Topic: Prayer

Luke 18:1 GNB  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 CEV  Always be joyful  (17) and never stop praying.   

• Praise and worship is the highest kind of prayer.
• You were born to worship. You were created to worship.

Worship is love for God expressed.

1. What is the greatest hindrance to us expressing our love for God? Simply put: FEAR

•  It could be fear of people, fear of what people might say, fear that someone might see us.

Proverbs 29:25 NKJV  The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. 

Proverbs 29:25 MSG  The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that. 

• The fear of man defined: caring more about what people think than what God thinks.

• Who do you respect more? Or who do you honor more?

2. What causes the greatest hindrance of worship? (FEAR)

When did fear come into the world? 

Genesis 3:8-10 NKJV  And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  (9) Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” (10) So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 

There was no fear until sin came into the world. Shame came as a result of sin. (v10)

• Sin causes shame and shame causes fear. Where there is shame and fear, there is no worship of God.

Even though we may express our love for God in different ways, there are some scriptural ways that we are told to worship in the Bible.

• We are told to shout. We are told to lift up holy hands. We are told to sing. 
• If the Bible says for us to do these things in the presence of God and we choose to disobey what the Bible says to do, the only reason we don’t do it is the fear of what people might think. 
• That is how deeply rooted shame is in us. 
• Satan is so good at this that he will even try and put shame on us when we are doing something right.

3. What conquers the greatest hindrance of worship? What conquers fear and shame?

Acceptance is what conquers shame! 

• Religion will try to get you to think that if you do well enough, you will be accepted. The truth is that we can never do well enough in our lives for God to accept us.
• The Good News is that God decided to not leave it up to us to do well enough. Jesus already did well enough and on the basis of what He did, we are accepted by God.

Ephesians 1:2-6 NKJV  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  (4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (5) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,  (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 

• Based on what this scripture has said, we are BLESSED, FORGIVEN, ADOPTED, AND ACCEPTED BY GOD.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

• Jesus did the work for us and all that we have to do is receive it. It is by His grace that we are all of these things and not by anything that we have done. 
• This is so important because an incorrect and improper understanding of grace is what allows fear to stay in your life. 
• If you have difficulty with fear, it is because deep down, you still believe that you have to do something to get God to accept you instead of knowing that you are already accepted.

Luke 15:5-6 NKJV  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  (6) And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 

Luke 15:9 NKJV  And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 

Luke 15:22-24 NKJV  “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  (23) And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; (24) for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 

When you have lost something and you find it, what are the two things you do? 

1. You stop looking for it.

• We were born looking for favor with God. We were all born hiding from God and afraid of God. 
• We were Born Again accepted.

2. You rejoice because you found what was lost..

• The reason that many of us have not started rejoicing because we have found the approval and acceptance of God is because we have not stopped looking for it. 
• You were born looking for favor with God but the truth is when you received Jesus and were Born Again, you got it. It is yours now!!! 
• Some of us are able to enter into worship easily because we understand that we have found favor with God. 
• Others have difficulty entering into worship and expressing your love to God because there is a sense of shame there because you are still trying to earn God’s approval and acceptance. 
• The enemy tries to tell you that you did not find favor with God this week because of something you did or said and you have asked for forgiveness. GOD FAVORS JESUS AND YOU ARE IN CHRIST!

Luke 18:1 GNB  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 CEV  Always be joyful  (17) and never stop praying.   

You were born to worship. You were created to worship.

God Wants a Meeting!

Exodus 25:1-2 NKJV  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:  (2) “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. 

Exodus 25:8 NKJV  And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 

Exodus 25:22 NKJV  And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. 

1. I will meet with you.

The Tabernacle that they were building was called “The Tabernacle of Meeting.” (135 times in the Old Testament) 

Numbers 7:89 NKJV  Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.

It was the place that God wanted to meet with His people. 

God desired to have a place where He can meet with His people. He still has this desire. 

It sounds like these two things, meeting and speaking, are the same thing. They are different. 

