Lesson 14 – God’s Guide for Christian Prayer

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1. HOW DOES GOD WANT US TO PRAY?

Psalm 143:1,2 — O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.

John 16:23 — In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Galatians 3:26 — You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We should pray with the understanding that we have no right to expect favors from God. Rather we pray in Jesus’ name, because he alone has paid for our sins.

Matthew 7:7 — Ask and it will be given to you.

Mark 11:24 — Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Jesus has promised that our prayers will be answered. Therefore we should pray, believing that God will hear and answer us.

Matthew 6:7 — And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Matthew 15:8 — These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Psalm 119:145 — I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord.

Prayer should come from the heart. Merely speaking the words is not praying.

1 Peter 5:7 — Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Matthew 6:33 — But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We should include all our concerns in our prayers, especially the needs of our soul.

Luke 17:17,18 — Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Psalm 86:12 — I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; will glorify your name forever.

We should thank God for his blessings, both the physical and the spiritual, both the special and the daily blessings.

1 Timothy 2:1 — I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.

Matthew 5:44 — Pray for those who persecute you.

We should pray for others including our enemies.

2. HOW DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER?

Matthew 7:7 — Ask and it will be given to you.

James 5:17,18 — Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

God often gives a direct and obvious answer to our prayer.

Psalm 88:14 — Why, O Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?

Isaiah 55:9 — As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Matthew 15:22,23 — A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

2 Corinthians 12:8,9 — Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Matthew 7:11 — If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Luke 18:1 — Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

God knows how best to answer our prayers. Therefore we trust him to choose the best time and method. “Your will be done.”

James 1:6,7 — But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.

Mark 9:23,24 — “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

God does not promise to answer a thoughtless, doubt-filled prayer, but in his mercy he often does.

3. WHAT KIND OF PRAYERS DO WE USE IN THE WORSHIP SERVICE?

The Collect — A brief prayer near the beginning of the service which asks God for one special blessing, usually spiritual.

The Sermon Prayer or General Prayer — After the sermon there is a longer prayer which asks God for the blessings spoken of in the sermon, or for all the blessings for which Christians should pray.

The Special Prayers — Prayers may be requested for special occasions such as births, deaths, marriages, anniversaries, illness, etc.

4. WHAT KIND OF PRAYERS DO WE USE AT HOME?

Memorized Prayers — These are especially good when the family prays together in the morning, in the evening and before and after meals, or as a guide to help us remember what and whom we should pray for.

Homemade Prayers — In these prayers we use our own words or thoughts to express to God our most urgent needs, at bedtime or at any time.

5. WHAT PRAYER DID JESUS TEACH US TO PRAY? THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven.

  • Father — one who loves us as his children; the Father who sent his Son to pay for our sins.
  • Our — the Father of all men, especially Christians. We pray with and for all our fellow Christians.
  • in heaven — the one true God who has all power to answer our prayers.

Hallowed be your name

  • Hallowed — made holy.
  • your name — A name represents one’s reputation. God’s reputation is made holy when his Word is taught accurately and when the lives of Christians reflect God’s goodness. Therefore this is a prayer for pure teaching and godly living.

Your kingdom come.

  • kingdom — includes all whose hearts are ruled by God.
  • come — this happens when souls are won for Christ. Therefore this is a prayer for mission zeal in the church, and mission success among the heathen.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven.

  • Your will — God wants all to be saved.
  • on earth — on earth God’s will is obstructed by human weakness, worldly temptations, and the devil’s influence. Therefore this is a prayer that God would control these evil forces so that they do not prevent the salvation of lost souls.

Give us today our daily bread.

  • Give us — we recognize that God must supply all earthly blessings.
  • daily bread — the simple necessities for life.
  • today — not in abundance, but enough for today’s needs.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

  • our sins — we admit our sins, including those we have forgotten and those we didn’t even notice.
  • Forgive us — for Jesus’ sake.
  • as we forgive — not making “a deal” with God; rather make our forgiveness of others be as willing and complete as God’s forgiveness of us.

Lead us not into temptation.

  • Lead us — God doesn’t tempt us to sin. We ask God to help us avoid or overcome temptation.
  • temptation — that which leads us away from God.

But deliver us from evil.

  • evil — that which harms the body or the soul.
  • deliver us — help us avoid evil or overcome it.
  • Note: The perfect answer to this prayer comes when God takes us to heaven.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.

  • God’s kingdom — therefore he can make his kingdom come.
  • God’s power — therefore he is able to answer all our prayers.
  • God’s glory — we praise him for we know that he has heard us and will help us.

Amen.

  • a word of confidence, meaning “this is true.” We are sure that God will answer this prayer.

SUMMARY: Prayer is natural and necessary for the Christian, like communication between children and parents. Therefore God wants us to talk to him. He even promises to answer our prayers, but only because through Jesus we have become his dear children.

Therefore we should pray often and earnestly for all kinds of spiritual and physical help, knowing that God truly answers our prayers, and always in the best possible way.

Prayer is an important personal blessing, a necessary part of our Christian life. But we are not saved because of our praying. We have eternal life and the gift of prayer only because Jesus paid for our sins.

A MORNING PRAYER

Thank you, dear God, for taking care of me during this night, for protecting me and my family from harm and danger. Be with me this day. Keep me and my loved ones safe. And help me to please you in all that I do. Should this day be my last one on earth, may it also be my first in heaven. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

AN EVENING PRAYER

Thank you, dear God, for taking care of me during this day, for protecting me and my family from harm and danger. I am truly sorry for the sins I have committed this day, for I have failed to do all that you wanted me to do. Please forgive me for Jesus’ sake. Be with me and my loved ones during the coming night, and defend us from every danger. If tonight I fall asleep in death, may I awake with you in heaven. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A PRAYER BEFORE MEALS

Lord, bless us now and the food which you have given us. Amen.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed.

A PRAYER AFTER MEALS

We thank you, Lord, for you are good to us, and your mercy is everlasting. Amen.

O, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.  His mercy endures forever.  Amen.

QUICKIE QUIZ (T or F)

  1. ___ It doesn’t make any difference how you pray, as long as you pray.
  2. ___ We shouldn’t bother God with prayers about “little things.”
  3. ___ We often forget to pray for forgiveness and faith.
  4. ___ If we live a good life, God will usually answer our prayers.
  5. ___ God answers every true prayer.
  6. ___ We should expect to receive what we ask for.
  7. ___ It’s better to pray alone than with others.
  8. ___ Memorized prayers often do not come from the heart.
  9. ___ A Christian who doesn’t pray has probably lost his faith.
  10. ___ Those who deny Jesus Christ cannot really pray.

WHERE DOES THE BIBLE SAY

  1. that we should pray in Jesus’ name?

    John 16:23 — In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

  2. that God will answer our prayers?

    Matthew 7:7 — Ask and it will be given to you.

  3. that we can pray about anything that bothers us?

    1 Peter 5:7 — Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

  4. that God will answer our prayer in the best possible way?

    Matthew 7:11 — If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

  5. that we should believe that God will answer our prayers?

    James 1:6,7 — But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.

For more information you can watch this lesson presented as a Bible study HERE.  Please click HERE to find the complete series of Bible studies.

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