Lesson 4
PRAYER
Prayer is Fellowship with God
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
We can pray at any hour, in any place. God is good and answers our prayers. We can talk with Him to ask for help, give thanks or simply to have fellowship.
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. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil (Imperfect, human), know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
The Name of Jesus in Prayer
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Jesus has given us the right to use his name in prayer. This means that God is listening as if it was Jesus himself praying.
The Word of God in Prayer
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
In the Bible we find the will of God. When we know Hs will we can pray correctly. The Word of God also gives us faith to receive from Him.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
It is good to be specific in our prayers and ask for exactly what we need or want.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Giving Thanks in Prayer
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
After asking God for something, we give Him thanks until the answer manifest in the natural.
Different Kinds of Prayer
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
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.
We can pray for other people. It is also good to pray together with other believers. La united prayer is very powerful.
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
To Pray in Tongues
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
When we pray in tongs we edify ourselves spiritually. The Holy Spirit also helps us to pray for the unknown.
You can pray every time that you are together. A new believer learns how to pray correctly by the examples of the mature Christians. It is a good custom to give thanks to God for the food and all His blessings.
Summary
- God hears and answers prayer.
- There are different kind of prayers.
Goals for this lesson
The goals are written to the mentor, about the disciple.
- Pray together for some need or situation, giving thanks for the answer.
- Pray together in tongues.