“Making Prayer Powerful”

1. “Making Prayer Powerful” Prayer As A Disciplinary Act of Grace “Everything is worth praying about, if it is worth doing, or even worth thinking about. If you can’t pray about it, that’s a sure sign not to do it – it’s not part of the godly life… Nothing will be right without the direct guidance of God, and the sanctification and consecration of prayer” Search Me, O God

2. A Disciplinary Act of Grace • Men and women of faith are men and women of prayer • ex. Christ, Paul, Nehemiah, Hannah, Mary • Effectual prayer requires a disciplined Mind • We must discipline ourselves to express them properly • We must recognize the Divine Grace of prayer • We must train the mind to commune with Yahweh • Our prayers must be heart-felt; sincere; reflecting our urgent need of Yahweh’s grace, guidance, and strength • We must approach Yahweh with a proper recognition of His greatness; with praise; with humility; seeking help and forgiveness; expressing submission to His will.

3. A Disciplinary Act of Grace • Powerful Prayer requires a disciplined Mind • It also requires disciplined Conduct • Prayer is co-operating with God • God should be drawn into our lives. Include Him in both the good things and the bad (trials/problems) as we do our best to do what would please Him in our daily lives • The example of Nehemiah considered (Neh. 4:8-9). • It requires endurance, patience, faith, manifesting Godly characters under trial • God’s strength is made perfect (developed and perfected) through weakness (2nd Cor. 12:9)

4. God Guarantees To Answer Prayer • All prayer is answered though sometimes in the negative (sometimes for discipline!) • God knows what is best for His children, as a parent (enlightened in the Word) knows what is best for his/her child • In cases of delay, we should try and discover the cause of refusal or delay (page 31 for a list of good questions to consider) • Faithful men and women understand times of trial and delays in the answer to prayer. They are to develop disciplined character; that God will be exalted in His work. • God waits upon us and He expects us to wait for Him in patience. (Isa. 30:18 very powerful) • Because patience and faith are required, there is a certain amount of agony of effort, or fervency, needed in our prayers

5. The Essentials of Prayer • To be offered in Christ’s Name • Recognizes the relationship of the Father and the Son • It must be a prayer that Christ can endorse • We must abide in Him (disciplined mind and conduct) for him to hear us (John 15:7, 16) • “Ifye abide in me, andmy words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7) • Faith will lead us to prepare our hearts to seek Yahweh • Prayers must be offered in faith • “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6) • Singleness of heart is the foundation of acceptable prayer • Our actions must be in accordance with our petitions (disciplined mind and disciplined conduct) • The Name and titles of Christ should be used: The Lord Jesus Christ • The use of such acknowledges the full measure of his mission (Jesus; Yah shall save), his unity with the Father (Christ; the Anointed One), and his status over the ecclesia (Lord, master-owner)