Something can be spoken and a meeting not take place. (Email, text, letter, etc.) 

There were occasions in the Old Testament where God would have something to say to the people so He would send a prophet. The prophet would say what God said but God was not there to meet with the people.

Why Does God Want a Meeting? 

Genesis 28:10-17 NLT  Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran.  (11) At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep.  (12) As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. (13) At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, “I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants.  (14) Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. (15) What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”  (16) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” (17) But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”

Jacob was running for his life because he was running from Esau whom he had stolen the birthright. His brother was a skilled hunter and was good at tracking. Notice Jacob said that, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” I believe what he was saying is that he did not know it but He does now. 

• In a meeting it can be personal.
• In a meeting there is an encounter.
• In an encounter, there is an exchange. You can see someone’s expressions, their emotions, etc.
• God wants to have a meeting with you and in that meeting, He wants there to be an exchange.

God wanted to meet with Jacob because He wanted to take something from Jacob and give something to him.

God was thinking if I can meet with Jacob, I can take his fear and give him peace.

An important part of our vision is for people to have an encounter with God.

• Know Jesus
• Encounter God
• Experience Life-Change
• Make a difference

This is God’s plan for worship. 

Worship is when you meet with God and there is an encounter that takes place; an exchange. 

You bring God your worry, your fear, your anxiety, your shame, and He takes that from you and gives you His peace, His acceptance, His love and His assurance that everything is going to be alright. 

This is really what church is all about. God wants to meet with His people so there can be an encounter.

1. I will speak with you. 

Exodus 25:22 NKJV  And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat…

Notice God did not say, “I will speak about you…”, “I will speak above you…” and especially did not say, “I will speak to you…” 

God wants to speak with you. He wants to hear you and you hear Him. 

Where is the Meeting Place?

Exodus 25:8-9 NKJV  And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.  (9) According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.

Hebrews 8:4-5 NKJV  For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;  (5) who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “SEE THAT YOU MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.” 

God wants a place where He can DWELL and meet with His people and speak with His people. 

The Old Testament Tabernacle was a pattern or a copy of something that God has already planned. 

2 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” 

Revelation 21:2-3 NKJV  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (3) And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 

• God wants to meet with you and speak with you and He dwells in us through Christ.

He wants there to be an exchange. He will take away all of the pressures of this life and give you all that He is. 

Someone has arranged this meeting and it cost a great price, His life, so that you and God can have this meeting. 

Worship is an encounter with God. Do you allow yourself to have a meeting with God during the worship time?He wants to meet with and speak with you!

Are you going to the meeting?

Luke 18:1 GNB  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 CEV  Always be joyful  (17) and never stop praying.  

Today, we are going to continue looking at the different types of prayer and the principles that apply to them. 

John Wesley said, “It seems God is limited by our prayer life – that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him.” 

Ephesians 6:18 NIV  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

The Amplified Bible says, “Pray… will all manner of prayer.” 

Goodspeed’s translation says, Use EVERY KIND OF PRAYER and entreaty, and at every opportunity pray in the Spirit…”

The most effective kind of prayer is the one the Holy Spirit deems necessary at the moment. 

Different Types of Prayer: 

1. The Prayer of Faith – prayer of petition, prayer to change things.

Mark 11:24 NKJV  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

2. The Prayer of Consecration – the dedication of our lives to God’s use and His will for our lives.

Luke 22:41-42 NKJV  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,  (42) saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 

3. The Prayer of Commitment – casting your cares upon the Lord in prayer.

1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  

4. The Prayer of Agreement.

Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV  “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  (20) For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” 

5. Praying In the Spirit – praying in other tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 NLT  For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.  (15) Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 

6. Corporate or United Prayer

Acts 4:23-24 NKJV  And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.  (24) So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

Acts 4:31 NKJV  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 

7. Prayer of Intercession – standing in the gap in prayer between a person or persons, to plead one’s case

Romans 8:34 NKJV  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NKJV  Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  (2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

8. The Prayer of Praise and Worship – (the highest form of prayer)

Luke 24:52-53 NKJV  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,  (53) and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

What is the difference between praise and worship? 

