Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and
the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association
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Bible Study Two on Prayer—Communicating with God
We covered three specific elements of prayer in that Introduction:
1) The Lord’s Prayer Outline 2) Requirements for Effective Prayer 3) Recognizing God’s Answer to Prayer
Today, we are going to get into the actual content of a prayer.
My purpose remains the same as in Part 1 of the study. Let us study these elements of prayer and…
COMMUNICATE WITH GOD
Actually, this Bible study [Part 2], like the first, is an outline. Each element could be a Bible study or sermon in itself. In fact, it will take me two sessions to present these 12 elements of prayer. So today is Part 2 of 3 sessions on this subject
So let us begin…
Each element I will be presenting will be something that you can incorporate into each of your prayers to God.
Prayer Element 1: Praise
“The Act of Divine Adoration”
God says, in Psalm 50:23
Psalm 50:23 23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:
Now notice the 2nd part of this verse as it has to do with the whole study today…
…and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
The word “conversation” has oft times been given the meaning “the conduct of our lives” but it also means “mode of action”. Today we are looking at a “mode of action”, that is, the way we come before the throne of God and talk to Him.
This element of Praise is more than a single aspect of prayer. Praise is a way of life.
Praise is the vocal adoration of God. It is the act of rendering divine honor, esteem and love. The act of vocal adoration is important because it implies we acknowledge God as God.
It brings us into immediate and direct contact with God, in the role of servant to Master, or the created to the Creator. In Praise we put God in His rightful position at the very outset of our prayer. In praising God, we declare His power and nature.
Praise does another important thing. It takes focus off of us and puts it on God.
Question: Where do we find God’s presence?
Psalm 22:3 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.
God manifests His living presence in the praise-saturated chamber of prayer.
Praise literally becomes: the fruit of our lips” unto God. Look at Heb. 13:15
Hebrews 13:15 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Now, let us quickly look at four things in which we can praise God.
1] Praise God for His name
Psalm 115:1 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
2] Praise God for His righteousness
Psalm 35:28 28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
3] Praise God for His infinite creation
Psalm 150:2 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. (Whole psalm is about praise)
4] Praise God for His Word
David prayed in Psalm. 56,
“In God will I praise his word” Look at Psalms 19 beginning in verse 7
Psalm 19:7-9 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
These are just 4 areas of praise, but God is without limit therefore, our praise is limitless.
Prayer Element 2: Waiting
“The Act of Total Surrender”
This is a most vital element of prayer that many do not understand. It is not “waiting” for an answer.
Imagine actually coming before the throne of a Great and
Mighty King. Right there on the floor before the actual
throne. Would you not be seized by a moment or two of
silence and awe? Would it not take you a few moments to collect yourself and focus?
Waiting before God is basically the silent surrendering of your whole being before God. Listen to these verses of “waiting”
Psalm 52:9 9 …and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
Psalm 62:1 1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
Psalm 130:6 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Isaiah 40:31 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength…
Waiting is not praise, though it is closely related to praise and flows directly from it. Praise is verbalizing our esteem of God. Waiting is a time of silent love.
Waiting says, God, I love you.”
Waiting is being alone with God.
Genuine prayer is not merely asking for things, it is relationship.
Waiting is about bonding in relationship.
Waiting is about bringing all your senses into FOCUS. We focus on God. Notice Ps. 46:10 (ff)
Psalm 46:10 10 Be still, and know that I am God….
Notice that, prayer is not about answers, it’s about God.
Prayer is most meaningful when God is thought of most. Waiting is the act of taking a bridge from the physical world to the spiritual world.
Zechariah 2:13 13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Prayer Element 3: Confession
“The act of declared Admission”
Having honored God with vocal praise and silent love, we find the door now opens for truly effective praying.
“Confession” is the spiritual, mental act of bringing our sins before God. It is a hard thing to do because of a trick of Satan called guilt.
Guilt makes us feel unworthy. When we feel unworthy we sometimes give up prayer altogether.
We overcome guilt by replacing it with Boldness. Come boldly before the throne of God and bring your sins with you. He knows about them already so there is nothing to hid.
God gives us encouragement here. Turn to 1 John 1:9
1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession is a heartfelt recognition of what we are. We do not confess so that God will know; we confess so that WE will know.
There can be no healing WITHIN until there is first confession WITHOUT.
Before we can pray for a change in circumstances, we must pray for a change in character.
We glorify God by getting to PRINCIPLE. Sins must be replaced by Godly essence or fruit which principles are. Turn to Ps. 139 and verse 23
Psalm 139:23-24 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Notice how confession results in work only God can do. God does the cleaning.
