The Weapons of our Warfare 2 Prayer – Session 3 Practicalities

  • Danger of just learning principles and thinking “We can do it now!”
    Revelation is essential – Lord teach US to pray
  • Prayer is not so much something we do, more what we are
  • “Faith is essential to prayer” (W. E. Vine) “the recognition of, and committal of ourselves and our matters to, the faithfulness of God”
  • Faith is not power over God or situations – faith is trust in the Lord who has the power and reliance on His faithfulness
  • Engages our understanding 1 Cor. 14:15 and our will Col. 4:12
  • What’s on God’s heart?
  • Praying God’s Word back to Him – His Will is in His Word

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

Matt 6:5-15

  • Not for show – comes from the heart
  • Private and public prayer – God always hears us John 11:41-42
  • The Lord’s company – delight in Him
  • The pattern prayer all in the plural – unity essential
  • Dependence and reliance on God
  • Answered prayer is our ‘reward’ 2 Kings 4:33-35; 1 Kings 17:19-23
  • Recognition of our relationship to our Father
  • Repair the altar  1 Kings 18:30
  • Right relationship with others
  • Don’t tell God what He already knows

Paul’s Teaching on Prayer

All kinds of prayers Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1-8.

  • Need to get our instructions from our Father
  • Different postures and modes of prayer
  • Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (A C T S)
  • Sincere cry for help – may involve weeping or praying in tongues (when we don’t know what to pray)
  • Petition Habakkuk 2:1; 3:2
  • Paul prays for what is excellent Col. 1:9-10
  • Tied to the long view
  • The urgent or the important?
  • For the Glory of God

Words used, with example Scripture refs (a concordance will give many more!):

Nouns Verbs 
ProseuchePrayer in general (to God) Mat. 21:22; Luke 6:12; Eph. 6:18; Phil 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1; 5:5ProseuchomaiTo pray (to God) Matt. 6:6-9 Eph. 6:18; Phil. 1:9; 1 Tim.2:8
EuchePrayer (request) Jas, 5:15EuchomaiTo pray (express a desire) 2 Cor. 13:7 (Pray),9 (wish)
DeesisSupplication (stresses sense of need) Heb. 5:7 (1) PrayersDeomaiBeg, plead, desire 2 Cor. 5:20; 8:4
HiketeriaSupplication Heb 5:7 (2) in conjunction with Deesis  
EnteuxisIntercession an interview (petition to a superior) 1 Tim. 4:5  
Agrupneowatching (stay awake!) Mark 13:31; Luke 21:36; Eph, 6:18; Heb. 13:17  
EucharistaThanksgiving Eph. 5:4; Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1EucharisteoTo give thanks Rom. 1:8; Eph. 1:16; Col. 1:3
  ParakaleoCall near (to help), implore Matt. 26:53; Mark 5:17,18; Acts 16:9
  ErotaoInterrogate, request, ask John 14:16; 16:26; 17:9

Paul’s Example Phil. 1:9-11 (D. Carson “A Call to Spiritual Reformation” ch.8)

  • Paul prays for what is excellent = the love he prays for is a means to an end – discernment of what is excellent
  • Paul’s prayer is tied to the long view –that they may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ
  • Paul prays to the glory of God, not the pursuit of excellence which can be idolatrous!

Hindrances (some taken from L. Lambert “My House shall be a House of Prayer” ch. 9)

  • Unforgiveness Matt. 6:14-15
  • Unconfessed sin Psa. 66:18; Prov. 28:9
  • Sense of defilement John 13:10
  • Disbelief Mark 11:22-24; 1 John 5:14-15
  • Doubt and Doublemindedness James 1:5-7
  • Distraction Psa. 73:2-3, 13-17
  • Tiredness Mark 14:37-39
  • Disharmony Phil. 1:27; 4:2; Psa. 133
  • Husband and wife relationships 1 Pet. 3:5-7
  • Self-centredness
  • Spirit of Despair (immobilizes) Isa. 61

Excuses for not praying (including some from Carson [ibid.] ch. 7)

  • Don’t know what to say Rom. 8:26
  • Too busy Martha Luke 10:38-42
  • Too much effort? Not based on feelings! Persistent widow Luke 18:1-8
  • Don’t feel the need – self-sufficiency, pride Josh. 9:14-15
  • Too bitter Eph. 4:31-32
  • Too ashamed 1 John 1:9; Heb. 4:15; 10:19
  • Content with mediocrity Phil. 1:9-11
  • Happy with the Status quo? Prov. 19:24; 20:4; Jas. 1:6-7; 4:2
  • God’s going to do His Will anyway, so why pray! Eph. 1:11; Ezek. 22:30; Isa. 63:5 – not “Que sera, sera”! Gid is looking for people whi will ‘stand in the gap’ and pray His will into being. Example of Moses Ex. 33-34