The Life of Prayer
August 2021

#1 The Life of Prayer
“The men (women) who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day.” ― E.M. Bounds

A. To Be With Him

Mark 3:14-15 New International Version He appointed twelve—designating them apostlesthat they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons.


B. Relationship over Religion


C. Progression of Prayer

We should intentionally move forward from Duty to Discipline to Delight


D. Six Types of Prayer

1. Devotion – including worship, petition, and thanksgiving.

2. Repentance – should be both “on going” and during a “time set aside” for that purpose.

3. Intercession – telling God what He has already told us to tell Him. It is the hard work or “sweat” of the soul.

a. The example of Abraham in Genesis 18:16-33

b. The example of Ephesians 1:15-19

c. The example of Job 42:7-10

d. The example of 1 Timothy 2:1-4

4. Meditation

a. This allows for process.

b. This disarms emotional and psychological prejudice.

c. This pierces and divides flesh from spirit.

d. This is the “Selah Principle.”

e. John Paul Jackson says to meditate is to “read the black and think the white.”

f. Psalm 119:15 – we ponder on the law in order to differentiate rules from principles.


5. “In the Spirit”

Romans 8:26, 27

Jude 17-20

1 Corinthians 14:14, 15


6. Prophetic Prayer

a. This is a “declaration of” and “agreement with” prayer that you know to be the will of God.

b. This is the foundation of 1 John 5:14, 15

c. This is how Jesus prayed – only what was revealed to Him by the Father.

d. This is the misunderstood secret of “your will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.”


E. Practical suggestions

1) Focus (free of distractions)

2) Plan (We have lists, but we are also led by the Spirit.)

3) Bring the Word of God into prayer. Praying Scripture is a foundation to build on.

4) Come with music and songs. Personal Worship is powerful

5) Notepad (Two things are amazing: how much God will reveal to you, and how much you will forget if you don’t write it down.)

6) Find a comfortable format.





7) Allow time for God to speak as well.

a) Isaiah 30:18 Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

b) The bottom line of this verse is that God waits to see if we will wait, and then He will speak.

c) While waiting…

· Let God love you.

· Let God search your heart.

· Let God gradually reveal His plan for you.


#2 Living Out The Lord’s Prayer

“Living Out The Lord’s Prayer” from A Passionate Life by Mike Breen and Walt Kallestad

John 17:1-5, 15-17 New International Version After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.


I. Review of The Lord’s Prayer

A. The Father’s Character (Matthew 6:9)


B. The Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:10)


C. The Father’s Provision (Matthew 6:11)


D. The Father’s Forgiveness (Matthew 6:12)


E. The Father’s Guidance (Matthew 6:13a)


F. The Father’s Protection (Matthew 6:13b)



II. The Prayers of Jesus

A. Jesus prayers in Scripture are only brief insights into His relationship with the Father.

1. He gives thanks before distributing bread and fish to a large group. (Mark 6:41-44)

2. He prays to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:39, 42)

3. He cries out in agony to God while on the cross. (Matthew 27:46)

B. Jesus followed the model of the Lord’s Prayer, given to His disciples, when He prayed.

1. The Father’s Character: “Now this is eternal life. That they may know you, the one true God.” (John 17:3)

2. The Father’s Kingdom: “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I hadwith you before the world began.” (John 17:5)

3. The Father’s Provision: “Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.” (John 17:7)

4. The Father’s Forgiveness: “I have brought to you glory on earth by completing thework [mankind’s salvation] you gave me to do.” (John 17:4)

5. The Father’s Guidance: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John17:17)

6. The Father’s Protection: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world butthat you protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)



III. The Prayers of the Saints

A. Sticking Points

1. Pray through this model prayer with your request in mind, and see where it “sticks.”

2. Pray for Yourself:

“Father I know you are my caring, loving, heavenly Father. You rule over all and will watch over me today from your throne in heaven. Let your glory be seen in all I do today. I want your rule and will to be done in all of my thoughts and actions today. Please provide for all of my needs today – spiritual, physical, financial.”

3. Pray for Others:

“Father your reign in heaven extends down to our residence here on earth. Let your glory be seen in the life of my friend. In your kingdom there is no sickness, no pain. Let your kingdom come in my friend’s life and body today. Providing our daily bread and our daily provisions includes having a healthy body so we can do all of your will, so please give my friend a healthy body today. Forgive my friend, as he forgives others, knowing that unforgiveness in our spirits can cause our bodies to react as well. Let him not be tempted to turn from you, his Healer, in this time of need. And protect him from the principalities and powers that want to cause him harm.”

4. As we continue practicing the prayer, it becomes much easier to invite the Holy Spirit to prompt you to “stick” on one area at a time.

B. A Phrase Apart

1. Take one phrase per day and continue to dig it out as you pray for yourself and others. Each of the six dynamics is bottomless.

2. Circular prayer – each phrase is fully developed by the others.


C. Personalize It

1. Ask yourself, “To what extent have I chosen to act like God in this area?”

2. Find your own trigger/reminder to pray the Lord’s Prayer throughout the day.

UP
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

IN
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

OUT
And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from the evil one.