Want a good manual on cleaning? Use Psalm 51. I will leave this chapter to your personal study but in it you will see David praying for 4 things:
1] divine holiness---a clean heart 2] divine attitude—“renew a right spirit within me.” 3] divine guidance---“cast me not away.” 4] the Holy Spirit—the fruit called principles
Confession is about cleaning the temple. Do you remember my sermon about the Pattern of the Temple? Let us look at that pattern a little closer
2 Chronicles 29:16 (Hezekiah Reopens the Temple) 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
As we know, the physical temple was a pattern of the human body where the Holy Spirit now dwells.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
This confession we do, this cleansing of the Temple is the final step that leads to confident praying.
TO COMMUNICATING WITH GOD
Prayer Element 4: Scripture Praying
“The Act of Faith Appropriation" (seizing)
Although the Word of God is essential to the whole of our Christian experience, it is especially crucial to prayer.
The Bible is, among many great things, a prayer book.
In here (the Bible) are the words and the promises of God. In here is the outline for prayer. In here are the prayers of David and Jesus Christ.
To fully communicate with God, we need this book with us when we pray. Sometimes, the answers to our prayers are right there in front of us in the Word of God.
Prayer is about Faith and this is our Faith book. Turn to Romans 10 and verse 17
Romans 10:17 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
In preparation for prayer we often read in the Word of God. Maybe we study a specific subject like forgiveness or healing. We meditate on those words and promises and then take them to God.
E. M. Bounds once said “Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.” Notice.
Matthew 21:21-22 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I want to give you 4 quick points to scripture praying. 1] When bringing Scripture into your prayer life, ask God to bless His Word to your spiritual body, just as He blesses natural food to your physical body.
2] Examine a passage from either the Gospels, the Epistles, Psalms or Proverbs. Look carefully for specific ways to apply each verse to prayer.
3] As you study a verse (or verses), ask yourself what petition this passage prompts you to make, or what promise this passage contains that stands directly behind a specific petition.
4] Develop actual prayers based on the thoughts and phrases included in a verse (or verses) of Scripture and offer those prayers confidently to God.
Give the Word of God its rightful place in your prayers.
Prayer Element 5: Watching
“The Act of Mental Awareness”
Most books on how to pray seldom discuss, or even mention the importance of “watching” in prayer, yet Christ commanded us to just that. Turn in your Bibles to Mark. 14 and verse 38
Mark 14:38 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
What did Jesus mean when He said to watch?
The Greek word for our word watch is gregoreo, which means “to be awake or vigilant.”
The dictionary defines watch as “keeping awake in order to guard.” It can also mean “a close observation” or “to be on the alert.”
To pray correctly one must be mentally alert and vigilant. Much praying is hampered by a dull, drowsy frame of mind.
The moment you begin to pray, Satan will come around to distract you. He will try to get our mind on something else. Therefore we must be vigilant in prayer.
It also denotes our need to “watch” the world around us to be spiritually aware of the needs of others.
In addition, it means we must watch world events and praying that God’s will be done.
We should also watch for “unction” from the Holy Spirit of God. The word “unction” denotes spiritual communication with and through the Holy Spirit.
God’s Spirit helps us to pray. Turn to Romans 8 and verse 26
Romans 8:26-27 26 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. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because “it” maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
With and through the Spirit of God we pray an effective prayer.
When you pray….Watch.
Prayer Element 6: Intercession
“The Act of Earnest Appeal”
Basically, intercession is prayer offered on behalf of another.
In Genesis Abraham acts as intercessor between God and Sodom. He is communicating to God about the people in Sodom.
All through the time of the temple, the priests would pray for the people.
Moses pleaded before God for the children of Israel. David too prayed for the people of Israel.
Of course, Christ was the greatest of intercessors. Turn to Luke 22 and beginning in verse 31.
Luke 22:31-32 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
When we pray for others, be they our fellow brothers in the faith or for people in the world, we become an intercessor just like Christ who, even while being crucified prayed for those who were killing Him.
Luke 23:34 SAYS 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
This element goes hand in hand with the element of “Watching”. I was watching the news about Kosovo and the refugees. At one point a woman reporter approached a young, tired, cold and dirty 14 year-old girl and spoke to her thru an interpreter. She asked, “Do you know what is happening to you?” She stared at the woman waiting for the interpretation. As the interpreter finished, she broke into massive tears and my heart was ripped out. She went straight to the ground falling away from the reporter and the last look we see is of a poor, broken girl with no hope.
I cried out to God for her.
Our prayers of Intercession are actually prayers given in battle. We are asking God into intercede between Satan and the person we are praying for.
These prayers are also prayers of love. It is the truest sense of “giving”.
Notice that this prayer element comes before those prayers for ourselves.
Pray not just for people but for the Work of God, for the Plan of God and for countries here and around the world and their leaders. Notice…
1 Timothy 2:1-2 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Be an intercessor and pray for others.
Well, these are the first 6 elements of personal prayer. There will be 6 more presented in Part 3. I have only given you a brief taste of each one. We all have much to study.
We also have much to pray about. As the Bible says, “Pray without ceasing” for when you do you are ..
…COMMUNICATING WITH GOD |
Portland, Oregon Church of God - part of The Intercontinental Church of God and The Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association - Tyler, Texas