>
Prayer - by Greg Clements Started June 1, 2021 Last edit Oct 31,2026
© 2021, 2022,2026 by Greg Clements Permission is granted to copy and distribute this document as long as no fee of any kind is charged and this copyright notice is included in the document.
RESOURCES
I used http://www.biblegateway.com/ Bible Gateway to search various translations of the Bible, Nave’s Topical Bible, etc.
NET (NET) Bible. THE NET BIBLE, NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, COPYRIGHT © 1996 BY BIBLICAL STUDIES PRESS, L.L.C. This Bible is a free download from www.bible.org. The First edition without notes is free from https://netbible.com/download. The second edition with notes is $4.95 download as of 2018. The NET 2nd edition can be read online for no cost at https://netbible.org/bible/Romans+1 (starts at Romans Chapter 1).
(VINE) Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary 1996 Thomas Nelson Publishers
(NBC) The New Bible Commentary Revised 1970 Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(Quest) The Quest Study Bible 1983 Zondervan
(WYC) They Wycliffe Bible Commentary, editors Pfeiffer and Harrison, 1972 Moody Press
(glc) Thoughts from Greg Clements … I put this (glc) in this document sometimes to emphasize that the following are my thoughts. I tried to reference the material I pulled from other sources (Morris, NBC, Vine, etc).
Some of the Bible studies I create are posted on www.gpclements.com .
Sections in this document:
1. Notes on the words “pray” and “prayer” from Vines
2. Elements of our Prayers
3. Intercessory Prayer
4. Personal Prayer
5. Corporate Prayer
6. Prayer Through the Holy Spirit
7. “Unanswered” Prayers
8. “In Jesus Name, Amen”
9. Should I Pray Out Loud or Silently?
10. Avoid This With Prayer
11. Examples in the Old Testament
12. Examples in the New Testament
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Notes on the words “pray” … verb; and “prayer” ...noun … from Vine’s:
—----------Old Testament
palal … to pray, intervene, mediate, judge
t’pillah … prayer ….This is used for a non-liturgical, non-poetical prayer in some passages, and for a liturgical, poetical, perhaps set to music, prayer in other passages (e.g. Psalms).
—----------New Testament
Verbs
euchomai … to pray to God (KJV translates it as “wish” in some passages)
proseuchomai … always used of prayer to God...the most frequent word for prayer to God
erotao … to ask … deomai … to desire
Nouns
euchre … a prayer proseuche … a prayer to God
deesis … a wanting, a need
2. Elements of our Prayers
Adoration of God … worship and praise
1 Kings 8:22-25 “Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky. 23 He prayed: “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity. 24 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David; this very day you have fulfilled what you promised. 25 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’” (NET)
(glc) We can lift our hands when we pray. Reach towards God with your body and with your spirit. Vocalize your praise to God as you acknowledge his greatness. You can remind God of his promises. He is faithful to those promises and you are really reminding yourself of God’s promises to those who are faithful to him.
1 Kings 8:26-30 “6 Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made to your servant, my father David, be realized. 27 “God does not really live on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!
But respond favorably to your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer the desperate prayer your servant is presenting to you today. 29 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place. 30 Respond to the request of your servant and your people Israel for this place. Hear from inside your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably.” (NET)
(glc) Pray fervently and admit your dependence on God. Realize that God’s promises do not tie God’s hands. God deals with sin. He dealt with the sin of Israel later by having the country defeated and taken into captivity.
Nehemiah 9:1-6 “ On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. 2 Those truly of Israelite descent separated from all the foreigners, standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the Lord their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins and worshiping the Lord their God. 4 Then the Levites—Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the steps and called out loudly to the Lord their God. 5 The Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God!” “May you be blessed, O Lord our God, from age to age. May your glorious name be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, along with all their multitude of stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. “ (NET)
(glc) When Israel returned to the promised land they prayed. Their prayers included confession for sin and praising God.
Psalm 63:5-8 “As with choice meat you satisfy my soul. My mouth joyfully praises you, 6 whenever I remember you on my bed, and think about you during the nighttime hours. 7 For you are my deliverer; under your wings I rejoice. 8 My soul pursues you; your right hand upholds me. “ (NET)
(glc) Perhaps we would sleep more soundly if we thought about God before going to sleep. Those who seek God have God’s favor.
Psalm 148:7-13 “Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea creatures and all you ocean depths, 8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds, O stormy wind that carries out his orders, 9 you mountains and all you hills, you fruit trees and all you cedars, 10 you animals and all you cattle, you creeping things and birds, 11 you kings of the earth and all you nations, you princes and all you leaders on the earth, 12 you young men and young women, you elderly, along with you children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty extends over the earth and sky. “ (NET)
(glc) I take this poetry to say that all of creation should acknowledge God. We should see God’s hand in creation. As we look around us and think about God we should bring praise to God.
Hebrews 13:12-15 “12 Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. 13 We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. “ (NET)
(glc) Our relationship with Jesus allows us to give an acceptable sacrifice of praise to God. We should always acknowledge how God has provided for us (salvation) and how God will provide for us (eternal life with God).
Revelation 4:9-11 “And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created! “ (NET)
(glc) In our prayers we should acknowledge to worthiness of God. We should remember that we and this world were created by God. God didn’t have to create the universe. But he chose to in order that we might share it with him.
—--------
Giving Thanks
1 Samuel 1:26-28 “She said, “My lord. Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 28 So I also dedicate him to the Lord. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then he bowed down there in worship to the Lord.” (NET)
1 Samuel 2:1a “ Hannah prayed, “My heart has rejoiced in the Lord; my horn has been raised high because of the Lord. “ (NET)
(glc) Hannah had prayed to have a son. Samuel was born and Hannah kept her promise to dedicate Samuel to God and have him live with Eli at the temple. The boy Samuel had been raised to honor God and he bowed down and worshipped. Hannah thanked God for answering her prayer. Hannah gave birth to other sons and daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).
