Are You Praying Effectively? Pt. 2

 

Philippians 4:6: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 

James 5:16: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

We discussed in the last study, prayer is a simple conversation with God the Father, in faith.

 

Let's talk about the different aspects of Prayer?  There are several different aspects or types of prayer described in God’s Word. We are instructed to pray on a regular basis.  God is personal. He cares for you!  He knows your name!  He knows how many hairs are on your head!   God loves you and He hears your prayers.

 

Psalms 55:17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

 

We are to pray or talk with God continuously. Without Ceasing!

 

There are several different aspects or types of prayers.  They can be prayed alone or in combination with other types. Most of the time you are already doing this and don’t even realize it!

 

Let’s look at the different types or aspects of prayer. The first and most basic and yet the most important is 

 

The Prayer of Salvation:

Every person must admit that you are a sinful creature and you need a Savior.  Then you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and confess with your mouth and believe in your heart and you will be saved!

 

Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

John 3:16:  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 

What a wonderful Gift God was given!!!

 

The Prayer of Agreement:

Matthew 18:19: Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

 

If any two of you agree as touching … You have a need - You find another believer and agree in prayer based on this verse and no matter what the need is ---- God will honor it.

There are several important things to remember, always pray in line with the Word.  We discussed this in the first study.  Know the Word, and how it applies to your situation.  The other thing to remember is you cannot be in agreement with someone you have strife, anger or unforgiveness towards.  The people who pray with you and for you should be close to you and in total agreement with you.  You cannot pray with someone you just had a screaming fit with!..  (unless it is a prayer of forgiveness!)   Pray in line with God’s Word and it will always be effective!

 

The Prayer of Petition:

Psalms 143:1: Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

 

Job 6:8: Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

 

Matthew 6:8: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

 

The prayer of petition is the most common type or prayer prayed. Your are asking God the Father for something for you - it is a petition or request for your needs.! God knows your needs!  He has already planned for them.  Nothing takes God by surprise!  He is always ready to answer you!

 

Psalms 37:4: Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

 

The Prayer of Praise and Worship:

Ephesians 5:19-20:  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

 

Hebrews 13:15: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

 

Hosea 14:2: Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, "Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips.

 

Psalms 22:22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

 

Praise is the way we acknowledge what God has done for us!

It si the way we express our joy to the Lord.  We need to acknowledge through praise Who God is! and All that he has done!

 

Psalms 71:6-14: Upon thee I have leaned from my birth; thou art he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of thee. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with thy praise, and with thy glory all the day.  Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. For my enemies speak concerning me, those who watch for my life consult together, and say, "God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him." O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!   May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt.   But I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.”

 

Worship is the formal setting in which our devotion and reverence to God is expressed.  Praise and Worship go hand in hand.  You pretty much do them at the same time, whether you are in a formal setting or alone.

Praise and Worship should spontaneously burst from you  --  at all times!  

 

Psalms 95:6-7:  O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.  For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

 

The Prayer of Thanksgiving:

1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

Thanksgiving is pretty simple - it is giving thanks to God the Father for all His blessings.  Thanking Him in everything you are going through  - the good and Yes - the bad!  You are not thanking Him for the bad but in the midst of these things thank Him that you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. Because everything the enemy puts you through God will use increase your faith!

 

You need  to first of all thank Him for your salvation through His Son Jesus Christ,

the greatest gift He ever gave! Remember - “God is good and His mercy endures for ever” 

(1 Chron. 16.36).

Thank Him for His enduring mercy. Thank Him for your home, your spouse, your children, your job - if you don’t have a job- thank Him for providing one! Thank Him for your divine health, “By His stripes we were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24).   No matter what you feel --- Thank Him! I guarantee You will be full of the Joy of the Lord before you are finished!

 

Don’t be slow to Count your Blessings as that great old hymn says:  Count your blessings, Name them one by one, Count your many Blessings,  See what God Has Done!

 

The Prayer of Intercession:

Ezekiel 22:30: And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Hebrews 7:25: Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 

Intercessory prayer is the burden, joy and responsibility of one person praying for another.

The most classic example of intercessory prayer is found in Genesis 18.

 

Genesis 18:20-30,32-33: And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake….And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.   And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.”

 

Abraham’s deep concern for any righteous people living in such sinful places led him to continue to ask  God for Sodom’s salvation! 

This is what intercession means - no matter what “city of sin” someone you love or know is in - no matter what they are going through or how far from God they have drifted; You, as a believer, have the right to go boldy into the throne room and pray for them!

 

Look at Exodus 17:8-12:  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

 

As long as Moses kept his hand lifted to God in intercession - the Israelites were winning the battle.The wonderful thing about this is - Moses got physically tired and Aaron and Hur stood on each side of him and supported him!  If you have someone you are interceding for - no matter what the need is,  Remember, first of all God hears your prayers!        Let’s look at Daniel.

 

Daniel 10:12.  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

 

Daniel had been praying and interceding but the enemy had done everything he could to stop the answer from getting to Daniel

Many times in intercession - there is spiritual warfare going on- to prevent the answer to your prayers.  Just as Moses had Aaron and Hur had to support him , you may need prayer warriors to support you, in your time of weariness. Remember - we are more than conqueres!

 

Psalms 31:24  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

 

Psalms 50:15:  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

 

Remember  “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Let me leave you with a few thought:

 

Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks;       for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

If you want to know that you are a child of God, then I would like to invite you to earnestly pray this prayer.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”   (Jn.6:37),   So I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it.  You said in your Word,   "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.''     (Ro. 10:13)

 

I am calling on Your name,  So I know You have saved me now, You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”     (Ro.10:9,10).

 

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),

And I am saved!            Thank You, Lord!

I can now truthfully say,  I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!!          Amen.