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Prayers!
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Posted by: ayen
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is communion with God. It is the closest, most intimate relationship with our heavenly Father that we can have.The Bible says,"deep calleth unto deep" ( Psalm 42:7, KJV)Prayer is the union of two spirits - the Spirit Creator and the spirit creature. Once this relationship is established, amazing things begin to unfold.There are four critical areas to remember as we pray to our Almighty Creator. These can be summed up by four calls to action: seek, speak, join, and praise.
SEEK HIS WILL
If you are going to have a winning prayer life, you first need to know the will of God on the matter you are praying about. That does not mean that you close a prayer with, "if it be thy will." Instead, you must seek the Father's will by meditating on His Word and asking for Divine wisdom before praying about a given situation.When Jesus sought the will of the Father, He sometimes prayed all night long. He listened to the voice of the Father to discern His will. Only by first meditating on God's Word and seeking His wisdom, can we hope to have victory in prayer.
SPEAK IN FAITH
When you have determined God's will, you must speak confidently, in faith, that the desired result will come to pass. When Jesus calmed the tempestuous storm ( Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25), I believe He silently discerned the Father's will beforehand, though the Scripture doesn't specifically say so. As the storm raged and the boat filled with water, I believe He sought the will of His Father before He spoke. Then, armed with His understanding, He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, commanding them to be still. After determining God's will in your particular situation, speak in faith to sick body, to your finances, to your marriage or to whatever needs healing. Command it to be whole, to be well, to be transformed in the mighty name of Jesus.
JOIN WITH OTHERS
There is no such thing as solitary Christianity. God did not created us to tackle the challenges of life alone. Whenever possible, you should pray with other faith-filled believers. Scripture emphasizes this important key in the following passage:" I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them" (Matthew 18-19-20, the Book).When believers join together in prayer, the miraculous becomes the norm.
PRAISE HIS NAME
Praise plays such a vital role in our relationship with God. Through good times and not-so-good times, praise His holy name!When things go wrong the worse thing we can do is to complain. Your mouth gives the devil carte blanche to wreak havoc to your life. Where you confess failure, you confess defeat.In the following passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul gives us wonderful guidelines to pray effectively, righteously and successfully: " Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus " (Philippians 4:6-7, NASB)Begin and end your prayer with praise. Thank Him for His goodness and mercy. With a thankful heart, bring your requests to God, and the peace which passes all our understanding shall keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
FOUR KEYS TO ANSWERED PRAYER
1. Ask in Faith- Faith is crucial to effective prayer. James 1:6a says, "But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea." When coming before the Lord, acknowledge His ability to answer " exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20)
2. Pray in Agreement- It is vital to pray in agreement with God's will. " And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1John 5:14). In Matthew 18:19, Jesus says, " If tow of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven."
3. Take Authority- When interceding for yourself or others, pray in Jesus' name. with confidence, pray in the authority that Jesus has given to all Christians. In Luke 10:19, Jesus says, " Behold, I have given you authority…over all the power of the enemy , and nothing shall injure you."
4. Expect An Answer- In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Listen for His Word. In Job 33:33, the Lord admonished Job "listen to Me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom."Wait upon the Lord. Allow God to answer prayer in His perfect timing. Isaiah 40:31 says: " yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."
Posted by: akabezalel
Hi!
These are Real Good!
There are several posts about PRAYER and ANSWERED PRAYER in JERRY"S LESSONS that are worth looking at also!!!
Conditions of Answered Prayer
Spiritual Warfare
Why Pray?
Praying According to His Will
What Does AMEN! Mean?
I find these invaluable guides as I pray for people and their Requests.