Entering Deeper into Grace through Prayer

Psalm 34:7 (Msg)

    God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.

1 Thes. 5:17 (NASB) 

    …pray without ceasing;

Prayer is an expression of our deepening relationship with God through conversation – as we continually address Him consciously and unconsciously

Genesis 18:16-33

Psalm 36:9 (NIV)

    For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

1.  Effective prayer is always accompanied by a growing understanding of God’s Word

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) 

    Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

    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.

Proverbs 19:2 (NLT) 

    Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way.

1 Samuel 17:10-11, 24 (NIV) 

    Then the Philistine [Goliath] said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." [11] On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified…When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.

1 Samuel 17:41-47 (NLT) 

    Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, [42] sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. [43] "Am I a dog," he roared at David, "that you come at me with a stick?" And he cursed David by the names of his gods. [44] "Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!" Goliath yelled.

    [45] David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. [46] Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! [47] And everyone will know that the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The Lord will give you to us!"

2. Our prayers become effective when we reshape our pleading prayers into the pray of faith that declares victory over our problems and enemy

Philip. 4:6 (Msg)

    Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

James 5:15 (NLT)

    And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.

James 1:5-6 (Msg)

    If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. [6] Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves.

The Five Acts of Prayer

1.     We complain and we inform God of our problems – but no solutions

2.     We see hope through God’s resources, power and promises

3.     We choose to receive these promises

4.     We encounter doubt and wrestling

5.     We get to release either Prayer of Faith or the Prayer of Doubt

3.  Intercessory prayer wages war in the spiritual realm in order to bring release and victory that may not be immediately seen in the material realm

Mark 9:28-29 (NIV)

    After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"  He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

2 Cor. 10:3-5 (NIV) 

    For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Exodus 17:11-13 (NIV) 

    As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset.  So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.