Prayer changes stories

Prayer, as asking God

God wants his people to turn to him in prayer, individually and corporately, in times of need or crisis, and to bring requests to him as a Father.

God’s people are commanded to bring their requests to him

Php 4:6 See also 1Ch 16:11; Mt 7:7 pp Lk 11:9; Jn 16:24; Eph 6:18-20; 1Th 5:17; Jas 5:13

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

1 Chronicles 16:11 (ESV)

Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

Luke 11:9 (ESV)

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

John 16:24 (ESV)

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Ephesians 6:18–20 (ESV)

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)

pray without ceasing,

James 5:13 (ESV)

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Don’t think God is tired of your prayers, He wants you to call on Him for everything. Even the littlelest things.

Prayer in time of crisis

Jacob’s prayer

Jacob feared his brother that he may come and attack him.

Genesis 32:9–12 (ESV)

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

David’s prayers

Ps 4:1; 5:1-3; 30:8-10; 142:1-7

Psalm 4:1 (ESV)

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have given me relief when I was in distress.

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

Jesus Christ’s prayers

Mt 26:39 pp Mk 14:35-36 pp Lk 22:42-44

Matthew 26:39 (ESV)

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

The first Christians prayed together at times of crisis or important decisions

When threatened with punishment

Acts 4:29–31 (ESV)

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 12:5 (ESV)

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Acts 12:12 (ESV)

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

When Barnabas and Saul were sent off by the church at Antioch

Acts 13:1–3 (ESV)

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

When Paul and Silas experienced persecution

Acts 16:25 ESV

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

prayer, answers to

God has promised to answer prayer for personal or corporate needs and for the needs of others.

God answers the prayers of individuals

God answers Moses’ prayers Ex 15:23-25; 17:4-7; Nu 11:10-17

Exodus 15:23–25 (ESV)

When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,

Exodus 17:4–7 ESV

So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Numbers 11:10–17 ESV

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.