Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Many people all over the world pray in one form or another, but very few can confidently say that God hears and answers their prayers. Among people who pray, there are those who pray as a religious ritual without expecting any answer. There are also those who pray believing that some of their prayers will be answered and some not – it is up to God. Others would at times say, “ I have been praying but it is not working”. Christians are supposed to pray with confidence knowing that God hears and answers their prayers. Unfortunately,
most of them have a ‘hit-or-miss’ prayer life. They pray hoping that somehow something may happen. 

If you do a quality control check on the effectiveness of your prayers – how would that rate? Could you honestly say that all your prayers are answered all the time – with 100% success rate? If we pray wrongly, we will waste a lot of effort for no return on investment. 

We need to be taught to pray. Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Let’s allow the Lord to also teach us to pray.

Luke 11:1-13 | JUBILEE
1 And it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples. (This shows that people must be taught to pray – learn from their leader) 2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father (relationship – protector, provider) who art in the heavens, Hallowed be thy name (start by honouring or worshiping God). Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also in the earth. (A form of surrender or submission to God’s will. Enforcing God’s Kingdom/ will on earth and in our situations) 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. (Present our needs to God) 4 And forgive us our sins (making sure that we approach God without sin or guilt – if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness), for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us (approaching God having forgiven others/ with no bitterness). And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened (answers to our requests guaranteed). 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him?

Jesus taught his disciples to pray. We also want to be taught to pray. We want to have confidence when we pray that God is listening to us and that our prayers will always be answered.

Confidence and Boldness in prayer

1 John 5:14-15 | NIV
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.

Hebrews 4:16 | NKJV
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Powerful and Effective Prayer

James 5:16c-18 | NIV
16…, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are (we can also do it). He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Elijah’s prayers were effective and powerful

As much as there is a powerful and effective prayer – there can also be powerless and INEFFECTIVE prayer! Prayers that are performed as religious rituals are ineffective because they do not bring results. Prayer is not about eloquent speech, but it is about whether God is listening to us or not. It is not even about speaking so many words to try and convince
God.

Matthew 6:7-8 | AMP
7 And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Kinds of Prayers

For those of you who usually have your prayers answered, have you noticed that some of the answers you see immediately, for some you start by having peace that it is done even before you can see the manifestation, for some you pray and sense that you don’t have a breakthrough yet, then you persevere until you have a breakthrough? Sometimes you need somebody to stand in agreement with you.

Luke 11:1 | NKJV
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Jesus taught prayer, but he also lived a prayerful life. He modeled how to pray.

Lessons from Jesus’ prayer life:

1. Results visible immediately (prayer of faith)

Mark 4:39-40 | NKJV
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

2. Results not visible immediately, but answer received immediately (prayer of faith)

Mark 11:12-14 | NKJV
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.

Mark 11:20-22 | NKJV
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.” 

 

When did the fig tree start to dry up – immediately or the next day, when did they see that it has dried up?

3. Results not fully manifested, pray again

Mark 8:22-25 | NKJV
22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

4. Jesus fasted (prayer and fasting)

Matthew 4:2 | NKJV
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

5. Jesus spent the whole night in prayer

Luke 6:12 | NKJV
12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

6. Jesus interceded for his disciples (intercession)

John 17:9-21 | NKJV
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

7. Jesus praying in Getshemane

Matthew 26:36-39 | NKJV
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

8. Prayer of commitment

Luke 23:46 | NKJV
46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. 

We need to learn from Jesus how to pray.
You need to be like a skilful boxer, knowing how to throw your punches. Don’t waste your punches like a boxer beating the air. Know how to fight – even in prayer.

1 Corinthians 9:26 | GNT
26 That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches.

It is important to note that prayer is listed as part of our spiritual weapons in Ephesians 6:10-18

Ephesians 6:18a | NIV
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

This verse shows that there are different kinds of prayers. You need to know which kind of prayer to use in a setting depending on what you are praying for.
God has made many types of prayer available to us to use as needed.

1 Timothy 2:1 | AMPC
First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people,

1 Timothy 2:1 | KJV
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Different types of prayer include:

The prayer of faith

James 5:15 | KJV
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

James 5:14-15 | NKJV
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Mark 11:24 | KJV
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

John 14:12-14 | TLB
“In solemn truth I tell you, anyone believing in me shall do the same miracles I have done, and even greater ones, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask him for anything, using my name, and I will do it, for this will bring praise to the Father because of what I, the Son, will do for you. Yes, ask anything, using my name, and I will do it!