• Praise – The natural response to the acts, works, deeds and promises of God.

Praise is a demonstration of faith and also boosts our faith in what the Lord can and will do for us.

• Worship – Our adoration expressed to God because of Who He is.

John 4:23-24 NKJV  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  (24) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Literally, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage. The ancient oriental (especially Persian) mode of salutation between persons of equal ranks was to kiss each other on the lips; when the difference of rank was slight, they kissed each other on the cheek; when one was much inferior, he fell upon his knees and touched his forehead to the ground or prostrated himself, throwing kisses at the same time toward the superior. It is this latter mode of salutation that Gr. writers express by proskunéō. 

Proskuneo – meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): – worship.

Luke 18:1 GNB  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 CEV  Always be joyful  (17) and never stop praying.  

Today, we are going to continue looking at how to pray for or about specific things in our lives. We are going to see what the Word of God says about those things and how we should pray about them. 

How do I pray about my needs? 

Matthew 6:5-8 NKJV  “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  (6) But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (7) And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.  (8) “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Notice Jesus said that your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things but just because He knows, Jesus never said don’t ask.

• Knowledge of something does not equal permission to change it.

In order for God to get involved in solving your problem or situation, He must be invited. 

• God is interested in every detail of your life and wants to be involved in all of them.

Matthew 10:29-31 NLT  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  (30) And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. (31) So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

• It is OK to pray about your needs and desires.

Philippians 4:6-7 TPT  Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,  (7) then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. 

God does not want you worrying about the needs in your life. He wants you to pray about them. 

You must pray in faith believing that you receive the answer to your prayer when you pray. (Mark 11:24) 

Mark 11:24 NLT  I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

Once you have prayed, begin to thank the Lord that the need is met in Jesus’ Name. 

Remember, faith believes that God has heard your prayer and has answered your prayer before you see anything change as far as your need is concerned. Give Him continual praise and thanksgiving that the need is met.

• God is not poor but He does not have any money.

If you are praying about a financial need that you may have in your life, first understand that God wants to meet that need but He personally does not have any money to give to you. Money is a means of exchange that is in the earth and does not originate in Heaven. They do not have any money in Heaven but Heaven is not broke. 

If all of the money is here in the earth, then in order to meet your need, God has to get you some money that is here in the earth.

• God is going to use a person who has money to meet that financial need.

He will begin to move on the heart of someone to make those monies available to Him for His purpose. 

• God is always looking out for the best interest of everyone and wants all to experience His blessing and favor.

What I mean by this is that God will find someone who has a willing heart to give so that not only can your need be met, but He can bless them and cause a harvest to come into their life too. 

• Be prepared for God to begin to talk to you about making sure that you are tithing and giving.

These are the ways that He has set up in His Word for Himself to get involved in your life financially. 

God is not obligated to meet the needs of someone who is disobeying Him. (Mal. 3:9-10) 

If you are not tithing and giving, changing is very easy. Just repent, then ask God to forgive you and then make the decision to be obedient in these areas. 

• Be prepared for God to talk to you about the way that you are managing your life.

The scriptures tell us that God is not obligated to bless someone who is a bad steward and is mismanaging what He has entrusted to them. 

Again, if you have not managed your life the way that you should, God’s grace and mercy is still available to you. Just repent and ask God to forgive you and then change. Take advantage of the resources that are available to you through things like Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey. 

• God’s plan for your life is that you have to pray about your financial needs less and less as you grow and walk in the blessed life God has for you.

It is God’s highest and best that we experience a continual harvest in our lives simply because of what God’s Word has said. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 AMPC  [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.  (7) Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. [Pro 22:9]  (8) And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. (9) As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! [Psa 112:9]  (10) And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. [Isa 55:10; Hos 10:12] (11) Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. 

God wants to bring us to a place where we are enriched in all things so that we are able to be a resource that He can use to meet the needs of other people. 

• God wants our lives to no longer be about us and our needs but allowing God to use us to meet the needs of others.

