Bwebbservant
Topical Bible Study
March 28, 2001
“Prayer:
Rules, Types, Function,
Practice, Power, Hindrance and Answers”
Philippians 3:12-21
By Pastor StepheN Mack HowarD
Luke
11:1
a.
The
disciples did not ask for the ability to preach or sing
i.
Prayer
is a essential element of every Christian life
ii.
Despite
this privilege to every believer, prayer is the least exercised power of the
average believer
iii.
The
ministry of prayer is due in every true Christians life
b.
Don’ts
Matthew
6:5-8
i.
Don’t
be like the hypocrites
ii.
Don’t
make a big show out of it
iii.
Don’t
give up your reward
iv.
Don’t
be like the heathens
v.
Don’t
pray in vain repetitions
vi.
Don’t
forget that God already knows
Matthew
6:9-13
This
is not the Lord’s Prayer but the Disciples Prayer. The Lords prayer is in John Chapter 17.
c.
Do’s
i.
Do
look upward COMMUNION
1.
To
the Father
a.
Ephesians
5:20
b.
Matthew
6:9
c.
1
Peter 1:17
2.
In
the Name of the Son
a.
John
14:13
b.
John
15:16
3.
By
the power indwelling Holy Spirit never to Him
a.
Ephesians
6:18
ii.
Do
look inward PETITION
1.
Praying
for daily needs is NOT wrong
2.
Ask
for practical forgiveness: as we forgive others
a.
Cf.
Matt 18:23ff
b.
Lets
call this the radiation principle and will be discussed in a moment
3.
Deliverance
from evil
iii.
Do
look outward INTERCESSION
1.
To
Forgive others
2.
Looking
to a potential kingdom and those who might be in it
iv.
The
Radiation principle
1.
How
it works:
a.
Starts
with God
b.
Reflects
off of us
c.
Radiates
to others
2.
What
areas it is known to effect
a.
Faith
b.
Love
c.
Forgiveness,
ect…
3.
This
is what Paul talks about in Romans 12:2 about being transformed
v.
Prayer
is well represented in the Bible
1.
We
have many models of prayer in the O.T. Among the greatest are: Gen. 18:16-33;
Ex. 32:11-14; Num. 14:11-19; 2 Sam. 7:18-29; 12:13-23; 1 Kings 8:22-53; 2 Kings
19:14-19; 2 Chron. 20:6-12; and Ezra 9:5-15.
d.
Types
are divided by Styles and Specifics
e.
Styles
i.
Prayers
1.
Set
times during the day
2.
Daniel
6:10 and Acts 6:4
ii.
Supplications
1.
Short,
blasts of prayer
2.
Kin
to the blowing of the shofar to rally support in times of trouble or necessity
3.
Pray
without ceasing (II Thes. 5:18) a clear channel
f.
Specifics
i.
Prayer
for WISDOM James
1:5
1.
Will
of God
2.
Insight
from God
3.
Seeing
from God’s perspective
4.
Decision
within God’s desire
5.
Opportunity
to grow
6.
Making
Scriptural decision
ii.
Prayer
for WORKERS Matt
9:37f
iii.
Prayer
for PROTECTION Psalm 91
iv.
Prayer
for GIFTS 1
Cor 14:11
1.
Specifically
for Church Edification
v.
Prayer
for DISCERNMENT Phil 1:9f
vi.
Praying
the ARMOR Eph
6:10ff
vii.
Prayer
for OPPORTUNITIES Acts 4:30
viii.
Prayer
for REVIVAL Ps
85:6-10
ix.
ECT.
g.
Change
the Praying Christian
i.
Psalm
116:1-2
ii.
Jeremiah
33:3
iii.
1
Thes. 5:17
iv.
Hebrews
4:16
h.
Change
the Situation
i.
Psalm
116:3-4
ii.
Isaiah
65:24
iii.
Ephesians
6:18ff
i.
Teach
the Goodness of God
i.
Matthew
7:7ff
ii.
John
14:13ff
iii.
Philippians
4:6-7
These
are the 7 main forms inside of prayer that are required or at least essential
in functionality:
j.
Prayer
of Praise
i.
Nehemiah
1:5
k.
Prayer
of Confession
i.
1
John 1:9-10
l.
Prayer
of Thanks
i.
1
Thes 2:13
m.
Prayer
of Intercession
i.
Philippians
1:3
n.
Prayer
of Petition
i.
Acts
4:29
ii.
“The
Prayer of Jabez” (Dr. Bruce H. Wilkinson)
Now
Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed
and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would
keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him
what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:10)
1.
