Seeking God In PrayerSeeking God In Prayer

TIP For additional advice seeMaking Prayer Powerful

by H.P.MansfieldLogos Publications

Seeking God in PrayerSeeking God in Prayer• The Lord Jesus’ example Prayer

• The Essentials of Prayer

– In Christ’s Name

– Ask in Faith

– Continually in Prayer

• What should we pray for & when

• Advice on Prayer

– The Place of Prayer

– The Posture of Prayer

– The Time of Prayer

• James’ Seven Forms of Prayer

The Lord Jesus’ Example The Lord Jesus’ Example PrayerPrayerMatthew 6:9Matthew 6:9

9 “A“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the

power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

““Our Father”Our Father”

• BaptizedBaptized - - those who those who are baptized have a are baptized have a special privilege of special privilege of being able to call God being able to call God Father. The un-Father. The un-baptized person can baptized person can pray but pray but cannotcannot pray pray to their Heavenly to their Heavenly Father, because He is Father, because He is not their Father. not their Father.

• Romans 8:15: Romans 8:15: “ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

• Acts 10:31: “Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.”

““Our Father”Our Father”

• Prayer is directed to Prayer is directed to the Fatherthe Father

• No prayers are No prayers are recorded in the Bible recorded in the Bible to Jesus or Christto Jesus or Christ

• No prayers are No prayers are recorded in the Bible recorded in the Bible to Angelsto Angels

““Hallowed be thy name”Hallowed be thy name”

• Reverence to God Reverence to God – We would reverence We would reverence

the Queen of England the Queen of England we should reverence we should reverence the Creator of the the Creator of the earth.earth.

– It is double minded to It is double minded to pray “Hallowed be Thy pray “Hallowed be Thy name whilst pursuing name whilst pursuing courses which bring courses which bring reproach and dishonour reproach and dishonour to God’s name.to God’s name.

• Nehemiah 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my

father's house have sinned.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

• “The LORD is far from the wicked; but He heareth the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29)

• “Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13)

• “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25)

• “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7)

• We have to ask in accordance with the will of God, our hopes and aspirations should be in accordance with God’s will.

Hopes Being Heard

Give us this day our daily bread.

• We do not need to pray for things far We do not need to pray for things far into the future, simply for “this day”into the future, simply for “this day”

• Matthew 6:34: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.“

• This is a prayer for Spiritual nourishment This is a prayer for Spiritual nourishment as much as for Temporal foodas much as for Temporal food

The Essentials of PrayerThe Essentials of Prayer Ask in Christ’s Name Ask in Christ’s Name

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• To be offered In To be offered In Christ’s NameChrist’s Name

• John 14:13-14 “Whatsoever ye John 14:13-14 “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it”anything in my name I will do it”

• John 16:23-24 “Verily, verily, I say John 16:23-24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will the Father in my name, He will give it you. Hitherto ye asked give it you. Hitherto ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may shall receive, that your joy may be full”be full”

The Essentials of PrayerThe Essentials of Prayer Ask in Christ’s Name Ask in Christ’s Name

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• The mere appendage The mere appendage of such words to a of such words to a prayer as “in the prayer as “in the name of the Lord name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen” is Jesus Christ, Amen” is not sufficient. Christ not sufficient. Christ will only present the will only present the petitions of those who petitions of those who strive to live according strive to live according to the Truth.to the Truth.

• John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should fruit, and that your fruit should remain; remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father of the Father in my name, He may in my name, He may give it you”give it you”

• John 15:7 “John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, If ye abide in me, and my and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”ye will, and it shall be done unto you”

• 1 John 3:22 “Whatsoever we ask, we 1 John 3:22 “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight”that are pleasing in his sight”

Prayers Must be asked in Prayers Must be asked in FaithFaith

• Hebrews 11:6 “He Hebrews 11:6 “He that cometh unto that cometh unto God must believe God must believe that He is, and that He is, and that He is a that He is a rewarder of them rewarder of them that diligently that diligently seek Him”seek Him”

• James 1:5-7 “Let him James 1:5-7 “Let him ask in faith, nothing ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wavereth is like a wave of the sea wave of the sea driven with the wind driven with the wind and tossed. Let not and tossed. Let not that man think that that man think that he shall receive he shall receive anything of the Lord”anything of the Lord”

When ? Continually in When ? Continually in PrayerPrayer

• Luke 18:1 “Men Luke 18:1 “Men ought always to pray ought always to pray and not faint”and not faint”

• Nehemiah 1:5 “that Nehemiah 1:5 “that tthou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night,”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing” “Pray without ceasing”

• Ephesians 6:18 “Pray Ephesians 6:18 “Pray always”always”

• Matthew 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. “

What should we pray for and What should we pray for and when?when?

• Only one qualifying statement.Only one qualifying statement.