1 Chronicles 16:1:”They brought the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.” (NET)
1 Chronicles 16:4 “ He appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark of the Lord, to offer prayers, songs of thanks, and hymns to the Lord God of Israel.” (NET)
1 Chronicles 16:7,8 “That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord! Call on his name! Make known his accomplishments among the nations. ” (NET)
1 Chronicles 16:15 “ Remember continually his covenantal decree, the promise he made to a thousand generations—16 the promise he made to Abraham, the promise he made by oath to Isaac! “ (NET)
1 Chronicles 16:29 “ Ascribe to the Lord the splendor he deserves! Bring an offering and enter his presence! Worship the Lord in holy attire! “ (NET)
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures.
35 Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us! Gather us! Rescue us from the nations! Then we will give thanks to your holy name, and boast about your praiseworthy deeds.” 36 May the Lord God of Israel be praised, in the future and forevermore. Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord.” “ (NET)
(glc) These verses in 1 Chronicles give us a sense of the joyous celebration at the time the ark was brought to Jerusalem. This celebration was filled with thanksgiving to God for who he is and for what he did for the people.
Psalm 100:1-5 “100 A thanksgiving psalm.
1 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Worship the Lord with joy. Enter his presence with joyful singing. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us and we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give him thanks. Praise his name. For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations. “ (NET)
(glc) This Psalm gives us some of the reasons we should give thanks to God in our prayers. We should also tell other people the reasons we give thanks to God.
Daniel 2:19-23 “ Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven, 20 saying: “Let the name of God be praised forever and ever,
for wisdom and power belong to him. 21 He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness,
and light resides with him. 23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what we requested from you. For you have enabled us to understand the king’s dilemma.” “ (NET)
(glc) We should praise God when we receive insight and wisdom from him. We should give God the credit for this breakthrough wisdom rather than claim the honor for ourselves. It is right to seek education and continue to improve our knowledge and earthly wisdom skills, but there are times when we know God has provided an answer to our mind and we should praise God when that happens.
Luke 1:41-55 “ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 43 And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 44 For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, 48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50 from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him. 51 He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, 55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” “ (NET)
(glc) Mary praises God as she acknowledges what God is doing in her life. She will soon bring forth Jesus in fulfillment of God’s plan for Israel and the world.
Philippians 4:6 “ Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (NET)
(glc) As you pray, include thanks to God. Thank God for what he has done in the universe, on this Earth, and in your life. As we thank God we align ourselves with God’s view of situations and we can receive God’s peace. This peace can stabilize us and encourage us in our hearts and minds when we are stressful circumstances.
—--------
Confess our Sins
Psalm 32:3-6 “When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long. 4 For day and night you tormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah) 5 Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.” And then you forgave my sins. (Selah) 6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you while there is a window of opportunity. Certainly when the surging water rises, it will not reach them. “ (NET)
(glc) Unconfessed sin weighs on the conscience of a Christian. And, God opposes those who sin. God already knows our sin. We can’t hide it from him. He invites people to confess their sin to him and admit how they have strayed from his ways. God is willing to forgive sin for those who repent and ask for forgiveness. The forgiveness restores an open relationship to God and clears a guilty conscience. It is best to ask for forgiveness as soon as you know you have sinned (and ask God to show you the sins you are not aware of). God is patient but you do not have unlimited time to ask for forgiveness.
Psalm 51:1-19 “For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love. Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts. 2 Wash away my wrongdoing. Cleanse me of my sin. 3 For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin. 4 Against you—you above all—I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me. 5 Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me. 6 Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven. May the bones you crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins. Wipe away all my guilt. 10 Create for me a pure heart, O God. Renew a resolute spirit within me. 11 Do not reject me. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. 12 Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance. Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey. 13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you. 14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me. Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your righteousness. “ (NET)
Psalm 51:17 “ 17 The sacrifice God desires is a humble spirit— O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject. “ (NET)
(glc) David sinned in more than one way in his interactions with Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah. David knew he could come to God and ask for forgiveness because he knew God had love for him. Jesus’ sacrifice for us shows us the same truth. God is willing to forgive and forget our sins. We will still experience consequences for our sins but we will have God’s forgiveness. That forgiveness will bring us joy, and will give us motivation to do better at obeying God in the future. Our experience with forgiveness should then be passed on to others to encourage them to pray for forgiveness.
Luke 18:13,14 “The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’ 14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” (NET)
(glc) Be honest with God when you pray and admit your sins. Ask for God’s mercy and he will provide it. You may fool yourself but you can’t fool God.
1 John 1:8-10 “ If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.” (NET)
(glc) Don’t rationalize your sin and say you “are not so bad.” When we confess and agree with God that we have sinned he will cleanse us from our sin.
—--------
Vow to God
1 Samuel 1:11-28…these verses are elsewhere in this document
… under the Thanks topic heading.
(glc) Hannah vowed to give her son to God
Be careful in making promises to God …
Deuteronomy 23:21-23 “. 21 When you make a vow to the Lord your God you must not delay in fulfilling it, for otherwise he will surely hold you accountable as a sinner. 22 If you refrain from making a vow, it will not be sinful. 23 Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering. “ (NET)
(glc) Don’t make a deal with God and not follow through. Tell the truth to God and keep your word.
Ecclesiastes 5:4,5 “When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow! 5 It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it. “ (NET)
(glc) If you delay to keep your word with God you put yourself in opposition to God. God won’t bless those who don’t tell him the truth. If you vow something to God but don’t follow through you are lying to God. If you delay you may put the task to the back of your mind and forget about fulfilling your vow.
Matthew 5:35-37 ““Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not take oaths at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35 not by earth because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not take an oath by your head because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.” (NET)
(glc) Respect God. Don’t speak God’s name or invoke God’s name when you speak on some topic. This is not exactly a prayer situation but vowing to God would be a form of prayer. Watch your speech. Don’t embellish your speech with spiritual words that try to give your speech an attractive element to those who are listening.
