Prayer to see the truth

Seeking the Truth in God’s Word

Gracious Heavenly Father, You are my strength and my shield. I thank You that I have the privilege to worship You. My desire is for You alone Lord, as You soothe my soul and satisfy the hunger I have to seek the truth in Your Word.

Father, I pray that as I meditate on Your Word, my eyes will be opened to see the vision that You have impressed upon my heart, so that the wondrous work of that Word will come alive in me.

Jeremiah 51:10 – The Lord has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.

Open my ears Lord, to hear the instructions Your still, small voice is giving me.

Help me, Father, to be still and know that You alone are God. You know me inside out, so search me and take away anything that is not of You.

As I strive to see Your grace at work in me and to maintain the personal relationship with You, I pray that You will continuously fill me with rivers of living water that will bring forth fruit at the appropriate time.

Thank you for Your wisdom and guidance as I face my daily responsibilities.

Guide me, strengthen me and wrap me tightly in your arms. In You, Christ Jesus, is where I find peace and hope.

You are my Jehovah Shalom and my Comforter. I am accepted as a child of the One true living God! I declare that I am Blessed and highly favored! In Jesus’ name I pray, SO BE IT … Amen and Amen!

Psalms 139:23-24  Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalms 1:3  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

James 1:5-8 – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

A woman of God, a worshipper striving for excellence in ALL areas of my life!

I am a daughter, sister, wife and mother who has come to the realization that life without God is boring and empty. Through my prayers I hope to shine the light of truth and encourage others so that we can all glorify God in everything we do. I continue to relay messages that God has equipped me to write for His purpose. I hope my prayers will help you feel inspired and trust our limitless God more deeply.

christianstt.com

by Lisa ()

Dear St. Jude and Heavenly Father,

I come to you for help on a situation I need resolved. I suffer from a disease that has no cure and I was recently fired from my teaching job overseas because of it. The person that fired me has deceived and lied to everyone and I want and need them to find out the truth, to see him for what he is and hopefully for me to get my job back.

St Jude patron saint of lost causes I pray to you and our Lord Jesus because I need your help more then ever because I am at a loss right now as to what to do. I hope you are hearing my prayers and will guide them to the truth.

Amen

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www.praywithme.com

“God’s purpose may be thwarted or it may be accomplished depending, to one degree or another, on the obedience of His people and their willingness to use the weapons of spiritual warfare that He has provided. God is powerful enough to win any battle, but He has designed things so that the release of His power at a given moment of time often is contingent upon the decisions and the actions of His people. A principle weapon of spiritual warfare is prayer. Not just routine or mediocre prayer, but prayer powerful enough to move God’s hand in order to determine the destiny of a whole nation.” C. Peter Wagner
 
 
Do we realize the power we have available to us when we take our authority in prayer? Most of us don’t realize our authority because if we did, we would be praying far more. We would be sacrificing everything else in order to pray. Instead of worrying about the increase in evil in our land, we would be on our faces before God crying out for His intervention. Unfortunately in many churches prayer is the weakest link. It should be the strongest one because it is the key to God’s blessing in the spirit realm. 

We work together with God’s power when we exercise our authority in prayer.

 Authoritative intercession and heartfelt repentance is key to breakthrough in America. By exercising our authority in prayer and standing strong in God’s truth, we are working together with Him to determine the future of our nation. We have authority in prayer to actually see our personal lives and the lives of others change. We can pray authoritative prayers for our neighborhoods and cities. Certain things in history will happen through our intercession if we pray the way God wants us to pray. We can change nations through prayer if we choose to use this mighty weapon.

The power of prayer is waiting for you to ask and receive.

 Imagine being at a dinner buffet where there are many tables loaded with different foods. The foods are the best. They are mouth-watering and absolutely delicious. Guests help themselves to the different kinds of food, as they desire. The host walks around among his friends to see if everyone has enough to eat, while the servers keep loading the table with fresh food. You can take as many trips as you like to the tables as long as you have enough to eat. The host doesn’t care as long as you are full. 

In a similar way, God has provided everything for us if we pray. We can have all we need. Most of us have not realized the power there is in prayer. We are not asking. All we have to do is reach out by faith and ask Him to touch our lives, our cities, and our nations. When we tap into his resources by faith and pray, miracles happen. When we exercise our authority in prayer, God answers in a powerful way. There is a strength and power in prayer that the Church has not yet known or realized. 

 
My husband is a very practical man. He can fix almost anything. In our garage he has all kinds of tools. Once he decided to remodel our bathroom and tile the floor. To do an excellent job, he needed a good tile cutter. Whenever he fixes something in our home, he needs the right tools. Lately he has been working on our car. He needed a jack to lift the car up in order to work underneath. He couldn’t fix a problem underneath the car without that tool. It would be impossible. 

