Survey and Study of Prayer

How Blessed We Are!

How wonderfully blessed we are to have this invitation or directive to be connected to our Heavenly Father through prayer.  Scripture gives encouragement to pray anytime, anywhere, alone or with others, for others or ourselves, all with the confidence of knowing that the Lord appreciates our prayers.  Further we are given through scripture, the idea of fasting to support our prayer efforts.

I invite you to ponder the message from these scriptures, copy and pasted from one of my favorite free websites in the world: biblegateway.com .  May our Christian journey be enhanced from wisdom from His Holy Bible:

Anytime

Acts 6:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Ephesians 6:18 King James Version (KJV)

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Anywhere

Luke 6:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 2:37 King James Version (KJV)

37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Romans 12:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Alone

Psalm 5:3 King James Version (KJV)

3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Corporate (Together) and aloud
See pronoun "us" in Matthew chapter 6,and consider the group setting. May refer to the Matthew chapter 6 Bible-study >>here<<


Quietly or Silently

Romans 12:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Matthew 6:6 King James Version (KJV)

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

For Others
2 Kings 19:4
...wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left...

Romans 10:1 King James Version (KJV)

10 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

1 Timothy 2:1 King James Version (KJV)

2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Matthew 5:44 King James Version (KJV)

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

For Self 
Survey Psalms!  The Psalmist often spoke to God on behalf of himself.  Remember, this is our Heavenly Father, and you are His beloved child, adopted through Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Powerful

Matthew 21:22 King James Version (KJV)

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

1 Timothy 4:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

James 5:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

James 5:16 King James Version (KJV)

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

the LORD RECEIVES, HEARS

1 Kings 9:3 King James Version (KJV)

3 And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

2 Kings 20:5

...Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee...

2 Chronicles 7:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

Psalm 6:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

Psalm 65:2 King James Version (KJV)

2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Proverbs 15:29 King James Version (KJV)

29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Our Prayers are Treasured

Psalm 141:2 King James Version (KJV)

2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Proverbs 15:8 King James Version (KJV)

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Prayer with Fasting

Daniel 9:3 King James Version (KJV)

3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Matthew 17:21 King James Version (KJV)

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Mark 9:29 King James Version (KJV)

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

1 Corinthians 7:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Isaiah 58 is a great Bible reference for study of fasting!!

Here is some great sister sharing on topic of fasting, from my friend and Christian sister Stacey Lynn Wells of Words From the Wheel :

Fasting-God's Vision for It
The Feast of Fasting (intriguing play on words we can learn from)

Better be Sincere

Mark 12:39-41 King James Version (KJV)

39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

Hebrews 5:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from fasting, and was heard in that he feared;

Hindrances to Prayer

1 Peter 3:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

1 Peter 3:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

How to Pray 

>>Matthew chapter 6 Devotional, Bible-study<<

Read Psalm 6.  What would you conclude about how to pray, after considering Psalm 6 and Matthew 6?

Psalm 6 King James Version (KJV)

6 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

4 Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

What stands out most to you about the above shared scriptures?

Is there a new truth that you want to hide in your heart, about prayer?

How will these truths effect how you live your life, or how you view prayer?

Challenge 

Write a prayer expressing gratitude for God's desire for fellowship with you.

Tell a friend what you learned about prayer.

Dear Father in Heaven, 

Thank you for preserving your word so that we can learn how to pray and understand the power and magnitude of the gift of communication that we are all invited to, with YOU our almighty, amazing, creator Father God.  Thank you for Jesus that made it possible for us to approach you as righteous, because of His blood shed on the cross for us.  

Lord, we pray for your will to be done in our lives, in our community, in our schools and churches, nation, and world.

May we be always growing wiser, more loving, and closer to You, as we seek to get better at living for your purposes. 

In Jesus's name I pray, AMEN

Now this is just too precious not to share!  My friend and Christian blogger sister Angela, shares from her heart and illustrates the sweetness of prayer in the closet:

Thee Simple Instructions From God to Us