—--------
Ask for Healing and Protection from Persecution
Jeremiah 17:14 “Lord, grant me relief from my suffering so that I may have some relief; rescue me from those who persecute me so that I may be rescued, for you give me reason to praise! “ (NET)
(glc) Turn to God when you are suffering or face persecution. We can praise God because he is able to heal and deliver. He may choose not to heal or deliver us but we should still praise him. In prison in Philippi Paul worshiped God before he was released.
—--------
Ask for God’s Help … Spiritual Warfare, help, guidance
Genesis 24:12-14 “12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. 13 Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.”” (NET)
(glc) Abraham’s servant trusted God and prayed to God. He acknowledges God and asks for guidance and that God would help Abraham in this task. He asks to help him know for certain which woman was God’s choice to be Isaac’s wife.
Genesis 24:48-51 “ Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern. 51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” “ (NET)
(glc) It is right to thank God when our prayers are answered.
Genesis 32: 6-12 “6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has 400 men with him.” 7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” he thought, “then the other camp will be able to escape.” 9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children. 12 But you said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” ” (NET)
(glc) Jacob prayed to God when he was fearful. In his prayer he states the promise God had made. But he is not disrespectful or demanding. Jacob admits he is not worthy of God’s love. We also should turn to God when we are fearful. We can be confident we are covered by God’s promises if we have the relationship with God provided by Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins.
Psalm 3:3-8 “But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; you are my glory and the one who restores me. 4 To the Lord I cried out, and he answered me from his holy hill. (Selah) 5 I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me. 6 I am not afraid of the multitude of people who attack me from all directions. 7 Rise up, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw; you will break the teeth of the wicked. 8 The Lord delivers; you show favor to your people. “ (NET)
(glc) David relied on God for protection. David prayed and received God’s answer. Let God act on your behalf.
Psalm 25:4,5 “O Lord, I come before you in prayer. 2 My God, I trust in you. Please do not let me be humiliated; do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me. 3 Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated. Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated. 4 Make me understand your ways, O Lord. Teach me your paths. 5 Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long.” (NET)
(glc) David voices his trust in God in his prayer. He asks that his enemies would not be victorious over him. David asks for guidance from God. He wants to learn God’s ways. He commits himself to relying on God.
Psalm 107:1-9 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures. 2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy 3 and gathered from foreign lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 They wandered through the wilderness, in a wasteland; they found no road to a city in which to live. 5 They were hungry and thirsty; they fainted from exhaustion. 6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. 7 He led them on a level road that they might find a city in which to live. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love and for the amazing things he has done for people. 9 For he has satisfied those who thirst, and those who hunger he has filled with food. “ (NET)
(glc) In v. 6 the people pray to God for help and God delivered them. It is appropriate to give thanks to God for who and what he is (good and loving). After God’s rescue it is appropriate to give thanks to God. God has a special connection to Israel, and he has a special connection to those who have faith in Jesus.
Jonah 2:1 “Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish 2 and said, “I called out to the Lord from my distress, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried out for help, and you heard my prayer.” (NET)
Jonah 2:7-10 “When my life was ebbing away, I called out to the Lord. And my prayer came to you, to your holy temple. 8 Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs. 9 But as for me, I promise to offer a sacrifice to you with a public declaration of praise;
I will surely do what I have promised. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” 10 Then the Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah out onto dry land.” (NET)
(glc) Jonah knew who to call out to when he was in trouble. Jonah made a decision to honor God’s name among people.
Luke 22:39-42 “Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”” (NET)
(glc) Jesus asked that he would not die the death that he knew was coming. But, he submitted himself to God’s will. We should consider what God would have for us as we pray. Read the Bible and get to know God’s ways. Then you can pray in line with God’s ways and your prayers are more likely to be answered with a “Yes!”
Matthew 26:39 …as you will…read Luke 22:39-42 above.
Acts 13:1-3 “Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul. 2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.” (NET)
(glc) Pray for missionaries before they go out and while they are on the field, sharing the gospel. The Christians were showing their commitment to God by fasting, serving (worshipping?), and prayer.
Ask God to Change Us
Psalm 139:23,24 “Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts. Test me, and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any idolatrous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. “ (NET)
(glc) Open yourself to God’s inspection and his influence in your life. We can’t hide from God. Be honest with God and let him strengthen your resolve to follow his ways.
Ask for Blessings for Others I moved these verses to the intercession topic
Express our Doubts and Sorrow
Psalm 13:2,3 “ For the music director, a psalm of David. How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? How long will you pay no attention to me? 2 How long must I worry, and suffer in broad daylight? How long will my enemy gloat over me? 3 Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God! Revive me, or else I will die. “ (NET)
(glc) David poured out his angst and frustration that God had not acted on his behalf. Verses 5 and 6 express confidence for deliverance and vindication.
Psalm 88:1-18 “A song, a psalm written by the Korahites, for the music director, according to the machalath-leannoth style; a well-written song by Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord God who delivers me, by day I cry out and at night I pray before you. 2 Listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help. 3 For my life is filled with troubles, and I am ready to enter Sheol. 4 They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man, 5 adrift among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave whom you remember no more and who are cut off from your power. 6 You place me in the lowest regions of the Pit, in the dark places, in the watery depths. 7 Your anger bears down on me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah) 8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance; you make me an appalling sight to them. I am trapped and cannot get free. 9 My eyes grow weak because of oppression. I call out to you, O Lord, all day long; I spread out my hands in prayer to you. 10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? (Selah) 11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead? 12 Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region, or your deliverance in the land of oblivion? 13 As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord; in the morning my prayer confronts you. 14 O Lord, why do you reject me, and pay no attention to me? 15 I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain. 16 Your anger overwhelms me; your terrors destroy me. 17 They surround me like water all day long; they join forces and encircle me. 18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance; those who know me leave me alone in the darkness. “ (NET)
(glc) In prayer, acknowledge that God delivers. Ask for help. Tell God your true feelings. Don’t give up on God.
