ABOUT PRAYER

Simply put, prayer is our way to communicate with God. He has given us the awesome privilege of TALKING to HIM. It is the way that He Himself established. Therefore, we can expect that if we reach out to Him in the manner that He has chosen, He will answer as it pleases Him. Here are some PRAYER KEYS showing HOW to TALK TO GOD.

PRAY WITH REVERENCE:

We should always begin our prayers being mindful of, and thankful for, how great and good our Heavenly Father is. (Psalm 100)

PRAY THE WORD:

We should pray according to His Will, and His Word is His Will. (John 15:7, I John 5:14)

PRAY IN FAITH:

We should pray, believing (which means “trusting Him and His Word”). (Mark 11:22, 24)

PRAY IN JESUS’ NAME:

We should pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus, which means not only calling His Name, but believing in His Power and His Authority over all things. (John 14:13-14)

PRAY IN HUMILITY:

We should pray humbly (which means giving up my evil ways, forgiving those who have wronged me – putting all of this in God’s Hands.) (II Chronicles 7:14, Mark 11:25)

PRAY BOLDLY:

We should approach the Father with the same assurance that a child comes to a loving parent. (Hebrews 4:16)

PRAY WITH THANKFULNESS:

We should pray with thankfulness, because God has heard us and we expect Him to fulfill His  promises. (Philippians 4:6)

Now that you have keys, let’s use them.

You may not use these exact words, but you may let them serve as a guide. Whatever the topic is that you are praying about, select the topic and insert it, and the pertinent Scriptures, into the guide below. When you can, pray aloud. When it’s not convenient, keep praying silently, in your heart.

PRAYER GUIDE:

“Father, I come to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for being my God. You created me; you have kept me, and I give you all the glory.

I come to you for (insert the topic from below). You said in Your Word that ____________________________ (use Scriptures from below the topic).

I believe Your Word. I humble myself before You and Your Word. Therefore, I ask You to let Your Word be fulfilled in my life. (Elaborate from your heart.) You always keep Your Promises. For that reason, I expect You to work in my life, according to Your will. You are my King, and You are worthy of my praise. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

For example: if a husband were to pray about his marriage using the model above…

“Father, I come to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for being my God. You created me; you have kept me, and I give you all the glory.

I come to You for help in our marriage. You said in Your Word that

“ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself…”

I believe Your Word. I humble myself before You and Your Word. Therefore, I ask You to let Your Word be fulfilled in my life. Please make me the man that my wife needs for me to be, the man in whom You would be pleased. Show me how to be this kind of man. You always keep Your Promises. For that reason, I expect You to work in my life, according to Your will. You are my King, and You are worthy of my praise. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

a) Prayer for Salvation

1. Romans 10:9,10 — That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

2. Acts 2:21 — And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

3. John 3:16,17 — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

4. II Peter 3:9 — The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

b) Prayer for Healing

1. James 5:16 — Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

2. Matthew 12:15 — . . . and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

3. Isaiah 53:5 — But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

4. I Peter 2:24 — Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

c) Prayer for Inner Peace

1. John 14:27 — Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.        Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2. Philippians 4:6,7 — Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let      your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

3. Isaiah 26:3 — Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4. Psalm 46:10 — Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

d) Prayer for Marriage / Family / Relationships

1. Ephesians 5: 25, 26, 28, 30 — Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

2. Genesis 2:18 —And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

3. Proverbs 22:6 — Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

4. Exodus 20:12 — Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

5. Proverbs 27:17 — Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

6. Proverbs 18:24 — A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

e) Prayer for Financial Needs

1. Philippians 4:19 — But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2. Matthew 6:33 — But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

3. I Corinthians 9:6-8 — But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

4. Luke 6:38 — Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

f) Prayer for the Nation and Its Leaders

1. I Timothy 2:1,2 — I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

2. II Chronicles 7:14 — 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

3. Proverbs 21:1 — The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will.

4. Psalm 33:12 — Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

5. Romans 13:1 — Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained