Holy Spirit is the source of power and ability to fulfill the mission Jesus has given us of sharing the Gospel and making disciples (Matthew 4:19, Acts 1:8…).
Keep On Asking & Seeking God
We encourage you to take the time and effort to pray and spend time with Jesus. And seek to know Him and be closer to Him. Be diligent and fervent and persistent, and never give up. God will bless you and use you beyond what you can imagine if you do.
Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
4 Keys To Powerful Prayer
When we begin to live and pray to God like Jesus did, we will see God’s power and blessings and victories in our lives. And in our churches, in our community, and in our nation. And also in and our world. When we are as faithful and devoted to God as Jesus was, then we will begin to see God move in a great way.
We will pray to God the way He wants us to pray, and then see God answer. We will humble ourselves and submit all to God, like Jesus did. Then God will always respond to our prayers.
We Need To Pray To God Like Jesus Prayed
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but your will be done.” – Luke 22:42
“During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” – Hebrews 5:7
“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and he spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” – Luke 6:12-13
The 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer
Here are the keys to being able to pray to God and always see Him answer. The keys to a powerful prayer life. And a fruitful and victorious abundant life that God wants you to have:
1st of 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer – Close Fellowship With God (Jesus is Your First Love)
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God desires you to have close fellowship with Him. When you do not spend any time with God and are not desiring this close fellowship with Him, then your prayers will not be as God wants them to. And you will not see powerful results to your prayers.
Jesus needs to be your First Love and Treasure and Passion. Fellowship with Him needs to be a high priority in your life. You need to seek God Himself, and not just things and answers from God.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 22:37-38 “And He said to him, “‘ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind .’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment.”
1 John 3:21-22 ” Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
James 5:16b “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Here are some more verses to read:
- Proverbs 21:21
- 2 Corinthians 5:9, 14
- John 14, 15
- Revelation 2:1-4
4 Keys to Powerful Prayer
2nd of 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer – You Need to Continually Pray & Depend On God
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
James 4:2b “You do not have because you do not ask.”
The original word used in Matthew 7:7 for “ask” means to “keep on asking” or “continually ask”. God wants you to humbly depend on Him and keep on asking Him for what you need. And keep on asking until you receive His answer.
Some people have a problem with humbling themselves and having to ask God for things. Or to help them with a problem or a difficult situation. God wants us to humble ourselves and to humbly depend on Him, so that we can then see and experience His faithfulness and His goodness when He answers our prayers.
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”
Matthew 23:12 – “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Here are some other verses to read:
- Acts 1:14
- Acts 2:42-47
4 Keys to Powerful Prayer
3rd of 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer – Pray to God And Ask According to God’s Heart & Will
1 John 5:14-15 says “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” How can you pray to God and ask according to His will ?
Learn to pray God’s word. When you pray God’s word, you are praying according to God’s will. His good and perfect will. Search the Bible and find prayers and verses that you can pray. You will see a great difference in your prayer life. And you will see your prayers become more effective and powerful. Because you are praying according to God’s will, you can expect God to answer.
James 4:3 – “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.“
Luke 11:1-2 – “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”. He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Abba/Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”
Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!“
Here are more verses to read concerning this area of your prayer life.
- Isaiah 30:18
- Exodus 33:17-19; 34:5-8
4 Keys to Powerful Prayer
4th of 4 Keys to Powerful Prayer – Expect God to Answer Your Prayers
When we pray according to God’s Word and His will, we will always see Him answer. Then we can always expect answers to our prayers. We can expect God to answer all of our prayers, if we are willing to accept His timing and His way of answering. We need to submit to God’s perfect will and realize that He will most likely answer in a different way than we think He ought to.
Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice. In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”
James 1:6-7 “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
Other Bible verses to read:
- Hebrews 11:6
- I John 5:14-15
- I John 3:21-22
Prayer Is Designed To Change Us And Our Hearts
One of God’s desires is for us to become more like His Son Jesus. This is the best type of person that we can be. A person of godly character. A person of honor. And a person of high integrity. And a person of glory.
The time that we spend in fellowship with God, through prayer and reading & studying His word, is designed to change us. Constant and steady time with God each day will help to transform us to be more like Christ.
Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son”
“Prayer is designed more to adjust you to God, than to adjust God to you and your desires.” – Oswald Chambers -“My Utmost For His Highest”
“The FERVENT (passionate, heart-felt, strenuous) prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16b
We Must Humble Ourselves, And Pray To God
Individual Christians and Churches today need to see the vital need to humble themselves before God, and to fervently pray. And to hungrily seek His face. And to turn wholeheartedly back to Him, or there will be NO POWER in what they do.
