PRAYER
By Johnson Joseph
What is Prayer?
The Bible teaches us to pray. God wants us to pray. Prayer is for God’s children, prayer is our expression of our dependence to God for every moment of our life, you place all your problems before God’s hands and release all your tensions or anxiety and we know by a simple prayer God will bring deliverance. Just like at home, everyday, children says everything to their Father and he does everything, some time he goes to the market to buy different materials, sometime he goes to the bank to withdraw money, sometimes drives the family for an outing. Prayer is a communication between you and your Heavenly Father. A praying person should keep perfect relationship horizontally and vertically that is with people and God. When you pray, look first to the cross where Jesus did everything for you, the price was already paid for you for the blessing you seek. So claim your blessing. A car can’t be driven by it self, instead some one has to drive to reach the destination, so also for a prayer life you have to open up your hearts with a commitment to the Lord to get all answers for your prayer.
A simple word of prayer is all that God is asking for. 1 John 5: 14, 15 says Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we really know He is listening when we talk to Him and make our requests then we can be sure that He will answer us. Psalm 37:5 say Commit your ways to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
A child of the age of ten have a desire for a car and to drive it and he prays for it, the LORD had heard his prayers, but actually he will be driving the car after the age of 18, the reason we know is he is not matured enough to handle the car on the road and possibility of a accident, which may damage the car, ruin his life by bodily injury or may be death and the traffic authorities will not allow the child to drive below 18 years. God has set everything according to His time and He gives everything according to our needs at the right time.
How to pray? “To the Father in Jesus name with Holy Spirit’s help”.
To the Father Matthew 6:6 says “But when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In Jesus Name John 14:13 says “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. With the help of Holy Spirit Romans 8:26, 27 says “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Prayers will not be answered. Proverb 28: 13 says He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy and Psalm 66:18 says If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
The Bible tells us to “Pray without ceasing” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and in Philippians 4:6 says “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made knows to God. Be specific in your prayer request if you send your child to supermarket to buy a particular rice he will go to supermarket finding many type of rice and he may buy any type of rice which may not meet your need and you get upset, instead if you have told the brand name and the identity color he will go and get the same. Or if you send your child to supermarket to buy vegetables or fruits he may go but at the supermarket he don’t know which vegetables or fruits to buy because there are different type of fruits and vegetables so he buy as he likes which you may not like. Instead if you have told to buy carrot or cabbage etc. that could have solved your purpose. Similarly when you put before your petition before God, be specific of your requirements.
Elijah prayed specifically 1 Kings 18: 41-46
1 Samuel 12:23 says “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you to good and the right way” So it is our duty to pray for everything and not lose heart.
People are stuck in their own boundary, mean to say praying for themselves and for their own family members but I request you that apart from this prayer, pray for others also, pray for your neighbour, sick persons, enemy, village, city ,country and Government. In the chapter of Job 41:10 we find “The LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
If you had not started prayer, please start now and better to start the prayer as the day begins so that you are fresh and the entire day you can entrust into the hands of Lord and you will find it is the Lord who is doing everything for you.
The following are the fruits of promises that will encourage you:
Mark 11: 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Jeremiah 29:12. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Isaiah 65:24 It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
Luke 18:1 Men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
Luke 21: 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Luke 22: 40 Pray that you may not enter into temptation
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