The Life of Prayer – Part 1 6.15.22

“The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day.” ― EM Bounds

A. To be with Him

Mark 3:14-15 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons.

B. Relationship over Religion

C. Progression of Prayer

We should move from Duty to Discipline to Delight.

D. Six Types of Prayer

1. Devotion – including worship, petition and thanksgiving.

2. Repentance – should be both “on going” and during a “time set aside” for that purpose.

a. Repentance is “Good News”

3. Intercession – telling God what He has already told us to tell Him. It is the hard work or “sweat” of the soul.

a. Abraham in Genesis 18:20-26

20Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” 22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.

b. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church in Ephesians 1:15-19

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.

c. Job’s prayer for his friends in Job 42:7-9

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

d. Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-4

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

The Life of Prayer – Part 2

6.15.22

D. 4. Meditation

a. This allows for process.

b. This disarms emotional and psychological prejudice.

c. This pierces and divides soul from Spirit.

d. This is like the “Selah Principle” we find in Psalms.

e. Psalm 119:15 – we ponder on the law in order to differentiate rules from principles.

5. “In the Spirit”

Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Jude 17-20 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

6. Prophetic Prayer

a. This is a “declaration of” and “agreement with” prayer that you know to be the will of God.

b. This is the foundation of 1 John 5:14-15: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

c. This is how Jesus prayed – only what was revealed to Him by the Father.

d. This is the misunderstood secret of “your will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.”

E. Practical suggestions

1. Focus…(free of distractions)

2. Plan…(we have lists, but we are also led by the Spirit.)

3. Bring the Word of God into prayer. Praying scripture is a foundation to build on.

4. Come with music and songs. Personal Worship is powerful!

5. Notepad…(two things are amazing: how much God will reveal to you, and how much you will forget if you don’t write it down)

6. Find a comfortable format.

7. Allow time for God to speak

a. Isaiah 30:18 Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

b. The bottom line of this verse is that God waits to see if we will wait, and then He will speak.

c. While waiting…

1) Let God love you.

2) Let God search your heart.

3) Let God gradually reveal His plan for you.