How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life Study Guide
& IF YOU SHOW UP FOR DAILY PRACTICE, GOD WILL TEACH YOU TO PRAY!
(By Dr. Gregory Frizzell)
DATE: 12/17/13
CHAPTER (3)
Beginning Guidelines for a Powerful Prayer Life
PRACTICAL PRAYER PATTERNS THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE
YOUR PRAYING BY HELPING YOU PRAY EFFECTIVELY
Many Scriptures emphasize the importance of learning to pray effective prayers.
§ Since (James 5:16) states that some prayers are effectual, we must conclude that some prayers are not effective.
§ In the same spirit, Jesus' disciples made perhaps their wisest request when they said, "Lord teach us to pray." (Read Luke 11:1)
It is truly sad that many Christians are praying on ineffective levels and don't even realize it.
TWO PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES TO REMEMBER
1) The regular reading of significant amounts of Scripture is absolutely essential to your prayer life.
§ It is impossible to develop powerful biblical praying without joining your prayers to the promises of God's Word.
1. (Romans 10:17) reveals the importance of God's Word to our faith. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."
2. Jesus even stated that we live by every word that proceeds from God. (Matthew 4:4)
3. In (1 John 5:14-15), we see further evidence of the importance of God's Word in prayer. "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him."
In (Romans 10:17), we find faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. (Matthew 4:4) says we live by every word that proceeds from God. (1 John 5:14-15) says the confidence that we have is if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.
How much time a day do you spend reading God's Word? ____________________________
If you are not spending time every day reading God's Word, list the things you do on a daily basis
beginning with your morning routine and ending with when you go to bed.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
According to the above scriptures which of these things are more important than spending time in God's Word?
____________________________________________________________________
During your Bible reading time, do you give God time to speak to you? ___________________
What insights has God given to you lately?
_____________________________________________________________________
§ When we know God's Word, we know His will and then we know how to pray and we know the answers are on the way.
§ I make two suggestions concerning God's Word.
1. Spend daily time reading and meditating on God's Word.
§ Read through the entire Bible at least once each year.
§ Invest in a practical study Bible.
§ After your Bible reading, write down key insights that God speaks to your heart.
2. Invest in one of today's excellent journaling tools for daily prayer.
2) Familiarize yourself with the basic guidelines and biblical principles for powerful prayer.
§ Only when we follow God's rules will His mighty power be released.
§ Tragically, many Christians cannot even name the basic principles of powerful prayer (much less practice them).
THREE PRACTICAL GUIDLINES FOR PRAYER
1. Be prepared to give God the best time of your day with one hour as your goal.
2. Purpose to experience a "balanced" prayer life.
3. Daily ask God to teach you to pray (Luke 11:1). Always ask for God's anointing and leading as you pray.
What is your best time of day? _______________________________________________
Do you seek a fresh encounter with God as you pray or do you fall into the trap of daily routine?
_____________________________________________________________________
EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF POWERFUL PRAYER
Become familiar with the Eight Principles of Powerful Power
1. Pray with an attitude of authority and confidence through the name of Jesus.
§ We are to come in Jesus' name, confident He forgives, knowing He invited us to pray big prayers—John 14:13-14, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it".
§ Be assured of His powerful answers—Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Are you asking God for anything big? __________________________________________
Do you have the confidence that your prayers will be answered? ________________________
2. Spend quality time allowing God to search you so you are freshly cleansed from every sin or hindrance.
§ Proverbs 28:13, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." It is vital that your confession and repentance be thorough.
§ Do not rush through your confession time in a brief or casual manner.
Ask God to forgive you of the sins of which He has made you aware. Ask Him to reveal to
you through His Spirit other sins that you may be committing and then confess those sins.
3. Specifically ask Him to fill and anoint you with His Spirit (Read Ephesians 5:18).
§ Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit Himself, maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
§ In order to pray in power we must have the fullness of God's Spirit.
Pray that God will fill you with His Spirit.
There is a story of a mother who prayed for her estranged son to return home, or at least let her know where he was. Then one day her son was saved, gave up his wayward life and returned home. Little did this mother know that her son did not really need to return home, but what he needed was the Lord. All along she was praying for her son's return because that is what she wanted. God wanted her son to be saved.
Pray that God will show you what you ought to pray; rather, than what you think you should pray.
