James 5:16 | NKJV (16) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 5:16 | AMPC (16)…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
James 5:16 | TPT (16)…for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!
Remember, prayer is all about your two-way communication and fellowship with God.
Today, we are going to begin looking at the many different kinds of prayer that are in the Scripture.
Ephesians 6:18 | NKJV (18) 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 | ERV (18) Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.
Ephesians 6:18 | NIV (18) 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…”
There are different rules that apply to different kinds of prayer – just like there are different rules that apply to different sports.
The most effective kind of prayer is the one the Holy Spirit deems necessary in the moment.
Different Types of Prayer:
- The Prayer of Faith – prayer of petition, prayer to change things.
Mark 11:24 | NKJV (24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
- The Prayer of Consecration – the dedication of our lives to God’s use and His will for our lives.
Matthew 16:21-25 | NKJV (21) From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (23) But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 9:23-24 | NKJV (23) Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (24) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
Not only does the Cross represent the place where Jesus paid the price for our Redemption, but it was also the place where surrendered His will to the plan of the Father.
Luke 22:41-42 NKJV (41) 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.”
Matthew 26:44 | NKJV (44) So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Hebrews 12:2 | NKJV (2) …looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus knew what the result of that ultimate surrender was going to be: the salvation of humanity.
We must remember that there is a blessing and joy in the surrendering of our will to the will of God.
Being in the will of God is where God’s highest and best for your life can be found.
James 4:7 | NKJV (7) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Submission – yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person.
Submitting to God’s will for your life is where the depth of your fellowship with God can be found.
There can be no submission in a relationship until you disagree or don’t really want to submit. Agreement and “want to” is not submission.
- The Prayer of Commitment – casting your cares upon the Lord in prayer
1 Peter 5:6-7 | AMPC (6) Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, (7) Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
Psalms 55:22 | NKJV (22) Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
There is no where in the Bible where it says that the Lord will TAKE your cares from you.
We must cast OUR CARES upon Him.
To cast means to violently throw or to fling something with great force.
Rick Renner – The word cares in the Greek means “anxiety”. However, in principle it is described as any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance that arises as a result of problems that arise in our lives.
When we cast our cares upon the Lord, there is an exchange that will take place.
Psalms 55:22 | TPT (22) So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you.
Matthew 11:28-30 | AMPC (28) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer 6:16] (30) For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
Once you cast your cares on the Lord, don’t take them back again!!!