Good morning,
This week we will continue our three week study on prayer. The topics include, prayer, how to pray, and subjects of prayer.
Prayer is talking with God. God desires a personal relationship with His people. God wants us to come to Him with our praises, concerns, and requests. In response, God speaks to us through His word, other people, or even a still small voice.
This week we will look at how to pray, conditions of prayer, and hinderances to prayer.
CONDITIONS OF PRAYER
IN THE WILL OF GOD (Romans 8:27)
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.
FORGIVE OTHERS (Mark 11:25-26)
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
KEEP GOD’S COMMANDMENTS (1 John 3:22)
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
ABIDE IN JESUS (John 15:7)
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (Jude 20-21)
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
PRAY IN JESUS NAME (John 16:23-24)
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.24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
The conditions of prayer are predicated on our knowledge and obedience to the Bible. God’s will is found in the Bible. It is impossible to know God’s will without knowing what God has said in His word. Once we know what God says, then we are able to pray with God’s will in mind.
We must obey what God says. When we obey God’s word, we please God. We can then pray in His will and He will hear our prayers.
God wants us to be in a right relationship with Him and with others. We must be willing to forgive others as God has forgiven us.
Jesus wants us to abide in Him. We get our sustenance from Him.
When we complete the above conditions, we are ready to pray. Eliminate any of the above and we will not be able to pray effectively, powerfully, or with the sense that God hears our prayers.
Prepare to pray!
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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