Prioritizing Prayer (2)
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Scripture commends a life of prayer, characterised by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in the promises of God. It gives guidance on how, when and where to pray.
Scripture commends a life of prayer, characterised by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in the promises of God. It gives guidance on how, when and where to pray.
Prioritizing Prayer
Prioritizing Prayer
The importance of prayer
The importance of prayer
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Consequences of neglecting prayer
Consequences of neglecting prayer
For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the Lord;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be scattered.
“I will stretch out My hand against Judah,
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place,
The names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests—
Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops;
Those who worship and swear oaths by the Lord,
But who also swear by Milcom;
Those who have turned back from following the Lord,
And have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him.”
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
Keep it simple
Keep it simple
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Prayer should not be ostentatious
Prayer should not be ostentatious
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Physical positions for prayer
Physical positions for prayer
Examples of Prayer
Examples of Prayer
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
Kneeling while praying
Kneeling while praying
And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
Standing while praying
Standing while praying
And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
Lying prostrate while praying
Lying prostrate while praying
And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord.
Praying with hands raised
Praying with hands raised
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
Prayer can be offered at any time
Prayer can be offered at any time
Praying several times a day
Praying several times a day
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
O Lord, God of my salvation,
I have cried out day and night before You.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Praying early in the morning
Praying early in the morning
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
Praying all night
Praying all night
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Prayer is not confined to any single place
Prayer is not confined to any single place
Praying inside a building
Praying inside a building
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Praying outside a building
Praying outside a building
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.
Prayer may be accompanied by fasting
Prayer may be accompanied by fasting
So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.
So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.