Lamentations 5:1 “O Lord, reflect on what has happened to us; consider and look at our disgrace. “ (NET)
Lamentations 5:21,22 “ Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before, 22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure. “ (NET )
(glc) In prayer admit, with sorrow, the ways you have fallen away from God. It is not too late to ask for God’s forgiveness. Through Jesus’ sacrifice God is not angry with us beyond measure. We are acceptable in God’s sight if we have faith in Jesus.
1 Peter 5:7 “ And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. “ (NET)
(glc) Tell God your concerns, worries, problems, etc. God knows us individually. Let God shape you and direct you and he will reward you at the proper time. This time may be when you go to live eternally in heaven (if you have faith in Jesus).
---------------------
3. Intercessory Prayer
Jesus intercedes for his followers
Luke 22:31,32 ““Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”” (NET)
(glc) Jesus prayed and still intercedes for his followers.
John 17:6-26
Jesus prayed for his current and future followers
Romans 8:31-34 “What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.” (NET)
(glc) Jesus intercedes for us
Hebrews 7:23-25 “And the others who became priests were numerous because death prevented them from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. 25 So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them. “ (NET)
1 John 2:1,2 “(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One, 2 and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.” (NET)
—
(glc) We should intercede for people.
Abraham intercedes for Lot
Genesis 18:1-32
Genesis 18:32 “Finally Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if 10 are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the 10.”” (NET)
(glc) Abraham intercedes for Sodom. He knows Lot is there. God agrees to not destroy Sodom if 10 godly people are found there. Abraham makes his request reverently. That is a good example for us.
Genesis 20:3-7 “3 But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”
4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 5 Did Abraham not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!” 6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. 7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”
“ (NET)
(glc) God also communicates through dreams.
(glc) Genesis 20:11 Abraham misjudged Abimelech by thinking he did not fear God.
Genesis 20:17 “17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children.” (NET)
(glc) Abraham’s prayers were important to God. This sequence of events might have caused the people in that region to have more respect for Abraham and pave the way for Abraham’s easy movement through the region.
Genesis 25:21 “ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” (NET)
(glc) We should pray for others.
Exodus 32:11-14 “11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘For evil he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent of this evil against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself and told them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken about I will give to your descendants, and they will inherit it forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people. “ (NET)
(glc) God tells Moses to quickly return to the people because they are sinning. God will destroy the people unless Moses intercedes. Moses intercedes on the basis of 1) these are God’s people, 2) God did mighty works in bringing the people out of Egypt, 3) destroying them would give God a bad reputation among the Egyptians, 4) God made promises to the patriarchs. God “relented” and did not destroy the people.
Exodus 32:30-32 “So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has committed a very serious sin, and they have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin…, but if not, wipe me out from your book that you have written.” 33 The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me—that person I will wipe out of my book. 34 So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish, I will indeed punish them for their sin.” 35 And the Lord sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf—the one Aaron made. “ (NET)
(glc) Moses cares for the people of Israel and puts his life on the line. God responds with justice in saying those who sinned will receive the punishment. God will not destroy all of Israel.
Numbers 12:13 “Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.””
(glc) Numbers chapter 12 describes that Aaron and Miriam opposed Moses. God brought leprosy upon Miriam. Moses interceded and after 7 days Miriam was clean. Moses was not vindictive but rather sought healing for Miriam. We also should want people to receive God’s mercy even if they have wronged us.
1 Samuel 12:23 “ As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the way that is good and upright. 24 However, fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Just look at the great things he has done for you! 25 But if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”” (NET)
(glc) Don’t give up in praying for people. And, proclaim the good news and the right way to live in addition to praying for people.
Nehemiah 1:3-11 “They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!” 4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said, “Please, O Lord God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant with those who love him and obey his commandments, 6 may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed against you—both I myself and my family have sinned. 7 We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you repent and obey my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 11 Please, Lord, listen attentively to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me in the presence of this man.” “ (NET)
(glc) When we hear that God’s people are having troubles we should be concerned for them and pray to God for help for them. The prayer may include asking for direction on how we can be of help to them.
Job 1:5,6 “When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.” (NET)
(glc) Job interceded for his children. Pam and I pray for our children, spouses, and grandchildren (almost) every day. We do not assume they have sinned. We pray that God would give them spiritual wisdom and bless their lives.
Job 42:7-10 “After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job. 10 So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job. “ (NET)
(glc) God directed Job’s “friends” to seek Job’s help in being restored to God’s favor. Job intercedes for them and God respects Job for this. God also more than abundantly restores the circumstances of Job’s life. Job has been found faithful to God in his belief and actions.
Psalm 106:23 “They rejected the God who delivered them,
the one who performed great deeds in Egypt, 22 amazing feats in the land of Ham,
mighty acts by the Red Sea. 23 He threatened to destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him and turned back his destructive anger. “ (NET)
(glc) We can pray for those who reject God. This section in Psalms refers to Israel worshipping the golden calf (Exodus 32:11-14; 30-35). The nation of Israel survived but many of the Israelites who sinned perished.
Psalm 122:6 “ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love her prosper.“ (NET)
(glc) It is right to pray for peace in Jerusalem and all of Israel.
Jeremiah 29:7 “ “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all those he sent into exile to Babylon from Jerusalem, 5 ‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters to get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. 7 Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the Lord for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.’” (NET)
(glc) Pray for the country and city where you live. When good things come to the country and city, good things come to you.
Ezekiel 22:30,31 “ “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one. 31 So I have poured my anger on them and destroyed them with the fire of my fury. I hereby repay them for what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” ” (NET)
(glc) Israel had abandoned God’s ways. The government leaders accumulated weath for themselves and killed people. The religious leaders no longer followed God’s laws and did not recognize the holy and profane as different. God was not recognized as important. No one in the country stood up to proclaim God’s ways so the country was destroyed. We should speak out against injustice, speak up for living the way God wants us to live, and speak up to encourage people to honor God.
