Praying With All Prayer

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:11

Real Prayer is From the Heart

Ephesians 6:18 (KJV) 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The scripture informs us that prayer is a way of life. Prayer is one of the pieces of armor we are specifically told to put on. Every victorious Christian prays!

Prayer Enables!

Ephesians 6:12-13 (KJV) 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Prayer Is Difficult

We must remember that we live in a sin cursed, demon infested culture, in which the Prince of the Power of the Air rules. Prayer is the clash or collision of two cultures, the Kingdom of Light against the Kingdom of Darkness, good against evil. Every prayer involves spiritual struggle because every prayer is opposed.

Successful Prayer Involves A Victory

Prayer is made to God that His will and purposes be accomplished in our lives. For that to happen, there must be a defeat on one side and a victory on the other. Every answer to prayer is God overcoming evil on our behalf. It is not difficult to say prayers, but it is difficult to pray effectively, i.e., to live in the realm of answered prayer. When the Lord told us to pray it was because He was going to hear and answer our prayers!

Examples of Answered Prayer

Moses Prays for Victory

Exodus 17:8-14 (KJV) 8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the LORD said untoMoses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Hezekiah Prays for Protection

2 Kings 19:10-20 (KJV) 10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?13 Where is> the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah? 14 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. 17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men?s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only. 20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, hat which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.

Hezekiah Prays for Healing

2 Kings 20:1-5 (KJV) 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

Hannah Prays For A Child

1 Samuel 1:1-20 (NIV) 1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons? 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple. 10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made a vow, saying, O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant?s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.? 12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine. 15 Not so, my lord, Hannah replied, I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief. 17 Eli answered, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.? 18 She said, ?May your servant find favor in your eyes.? Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, Because I asked the Lord for him.

Solomon's Temple Dedication

In 2 Chronicles 6 we read of the dedication ceremony of Solomon's Temple. David had desired to build a house for the Lord but the Lord denied David's request, but allowed Solomon his son to build a House for the Name of the Lord. The temple was built at Jerusalem and within the temple was the Ark of the Covenant which contained the covenant or ten commandments. This Temple and the Ark represented the dwelling place of God. The Lord had placed His Name there and the people of Israel could relate to God only through where He had placed His Name as they were to pray toward this Temple. God defined how He would relate to them and the Temple was at the center of their relationship to God and apart from this Temple there was no relationship with God.

The Dedication Ceremony Defined Their Relationship To God

The people were to relate to God through this Temple. All Israel was gathered together, Solomon knelt on a brass platform within the Temple Court and spread his hands toward heaven. This is what He prayed:

2 Chronicles 6:19-21 (KJV) 19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: 20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place. 21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

In these three verses Solomon defines the essence of their relationship to God:

  • have respect to my prayer
  • that Your eyes be upon this house day and night
  • hear prayers which are prayed toward this place
  • therefore listen to the prayers of your servant and your people
  • and when you hear, forgive.

Solomon understood that prayer to God, toward the place He had chosen, was the way Israel would receive strength, help and forgiveness from the Lord.  Answered prayer is the evidence of a real relationship with God. Their part was to pray toward the Place where God had placed His Name, God's part was to hear and answer their prayers. It was an agreement sealed by blood and God agreed!

Solomon continues to pray:

22 If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of the altar at this Temple, 23 then hear from heaven and judge between your servants the accuser and the accused. Punish the guilty party, and acquit the one who is innocent. 24 If your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers. 26 If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this Temple and confess your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to do what is right, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession. 28 If there is a famine in the land, or plagues, or crop disease, or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people's enemies are in the land besieging their towns, whatever the trouble is 29 and if your people offer a prayer concerning their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, 30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people whatever they deserve, for you alone know the human heart. 31 Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors. 32 And when foreigners hear of you and your mighty miracles, and they come from distant lands to worship your great name and to pray toward this Temple, 33 then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. Then all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built bears your name. 34 If your people go out at your command to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and toward this Temple that I have built for your name, 35 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause. 36 If they sin against you, and who has never sinned, you may become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far or near. 37 But in that land of exile, they may turn to you again in repentance and pray, We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly. 38 Then if they turn to you with their whole heart and soul and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors, toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name, 39 then hear their prayers from heaven where you live. Uphold their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 40 Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 41 Now arise, O Lord God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness. 42 O Lord God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant. 2Chr 6:22-42

The Lord Agrees To Hear and Answer Prayer

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not even enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 2Chr. 7:1-2

Fire falling from heaven was God's answer to Solomon's prayer-God agreed to Solomon's prayer.

God accepted the sacrifices and He heard and accepted the prayers of Solomon.

In the same manner, God accepts the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf, and then agrees to hear and answer our prayers when we look to the place where God has placed His name, in the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning Jesus is the Lord God.

And Solomon continues the dedication prayer. Listen to how Scripture describes prayer:

  • Pouring out the heart
  • Pouring out the soul
  • Calling upon the Name of the Lord
  • Crying to God
  • Beseeching the Lord
  • Seeking God
  • Seeking the Face of the Lord
  • Making supplication

Scripture Tells Us In What Spirit or Attitude Prayer Should Be Offered:

  • In the Holy Spirit
  • In faith
  • In full assurance of faith
  • In a forgiving spirit
  • With the whole heart
  • With the preparation of the heart
  • With a true heart
  • With the soul
  • With the spirit of understanding
  • With confidence to God
  • With submission to God
  • With unfeigned lips
  • With deliberation
  • With holiness
  • With humility
  • With truth
  • With desire to be heard
  • With desire to be answered
  • With boldness
  • With earnestness
  • With importunity
  • Night and day
  • Without ceasing
  • Everywhere
  • In everything

We can see that prayer is more than simply the saying of prayers, but is a lifestyle characterized by real and effective communication with God. Notice the language used to describe what our attitude toward prayer ought to be: submission, humility, holiness, truth, earnestness, importunity, the whole heart, with forgiveness, etc.. We see from these terms that effective prayer involves the heart, obedience, humility, forgiveness, earnestness, importunity (persistence), understanding, faith, and the Holy Spirit. Is prayer easy, no, prayer is not easy, but prayer is effective and is God's way of interacting with His people.

Prayer is the way God has chosen to communicate with us. We talk to God and He answers. Prayer seems simple enough, but praying is more than talking, and praying  prayers that receive answers, is never simple nor easy.

Why is prayer important-because God answers prayer!

PS 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

PS 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

PS 6:9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

PS 42:8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

PS 66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

PS 102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

PS 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

PROV 15:8,29 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

DAN 9:3-4 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

MT 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

MT 6:5-6 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

MT 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

MK 11:25 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.

LK 6:12,28 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

ACTS 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. ACTS 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed

Rom 12:9-16 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Phil 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Phil 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

COL 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1THESS 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.

2THESS 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

1Tim 2:1-6 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. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1TIM 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

JAS 5:13-18 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 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. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

1PET 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1PET 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

JUD 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

1Jn 3:18-23 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1Jn 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him

Psa 91:15-16He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Is 58:6-7 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Heb 11:24-26 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

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