JAMES 5:13-18 

PRAYER IS…

OUR VIEW OF PRAYER DETERMINES HOW WE PRAY

Most Christians view prayer as “something I SHOULD do”, rather than “something I GET to do”. 

It would of course be a rather low-voltage spiritual life in which prayer was chiefly undertaken as a discipline, rather than as a way of co-laboring with God to accomplish good things and advance His kingdom purposes.” 

Dallas Willard

WE MISS OUT ON THE POWER OF PRAYER WHEN WE SEE IT AS A CHORE. 

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

MATTHEW 6:5-6

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

MATTHEW 6:1

JESUS MODELED CONSISTENT, PERSISTENT, AND INTIMATE PRAYER.

After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

MATTHEW 14:23

It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

LUKE 6:12 

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

MARK 1:35

IF JESUS HAD A POWERFUL PRAYER LIFE, SO CAN I.

PRAYER IS RELATIONAL

9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

MATTHEW 6:9

It was very unusual for the Jews of that day to call God “Father” because it was considered too intimate. It is true that God is the mighty sovereign God of the universe who created, governs, and will judge all things – but He is also to us a Father.

David Guzik

PRAYER IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE

“You are in a spiritual battle. If you are ignorant or ignore that fact, you probably aren’t winning the battle.”

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

EPHESIANS 6:12

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”

C.S. LEWIS, Screwtape Letters

12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 13 But for twenty-one days the spirit prince[c] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels,[d] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.[e] 14 Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”

DANIEL 10:12-14 

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

JAMES 5:16 

PRAYER IS WHAT KEEP US GOING

Cast your burden on the Lord,

    and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

    the righteous to be moved.

PSALM 55:22