Daniel intercedes for Israel
Daniel 9: 1-27
(glc) In Chapter 9 Daniel prays to God. He admits that Israel’s actions were wrong and that the nation turned away from God’s standards. He admits that Israel ignored the prophets sent by God. He recalls that God is a forgiving God. He admits that Israel has not turned away from its sin even while in exile. Daniel asks God to end his anger on Jerusalem and be good to Jerusalem for God’s own benefit. Daniel asks for God’s mercy not based on Israel’s works but because of God’s compassion. Daniel also confessed his own sin. Gabriel gives Daniel a message that Israel’s rebellion will end and there will be righteousness in the future.
Joel 2:16,17 “ Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders;
gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters. 17 Let the priests, those who serve the Lord, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O Lord, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” “ (NET)
(glc) In earlier verses the people are called to repent. God is asked for his help for the people so the people will not be overthrown and become an indication to the surrounding people that God does not help his people. God is more important than the people.
Matthew 5:43-48 “ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? 47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (NET)
(glc) God wants to forgive those who are opposed to him (if they repent). We should pray that God will give guidance and forgiveness to those who oppose Christians. God remembers our good attitude towards others. Follow God’s examples of having the right attitude. We are to show love to all people and desire the best for them. Pray that God will show them (and you) truth and his way of living and believing. God wants all people to be in a good relationship with him ( Ezekiel 18:23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 2 Peter 3:9 ). He wants all to have his love and share eternal life with him in heaven.
Acts 12:3-5 “When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.” (NET)
(glc) There was corporate prayer for Peter. Later in Acts 12 we read that God miraculously released him from prison.
2 Corinthians 1:9-11 “ Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again, 11 as you also join in helping us by prayer, so that many people may give thanks to God on our behalf for the gracious gift given to us through the help of many.” (NET)
(glc) Pray for those who are sharing the gospel with the world. As this comes to pass, those who have prayed share in giving thanks to God.
Ephesians 1:15 “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him, 18 —since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened—so that you can know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.” (NET)
(glc) Pray in thanksgiving for knowing other Christians. Pray that God will give them spiritual wisdom and increased understanding of God and their relationship to God.
Ephesians 3:14-21 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 18 you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (NET)
(glc) Pray for spiritual growth for others (and yourself).
Ephesians 6:18-20 “With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and petitions for all the saints. 19 Pray for me also, that I may be given the right words when I begin to speak—that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.” (NET)
(glc) Persevere in prayer for Christians. Pray for specific needs for those who are sharing the gospel.
Colossians 1:7-12 “You learned the gospel from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave—a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf— 8 who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of all patience and steadfastness, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
“ (NET)
(glc) Follow the example of how leaders in the church prayed for Christians. Pray for growth in spiritual wisdom and understanding for others. And pray that this growth would have an observable effect of 1) good Christian living in this world, and 2) showing good deeds that flow from the understanding of what God has done for them, and 3) growing in appreciation of who God is and what he will do in the future.
Colossians 4:2-4 “ Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for us too, that God may open a door for the message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may make it known as I should.” (NET)
(glc) We should give appropriate time to prayer and value time spent in prayer. Pray for God’s help for those who are spreading the gospel. Pray for boldness for those who are spreading the gospel.
Philippians 1:3-11 “I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you 5 because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace together with me. 8 For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight 10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” (NET)
(glc) Pray for others with thanksgiving to God that there are other Christians who are participating in helping God’s word be spread in the world. Pray for others (and yourself) for growth in love of God and for wisdom in making decisions about living.
Philippians 1:18,19 “What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. “ (NET)
(glc) Our prayers help people.
1 Timothy 2:1-8 “First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, 2 even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, 4 since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God’s purpose at his appointed time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle—I am telling the truth; I am not lying—and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 So I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” (NET)
(glc) Paul urges us to pray for all people, even for leaders we may not agree with. Pray that governments would keep the peace. This will help others to get the good news of the gospel. All Christians should participate in prayer. Our hands are raised when praying but it is not a posture of aggression, it is a posture of praise and submission to God. Prayers for all can lead more people to accept Jesus. Prayer for leaders can lead to peace where you live.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-25 “Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us too.” (NET)
(glc) Paul writes his prayer for the Thessalonians in verse 24. He is asking God to help them live holy (separated to god) lives and that they would continue in following God’s ways in their inner thinking, in their relation to God, and in their physical bodies. He asks men and women to pray for him also.
Hebrews 13:18,19 “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect. 19 I especially ask you to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.” (NET)
(glc) Pray that Christians will obey their conscience and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When we know we are sinning we no longer have a clear conscience and should ask for forgiveness. Pray that Christians will follow God’s ways in all parts of their lives. We should know the specific needs of the people we pray for and pray for those needs.
James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” (NET)
(glc) Christians should pray when we have troubles. Christians should remember to give praise to God when they are happy. Christians should have others pray for them when they are ill. God forgives sins when people ask him for forgiveness. We can give our forgiveness to those who sin against us even if they don’t ask for forgiveness. This means that we don’t hold a grudge and don’t let bitterness towards others build up in our lives. Christians should be honest with each other, admit our weaknesses, and pray with faith for healing. Christians should be righteous (read my document on “Righteous”) and ready to pray. Christians are righteous in God’s eyes because of Jesus’ sacrifice, but I believe Christians can tarnish their righteousness when they sin and don’t repent and ask for forgiveness.
(glc This is from my document “Content James 1 2 Peter 1 2 3 John Jude”) James gave instructions regarding people’s attitudes and responses to situations: those who are suffering should pray to God; those who are happy and rejoicing should sing praises (glc…to God); those who are sick should ask for the elders of the church to pray for them, agreeing with Jesus’ plan to bring healing, and anoint them with olive oil. The prayer offered in faith by the person praying will save the person who is sick and the Lord will give them wholeness and forgiveness (ESV – Jesus healed physically and spiritually) - if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Confess your sins to other Christians (glc…be honest about yourself) and pray for each other so that you may be healed (glc…physically and spiritually). The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in working. (glc…The righteous person trusts in God and God honors that trust and faith.) Elijah was a mortal human and he prayed intensely that it would not rain and it did not rain in his area for three years and six months. Then he prayed intensely and the land received rain and produced a harvest. (1 Kings Chapters 17 and 18) James instructed Christian men and women that if a Christian does not live according to God’s ways and someone helps that person return to God’s ways, the helper should know that the person who helps that person move away from sin and return to God’s ways is saving that person’s soul from separation from God and the result will be the forgiveness of many sins (glc…as the person repents and accepts forgiveness based on Jesus’ sacrifice for sins. God is doing the forgiving, not the Christian helper). (Galatians 6:1; Hebrews 3:13; 1 John 5:16,17)
1 John 5:14-16 “And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him. 16 If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death.” (NET)
(glc)
—-------
4. Personal Prayer
Luke 5:16 “ Yet Jesus himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.” (NET)
(glc) Jesus prayed often by himself. We should find our own quiet place for prayer. But we don’t have to just pray at that location. We can pray at all times, in all places.
