PRAYER

1. How to pray:

Lk.11:1-4                Lord,
teach us to pray...when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven... (See
also Mat.6:9-13)

A. Praise &
thank the Lord before petitioning Him:

Psa.95:2  Let us come before His presence with
thanksgiving

Psa.100:4                Enter
into His gates with thanksgiving, & into His courts with praise: be
thankful...& bless His name

Phi.4:6    With thanksgiving let your
requests be made known

B. If you have the
gift of tongues, pray & praise in it:

1Cor.14:2,4             He
that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh...unto God (&) edifieth himself

Rom.8:26,27           The
Spirit...maketh intercession for us with groanings

Eph.6:18 Praying always with...supplication in the
Spirit

Jude
20   Building up your...faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost

1Cor.14:39              Forbid
not to speak with tongues

C. Be specific
& ask for what you need:

1Ki.3:5,9,10            [God
told Solomon,] Ask what I shall give thee

Mat.7:7,8                Ask,
& it shall be given you; seek, & ye shall find

Mat.21:22               Whatsoever
ye ask in prayer...ye shall receive

Jn.16:24  Ask, & ye shall receive, that your
joy may be full

Phi.4:6    Let your requests be made
known unto God

Jam.4:2b Ye have not, because ye ask not

D. Pray to the
Father in Jesus' name:

Jn.14:13,14             Whatsoever
ye shall ask in My name, that will I do

Jn.16:23  Whatsoever ye...ask Father in My name, He
will give

(See
also Jn.15:16b; 16:26; Eph.2:18.)

E. Prayer also
includes you listening to God:

1Sam.3:9,10            If
He call thee...say, "Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth"

Gen.24:63               Isaac
went out to meditate in the field at eventide

Num.9:8  Stand still, & I will hear what the
Lord will command

Psa.4:3,4 Lord will hear...commune with your
heart...& be still

Psa.46:10                Be
still, & know that I am God

(See
also Eccl.5:1; Zeph.1:7; Zech.2:13.)

F. Listen by
meditating on God's Word:

Josh.1:8  Thou shalt meditate therein (the law) day
& night

Psa.1:2    In His law doth he meditate
day & night

Psa.119:148            [Before]
the night watches...I meditate in Thy Word

1Tim.4:15               Meditate
on these things; give thyself wholly to them

G. Be diligent to
pray, don't be lazy:

Isa.64:7   There is none that calleth upon Thy
name, that stirreth himself to take hold of Thee

Dan.9:13 All this evil is come upon us: yet made we not
our prayer

Jon.1:6    What meanest thou, O sleeper?
Arise, call upon God

Lk.22:46  Why sleep ye? Rise and pray

Lk.18:1    Men ought always to pray,
& not to faint

2. Conditions to
getting prayer answered:

A. Pray in faith:

Mat.21:21,22          Have
faith...doubt not...whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive

Mk.11:24                When
ye pray, believe that ye receive & ye shall have

Rom.4:21                Being
fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform

Heb.11:6 He that cometh to God must believe that He is

Jam.1:5-7                Let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering

(See
also Mat.17:18-20; Lk.7:1-10.)

B. Obey God &
do His will:

Jn.9:31    If any man...doeth God's
will, him He heareth

Jn.15:7    If ye abide in Me, & My
Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, & it shall be done unto you

1Jn.3:22  We ask, we receive, because we keep His
(commands)

(See
also Isa.58:6-9a)

C. Submit yourself
to God & pray according to His will:

Psa.143:10              Teach
me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God

Mat.6:10 Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven

Lk.22:42  Nevertheless not My will, but Thine
(God's), be done

Jn.5:30    [Jesus:] I seek not Mine Own
will, but will of (God)

1Jn.5:14  If we ask anything according to His will,
He heareth

D. Pray humbly:

Dan.9:18b              We
do not present our supplications...(because of) our righteousnesses, but for
Thy great mercies

Lk.18:10-14            The
publican (said), God be merciful to me a sinner

Jam.4:6   God resisteth the proud, but giveth
grace to the humble

3. Prayer promises:

2Pet.1:4  Are given unto us exceeding great &
precious promises

A. Remind God of
His promises when praying:

Gen.32:6-12            Jacob
was greatly afraid & distressed [& prayed, reminding God of His
promises of protection]