Luke 18:1 GNB  Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged.   

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 CEV  Always be joyful  (17) and never stop praying.  

Today, we are going to begin to look at how to pray for or about specific things in our lives. We are going to see what the Word of God says about those things and how we should pray about them.

Praying for the Lost

There is one fact that we must establish first in answering this question. 

• Salvation has already been purchased for all mankind and forgiveness awaits all who will receive it.

Hebrews 10:10-14 NKJV  By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  (11) And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  (12) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, (13) from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.  (14) For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The Bible teaches us that Jesus paid the price once for all mankind. He purchased our salvation so the work of redemption has been completed. 

Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  (14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:14 NLT  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Ephesians 1:7 NLT  He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 

The price has been paid for all and forgiveness is available for all so then why is everyone not saved? 

• Salvation and forgiveness must be received.

So, for us to pray prayers such as, “Lord save so and so…” are unscriptural because the work of salvation is complete and in God’s heart and mind it is established and mankind just needs to receive what God has already done. 

Romans 10:13-15 NLT  For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”  (14) But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  (15) And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 

Notice the scripture says that everyone that calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved. Paul also gives us the progression that happens in everyone’s life that receives salvation or the New Birth: 

• They call on Him because they believe in Him.
• They believe in Him because they have heard about Him.
• They hear because someone tells them.
• People go and tell them because they are sent.

The word “sent” in verse 15 is the word we get “apostle” from. It just means that this is one who is sent by God to proclaim the truth to people. This is the assignment on everyone who is a Christian. We are all to be available for the Lord to use in telling the Gospel or good news. 

That means that all of us who are believers today are believers because someone was sent to us to tell us the Good News of the Gospel. 

• People get sent because we pray for them to be sent.

Matthew 9:35-38 NKJV  Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  (36) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  (38) Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” 

We work with God in asking Him to send forth laborers into the harvest and He does the sending. The laborers do the preaching and start the process. 

Someone might say, “Well, if the Lord wants to send forth laborers into the harvest, why doesn’t He just send them?” But God cannot do any more on earth than what we permit Him to do. We allow God to move in our lives and in the earth by obeying His Word and by praying. 

It is still up to the person to receive God’s free gift but at least they shall have heard. God knows exactly the right person who can reach your unsaved loved one and can influence them for the Lord. 

• You can also pray that God will pour out His goodness in their lives so that it will bring them to a place of repentance.

Romans 2:4 NKJV  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

• You can also pray for their supernatural protection especially if they are involved in activities that could endanger them.

• We can also break the power of the devil over them because it is he that is blinding their minds to the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT  If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.  (4) Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

The correct way to pray for lost friends or loved ones is like this: 

Lord, I ask You, the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth perfect laborers into the life of my loved one to share the Good News of the Gospel. Let them say it in a special way so that they will listen and understand it. I believe that they will not be able to resist the drawing of your Spirit as you bring them to repentance by overwhelming them with your goodness and love. I thank You for it, in Jesus’ Name. 

Praying for Believers 

I believe that most Born Again believers genuinely want to follow after the things of God and His direction for their lives. 

Sometimes the enemy is able to come in and bring confusion and questions because they do not know what they are supposed to be doing. 

If people do not know what to do, they always revert to do what they do know to do. (Including Christians) 

1 John 1:7 NKJV  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

Ephesians 5:8 NKJV  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

The thing that we see in this is that light is extremely important for any of us to be successful as Christians.  

• Every believer needs more light or revelation from God’s Word for us to grow and our lives to be different and better.

• It is still the individual’s choice to walk in the light they receive.

Paul outlined the prayers that we can pray for believers (and for ourselves) in the following epistles: 

Ephesians 1:15-23 NKJV  Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,  (16) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: (17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,  (18) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power  (20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (22) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,  (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 

Ephesians 3:14-19 NKJV  For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (15) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (16) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,  (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—  (19) to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Colossians 1:9-12 NKJV  For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  (10) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (11) strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;  (12) giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.