We need to learn what the early church in Acts (see Acts 1:14, 2:42-47, 4:23-33, 6:4,…) knew. That there is a DIRECT CONNECTION between prayer, submission, and total commitment to Jesus, and the Holy Spirit filling and empowering them. The more they obeyed God and prayed, the more God did in and through them. They prayed for 10 days straight, then Peter preached for 10 minutes, and 3000 people were saved. Fervent prayer always needs to accompany our efforts to share the Gospel with others and make disciples.
Fervent prayer is absolutely vital to fulfilling God’s kingdom work and mission. Because we cannot produce eternal fruit by ourselves. We must have God strengthening and empowering us in order to be fruitful in ministry and missions.
“The truth is, I have seen God do more through 10 minutes of real prayer than through 10 of my sermons.” – Jim Cymbala / Brooklyn Tabernacle
One of the 4 keys to Powerful Prayer is to pray according to God’s heart and will. The Bible tells us when we pray according to God’s will, then God will hear our prayers. And we can know that God will answer our prayer.
1 John 5:14-15 says “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
How can you pray to God and ask according to His will ?
Learn to pray God’s word. When you pray God’s word, you are praying according to God’s heart and will. His good and perfect will. Search the Bible and find prayers and verses that you can pray. Better yet, find Bible verses that apply to a certain situation or problem or need that you have. Then pray these verses that apply to your situation.
You will see a great difference in your prayer life. And you will see your prayers become more effective and powerful. Because you are praying according to God’s will, you can expect God to answer. You will need to be willing to accept God’s way of answering your prayer, according to His perfect will. And you will need to accept God’s timing.
Here are some examples of Bible verses that you can pray. Remember, when you pray God’s word and according to His will, you can have confidence that God will answer your prayers.
Pray God’s Word – Examples of Bible Verses You Can Pray
Here are some good examples of prayers that I use from God’s word in my prayer time. When I pray God’s word and according to God’s will, then I can know my prayers will be answered. Praying God’s word is praying according to God’s will.
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”- Hebrews 5:7
“… yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42
“I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” – Jeremiah 24:7
“and you will know the truth (Jesus), and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:32
“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.” – Psalm 119:18
“Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins.” – Psalm 19:12-13
” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” – Mark 9:24
Pray God’s Word – More Examples
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10
“Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.” – Psalm 27:7
“When You said, “ Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.” – Psalm 27:8
“Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.” – Psalm 27:11
“Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.” – Exdous 33:13
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (“Lord be my First Love”) – Revelation 2:4
More Bible Examples of How to Pray God’s Word
Acts 4:29,31 – Boldness and courage to share the Gospel with others
Psalm 51:17 – Pray for a broken and humble spirit
Mark 10:44-45 – Pray for a servant’s heart
1 John 4:4 – Pray to be alert to Satan’s attacks
Romans 8:29 – Pray to be transformed to be like Jesus
John 17:22 – Pray to be one with God like Jesus is
Ephesians 1:17 – Pray to know God more
Ephesians 5:18 – Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Most of the examples shown above are spiritual prayers, and prayers for a close and right fellowship with God. I have used them many times in my prayer time. God’s word is also full of other verses that would be great examples of how to pray God’s word for a large variety of life situations. Praying God’s promises also make for very powerful prayers, as well as a way to be encouraged by the promises. There are thousands of wonderful promises of God for His people in the Bible.
Salvation: The Requirements for True Salvation
Pursuing Intimacy With God
Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.
There are hundreds of Bible verses and great truths & promises in the Pursuing Intimacy With God studies.
** New Expanded Edition of Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible Studies Book – 40% more material
Ebook version of Pursuing Intimacy With God on Google Books
Pursuing Intimacy With God ebook Kindle version
Book of Revelation Bible Study Series
Other Links
Religion vs Relationship With God
Why Should You Pray & Spend Time With God ?
Is Jesus Your First Love ? Part 2
Prayer Is Passion To Seek & Know God
God’s Purpose & Mission For You And Your Church
Spiritual Gifts: All Christians Have Gifts
Jesus Wants To Heal You & Set You Free
Salvation & The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
Kevin Bart has been a follower of Jesus for over 40 years. Kevin has taught Bible study classes, small groups, and discipleship classes for many years. He developed Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible studies website and book after many years of seeking God and studying His word. Kevin and his wife Nancy have 3 sons and 2 precious grandchildren.
Kevin is a former business owner, and current international missions ministry leader with more than four decades of combined business and ministry experience. After building and running a successful business for 23 years, with God’s guidance and blessings, he sold his company to dedicate himself to full-time global missions.
For over 20 years, Kevin and his wife Nancy have led a self funded international missions ministry. Utilizing learned business and financial management skills, as well as knowledge and experience in travel points and miles, to date they have had more than 5o mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
After many years of studying the Bible and the Book of Revelation, and writing many Bible studies and articles, Kevin finally finished Unraveling The Mysteries of the Book Of Revelation. Hopefully it will be a blessing to many people.