Some scholars state that this portion of scripture means – Whatever you demand in my name, it shall be done. If it is not there, it will be created for you.

Job 22:28 | KJV
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Acts 3:6-7 | KJV
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

The prayer of Supplication/Petition

The Bible uses the words petitions and supplications interchangeably. This refers to requests.

Philippians 4:6 | KJV
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Philippians 4:6 | AMP
6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

Intercessory Prayer

Isaiah 59:16 | KJV
16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore, his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

Ezekiel 22:30 | KJV
30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Prayer of Commitment

1 Peter 5:7 | KJV
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Prayer in the Spirit

1 Corinthians 14:14-16 | KJV
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

Romans 8:26 | KJV
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The prayer of agreement

Matthew 18:19 | KJV
19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Prayer and fasting

Matthew 6:16-18 NIV
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you

Acts 13:1-3 | KJV
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Praise and Worship

Luke 24:52-53 | KJV
52 And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen

Different spiritual laws govern different kinds of prayer. Too often people try to use the rules governing one type of prayer to get results from another type – and this just won’t work! This is one reason why so many Christians have very little or no results when they pray.

Even though a sedan Mercedes Benz is a very good car effective for trips on a tar road, it is ineffective to carry large and heavy furniture in a muddy road. In the same way, one prayer type cannot be effective in all situations. There are things you can get by just making a decree by faith, but there are times when you will need to persevere in intercessory prayers until you get a breakthrough.

Using lessons from the Lord’s Prayer and different kinds of prayer, reflect on this portion of scripture:

Daniel 9:1-23 | TLB
It was now the first year of the reign of King Darius, the son of Ahasuerus. (Darius was a Mede but became king of the Chaldeans.) In that first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from the book of Jeremiah the prophet that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years. So I earnestly pleaded with the Lord God to end our captivity and send us back to our own land. As I prayed, I fasted and wore rough sackcloth, and I sprinkled myself with ashes and confessed my sins and those of my people. “O Lord,” I prayed, “you are a great and awesome God; you always fulfill your promises of mercy to those who love you and keep your laws. But we have sinned so much; we have rebelled against you and scorned your commands. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, whom you sent again and again down through the years, with your messages to our kings and princes and to all the people. “O Lord, you are righteous; but as for us, we are always shamefaced with sin, just as you see us now; yes, all of  us—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel, scattered near and far wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. O Lord, we and our kings and princes and fathers are weighted down with shame because of all our sins. “But the Lord our God is merciful and pardons even those who have rebelled against him. “O Lord our God, we have disobeyed you; we have flouted all the laws you gave us through your servants, the prophets. All Israel has disobeyed; we have turned away from you and haven’t listened to your voice. And so the awesome curse of God has crushed us—the curse written in the law of Moses your servant. And you have done exactly as you warned us you would do, for never in all history has there been a disaster like what happened at Jerusalem to us and our rulers. Every curse against us written in the law of Moses has come true; all the evils he predicted—all have come. But even so we still refuse to satisfy the Lord our God by turning from our sins and doing right. “And so the Lord deliberately crushed us with the calamity he prepared; he is fair in everything he does, but we would not obey. O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by removing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. Lord, do it again! Though we have sinned so much and are full of wickedness, yet because of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn away your furious anger from Jerusalem, your own city, your holy mountain. For the heathen mock at you because your city lies in ruins for our sins. “O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead! Let your face shine again with peace and joy upon your desolate sanctuary—for your own glory, Lord. “O my God, bend down your ear and listen to my plea. Open your eyes and see our wretchedness, how your city lies in ruins—for
everyone knows that it is yours. We don’t ask because we merit help, but because you are so merciful despite our grievous sins. “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen to me and act! Don’t delay—for your own sake, O my God, because your people and your city bear your name.” Even while I was praying and confessing my sin and the sins of my people, desperately pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, flew swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice
and said to me, “Daniel, I am here to help you understand God’s plans. The moment you began praying a command was given. I am here to tell you what it was, for God loves you very much. Listen and try to understand the meaning of the vision that you saw!

Conclude:

Daniel 10:12-14,20-21 | TLB
Then he said, “Don’t be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil Spirit who overrules the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me, so that I was able to break through these spirit rulers of Persia. Now I am here to tell you what will happen to your people, the Jews, at the end times—for the fulfillment of this prophecy is many years away.” He replied, “Do you know why I have come? I am here to tell you what is written in the ‘Book of the Future.’ Then, when I leave, I will go again to fight my way back, past the prince of Persia; and after him, the prince of Greece. Only Michael, the angel who guards your people Israel, will be there to help me.