WHY WE SHOULD PRAY

WHAT IS PRAYER


Prayer is a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.

The act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship.

A formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying: the
prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer.



HOW TO PRAY


Matthew 6:9-15 Nkjv
Jesus taught is diciples to pray in this manner,therefore, pray:

9 Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[a]

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses


Jesus command us to pray in private Matthew 6:6

We should pray to the Lord first thing in the morning Psalm 5:3

Pray for a clean heart Psalm 51

Confess our sins to the Lord 1 John 1:9

We should pray in obidence 1 John 3:22

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We should pray with the heart of little children, simple, reverent, specific, and trusting. Matthew 18:3

We must pray in Jesus name. (John 14:13-14).



THESE ARE SOME OF THE PRAYERS THAT WERE PRAYED IN THE BIBLE


Daniel prayed three times a day upon his knees and gave thanks. Daniel6:10

Abraham - for a son Genesis 15:2) And Abram said, "O Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

for Peter (Acts 12:5) So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

David for Repentance(Psalm 51:10-13) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from They presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners will be converted to Thee

Jabez - for prosperity (1 Chronicles 4:10) Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that Thy hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from harm, that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested

Isaac - for children (Genesis 25:21) And Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Jacob - deliverance from Esau (Genesis 32:11) "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me, the mothers with the children



WHAT IS THE CORRECT POSTURE FOR PRAYING?


In the Bible people prayed on their Knees 1 Kings 8:45),

Bowing (Exodus 4:31),

On their Faces before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39),

Standing (1 Kings 8:22). You may pray with your eyes opened or closed, quietly or out loud whatever way you are more comfortable and less distracted.



WHY WE SHOULD PRAY


God commands us to pray. "In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me in earnest, you will find Me when you seek Me" (Jeremiah 29:12,13,

God reveals Himself to us through prayer. "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing"
(Psalm 143:10,

God invites us to bring our burdens and needs to Him in prayer. "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest"
Matthew 11:28,

God responds to the prayers of His people. "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results" (James 5:16 Prayer sustains our spiritual health by securing God’s presence and grace for our lives, just as breathing brings life-sustaining oxygen to our physical bodies.

Prayer is seeking direction from God. In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus talks about asking, seeking, and knocking, "For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." Jesus encourages us to ask God for things. "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?"

Prayer is recognizing who God is and offering Him glory, honor, and adoration. Examples of this are found throughout the Bible, especially in the Psalms. Jesus illustrates this in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13



PRAYER CHANGES THINGS ACTS CHAPTER 12


Prayer bring angels to the rescue

Prayer looses men from chains, it break fetters, and set prisoners free.

Prayer opens iron-gates, it bring men out of mental and spiritual dungeons.

Prayer guides men through dark cities.

Prayer restores fellowship with the Lord's people.



BLESSING PROMISED WHEN WE PRAY


`Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

" He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak " Isaiah 40:29

" This is the assurance we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14

"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." Isaiah 65:24



WHEN YOU PRAY AND WAIT ON GOD...


You develop endurance James 5:7-11

Your faith is strengthened Isaiah 40:31

Your dependence on God deepens 1 Peter 2:21-23

You understand more of His Sovereignty Psalms 40:4-5

You anticipate His blessing 1 Peter 5:10

You grow in wisdom Colossians 1:9-12

You increase in the practice of prayer Luke 18:1-8

You grow in humility 1 Peter 5:6-7

You increase in your gratitude for God's perfect timing 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24



WHY ARE SOME PRAYERS NOT ANSWERED?


Our prayers may not be answered because there is sin in our lives. Referring to prayer, the psalmist wrote: 'If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened`(Psalm 66:18).'

Why God does not answer some prayers is doubt. Matthew chapter 21v22 says, "And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive". The Romans chapter 14v23 says, "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin". "Unbelief
is doubt" And "doubt is sin" If you pray to God and have doubt in your heart, He will not answer your prayer.

why God does not answer some prayers is unforgiveness Matthew chapter 6v14,15 says, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also
forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses

why God does not answer some prayers is that some people pray without using the name of Jesus. John chapter 16v23 Jesus said,. Verily, verily, i say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you".

Our prayers may not be answered because we are praying for something which are not the will of God.

Not asking in faith. James 1:6-7: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.