Introduction:
Prayer, whoever thought it would be a great controversy.  Can it be in school?  Who prays right and who prays wrong?  To whom should we pray?  Should we use the Lord’s Prayer as our prayer?  What are the “hail Mary’s”?  All of these questions are common questions.  The Bible tells us exactly how to pray and by knowing how God expects us to pray we can rule out how he does not want us to pray.

I.  Prayer – Our communication to God

A.  God hears prayer Psalms 65:2

1.  Of the righteous I Peter 3:12
2.  Not sinners Proverbs 15:29 and Isaiah 59:1-2

B.  Prayers done in faith… Matthew 21:22

1.  Recall the only way to have faith is through the word (Romans 10:17).  Having faith we would know the appropriate things to ask for.

C.  Prayer can and should be done on behalf of others James 5:16
D.  Christ our example in prayer John chapter 17
E.  God answers prayers Psalms 99:6 and Matthew 7:7.

A.  To God the Father Matthew 6:9

1.  Through Christ Colossians 3:17
2.  Christ the mediator [a go-between] I Timothy 2:5

B.  Frequent I Thessalonians 5:17
C.  In humility, not to be seen of men Matthew 6:1-6

1.  Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18:9-14
2.  Do not try and impress God, He knows what we will ask before we do Matthew 6:8

a.  God knows our hearts we cannot fool Him Psalms 139:1-9 and Luke 16:15.

D.  Using prayer as a means to confess our faults to God I John 1:9.
E.  NOT using repetitions [hail Mary’s] Matthew 6:7

A.  Prayer for understanding Psalms 119:130

1.  The word makes the simple wise Psalms 19:7

a.  God does not give preachers a “ready recallection”.  
b.  Nor does he open our minds today as he did the Apostles Luke 24:45

B.  The prayer for patience, comfort, and hope Romans 15:4
C.  Prayers made for salvation Ephesians 1:13
D.  Prayers for stronger faith Romans 10:17

A.  We pray for food Matthew 6:11

1.  God provides naturally Genesis 2:5-6; 8-9, Acts 14:15-17, and Hebrews 6:7.

a.  We must obtain those things through work – a natural way II Thessalonians 3:10
b.  I Timothy 5:8

B.  We pray for the sick to get better.

1.  We utilize God’s providence in doing so Romans 8:28.

a.  God provided us with those capable of being doctors.  He provided the natural ingredients for medicines etc.
b.  If we state that God touches and heals today we must prove that I Thessalonians 5:21.
c.  If we state that God directly touches and changes the outcomes of things then we must say it is God’s fault when faithful brethren pray for good and bad happens James 1:13.
d.  Some would say that saying God works through natural law through providence is limiting God.  IF God chooses that means that is His choice not a limit!

2.  Miracles were to prove the word Mark 16:20.

a.  The word has been delivered (Jude 3), there is no need to confirm the perfect has come I Corinthians 13:8ff and James 1:25

3.  Examples of a few miraculous healings – Matthew 8:5-16. 

A.  Ephesians 3:14 – Must we pray on our knees?  Christ said the man standing was the justified Luke 18:13-14.

1.  Kneeling would be showing submission Philippians 2:10.  Paul was displaying this submissive approach in what he wrote.

B.  I Timothy 2:8 – How about lifting up holy hands?  Should men pray and lift their hands to the sky?

1.  The word holy means clean or pure.  We are to go to God in prayer with pure hands.  Speaks to the attitude not the physical hands.

a.  The “Holiness” groups think this signifies some movement of the Holy Spirit.  The text this passage is in refers to the man and women and their roles, not charismatic worship styles.

Copyright 2001 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.