• 1 John 5:14 “According to his will”1 John 5:14 “According to his will”

• Without limit of place “Everywhere” - 1 Tim.2:8Without limit of place “Everywhere” - 1 Tim.2:8

• Without limit of time “Always” - Luke 18:1Without limit of time “Always” - Luke 18:1

• Without limit of subject Without limit of subject – ““Everything” - Philippians . 4:6;Everything” - Philippians . 4:6;

– ““All things” - Matthew 21:22;All things” - Matthew 21:22;

– ““Whatsoever” - John 16:23.Whatsoever” - John 16:23.

Advice on PrayerAdvice on Prayer The Place Of Prayer The Place Of Prayer

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• Men & women Men & women have poured out have poured out prayers unto God prayers unto God in strange in strange circumstances, circumstances, and in the most and in the most unlikely places.unlikely places.

• Jonah prayed in the belly of a fish Jonah prayed in the belly of a fish (Jonah 2:1)(Jonah 2:1)

• Paul Prayed on the deck of a storm-Paul Prayed on the deck of a storm-tossed ship (Acts 27:35)tossed ship (Acts 27:35)

• Nehemiah prayed whilst handing Nehemiah prayed whilst handing

wine to the king (Neh.2:4wine to the king (Neh.2:4))• Hezekiah prayed on his bed of Hezekiah prayed on his bed of

sickness with his face turned to the sickness with his face turned to the wall (Isaiah 38:2)wall (Isaiah 38:2)

• David prayed amid the ruins of a David prayed amid the ruins of a ravaged city in a moment of defeat ravaged city in a moment of defeat and despair with his followers and despair with his followers threatening to destroy him threatening to destroy him (1Samuel 30:6)(1Samuel 30:6)

Advice on PrayerAdvice on Prayer The Place Of Prayer The Place Of Prayer

(2)(2)• The disciples prayed in the The disciples prayed in the

open upon the sea-shore (Acts open upon the sea-shore (Acts 21:5)21:5)

• Daniel prayed in the privacy of Daniel prayed in the privacy of his house with his face turned his house with his face turned towards Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10)towards Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10)

• Peter prayed on a mountain Peter prayed on a mountain (Luke 6:12;9:28)(Luke 6:12;9:28)

• Samuel prayed on a battlefield Samuel prayed on a battlefield (1Samuel 7:9)(1Samuel 7:9)

• Hannah prayed in public, Hannah prayed in public, silently (1Samuel 1:13)silently (1Samuel 1:13)

• In addition to these In addition to these moments of urgency, moments of urgency, there were set times for there were set times for prayer. Whilst it is prayer. Whilst it is valuable that we make a valuable that we make a habit of prayer at certain habit of prayer at certain times of day, it is equally times of day, it is equally important that prayer be important that prayer be not limited to such not limited to such occasions, to become occasions, to become expressions of mere expressions of mere sterile formalism.sterile formalism.

Advice on PrayerAdvice on Prayer The Posture of The Posture of

PrayerPrayer• Some prayed with hands uplifted (Exodus 9:33; Psalm Some prayed with hands uplifted (Exodus 9:33; Psalm

28:2; 1 Timothy 2:8)28:2; 1 Timothy 2:8)

• Others stood in respect (Mark 11:25)Others stood in respect (Mark 11:25)

• David sat meditatively (2 Samuel 7:8)David sat meditatively (2 Samuel 7:8)

• Daniel kneeled in humility (Daniel 6:10)Daniel kneeled in humility (Daniel 6:10)

• Ezekiel & Christ prostrated themselves (Ezekiel 9:8; Ezekiel & Christ prostrated themselves (Ezekiel 9:8; 11:13; Matthew 26:39)11:13; Matthew 26:39)– The Form of posture does not matter greatly, but the state of The Form of posture does not matter greatly, but the state of

the heart does.the heart does.

Advice on PrayerAdvice on Prayer The Time for Prayer The Time for Prayer

• At morning & Evening - Psalm At morning & Evening - Psalm 141:1-2141:1-2

• Three Times a Day - Daniel 6:10Three Times a Day - Daniel 6:10

• Seven Times a Day - Psalm 119:164Seven Times a Day - Psalm 119:164

• At Noon - Acts 10:9At Noon - Acts 10:9– At any time, but make it a habitAt any time, but make it a habit

James’ Seven Forms of James’ Seven Forms of PrayerPrayer James 5:13-18James 5:13-18• Personal prayer: ”Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray”

• United prayer: “Let the elders pray”

• Believing prayer: “The prayer of faith shall save”

• Humble prayer: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray

one for another, that ye may be healed”

• Fervent prayer: “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous

man availeth much”

• Earnest prayer: “Elias … prayed earnestly that it might not rain”

• Continued prayer: “He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain”

Prayer can be adapted for every occasion and for any need. Prayer should not become stereotyped, but should be varied to provide for the circumstances and particular petition of the moment