Neh.1:4-11             [Nehemiah
prayed:] Remember...the word that Thou commandest Thy servant Moses

B. Some promises to
claim in prayer:

Psa.37:4,5               Delight
thyself in Lord: & He shall give thee desires

Isa.65:24 Before they call, I will answer; & while
they are yet speaking, I will hear

Jer.33:3   Call unto Me, & I will answer
thee & shew thee great & mighty things

Jn.15:7    Ask what ye will, & it
shall be done unto you

Jn.15:16b                Whatsoever
ye ask in My name...[God will] give it

Psa.81:10b             Open
thy mouth wide, & I will fill it

C. The Lord
promises to hear prayer:

2Sam.22:7               In
my distress I called...He did hear my voice

Psa.34:15,17           The
righteous cry, & the Lord heareth

Psa.72:12                He
shall deliver the needy when he crieth

Psa.91:15                He
shall call upon Me, & I will answer him

D. God's blessings
for those who seek Him:

2Chr.26:5                As
long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper

2Chr.31:21              He
(sought God) with all his heart, & prospered

4. How not
to pray:

A. Don't be
disobedient:

Deut.1:43,45          Ye
would not hear, but rebelled against (Word) of the Lord...the Lord would not
hearken to your voice

Deut.3:23-27          [Moses'
request to enter Canaan denied.--Num.20:12]

1Sam.28:5,6            When
Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not [See the reason in
1Sam.28:15-19]

Isa.1:15   When ye make many prayers, I will
not hear

Mic.3:4   Then shall they cry unto the Lord,
but He will not hear... they have behaved themselves ill (See also 1Sam.13:8-14
& 14:37; Hos.5;6.)

B. Don't be
disbelieving:

Job
9:16  If I called, & He answered
me; yet would I not believe He had hearkened unto my voice

Mat.17:19,20a        Why
could not we cast him out? Because of your unbelief

Heb.11:6 Without faith is it impossible to please Him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that He is

C. Don't harbour
unrepented sin in your heart:

Psa.66:18,19           If
I regard iniquity in my heart, Lord will not hear

Isa.59:1,2                Your
sins have hid His face...that He will not hear

Jam.5:16 Confess your faults...& pray one for
another

D. Don't doubt
& disobey the Word:

Pro.1:24-28             Then
shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer

Pro.28:9  He that turneth ear...his prayer shall be
abomination

Zech.7:12,13          Therefore...they
cried, & I would not hear

Jam.1:5-7                Let
not that man [who doubts] think he shall receive anything of the Lord

E. Don't hold
resentment or "oughts" in your heart:

Mk.11:25                When
ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought

F. Don't have
selfish motives:

Jam.4:3   Ye ask, & receive not, because
ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts

Deut.23:4,5            They
hired against thee Balaam...to curse thee. [But] the Lord would
not hearken unto Balaam

G. Don't pray in
pride, but sincerely & humbly:

Mat.6:5,6                Not
be as hypocrites (who) love to pray [publicly]

Lk.18:10-14            God,
I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are

H. Don't pray long,
repetitive prayers:

Eccl.5:2   God is in Heaven...let thy words be
few

Mat.6:7,8                When
ye pray, use not vain repetitions

Mat.23:14               Woe
unto you (who) for a pretence make long prayer

Josh.7:6,10             [God
told Joshua to stop praying & get up]

I. What happens
when we don't pray:

Jam.4:2   Ye have not, because ye ask not

(See
also Isa.64:7)

5. Private prayer
& united prayer with others:

A. Private prayer:

Mat.6:6   When thou prayest, enter into thy
closet...in secret

Mk.1:35  He...departed into a solitary place,
& there prayed

Mk.6:46  He sent them away, He departed to a
mountain to pray

Lk.5:16    He withdrew Himself into the
wilderness, & prayed

B. United prayer:

Mat.18:19,20          Where
two or three are gathered together in My name

Acts
1:13-15          These
all [120 people] continued with one accord in prayer...in an upper room

