Prevailing Principles Of Prayer

I. Entire dependence on the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only ground for any claims for blessing.

i. We may only enter the presence of God, to lift up praise and thanks giving to God and to make supplication, by the merits of Christ.

1. John 14v13-14

2. John 15v16

ii. We may only enter the presence of God, to lift up praise and thanks giving to God and to make supplication, by the mediation of Christ.

1. I Timothy 2v5

2. Hebrews 4v14

iii. We may not enter the presence of God, to lift up praise and thanks giving to God and to make supplication by the merits or mediation of ourselves.

II. Separation from all known sin.

i.God will not hear our prayer if we knowingly harbour the ship of sin in the dock of our hearts. To answer the prayer of the sinning saint would be to condone that sin.

1. Proverb 15v29

2. Proverbs 28v9

3. Psalm 66v18

III. Faith in God’s Word of Promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make God both a liar and perjurer.

i. As we received the free gift of salvation, through faith, we must approach God in prayer, through faith.

1. Colossians 2v6

ii. Not to believe the promises of God, whatever they may be, is to make an attack on the character of God.

1. Hebrews 10v23

2. Hebrews 11v6

iii. In legal terms to not believe the promises of God, which are confirmed by an oath, is to make God both a liar and perjurer.

1. Hebrews 6v13-20

IV. Asking in accordance with God’s will

i. Praying in Jesus Christ’s name at the same time as setting us free to approach God binds us to pray according to the will of God.

1. John 15v16

2. I John 5v14

3. John 14v14

4. Psalm 37v4

V. Importunity in supplication (there must be waiting on God, and waiting for God).

i. In waiting on God we bring a request before Him and wait for His answer. In waiting for God we wait not necessarily for answers to prayer or the things of God, rather we wait for God Himself.

1. Moses and Jesus would spend 40 days in the wilderness. The whole time could not have been filled with praise and supplication; often it would simply be God communing with them heart to heart.

ii. Importunity in supplication involves: fervency and persistence in prayer inter-grating holy argument.

1. Fervency - James 5v17

2. Persistence – Psalm 40v1, Luke 18v1-10

3. Holy Argument – Numbers 14