4. Determine to pray in genuine faith and expectancy.
§ Mark 11:22-24 "And Jesus answering saith unto them, 'Have faith in God. For verily I said unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those
things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.'"
Only believing prayer has power with God.
§ Use God's Word to find the will of God in your praying (Read 1 John 5:14-15, Romans 10:17).
§ It is vital to remember that faith must be a "choice" and more than a mere "feeling."
List prayers that you have had answered._______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Were these prayers answered in the way you expected them to be answered? _______________
How have these answers helped grow your faith in God? _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Ask God to prevent the influence of Satan in yourself and in the subjects for which you pray.
§ Remember, entering a serious time of prayer is like begin a soldier entering the battlefield.
§ Be sure your armor is on! Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
§ Prayer is not just how we prepare for spiritual battle, prayer is the battle.
Satan attacks us at our most vulnerable area. In which area are you the most vulnerable while
trying to stand against the wiles of the devil?
_____________________________________________________________________
How can you overcome this vulnerability? _______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
6. Ask God for the spirit of fervency in your praying.
§ "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
§ Periodic fasting can be very helpful toward increasing the fervency and power of your prayers.
Look up the following words.
effectual_______________________________________________________________
fervent________________________________________________________________
righteous______________________________________________________________
availeth_______________________________________________________________
Now rewrite James 5:16 using the synonyms or definitions from each of the above words.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Paraphrase what James is telling us in James 5:16. ______________________________
____________________________________________________________________
When was the last time you had a reason to fast? ______________What resulted of your fast?
_____________________________________________________________________
7. In your praying be as specific as possible.
§ Specific prayer moves mountains! Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
§ Ask God to give you very specific requests that are Scripture-based.
§ It is vital to learn to pray the very Word of God.
Fill in the blank spaces using Philippians 4:6.
"Be____________________ for ____________________; but in __________________
thing by _________________________ and ______________________________ with
____________________________________ let your requests be made known unto God."
Which of the words that you added is the most important to you? ______________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Why? ________________________________________________________________
What are some scripture verses that you pray back to God? ___________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. Concerning your key prayer requests, seek to find committed partners who will agree with you in united prayer.
§ Matthew 18:19, "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."
§ There is special power when believers unite in specific prayers of faith.
§ Every great revival and spiritual awakening was born from intense, united prayer.
List the names of potential prayer partners who will agree with you in united prayer.
_____________________________________________________________________
Ask them to commit to you as a prayer partner.
& KEY POINTS – The Biblical Path to a Powerful Prayer Life
& Above all, remember that a powerful prayer life is the only way to a dynamic, growing relationship with the Father.
& You must believe that your prayers have mountain-moving power because you are coming at His invitation.
& Your prayers are only as powerful as you think they are.
& Genuine prayer is not a ritual or exercise; it is the very heart of a powerful relationship with God.
& Ask God to help you pray in cooperation with all biblical principles of genuine prayer.
& It is vital to learn to pray the very Word of God.
& Use the Bible to find the will of God in your praying.
& The more you adhere to biblical prayer principles the more the indwelling Christ will pray through you. Miracles will surely follow!
& There is special power when believers unite in specific prayer.
& Every great revival and spiritual awakening was born from intense, united prayer.
Please turn to pages 47, look up the scriptures, answer the study questions, and pray the prayers for daily growth on page 48.
QUESTIONS:
According to Matthew 4:4, Romans 10:17 and 1 John 5:14-15, why is Scripture so vital to spiritual health and powerful prayer?
Describe two ways to encounter God when you read His Word.
In your own words, briefly list and describe the eight principles of powerful prayer.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, help us daily meet You in Your holy Word. Grant that we would no more neglect Your Word than we would neglect to eat our daily meals. Father, teach us to pray in the mighty authority and indwelling power of Jesus Christ (John 14:12-14). God, grant us the desire to purify our hearts before You (1 John 3:3). Father, without Your grace we know not how to pray as we ought. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may sense Your leading and pray in the ability of Christ Himself (Romans 8:26). Lord Jesus, please reveal Your promises and help us pray in genuine mountain-moving faith (Mark 11:22-24, Romans 10:17). Father, make us a threshing instrument in prayer. Help us use the weapons of prayer to tear down the strongholds of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Protect us from the wiles and attacks of the enemy. God, grant us a fervent heart. Give us eyes that weep over that which makes You weep. Lord Jesus, reveal Your Word that we may pray according to Your perfect will (Philippians 4:6). Amen.
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