Oh
that you would bless me indeed
a.
Request
for personal blessing
b.
The
indeed is an emphatic in the Hebrew and like adding five explanation
points
2.
Oh
that you would enlarge my border
a.
Request
enlarged borders
b.
If
you are being Godly with what you have, ask for more.
3.
Oh
that Your hand would be on me
a.
Request
that the Father would be with him
b.
God
will answer this request in such a fashion that doing it without Him should
feel uncomfortable.
4.
Oh
that You would keep me from harm
a.
His
namesake was pain
b.
Request
to keep from temptation.
c.
We
do not ask to be delivered from evil until we have first requested to be
steered clear of evil.
5.
Please
note that I do not agree (nor does Christ Himself) agree with praying the same
prayer over and over again. While this
is an interesting pattern I do not advocate using this prayer as a chant. Prayer is to be a free expression from man
to God not a static, matriculated incantation.
The latter is closer to witchcraft than prayer.
o.
Prayer
of Listening
i.
Job
4:14
ii.
Eccl.
5:1
iii.
Isaiah
55:3
p.
Prayer
of Consecration
i.
1
Samuel 1:11
Luke
11:9-10
q.
What
I am among men
i.
CONFIDENCE
r.
What
I say to men
i.
COMMUNICATION
s.
What
I do before men
i.
CONDUCT
t.
What
I give of my possessions
i.
COMPASSION
u.
What
I dare to claim in the name of Jesus
i.
OMNIPOTENCE
v.
James
1:5-7
i.
Faithlessness
ii.
Doubt
iii.
Double
mindedness
w.
James
2:4
i.
Lack
of discernment
ii.
Evil
motives
x.
James
4:2-3
i.
Lust
ii.
Murder
iii.
Envy
iv.
Fights
and Quarrels
v.
You
simple do not ask
vi.
Wrong
motives
y.
James
5:16
i.
Lack
of confession
ii.
Unrighteousness
z.
1
Peter 3:5-7
i.
Genesis
2:24 and 5 other times in the Bible a married couple is called ‘one
flesh.’ This is a key element in
understanding spirituality. Although
each person must individually believe in order to be saved our relationship to
our spouse will affect our walk with God.
This passage amplifies this thought.
ii.
Woman
1.
Disobedience
and disrespect to her husbands renders frightening from many fears
iii.
Man
1.
Misunderstanding
his wife renders
2.
Hindered
prayer
aa.
PETITION
GRANTED but DESIRE NOT GRANTED
i.
Psalms
106:15
ii.
In
Numbers 11 in the Israelites wanting meat
iii.
In
1 Samuel 8 in asking for a king
bb.
PETITION
NOT GRANTED but DESIRE GRANTED
i.
In
Genesis 17:18 when Abram prays that Ishmael could be the heir
ii.
In
Genesis 18 when Abram prays that Sodom and Gomorrah be spared
iii.
2
Cor. 12:7ff
cc.
PETITION
GRANTED and DESIRE GRANTED
i.
In
1 Kings 18, Elijah’s prayed the destruction of Baal’s alter and offerings.
ii.
In
Judges 16:28 Samson’s request to regain his strength and the destruction of the
Philistines
iii.
The
thief on the cross asked for Jesus to Remember him
dd.
BOTH
PETITON and DESIRE DENIED
i.
Lack
of Faith (James 1:5-7)
ii.
Failure
to take in Bible Teaching (Prov. 1:24-31)
iii.
Selfishness
(James 4:2-3)
iv.
Carnality
(Psalms 66:18
v.
Lack
of Compassion (Prov. 21:13)
vi.
Lack
of harmony in the home (1 Pet 3:7)
vii.
Pride
and self-righteousness (Job 35:12-13)
viii.
Lack
of control of the Holy Spirit (Eph 6:18)
ix.
Lack
of Obedience (1 John 3:22)
ee.
Some
Helpful Acronyms
i.
PUSH
1.
Pray
2.
Until
3.
Something
4.
Happens
ii.
PCTIPLC
1.
See
Section V.
iii.
PRAY
1.
Person
2.
Request
3.
Answered
4.
Your
Response
ff.
Prayers
need not be long to be effective
i.
DTS,
about to go broke soon after its founding, the staff praying for funds from the
cattle on a thousand hills. Later that
day a rancher shows up with some money from auctioned stock
gg.
Questions
& Answers?
hh.
Pray
Any Questions? Contact the Webbservant at… stephen.mack.howard@juno.com