TEACH US TO PRAY (Part 2)

Luke 19:45-46 (KJV)

45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the HOUSE OF PRAYER: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

WE ARE the HOUSE OF GOD today ! ! ! Do WE pray, or do we just buy and sell ?? -- LET’S LEARN TO PRAY ! ! ! !

There are MANY kinds of prayer:

BATTLE PRAYER - With its tears and its agony:

(This case does not show whether Jesus was battling demons, or battling his flesh -- either way it was a battle.)

Matt 26:36-47 (NIV)

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.

41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.

44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

Luke 22:42-45 (KJV)

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being IN AN AGONY he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

THE SIMPLE PRAYER OF FAITH - Whose voice is hardly lifted above a whisper, yet whose persistent faith shakes the foundations of heaven:

Mark 11:24 (NIV)

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER - Which stands in the place of another:

Often, Christians sense a feeling of depression which is not depression at all, but a prompting to intercede. As you mature in the Lord, you will begin to recognize this as a call to pray for others -- not a time to be depressed.

Gal 4:19 (KJV)

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Gal 4:19 (NIV)

19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

THE PRAYER OF AGREEMENT - With its IRON CLAD guarantee:

Matt 18:18-20 (NIV)

18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

PREVAILING PRAYER - which overcomes every obstacle, until it finally lands the answer in the harbor of peace:

IMPORTUNITY in prayer is not commonly understood by people of faith. This is the kind of prayer needed to change Kings & leaders . . . it is NOT a one-time prayer.

Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.

3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men,

5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"

6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.

7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

THE PRAYERS OF CONSECRATION AND DEDICATION - Not trying to change anything but me:

Prayers like, “Lord, if it is Your will, I will go to Africa.” This is the ONLY prayer you put an “if” in. All the other prayers are based on what we KNOW God’s Word has to say about it :)