The Holy Spirit seemed to be ministering to me that we as believers are not sure how to pray in a given situation.
There are things that we pray for and about and there are things that we do not need to “pray” for or about. There are some things that we simply need to receive or lead other people to receive.
Examples of these things would be Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Salvation:
Romans 10:8-10 NKJV (8) But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): (9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Nowhere in these verses does it say that we ask God to save us. The saving work has already been done by the Lord Jesus and so we simply RECEIVE what He has already done for us.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit:
Acts 8:14-17 NKJV (14) Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, (15) who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (16) For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:1-7 NKJV (1) And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples (2) he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” (3) And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” (4) Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” (5) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (6) And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (7) Now the men were about twelve in all.
Healing:
We really do not need to pray and ask God to heal us. The Scriptures say that He already has healed us.
Isaiah 53:4-5 AMPC (4) Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. [Mat 8:17] (5) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV (24) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24 CEV (24) Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
Various Kinds of Prayer
(Ephesians 6:18 NKJV) praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
(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.
God has made many kinds of prayer available to us for different purposes in our fight of faith.
We simply cannot maintain a victorious position apart from a life of prayer!
Yes, Jesus has already won the victory through His death, burial, and resurrection, but it is our responsibility to enforce and maintain that victory.
How often should we pray?
(Ephesians 6:18 NKJV) praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
The phrase “praying always” comes from the Greek phrase: “en panti kairo” which means “at every time or season.” It can be accurately translated “at every opportunity” or “every chance you get.”
Paul is telling us, “Anytime you get a chance, no matter where you are or what you are doing, at every opportunity, every season, and every possible moment – SEIZE the time to pray!”
Prayer is not optional for the Christian who is serious about his spiritual life!
Prayer is the most ignored piece of weaponry the Body of Christ possesses today yet is equally as important as all the other pieces.
EIGHT Kinds of Prayer for the Believer
- Prayer of Consecration
- Prayer of Petition
- Prayer of Agreement
- Prayer of Faith (or Authority)
- Prayer of Thanksgiving
- Prayer of Supplication
- Prayer of Intercession
- Prayer of Worship
- Prayer of Consecration
In the New Testament, the word for prayer used 127 times is “proseuche”.
“Pros” is the Greek prefix meaning “face to face”, “close” or “up-front.”
(John 1:1 NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
It tells us there is an intimate face to face relationship with God.
Prayer should bring us face to face and eyeball to eyeball with God in an intimate relationship.
In the OT, people would very often bring a gift of thanksgiving in advance of their prayer. (Example of Hannah offering Samuel for God’s service)
Often, they would make a vow or pledge to give something to give back to God once the prayer was answered.
This word for prayer is much more than praying a prayer request. It is also an act of surrender, consecration, and thanksgiving.
The idea behind “proseuche” is this: Come face to face with God, and surrender your life in exchange for His, consecrating your life on an ongoing basis.
(Matthew 26:39 NKJV) He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
- Prayer of Petition
The second most often word for “prayer” is taken from the Greek word “deesis”.
This word has to do with the basic spiritual needs that must be met in order for a person to continue in his or her existence.
It can mean a cry for God’s help that exposes a person’s insufficiency to meet his or her needs.
(Hebrews 5:7-8 NKJV) who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, (8) though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Jesus was praying for the Father to provide divine assistance to help Him in his humanity.
“Deesis” has to do with humility and a deep dependency on God.
(James 5:17 NKJV) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
A prayer of petition is therefore prayer that exposes a person’s insufficiency and his continual need for God.
- Prayer of Agreement
Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV (19) “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.”
This type of prayer involves the prayer of petition but is when two or more people join their faith together to receive the answer for the thing they desire.
- Prayer of Faith or Authority
“Aiteo” is used approximately 80 times in the New Testament. This word means “I ask” or “I demand”.
This word describes someone who prays authoritatively, almost demanding something from God. This person knows what he needs, and he isn’t afraid to boldly ask to receive it!
“Aiteo” has more to do with tangible needs such as food, shelter, money, etc.
(John 15:7 NKJV) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
This is not disturbing when you keep this thought in context with the first part of the verse.
When we allow the Word of God to permanently and habitually lodge in our hearts, that Word so transforms our minds that when we pray, we do so in accordance with God’s will.
(1 John 5:14-15 NKJV) Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (15) And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
God’s desire is that you move forward boldly and courageously in prayer in order to seize His will for your life and bring it into manifestation!
- Prayer of Thanksgiving
“Eucharista” – good and grace – wonderful feelings and good sentiments that freely flow up out of the heart in response to something.
(Ephesians 1:15-16 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:
“My feelings concerning you cannot be contained. I can’t help but thank God for you!”
(Colossians 1:3 NKJV) We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
(1 Thessalonians 1:2 NKJV) (2) We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
(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.
- Prayer of Supplication
“Enteuxis” – This word can be translated in some cases as “intercession”. It carries the thought of earnest, heartfelt continued prayer for someone else.
The prayer of supplication can be prayed for believers and unbelievers alike depending on the need.
(James 5:16 AMP) Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
- Prayer of Intercession
“Entugchano” – This is where we stand in the gap for another and bridge two people together. It means to fall into a situation or happen into a circumstance with someone else. Intercession is when someone is under pending trouble or judgment, one stands in the gap for them to stop the danger.
(Hebrews 7:25 NKJV) Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
“Huperentugchano” – This word is only found one time in the New Testament.
This word is when someone falls into a deep situation and calls out for a rescue operation to begin.
(Romans 8:26 NKJV) Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
The Holy Spirit does this work on our behalf.
It speaks of those times when the Spirit of God supernaturally joins us in our circumstances, shares our emotions and frustrations, and then begins working a rescue plan that ultimately gets us out of that mess.
- Prayer of Praise and Worship
“Proskuneo” – The simple definition of the word for worship is to kiss the hand like a dog would lick the hand of its master.
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.”