Acts 6:4 “ So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. 3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” “ (NET)
(glc) Spiritual leaders should be devoted to prayer along with their ministry of preaching the gospel. We should be committed to prayer.
1 Thessalonians 5:16,17 “ Always rejoice, 17 constantly pray, 18 in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NET)
(glc) We should not restrict our prayer time to a few minutes at the start or end of the day. Keep in touch with God.
5. Corporate Prayer
Matthew 18:19,20 “Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”” (NET)
(glc) Pray in agreement with others.
Acts 1:14 “ When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there. 14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (NET)
(glc) Jesus’ followers prayed together and prayed in agreement. Men and women prayed together.
Acts 1:23-25 “ So they proposed two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles.” (NET)
(glc) The leaders prayed for wisdom on who should replace Judas. The church should pray when selecting spiritual leaders. Ask God to direct the choice of new leaders.
Acts 2:42 “They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (NET)
(glc) The early church had prayer as a fundamental activity.
Acts 6:5,6 “ The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. 6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them.” (NET)
(glc) Those taking up a ministry should be prayed for by the leaders and the congregation.
Acts 12:5-7 “5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him. 6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.” (NET)
Acts 12:11-12 “ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen.” 12 When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying. “ (NET)
Acts 12:16 “ Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were greatly astonished.” (NET)
(glc) The church prayed for Peter and he was rescued by God. What confidence do we have when we pray? God gave confidence to the early church by causing Peter to escape prison.
—-------
6. Prayer Through the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:26,27 “ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.” (NET)
(glc) There are times when we don’t know how to pray. We can rely on the Holy Spirit in us to translate our desire for God’s help into the proper prayer to God.
1 Corinthians 14:2,14,15,18
v2 “ For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit.” (NET)
v14-19 “If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, 19 but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.” (NET)
(glc) Prayer to God can take place in our earthly language (English) or in our Holy Spirit provided language, a tongue. Prayer is speaking to God. We can speak to God with our mind and with our spirit. We should pray both ways. Praise is also a part of our prayer time. When we are near others we choose to pray in our earthly language so they understand and are built up in their faith and prayer life.
—------------
7. “Unanswered” Prayers
Job 35:9-13 ““People cry out because of the excess of oppression; they cry out for help because of the power of the mighty. 10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator, who gives songs in the night, 11 who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’ 12 Then they cry out—but he does not answer— because of the arrogance of the wicked. 13 Surely it is an empty cry—God does not hear it; the Almighty does not take notice of it. “(NET)
(QUEST) Isaiah 1:11-15 “God will not respond to the prayers of his people if they harbor sin in their lives” Jeremiah 11:10,11 The people (both Israel and Judah) had returned to sinful ways. God promised to not listen to their cries for help.
(ESV) God does not listen to the prideful.
(NBC) James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly.
Psalm 66:17-20 “I cried out to him for help and praised him with my tongue. 18 If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 However, God heard; he listened to my prayer. 20 God deserves praise, for he did not reject my prayer or abandon his love for me. “ (NET)
(glc) When we purposefully keep sinning God does not listen to us. This description is of sin that the person is hanging on to. The person is protecting sin inside them, and is not.seeking to be close to God.
Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely. “ (NET)
(glc) Don’t pray flippantly to God. Be serious.
Proverbs 15:29 “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. “ (NET)
(glc) The wicked should not expect help from God.
Proverbs 21:13 “The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered. “ (NET)
(glc) Listen and care for those in need. God will not bless or reward those who only care about themselves.
Proverbs 28:9 ”The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. “ (NET)
(glc) God won’t take in the prayers of those who don’t take in God’s word.
Isaiah 1:15-16 “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen because your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning.“ (NET)
(glc) Our sins have an impact on God. Don’t think that you can hold on to sin and expect to have God’s attention. He will ignore your prayers if you make sin active in your life.
Isaiah 59:1-4 “ Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak to deliver you; his ear is not too deaf to hear you. 2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers. 3 For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with sin; your lips speak lies, your tongue utters malicious words. 4 No one is concerned about justice; no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words and tell lies; they conceive of oppression and give birth to sin.“ (NET)
(glc) God rejects the prayers from a person who is making the choice to stay in sin. Lies, slander, lack of justice, oppression of others, all lead to God not listening to your prayers.
Jeremiah 11:11-14 “So I, the Lord, say this: ‘I will soon bring disaster on them that they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 12 Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means be able to save them when disaster strikes them. 13 This is in spite of the fact that the people of Judah have as many gods as they have towns and the citizens of Jerusalem have set up as many altars to sacrifice to that disgusting god, Baal, as they have streets in the city!’ 14 But as for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not raise a cry of prayer for them. For I will not listen to them when they call out to me for help when disaster strikes them.”” (NET)
(glc) If you put your trust in ‘gods’ of material things, money, worldly alliances, etc. God will not listen to your prayers. And, Christians should not expect God to respond to our prayers for these people. We should pray that God will open their eyes and soften their hearts so they can have a relationship with God in the future. (Acts 16:14; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 10:4,5; 1 Timothy 2:4)
Jeremiah 14:10-12 “ Then the Lord spoke about these people. “They truly love to go astray. They cannot keep from running away from me. So I am not pleased with them. I will now call to mind the wrongs they have done and punish them for their sins.” 11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for good to come to these people! 12 Even if they fast, I will not hear their cries for help. Even if they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will kill them through wars, famines, and plagues.” “ (NET)
(glc) Those who choose to separate themselves from God should not expect God to help them. Christians should pray for them to put their faith in God instead of just praying they would have a good life. Those who fast and use the forms of worship without true faith in God will face God’s wrath and not receive his help. The future troubles they experience may cause them to honestly evaluate their lives and truly turn to God.