The body of Christ also has a task. 

We want to change the world for Christ. It’s a huge task for all of us, but we do it one life at a time. Some are reaching people in their workplace or in another country. Some are reaching people in the hospitals or in the schools. We are all in this together. We want to see people’s lives changed all over the world before Jesus’ return to earth but the task is huge, and we need the right tools to do it. The most essential tool is prayer. Only through prayer can we get the job done. There is strength and power in prayer that can change the world. 

When we pray with authority, things happen in the spirit realm. 

God remembers every prayer we pray, and every one of them prayed through the power of the Holy Spirit has effect on earth. Not one prayer is forgotten. When I was in a particular city in the country of Turkey, I remembered a prayer I had prayed in that very same city several years before. It was as if at that moment God showed me that He had remembered my prayers from several years before, and that it was extremely important and would have a powerful effect in that city one day. My prayer influenced God. When we realize the authority we have in prayer, mighty things will happen all over the earth that brings victory to the powerful name of Jesus. Well-known prayer author and intercessor, E. M. Bounds, wrote about the power of prayer: 
 

“Prayer is power and strength, a power and strength that influences God, and is most salutary, widespread, and marvelous in its gracious benefits to man. Prayer influences God. The ability of God to do for man is the measure of the possibility of prayer.”  

The prayers you pray influence God.

 He remembers every single one of them. You may be thinking, “You don’t know me – My prayers seem so feeble and weak – God doesn’t seem to answer me.” Do not ever think that God hasn’t heard you or that your prayers do not matter. The enemy is trying very hard to discourage people in prayer in these days because he is afraid of prayer. He knows it’s strength and potential, and he is trying to keep this hidden from the Church. 
 
Prayer takes time. We have to learn to wait and believe. One day you will see that your prayers have had a mighty effect in the spiritual realm. Do not give up or ever think it is not important to pray today. If ever there was a need for intercession for America, it is now.  We are in a key (kairos) time in all of history. The Greek word “kairos” in the New Testament means the appointed or opportune time that God has set for something to occur. During a kairos time, we must respond in prayer and press through in intercession in order to see God’s plan fulfilled. We are in a time of urgency, and we must seize it in prayer. This is the appointed season for change and for intercession to increase. 
 
We must not fear the future or believe the lies of the enemy, but we must stand strong in authoritative prayer. 

Fear weakens us and gives us an unsound mind – the power of prayer gives us strength & wisdom.

 Instead, we must know our authority in prayer to see mighty changes on earth, in our own personal lives, and in our nation. We can pray God’s future plan into being through our intercession. If we pray strategic, authoritative, and prophetic prayers then we will be praying the future into being. Authority is the key to strength and power. We have awesome responsibility. 

We need God’s revelation of our spiritual authority.

We rarely grasp the full potential of the strength and power of prayer that is available to us. We often go about our daily activities and forget that we are united with Christ. We are connected with Him as our head, and we are His Church designed to express the fullness of His power on earth. Carefully meditate on the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18-23 to get the full picture. God has incomparably great power, Christ is seated at God’s right hand, Jesus defeated Satan at the cross, and we are called to enforce Jesus authority on earth through prayer.   

I remember when I was on my way to a prayer meeting in a nearby church on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I was not very familiar with that church even though it was not far from my house. Therefore I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Having thought I passed it, I turned around and drove into the parking lot of a building. Going up to the door and finding it was locked, I knocked and asked a gentleman if this was the church. The man turned to me and said with a tiny laugh, “No, this is the fire department.” I realized suddenly what an incredible mistake I had made. I was at the fire department! 
 
God spoke to my heart through that experience. We are in an emergency situation. The house is on fire! Cities are on fire! There is an emergency in the nations. Right now we are in a  battle for America. The harvest is ripe, and Satan knows that his time is short. He is doing everything he can to steal, kill and destroy. We must pray – We must encourage everyone around us to pray – We must shake awake those who are asleep – We must become radical and passionate in prayer. The cities and nation are on fire! Prayer is the answer. When we pray, we are empowered to reach the lost. Then we take action with the power of God. God rules through His body, the praying Church!        

“Of what infinite importance is the place the intercessor holds in the Kingdom of God! Is it not indeed a matter of wonder that God should give men such power? Yet there are so few who know what it is to take hold of His strength and pray down His blessing on the world.”  E. M. Bounds

 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC)

[email protected]sarise.orgwww.intercessorsarise.org

www.crosswalk.com

by Charles Haughee

The Bible answers the questions: To whom should we pray? When should we pray? How long should our prayers be? Should our prayers be public or private? What or whom should we pray for? Is there a prescribed posture to assume in prayer? The Lord’s Prayer was part of Jesus’ instruction about how to pray.