Acts
4:23-31          [After
a beating, Peter & John held a prayer meeting]

Acts
12:12             House
of Mary...many were gathered together praying

C.
"Watching" in prayer:

1Sam.15:11             It
grieved Samuel; & he cried unto the Lord all night

Mat.26:40,41          Could
ye not watch with Me one hour? Watch & pray

Lk.6:12    He (Jesus) continued
all night in prayer to God

Acts
12:5               Peter
was kept in prison...prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for
him

Eph.6:18 Praying always...& watching thereunto

6. When to pray:

A. Be in a constant
attitude of prayer:

1Chr.16:11              Seek
the Lord...seek His face continually

Pro.3:6    In all thy ways
acknowledge Him, & He shall direct

Lk.18:1    Men ought always to pray

Lk.21:36a                Watch
ye therefore, & pray always

1Thes.5:17             Pray
without ceasing (See also Eph.6:18)

B. Pray in time of
special need:

Psa.50:15                Call
upon Me in the day of trouble

Psa.27:8  When Thou saidst, "Seek ye My
face"

Psa.107:19              They
cry unto the Lord in their trouble, & He saveth

Heb.4:16 Let us come boldly unto the throne of
grace that we may...find...help in time of need

Jam.5:13 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray

(See
also 2Chr.14:11,12; Psa.34:4,6.)

C. Morning prayer:

Psa.5:3    In the morning will I direct
my prayer unto Thee

Psa.63:1  O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek
Thee

Psa.119:147            I
[rose before] the dawning of the morning, & cried

Pro.8:17  Those that seek Me early shall find Me

Mk.1:35  In the morning, rising up before day,
He...prayed

D. Evening prayer:

Mk.6:46,47             (Jesus)
departed to mountain to pray...even was come

Gen.24:63               Isaac
went out to meditate in the field at eventide

Psa.55:17                Evening,
& morning, & at noon, will I pray

Dan.6:10 Daniel...kneeled three times a day, &
prayed

E. Prayer in the
night:

Lam.2:19 Arise, cry out in the night...pour out thine
heart like water before the face of the Lord

Psa.42:8  In the night His song shall be with me,
& my prayer

Psa.63:5b,6            When
I...meditate on Thee in the night watches

Isa.26:9a With my soul have I desired Thee in the night

Lk.6:12    (Jesus) continued all night
in prayer to God

Acts
16:25             At
midnight Paul & Silas prayed, & sang praises

(See
also Psa.4:4; 119:55,62.)

7. Wholehearted
desperate prayer:

A. Stir yourself
up; call on God wholeheartedly:

1Sam.15:11,16        It
grieved Samuel; & he cried unto the Lord all night

Isa.64:7a None...stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee

Jer.29:13 Ye shall seek Me, & find Me, when ye search
for Me with all your heart (See also Deut.4:29)

Lam.2:19 Arise, cry out...pour out thine heart like water

Lk.22:44  Being in an agony, He (Jesus) prayed more
earnestly

Heb.4:16 Let us therefore come boldly...in time
of need

Heb.5:7   (Jesus) offered up prayers...with
strong crying & tears

Jam.5:16b               Effectual
fervent prayer...availeth much

(See
Psa.61:1,2; 119:10.)

B. Praying
fervently & desperately for others:

Rom.15:30,31         Strive
(agonise) together with me in our prayers to God

Col.4:12  Epaphrus...always labouring fervently for
you in prayers

C. Don't give up;
be persistent:

Gen.18:23-32          [Abraham
repeatedly asks God to spare Sodom for the sake of the righteous. God agrees,
if there are 10]

Gen.32:24-28          [Jacob
refuses to let angel go until he blesses him]

Lk.11:5-10              Because
of his importunity (insistence) he will give

Lk.18:1-8a              [Widow
& unjust judge] Lest by her continual coming

Rom.12:12              Continuing
instant (steadfast, persevering) in prayer

Eph.6:18 Praying always...watching thereunto with perseverance

Jam.5:16b-18          The
effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man (See 1Ki.18:2,41-45 )

D. Challenge
God to keep His Word & answer prayer:

2Ki.2:14  [Elisha challenges:] "Where is the
God of Elijah?"

