Prayer

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:41 am Post subject: Prayer

An Effective Prayer Life

Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done: in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors..
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory.
For ever and ever.
Amen

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:44 am Post subject: An Effective Person of Prayer

An Effective Person of Prayer

To be an effective person of prayer, you must have a relationship with the One to whom you pray. Above all else, prayer is an opportunity to enjoy intimacy with God. Prayer is all about a relationship with God. God longs to have a relationship with you.
To know God is to realize that we are in relationship, covenant relationship with Him. You are His child. He is your Father. You are His bride. He is your Groom.

Jesus warns us that we can do His works and not be known of God.
Matt 7:21-23 (NIV) "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:04 am Post subject: An Intimate Relationship with God

How Can I Develop an Intimate Relationship with God?

Click the image for an enlarged view.
Spend Time with the Lord, daily.
In any earthly relationship, the way to develop relationship with someone is to spend time with them. Intimate relationships are born by learning to trust. Being open and vulnerable and being willing to show all of your heart invites intimacy. To be intimate is to be willing to show all that is in your heart to the person. To be an intimate friend of God, you need to be able to pour out your heart to Him, sharing the most intimate details of your life, your hopes, your dreams and your very heart with Him.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:08 am Post subject: Prayer continued...

Prov. 17:17 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

This scripture not only applies to God's heart toward us, but it should be our stance toward the Lord. Our hearts should long to be with Him no matter what the circumstance. As His people, We are to love Him and be His friend first. From that base of intimacy, we can pray effectively.

If our prayer life consists only of petitions and intercession, it can lead to anger and frustration. If prayer is not answered in the speed that we wish it to be answered, we can become bitter and resentful toward God. However, If we grow to know God, a delayed prayer will only be an opportunity to pray again. Spending much time with the Lord is one of the only methods to truly know His ways, and not just His acts. Knowing God leads to resting in the assurance of His ultimate goodness, despite the circumstances we see around us.

Hab. 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

To be in intimate relationship with God is to make Him number one in our lives, above all others, and above all else.

Matt 10:37
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

Ask the Lord to show you any idols in your lives that would be number one instead of Him. These idols can take the form of family, friends, ministry, work or even personal dreams.
Study the Word of God

We get to know Him through the study of the word of God, in prayer.

As you daily study His word, you will soon get to know His will, His ways and His heart, which will give you keys to know how to pray. When you understand the way He moves in the lives of people, you can pray prayers that line up to His will. Psalm 119 is a wonderful passage to meditate upon, as it tells us the rewards of studying His word.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:09 am Post subject: Worship

Worship

As we worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, He births intimacy in our hearts. In worship, we are lavishing all our attention and affections toward Him. Worship cleanses you from the "dirt" you pick up as you walk your everyday life by just living in an unsaved world.

A good anointed worship time refreshes and revives you. It speaks to your spirit the truth about God and His power. To be an effective intercessor, you must be awake in your spirit. Worship will awaken and sharpen your spirit to be in tune with the will of the Lord.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject: Repentance

Repentance

Ask the Lord to search your heart, and to show you if there be any wicked way in it. The Lord is faithful to show us our motivations and secret desires. Keep a short account with the Lord.

1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If you know there are wounds from hurts you have received, allow the Lord to heal those areas as you forgive and receive forgiveness and healing. If you find it hard to hear from God, ask Him to show blockages or walls in your own life that are hindering you from receiving and giving to the Lord. Some blockages are un-forgiveness, un-confessed sin, disobedience, wounds and hurts.

To pray effectively, pray out of a pure heart, so you don't pray in bitterness, anger and judgment.

Prayers prayed out of impure motives are sometimes known as soulful prayers. They are usually not very effective. When the Lord begins to show us things to pray for and our hearts are free from unconfessed sin and judgments toward others, we can pray without prejudice.

Intercession is front line spiritual warfare. It is essential that you pray for protection for yourself and your family as you enter into intercession. Sin can provide an open door for the enemy to attack us. If, when you pray for others, you find things falling apart in your own life, ask the Lord to search your heart and show you any doors left open because of your own sin, or sin against you.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject: Practice the Presence of God

Practice the Presence of God.

Practice just "being with God." Just enjoy each others company. Sometimes, just sitting with the Lord in silence can bring deep communion and refreshment to your spirit, soul and body. An earthly example of this sort of "being", would be a loving couple who have been married for years. They do not have to say a word to each other yet a glance or a smile can pass on deep intimacy and "knowing."

You don't always have to be talking to Him. You don't always have to be expecting heavy revelation from heaven, in prayer, you can just enjoy being with Him.

Part of practicing the presence of God is to understand he is with you always. It is a biblical fact and is not based on your emotions.

Deut 31:6 (NIV)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

The presence of God is there all the time. Learning to know He is there, however, will take time and patience. Just drink in His love for in the presence of God, fear cannot reside, anxiety cannot reside, heaviness cannot abide. You need to learn to tune into His presence, it is always there, but we need to practice becoming aware of it.

God's Warrior

President Washington on Prayer and Thanksgiving!
Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

By the President of the United States of America: a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor--and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me `to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.'

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions--to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. ---- George Washington

God's Warrior

"May God open our eyes to see what the holy ministry of intercession is, to which, as His royal priesthood, we have been set apart. May He give us a large and strong heart to believe what mighty influence our prayers can exert. And may all fear as to our being able to fulfill our vocation vanish as we see Jesus, living ever to pray, living in us to pray, and standing surety for our prayer life." Andrew Murray

"Of all the mysteries of the prayer world the need of persevering prayer is one of the greatest. That the Lord, who is so loving and longing to bless, should have to be asked, time after time, sometimes year after year, before the answer comes, we cannot easily understand. It is also one of the greatest practical difficulties in the exercise of believing prayer. When, after persevering pleading, our prayer remains unanswered, it is often easiest for our lazy flesh, and it has all the appearance of pious submission, to think that we must now cease praying, because God may have His secret reason for withholding His answer to our request. It is by faith alone that the difficulty is overcome."
[The Power of Persevering Prayer - Andrew Murray 1828-1917]

"We have become so accustomed to limit the wonderful love and the large promises of our God, that we cannot read the simplest and clearest statements of our Lord without the qualifying clauses by which we guard and expound them. If there is one thing I think the Church needs to learn, it is that God means prayer to have an answer, and that it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what God will do for His child who gives himself to believe that his prayer will be heard. God hears prayer; this is a truth universally admitted, but of which very few understand the meaning, or experience the power."
[With Christ In the School of Prayer - Andrew Murray 1828-1917]

"Time spent in prayer will yield more that that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as god's messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us."
Andrew Murray

"We may be sure that, as we delight in what God delights in, such prayer is inspired by God and will have its answer, And our prayer becomes unceasingly, "Thy desires, O my Father are mine, Thy holy will of love is my will too."
Andrew Murray

God's Warrior · Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:25 pm Post subject: Prayers and Praying

Prayers and Praying

The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. It purifies the air; it destroys the contagion of evil. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice which goes into God's ear, and it lives as long as God's ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God's heart is alive to holy things. God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. The lips that uttered them may be closed to death, the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God's heart is set on them and prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; they outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world. That man is the most immortal who has done the most and the best praying. They are God heroes, God's saints, God's servants, God's vicegerents. A man can pray better because of the prayers of the past; a man can live holier because of the prayers of the past; the man of many and acceptable prayers has done the truest and greatest service to the incoming generation. The prayers of God's saints strengthen the unborn generation against the desolating waves of sin and evil.
Edward McKendree (E. M.) Bounds