Why the church?
A Biblical Study
The Five Ministries of Each Local Church
Study 6
Prayer
When the Lord draws us to Himself we have entered into a personal relationship with the living God which will involve ongoing communication with Him. That communication happens in two ways. God speaks to us through His Word by His Spirit and we communicate with God through prayer.
It seems that every believer will innately understand how to pray since it is talking with God. But there is much to learn about prayer since new believers are like babies who need continual assistance in every area of life until they gradually mature physically and emotionally enough to live on their own.
In Luke 11:1-2 “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." [2] And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
We see the fact that Jesus’ disciples, having observed His personal discipline expressed in times spent in prayer, asked Him how they could pray like He did.
Likewise, today we, as believers in Christ, need to be instructed in prayer. As a result,
we will spend some time looking at the Biblical teaching of prayer.
Clarifying Your Attitude in Prayer
Have a Right Attitude in Prayer
1. What warning does Jesus give concerning our attitude in relation to giving, praying and fasting in Matthew 6:1?
2. In Matthew 6:5, how did the hypocrites practice prayer? What reward did they get?
3. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus provides the remedy for praying hypocritically. What is it?
Where is your ‘inner room’? Share with the group your weekly personal prayer time.
What reward will ‘inner room’ prayer receive? How?
6. What warning does Jesus give about the kinds of prayer offered by Gentiles in Matthew 6:7?
How does this warning help us avoid participating in the contemplative prayer movement in Christianity?
7. Why is it useless to pray repetitive words in prayer? (see Matthew 6:8)
If God knows our needs before we pray, why pray?
8. Read through what is commonly called, ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. (Matthew 6:9-13) Note anything that stands out that will be helpful for your prayer life.
9. In Matthew 6:14, Jesus links our prayer life with our attitude of forgiveness toward others. How would you explain this?
10. If a Christian has been forgiven of all of his or her sins, how can it be that Matthew 6:15 teaches that the Lord will not forgive a Christian if they don’t forgive others?
11. Read Matthew 26:36-44. How does Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane challenge you in your approach to prayer?
12. In 1 Peter. 3:7 husbands are to respect their wives as fellow heirs of God’s grace if they are believers. How would this have been a startling statement for husbands and wives at that time?
How does the husband’s attitude toward his wife’s status as a believer affect his prayer life?
13. What two characteristics does Peter exhort his readers to have in preparation for their prayer time in 1 Peter 4:7?
Persisting in Prayer
14. Read Luke 18:1,6-8. Why is it important that every believer persist in prayer? What promise does God give to us?
15. How does Revelation 5:8 and 8:3,4 assist you in your prayer life?
The Basis for Prayer
16. What does it mean to ‘pray in faith’? (Read Mark 11:24,25; Matt. 21:22; James 1:6ff) Does this mean if we pray in faith we will always get what we pray for? Explain.
Prayer and Lifestyle
17. How does your lifestyle relate to your prayer life? (Read 2 Thess. 1:11,12; Hebrews 13:18; Matt. 21:13)
Consider Practical Aspects of Prayer
18. Read Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; Acts 1:14; 2:42; Romans 12:12. How do you set up your weekly schedule to include a consistent personal prayer time?
19. Read Acts 16:25; 21:5; Eph. 6:18; 1 Timothy 5:5. Are we limited to a certain time of day or a specific location? How does this help you?
Prayer and the Holy Spirit
20. How does the Holy Spirit help us pray? (Romans 8:26,27)
Consistent Expressions of Prayer within the Local Body
21. Read the following verses and passages: Matthew 21:13; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:24-30; Acts 21:5. How do these passages illustrate how the early church prayed together?
22. Read Acts 12:5,12; 1 Timothy 2:8; James 5:13-17. What focus did these groups of believers have in their prayer times?
Consider When to Pray
23. Read Luke 6:12; Acts 1:24; 14:23. Give the reason for prayer in each of these situations. What does that tell us about when we need to pray?
24. Read Acts 6:6; 13:3; 1 Timothy 5:22. How did the early church pray in these circumstances?
Content in Prayer
25. Read Acts 6:4; 13:1ff; 20:36. What kind of focus in prayer can you have which is illustrated in these verses?
26. Read Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3. What request for prayer did Paul make in these verses?
27. Read Col. 1:3-5. What did Paul pray for the Colossians believers?
28. Read Eph. 1:16-19a; Phil. 1:9,10; Col. 1:9-14; Col. 4:12. What is the focus in prayer shown in these passages?
How can you incorporate this focus into your prayer time?
29. Read Phil. 4:6-8; James 5:13-18. What can be the content of your prayer time in addition to those items that have already been discussed?
“Prayer is the free utterance of the soul’s wants to God the Father, asking benefits in the name of our Saviour, and interceding for the good of others also. Faith is quickened by prayer; and it may be said that prayer is an indication of the spiritual condition of the soul — it being to the soul what breath is to the body.” Smith’s Bible Dictionary, MCL, Vol. 8, Disc 2, p. 838
Jesus Christ’s Prayer in Gethsemane
“Brief though the prayer is, it exhibits most clearly recognition of God’s infinite power, a clear object sought by the prayer, and perfect submission to God’s will.”
ISBE, Vol. 8, MCL, Vol. 8, Disc 2, p. 723