Isa.45:11b              Concerning
the work of My hands command ye Me

(See
also Exo.32:11-14)

E. Sometimes you
can change God's mind through prayer:

Gen.19:17-21          I
will not overthrow this city (Zoar), for the which thou hast spoken

Exo.32:9-14            Moses
besought the Lord...& the Lord repented of the evil which He [had] thought
to do

2Ki.20:1-6               [King
Hezekiah was told he would die, but when he prayed, God changed His mind &
healed him]

Amos
7:1-6            The
Lord repented for this: This also shall not be

Jon.3:4-10              [Nineveh
cried out & repented, so God spared it]

F. Repeating
your desperate prayer:

1Ki.18:42,43           Elijah...put
his face between his knees...Go 7 times

Mat.26:44               (Jesus)
prayed the third time, saying the same words

G. Fasting &
prayer:

Ezra
8:23 So we fasted & besought our God
for this: & He was intreated of us

Joel
2:12 Turn ye to Me with all your heart,
& with fasting

Mat.17:21               This
kind goeth not out but by prayer & fasting

(See
also Deut.9:9,18; Acts 13:2,3; 1Cor.7:5.)

8. Other points on
prayer:

A. Jesus mediates
& prays for us:

Rom.8:34                Christ...Who
is at the right hand of God...maketh intercession for us

Heb.7:25 He ever liveth to make intercession for [us]

(See
also Lk.22:32; Jn.17:9.)

B. The Holy Spirit
prays for us:

Rom.8:26,27           (The
Spirit) maketh intercession for the saints

C. Be thankful to
the Lord for answering prayer:

Psa.116:1,2,7          I
love the Lord, because He hath heard my (prayers)

(See
also Psa.30:1-4; 66:16,17,19,20.)

D. Prayer is
precious:

Psa.141:2                Let
my prayer be set before Thee as incense

Pro.15:8b                The
prayer of the upright is His delight

Rev.5:8   Golden vials full of odours are the
prayers of saints (See also Rev.8:3)

E. Giving thanks
before eating:

1Sam.9:13               People
will not eat till he...bless the sacrifice

Mat.14:19               Looking
up to Heaven, He blessed & brake...the loaves

Mat.26:26               Jesus
took bread, & blessed it, & brake it, & gave

Mk.8:6    He (Jesus) took the seven
loaves, & gave thanks

Acts
27:35             He
(Paul) took bread, & gave thanks to God

1Tim.4:3-5              [Food]
sanctified (cleansed) by prayer

9. Ways God answers
prayer:

A. Answer to prayer
greater than request:

1Ki.3:7-14               [Solomon
prayed for wisdom & God granted him much more]

Eph.3:20 Able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask

Acts
12:1-16          [Church
prayed for Peter, but not quite expecting his miraculous release from prison
(vs.15,16)]

B. Answer to prayer
delayed (It tries our faith):

Job
30:20                [Job's
prayer not answered immediately]

Psa.40:1  I waited patiently for the Lord, &
He...heard my cry

Jer.42:4,7                [Jeremiah's
prayer answered 10 days after he prayed]

Lam.3:25,26            The
Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him (See
also Psa.62:1)

Dan.10:2,12,13       [The answer
to Daniel's prayer was delayed for 21 days]

Lk.18:7,8 [Answer] His elect...though He bear long with
them

Heb.10:36               Patience...after
ye have done will of God, receive

Rev.6:10,11            How
long, O Lord? [Answer:] Rest yet a little season

C. Answer to prayer
different from request:

Deut.3:23-27          [Moses
allowed to view the promised land, not enter]

Jn.11:1-3,6              [Jesus
is asked to heal Lazarus, but lets him die, then resurrects him] (See
Jn.11:14,15,32,37,43-45)

2Cor.12:7-9            [Paul
prays for healing; instead is given grace to bear his affliction]

(See
also 2Ki.5:9-13)

D. Beware about insisting
that God grant your request:

Psa.106:15              He
gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul

(See
1Sam.8:4-22; 12:1,13,16-19 re: asking for a king)