TOPIC: AN INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER - LESON 1
INTRODUCTION
You are about to begin an exciting spiritual adventure. In this school of prayer, you will learn about a powerful supernatural resource available to the Body of Christ, which is intercessory prayer.
In this study you will learn what intercessory prayer is and how to do it effectively .You will also learn what to pray for, how to overcome hindrances to intercessory prayer, and how to get started and keep going.
LESSON ONE
AN INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this teaching you will be able to:
1) Define prayer.
2) Explain how prayer is answered.
3) Summarize the role of prayer in the life of Jesus Christ.
4) Identify the levels of prayer.
KEY VERSES:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
THE DEFINITION OF PRAYER
Prayer is communicating with God. It takes different forms, but basically it occurs when man talks with God and God talks with man. Prayer is described as:
1) Calling upon the name of the Lord: Genesis 12:8
2) Crying unto God: Psalms 27:7; 34:6
3) Drawing near to God: Psalms 73:28; Hebrews 10:22
4) Looking up: Psalms 5:3
5) Lifting up the soul: Psalms 25:1
6) Lifting up the heart: Lamentations 3:41
7) Pouring out the heart: Psalms 62:8
8) Pouring out the soul: I Samuel 1:15
9) Crying to Heaven: II Chronicles 32:20
10) Beseeching the Lord: Exodus 32:11
11) Seeking God: Job 8:5
12) Seeking the face of the Lord: Psalms 27:8
13) Making supplication: Job 8:5; Jeremiah 36:7
Prayer is not just talking to God, but it involves listening also. Prayer is communication, and a one-way conversation does not last long. When you pray, expect God to speak to you. Most often He will do this through His written Word or by a "still small voice" that seems to "speak" to your heart.
Sometimes He will give you a vision or interpret back to your spirit what you have prayed in your heavenly prayer language.
Don't just rush in and dump all your requests on God and then end your prayer. Allow time for Him to speak to you. He will give answers to your questions, guidance for the day ahead, and help you order your priorities. Sometimes He will give you a special message of encouragement to share with someone for whom you are interceding.
When you pray, there is no one approved posture for prayer. You may pray while:
1) Standing: I Kings 8:22; Mark 11:25
2) Bowing down: Psalms 95:6
3) Kneeling: II Chronicles 6:13; Psalms 95:6; Luke 22:41; Acts 20:36
4) Falling on your face: Numbers 16:22; Joshua 5:14; I Chronicles 21:16; Matthew 26:39
5) Spreading out your hands: Isaiah 1:15; II Chronicles 6:13
6) Lifting up the hands: Psalms 28:2; Lamentations 2:19; I Timothy 2:8
HOW PRAYER IS ANSWERED
The Bible reveals that prayer is answered:
1) Immediately at times: Isaiah 65:24; Daniel 9:21-23
2) Delayed at times: Luke 18:7
3) Different from our desires: II Corinthians 12:8-9
4) Beyond our expectations: Jeremiah 33:3; Ephesians 3:20
THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS
Prayer should be important to us because it was important to the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our greatest model of intercessory prayer. Study each of the following references about the prayer life of Jesus:
JESUS MADE PRAYER A PRIORITY:
1) -He prayed any time of the day or night: Luke 6:12-13
2) -Prayer took priority over eating: John 4:31-32
3) -Prayer took priority over business: John 4:31-32
4) -He taught prayer to his disciples: Matthew 6:9-13
PRAYER ACCOMPANIED ANY EVENT OF IMPORTANCE IN HIS LIFE:
1) -At His baptism: Luke 3:21-22
2) -During the first ministry tour: Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16
3) -Before the choice of the disciples: Luke 6:12-13
4) -Before/after feeding the 5,000: Matthew 14:19,23; Mark 6:41,46;John 6:11,14-15
5) -At the feeding of the 4,000: Matthew 15:36; Mark 8:6,7
6) -Before the confession of Peter: Luke 9:18
7) -Before the transfiguration: Luke 9:28,29
8) -At the return of the seventy: Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21
9) -At the grave of Lazarus: John 11:41-42
10) -At the blessing of the children: Matthew 19:13
11) -At the coming of certain Greeks: John 12:27-28
12) -For Peter: Luke 22:32
13) -For the giving of the Holy Spirit: John 14:16
14) -On the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:30-31
15) -Prior to His ascension: Luke 24:50-53
16) -For His followers: John 17
17) -Before His greatest trial: Matthew 26:26-27; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:17-19
LEVELS OF PRAYER
There are three levels of intensity in prayer: Asking, seeking, and knocking:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
Asking is the first level of prayer. It is simply presenting a request to God and receiving an immediate answer. In order to receive, the condition is to ask:
...ye have not, because ye ask not. (James 4:2)
Seeking is a deeper level of prayer. This is the level of prayer where answers are not as immediate as at the asking level. The 120 gathered in the upper room where they "continued" in prayer is an example of seeking. These men and women sought fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit and continued "seeking" until the answer came (Acts 1-2).
Knocking is a deeper level. It is prayer that is persistent when answers are longer in coming. It is illustrated by the parable Jesus told in Luke 11:5-10. It is also illustrated by the persistence of Daniel who continued to "knock" despite the fact he saw no visible results because Satan hindered the answer from God (Daniel 10).
Dr Tg Badia