When we wonder about prayer, it should be reassuring to know that even a disciple of Jesus asked Him for instructions about how to pray.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

Simply stated, prayer is our means of communicating with God. As with any personal relationship, interaction with God matures as we spend more time with Him.

As the Lord’s disciple indicated, prayer is something that does not come naturally to us—it is something that needs to be taught. The inspired Word of God provides the answers to some frequently asked questions about how to pray.

To whom should we pray?

Elijah and others in the Old Testament prayed to God. The apostle Paul made references to praying to God in both of the epistles he wrote to the Christians living in the pagan city of Corinth (13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>1 Corinthians 11:13 and 7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>2 Corinthians 13:7).

Jesus taught His disciples to pray to “our Father” (6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Matthew 6:6). Jesus Himself told the gang that arrested Him in the Garden of Gethsemane that He could pray to His Father right then and be rescued (53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Matthew 26:53).

After His resurrection, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to cling to Him because He had not yet ascended to heaven. He told her to tell the others that He was ascending to “My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>John 20:17).

When should we pray?

In 17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Psalm 55:17 King David said he would pray in the “evening and morning and at noon.” Daniel also prayed three times a day (10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Daniel 6:10, 13).

There are several references to praying in the middle of the afternoon—“at the ninth hour.” The point is that there is no wrong time for prayer, and that we should make the time regularly. Paul even said to pray “without ceasing”—meaning that prayer should be a regular and consistent part of our daily lives and not something we resort to only at difficult times (17 pray without ceasing,
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>1 Thessalonians 5:17).

How long should our prayers be?

When Jesus selected His disciples, He spent the entire night praying.

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” (Luke 6:12-13).

However, that was a special occasion. Jesus selected the 12 apostles and warned them not to pray like the hypocrites, heathen or scribes.

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do” (Matthew 6:5-7).

“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation” (Mark 12:38-40).

The 18th chapter of 1 Kings relates the confrontation between Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal. After they had prepared their offering, the prophets of Baal prayed to their god all day long, from morning until the time of the evening sacrifice. They shouted and cut themselves trying to obtain an answer from Baal.

Finally Elijah spoke these few words: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again” (1 Kings 18:36-37). Those words were all that were necessary for God to answer and reveal Himself powerfully to everyone present.

Should our prayers be public or private?

This depends on the circumstance. There are times, of course, when praying in public is appropriate, such as at a church service, wedding or a funeral.

Jesus was often alone when He prayed (23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Matthew 14:23; 35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Mark 1:35; 42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Luke 4:42).

Jesus said we should ask our Father for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done—which includes praying for the work of His Church to be done. We are also told to ask for our daily needs, for forgiveness and for deliverance from “the evil one” (Satan).In the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7, Jesus instructs us to go into a “secret place” when we pray: “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6).

What or whom should we pray for?

Jesus said we should ask our Father for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done—which includes praying for the work of His Church to be done. We are also told to ask for our daily needs, for forgiveness and for deliverance from “the evil one” (Satan) (9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Matthew 6:9-13).

He also told us to pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Matthew 5:44).

In his epistle, James wrote that we should pray for one another (16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>James 5:16). Paul expands that to include praying for all people: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Is there a prescribed posture to assume in prayer?

The Bible gives examples of people praying while standing, kneeling, prostrating themselves on the ground and sitting.

King Solomon stood as he prayed as recorded in 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>1 Kings 8:22, but he also prayed when he was kneeling before the altar (54 And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>1 Kings 8:54). Jesus Christ, the prophet Daniel, Stephen the martyr, the apostle Peter and the apostle Paul also knelt while praying (41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Luke 22:41; 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Daniel 6:10; 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Acts 7:60; 40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Acts 9:40; 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Acts 20:36; 5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Acts 21:5). Kneeling is a sign of submission to God, and 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Romans 14:11 says, “Every knee shall bow to Me.”

Others such as Abram, Moses, Aaron and King David prostrated themselves in prayer, but David also sat as he prayed (18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>2 Samuel 7:18).

The apostle Paul wrote to the young evangelist, Timothy, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). King David exhorted the people to lift up their hands in the sanctuary (2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord.
New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version ©1982 by Thomas Nelson”>Psalm 134:2).

It seems there are various respectful ways to approach God, depending on the circumstances, and you do not have to assume a particular position in order for you to be heard.

From these scriptures, we see that God and Jesus want us to pray, and they have not left us ignorant about how to pray. It doesn’t matter as much when we pray or how long or even the position we’re in as we pray. What God desires is that we approach Him regularly with reverence and with humility.

For more guidance on how to pray, see the articles in this section: “Prayer, Fasting, and Meditation: Relating to God.”

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