Jonah 4:1-4 “ This displeased Jonah terribly and he became very angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Oh, Lord, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish, because I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment. 3 So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!” 4 The Lord said, “Are you really so very angry?”” (NET)
(glc) Jonah was upset that the enemy of Israel had received God’s mercy. God did not fulfill Jonah’s prayer that he would die. God had more to teach Jonah. And, I think, more for him to do with his life in telling others how God had dealt with him and how God had mercy on Niveveh. Jonah’s wish to end his life was not a correct choice and God directed Jonah along a different path.
Zechariah 7:13 ““‘Just as I called out, but they would not obey, so they will call out, but I will not listen,’ the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. “ (NET)
(glc) Listen to God’s direction in your life as you read the Bible and hear godly preaching. If you don’t obey God don’t expect God to answer your prayers.
Micah 3:2-4 “ yet you hate what is good and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from their bones. 3 You devour my people’s flesh, strip off their skin, and crush their bones. You chop them up like flesh in a pot—like meat in a kettle. 4 Someday these sinful leaders will cry to the Lord for help, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time, because they have done such wicked deeds.” “ (NET)
(glc) Those who choose to do evil and treat people unjustly will not get God’s help.
Malachi 2:13-17 “You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. 14 Yet you ask, “Why?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law. 15 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth. 16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful.” 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” Because you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, and he delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”
“ (NET)
(glc) Spouses should remain faithful to each other.
Matthew 6:7 -9a: When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 So pray this way: (Lord’s Prayer) “ (NET)
(glc) Vain repetition of words does not impress God.
Matthew 26:39 “ Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”” (NET)
(glc) Jesus did not want to die on the cross. But he accepted God’s direction for his life.
Mark 11:22-24 “ 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”” (NET)
(glc) Pray with faith in God that he will act on your prayer. Forgive those who sin against you.
Luke 18:1-43 These verses include the widow who was persistent; the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
(glc) Keep seeking a ‘yes’ answer from God. Be humble and admit your sin in your prayers.
John 9:31 “ 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him.” (NET)
(glc) Consistently seek God, worship him, and obey what he wants you to do.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 “ For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.” (NET)
(glc) God’s plans for us can be different than our plans. Paul asked for healing three times. It is likely from other NT passages that he had a problem with his eyes. God can use us for his purposes when we think we have physical weaknesses.
James 1:6-8 “ But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.” (NET)
(glc) We should not be hesitant, or lacking in confidence, in our prayers. Exercise your faith in God by reading about God’s activities in the OT and NT, and recalling how God has interacted with you in your life.
James 4:1-3 “Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? 2 You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.” (NET)
(glc) Selfish prayers won’t be answered - at least not answered in the way the selfish person desires.
1 Peter 3:7 “ 7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.” (NET)
(glc) If you are not nice to your spouse God will not be nice with you. I think this extends to all of our relationships. If we mistreat people, God will not act on our prayers. And, really, our faith that our prayers would be answered will be diminished because in our inner self we know we are not living in line with God’s will for our lives.
1 Peter 3:12 “ For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. “ (NET)
(glc) If you want God to pay attention to your prayers you must be aligned with God. You may wish to read the document I put together on Righteousness.
1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him. ” (NET)
(glc) Unanswered prayers may occur because we don’t recognize that God has a better plan than the plan we include in our prayers.
—-------------------
8. “In Jesus Name, Amen”
***Should we always end a prayer with the phrase “In Jesus name. Amen?”
John 14:12-14 “ I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (NET)
I should write more on this. I think in one of my other documents I wrote some comments on this issue but I don’t remember which document….guess you will have to read them all. :) (glc) Asking in Jesus’ name means asking in line with Jesus’ will for us. We should be doing the deeds that Jesus did and not pray for deeds that are not in line with Jesus examples in the Bible. “In Jesus name, Amen” is not a recipe to get a prayer answered.
We acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, acknowledge his sacrifice on our behalf, and acknowledge his authority if we pray in Jesus’ name.
(WYC page 1105)-”In my name. The ground of prayer. This involves at least two things: praying in the authority CHrist gives (cf. Mt 28:19; Acts 3:6) and praying in union with him, so that one does not pray outside His will.”
(MORRIS page 646)-”This does not mean simply using the name as a formula. It means that prayer is to be in accordance with all that the name stands for. It is prayer proceeding from faith in Christ, prayer that gives expression to a unity with all that Christ stands for, prayer which seeks to set forward Christ Himself. And the purpose of it all is the glory of God. Yet notice that this glory is ‘in the Son’. The two are inseparable, as throughout this paragraph. That is why prayer may be addressed to either. It is a characteristic Johannine thought that the Father and the Son are so intimately related that what one does the other does also. We should not overlook the importance of the fact that Christ says that He Himself will answer prayer.”
page 647 “Prayer may be addressed to the Son as well as to the Father. But it is still ‘in my name.’ The basic condition is the same. “
John 16:22-,24 “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. At that time you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete.” (NET)
(Morris page 708) “They will in future direct their prayers to the Father who will give them ‘anything’ they ask in the name of the Son. …. The meaning is that the atoning death of Jesus will revolutionize the whole situation. On the basis of the Son’s atoning work men will approach God and know the answers to their prayers. The saying does not, of course, exclude altogether the possibility of prayer to the Son. But it reminds us that, for Christians, prayer is normally addressed to the Father in the name of the Son, and that such prayer is all-prevailing. It is on the grounds of all that the Son is and does that men receive gifts from the Father.”