Key Apostolic Prayers and Prophetic Promises(comments in brackets are added for explanation)
Permission from: INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PRAYER – MIKE BICKLE,Key Apostolic Prayers and Prophetic Promises (August 2006); ihopkc.org; free Teaching Library mikebickle.org

Pray for revelation of Jesus’ beauty that we might walk in our calling and destiny by God’s power.

17That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may KNOW [experience] what is the hope of His calling [assurance/clarity of God’s call for our life], what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints [our destiny as Jesus’ inheritance], 19and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. (Ephesians
1:17-19)


Pray to receive the Spirit’s power so that Jesus’ presence would be manifest in us, so we experience God’s love.

16That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell [manifest His presence] in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend [experience] with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)


Pray for God’s love to abound in us by the knowledge of God, resulting in righteousness in our lives.

9That your love may abound still more and more in knowledge [of God] and all discernment, 10 that you may approve [rejoice in] the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere [no compromise] and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness. (Phillipians 1:9-11)


Pray to know God’s will and to be fruitful in ministry and strengthened by intimacy with Him.

9That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. (Colossians 1:9-11)


Pray for unity in the Church and to be filled with supernatural joy, peace, and hope (confidence).

5May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another. 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the Father. 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:5-6, 13)


Pray to be enriched by all the gifts of the Spirit, including powerful preaching and prophetic revelation.
5That you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance [anointed preaching/singing] and all knowledge [prophetic revelation], 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you [by miracles], 7so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:5-8)


Pray for the release of grace to bring the Church to maturity, and especially to abound in love and holiness.

10Praying exceedingly that [God will release His Spirit and grace to] perfect what is lacking in your faith? 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all. 13 that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 3:10-13)


Pray to be worthy (prepared or made spiritually mature) to walk in the fullness of our destiny in God.

11We pray always for you that God would count you worthy of [prepare us for] this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness [plans for us] and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)


Pray that the Word will increase its influence (effectiveness) in the city as God releases His power on it.

1Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly [rapidly increase its influence] and be glorified [confirmed with apostolic power and miracles], just as it is with you. 3 The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience [perseverance or endurance] of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5)


Pray for impartation of boldness (singing and speaking the Word) by releasing healing, signs, and wonders.

29 “Lord grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31)


Pray for the release of God’s promise to be endued with power for all who tarry (labor in prayer) for breakthrough.

49“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” 50 He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (Luke 24:49-50)


Pray for the Lord to release His zeal for His people and for His manifest presence to shake all that resists Him.

15Look down and see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are [the manifestations of] Your zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? 16 You, O Lord, are our Father, our redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

64:1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens! That You would come down [manifest Your power]! That the mountains [obstacles] might shake at Your presence—2 as fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—to make Your name known to Your adversaries [sin, sickness, Satan], that the nations may tremble at Your presence! 3When You did awesome things for which we did not look [expect] 4 Since the beginning of the world men have no heard nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him. 5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers you in Your ways. (Isaiah 63:15-16; 64:1-5)


Pray for the release of God’s promise to pour out His Spirit and release dreams, visions, and prophecy.

17“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 On My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood, fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Acts 2:17-21)


Prayer for Israel to be saved and the release of the prophetic anointing, miracles, and righteousness.

1My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)

26All Israel will be saved. “The Deliverer [Jesus] will come out of Zion. He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 fFor this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27)

1For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace [be silent; release a prophetic spirit], and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest [or I will not be inactive: release power], until her righteousness [in all heart issues] goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns [ministry to others]. (Isaiah 62:1)

Actual Old Testament Prayers for Israel: Isaiah 63:15-64:12; Daniel 9:4-19; Micah 7:7-20; Habakkuk 3:2-19; Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11; 9:5-38; Psalm 44; 45:3-5; 65: 67: 79; 80; 83; 85; 86; 90:13-17; 102:12-22; 110:1-5; 122:6-7; 132:11

Old Testament prophetic promises to pray over Israel (these truths can also be prayed for the Church): Deuteronomy 4:27-31; 30:1-10; 31:29, 33:26-29; Isaiah 11:10-16; 29:14, 17-24; 30:18-33; 32:15-19; 33:2-6, 17; 35:1-10; 42:10-17; 43:1-7; 44:1-5; 45:17, 22-25; 51:3-11; 54:1-17; 56:6-8; 59:19-21; 60:1-62:12; 66:7-14; Jeremiah 3:14-20; 16:14-21; 31:1-14; 32:16-23; 32:37-42; 33:6-26; 50:4-5, 19-20, 34; Ezekiel 11:17-20; 16:60-63; 20:33-44; 34:11-31; 37:1-28; Hosea 2:14-23; 3:5; 5:15-6:3, 11; 14:1-8; Joel 2:28-32; 3:17-20; Zephaniah 3:8-20; Haggai 2:6-