Effective Prayer
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 10/11/2020
Foundation scriptures:
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people). Ephesians 6:18 AMPC
1. Pray Always.
a, There are many things with which God has equipped us to effectively run our race—one of them is prayer.
b. Ephesians 6:10-20
c. Praying always (KJV); Pray all the time (TLB); at all times, on every occasion, in every season (AMPC); With all prayer and petition (NASU); through all prayer and supplication praying at all times (YLT); Praying at every season by means of the Spirit, and maintaining a constant alertness in the same with every kind of unremitting care and supplication for all the saints (Wuest) (Vs. 18).
d. Seasons change—pray in and through every season, and do not stop praying.
e. Pray with all manner of prayer and entreaty—different prayers for different situations.
f. Keep alert—be watchful—the enemy will not give you a break—do not give him one.
g. Pray with strong purpose and perseverance—weak, faithless prayers are not answered.
h. Prayer and supplication—a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God—on behalf of all the saints.
2. Pray in the Spirit.
a. Pray in your earthly language; pray in your heavenly language (1 Cor. 14:15).
b. Romans 8:26-27 NKJV — Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
c. We pray in the Spirit when we do not know what to pray.
d. When we pray in the Spirit, we are praying the perfect will of God; therefore, it is very important to pray in the Spirit even if you think you know what to pray.
e. As you pray in the Spirit, you grow in sensitivity to the voice of the Spirit.
f. He will lead you and prompt you even as you pray in your earthly language as to what to pray.
3. Confidence in Prayer.
a. If God hears us, He will answer us.
b. 1 John 5:13 Wuest — And this is the assurance which we are having toward Him, that if we keep on asking anything for ourselves, [which is] according to His will, He hears us. And if we know with an absolute knowledge that He hears us, whatever we are asking for ourselves, we know with an absolute knowledge that we have the things which we have asked from Him.
c. How can we be sure that He hears us?
d. If we ask the Father for anything according to His will, as revealed in His Word, we know that He hears us.
e. We can be confident that we have been heard and that the answer is on the way.
4. Pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus.
a. Jesus introduced us to the God of heaven and earth, as a loving, heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers.
b. If you are a born-again, blood-washed believer, then God is your Father.
c. Jesus instructed us not to ask Him for anything, but to ask the Father in Jesus’ Name (John 16:23-28).
d. Jesus said, “Don’t keep asking Me. I am not saying that I will ask the Father for you. Ask the Father, yourself, because He tenderly loves you.”
e. John 14:13-14 NKJV — And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
f. Our joy is full and complete because He answers our prayers.
5. Jesus our High Priest.
a. Hebrews 4:14-16
b. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Vs 16).
c. Under the Old Covenant, men came to God through a priest and heard from God through His prophets.
d. Under the New Covenant, Jesus is our High Priest.
e. He loves us, He took our place, He understands what we face.
f. Now we can come boldly and unashamedly into the presence of the Father, based on what Jesus has done, and ask for help in the Name of Jesus.
g. Believers, who are timid before God, do not have a revelation of Who He is or who they are in Christ.
6. Effective Prayer.
a. James 5:16 KJV — The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
b. NKJV — The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
c. AMPC — The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
d. Fervent means: having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; having or showing great emotion or zeal; ardent; extremely hot; burning; glowing.
e. There are three things at work here—a righteous man; praying fervently; expecting an answer.
f. The result is powerful, dynamic, and effective!
7. Righteousness and Answered Prayer.
a. 1 Peter 3:8-12 AMPC
b. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them] (Vs. 12).
c. Love God and your neighbor; do good, not evil; clean up your mouth; pursue peace.
d. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous—those who are righteous in heart and motive; righteous in word and righteous in action.
e. He is constantly watching over them and His ears are open to their prayers—His ears are tuned in to their voice and He hears their prayers.
f. Remember, if He hears, He answers.
g. Commit to righteousness—because you are called to inherit a blessing!