Prayer

Is an essential part of every follower's life. It is a steady communion or fellowship with Jesus. Prayer can be making requests or giving thanks to God, it is also about listening to Him! (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:6). Often it is done alone and in secret (Luke 15:6, Matthew 6:6). It is also good to pray in groups and in communities as there is a promise that the request will be answered when 2 or more people agree (Matthew 18:19, Acts 1:14). There is no recipe or procedure for relationship or for prayer. Jesus does give a simple example outlined in Matthew 6:5-13 which is good to follow. Additionally the Psalms are a great place to see openness with God in prayer. The following are some specifics to consider.

Things to Consider for Prayer

The following are some key points on praying effectively:

  • Pray persistently with asking, seeking and knocking (Matthew 7:7-8, Colossians 4:2-6)

  • Pray in faith (James 1:5-6, Matthew 21:22)

  • Pray in secret (Matthew 6:6)

  • Pray according to God’s will (1 John 5:14)

  • Pray in the name of Jesus (John 14:14, 15:16)

  • Pray while fasting (Matthew 17:21)

  • Pray while abiding & delighting in Jesus (John 15:4-10)

  • Pray with thanksgiving (Phillipians 4:16, Colossians 4:2)

  • Pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Jude 1:20)

  • Pray in agreement with other Christians (Matthew 18:19-20)

Things that Hinder Prayer

The following are some ways that prayer can be hindered:

  • Mistreating your spouse (1 Peter 3:7)

  • Having an unrepentant or bitter heart (Psalm 66:18, Mark 11:25-26)

  • Praying repetitive empty words (Matthew 6:7)

  • Praying for show (Luke 18:9-14, Matthew 6:5) 

  • Ignoring the poor (Proverbs 21:13)

  • Not praying about something (James 4:2)

Praying with Authority

Praying with authority differs from “normal prayer” in that you are using the authority you have in Jesus instead of making a request. You are acting as a conduit or ambassador for God. You are bringing your communion with the Holy Spirit to the world around you. The following are examples of situations and how to pray with authority in them:

  • Demonic: you have authority over all demons and principalities simply because Jesus says so! You can simply command any principality or demon to leave or be quiet in the name of Jesus! (Mark 16:17, Luke 4:35, Acts 16:18).

  • Health Problems: Jesus wants to heal people! In the scriptures when people get healed, Peter and Jesus make statement prayers or command prayers (Acts 3:6, Mark 5:34, 7:33-36)