(glc) Please read my discussion of John 14:12-14 above.
1 John 5:14-15 “14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.” (NET)
(glc) Our prayers should be aligned with God’s will. We can know God’s will by reading the Bible.
—----------------------
9. Should I Pray Out Loud or Silently?
1 Samuel 1:12-16 “ It turned out that she did a great deal of praying before the Lord. Meanwhile Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard. 14 Then he said to her, “How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!” 15 But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress. I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman. It’s just that, to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.” “ (NET)
(glc) Hannah was praying without speaking audible words.
Psalm 139:1-4 “ For the music director, a psalm of David. O Lord, you examine me and know me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. 3 You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. 4 Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it. “ (NET)
Psalm 139:23 “Examine me, O God, and probe my thoughts. Test me, and know my concerns. “ (NET)
(glc) God understands us even when he is not physically close enough to receive the sound waves we put into the air. God knows our thoughts in our minds before they are spoken.
Proverbs 15:26 “The Lord abhors the plans of the wicked, but pleasant words are pure. “ (NET)
(glc) The Hebrew word translated ‘ plans’ here refers to thoughts. God knows the thoughts, the intentions, of people.
1 Corinthians 14:15-19 What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, 19 but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.”(NET)
(glc) I used to think that this verse described praying silently. But now I think it refers to letting the human mind control the words coming out of our mouth. Verse 19 certainly implies the “five words with my mind” are being heard by others to instruct them. But, God doesn’t need sound waves to “hear” us. Prayer is supernatural communication with God. it is not like a conversation that uses sound between two people. The path of the communication with God is spiritual and not a physical, sound wave, path.
1 Thessalonians 5:17,18a “constantly pray, 18 in everything give thanks. “ (NET)
(glc) Constant prayer very likely includes praying silently. Constant verbal prayer would be intrusive and distracting to those around us.
—-------------------
10. Avoid This With Prayer
Matthew 6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! 6 But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 So pray this way: (the “lord’s Prayer follows …see my separate document on this portion of scripture)” (NET)
(glc) Don’t pray to get the attention of others or to impress others. Much of our prayer time should be one-on-one with God. Avoid vain repetition of words. Your prayer words should come from your heart and mind, not from a memorized, rote, prayer that doesn’t convey the attitude of your heart and mind. Our prayers don’t need to be lengthy. God already knows our needs and doesn’t need a full lecture with all the background material laid out in our prayers. Our prayers shouldn’t be the repetition of some phrase that we treat as some mystical or magical set of words that we think will accomplish some result simply through the use of those specific words.
Luke 9:54,55 “ 54 Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went on to another village.” (NET)
(glc) Don’t command fire to come down on your enemies. We are to love all people and help them find God. Putting ourselves above others is not God’s way. Let God judge and discipline those who reject Jesus.
—----------------------------
11. Examples in the Old Testament
Some passages below may be repeated in the document “Conversations with God in the Old Testament.”
Genesis 4:26 “26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people began to worship the Lord.” (NET)
(glc) People begin to worship God when a son is born to Seth. The study notes for the NET say that the worship would include prayers and sacrifices.
Enoch
Genesis 5:21-24 “21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away. “ (NET)
(glc) Enoch walked with God for 300 years. The notes for the NET give one possible expansion for “walked”. It may be implied that Enoch had “close fellowship with God” and had “devotion and piety” in his life. God took him away.
(glc) Note … One of my other documents is “Walk with God.”
Abraham
Genesis 15:1-9 “After these things the Lord’s message came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”
2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram added, “Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” 4 But look, the Lord’s message came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5 The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him. 7 The Lord said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, by what can I know that I am to possess it?” 9 The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” “ (NET)
(glc) Here it is recorded how Abram talked to God. Abram acknowledges God’s authority and asks about his future legacy of children. God said Abram’s descendants would be beyond counting. Abram believed God and showed God he was righteous (had right thinking). God takes action to soothe Abram’s doubts about possessing the land.
Exodus 2:23-25 “23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning; God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the Israelites, and God understood.” (NET)
(glc) The Israelites had no formal prayer system but they knew to cry out to God. God listened ( paid attention ) to their cries because of his promises to the patriarchs. God is concerned about injustice on Earth. All things will be accounted for when God judges all people.
Exodus 8:12,13 “Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord because of the frogs that he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 The Lord did as Moses asked—the frogs died in the houses, the villages, and the fields.” (NET)
(glc) Moses makes a fervent prayer to God to end the plague of frogs. God agrees. Pharaoh had asked Moses to pray to God. If Moses' prayer was not answered perhaps Pharaoh would have taken direct action against Moses, so the prayer was fervent.
Exodus 8:28b-32 “Do pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “I am going to go out from you and pray to the Lord, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal falsely again by not releasing the people to sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 31 and the Lord did as Moses asked—he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained! 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not release the people. “ (NET)
(glc) Again, Pharaoh asks Moses to pray to get relief from a plague. Moses warns Pharaoh against being false. Application….it is important for us to be honest with God in our prayers and to follow through with our promises to God.
***Exodus I may need to get more examples from OT. As of October 2026 I have not done this
—------------------
12. Examples in the New Testament
*** I may need to get more examples from OT. As of October 2026 I have not done this
Matthew 6:9-13 Read the document I put together on the Lord’s Prayer
Luke 11:2-4 Read the document I put together on the Lord’s Prayer
Mark 1:35 “Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.” (NET)
Luke 5:15 “ But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds were gathering together to hear him and to be healed of their illnesses. 16 Yet Jesus himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.” (NET)
(glc) I think it is a good practice to start the day with prayer. Instead of rushing into the day’s activities, spend time in prayer to give God praise and thanks for another day, and to get the proper perspective and guidance for any issues facing you. It is also goo dadvice to select a place to pray where you won’t be distracted.
—-------------------
(glc) Prayer is talking with God. Not just talking to God.
—--------
See the separate document I wrote on the Lord’s Prayer.
List of Bible Studies to VIEW in your browser
List of Bible Studies to DOWNLOAD a WORD document