Voice of Thanksgiving

The next key to effective prayer is forgiveness. Too often we leave this key out of our prayer life. We may make a show of forgiving, but still hold unforgiveness in our heart. This stops the flow of faith and hinders receiving answers to our prayers. Disciples using the Disciple’s Prayer must forgive. They know forgiveness is a two way street. They forgive because it is the right thing to do and is commanded by God, but also they forgive because they long for forgiveness from the Father and they know that to be forgiven they must forgive.

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.Mark 11:25-26 (NKJV)

Why is forgiveness such an important key to success in prayer?

Next in the Disciples Prayer is faith. All prayer requires faith. It is impossible to please God, let alone pray to Him, without faith. Disciples using the Disciple’s Prayer must pray in faith. The requirement is for faith in God and faith in His willingness and ability to answer prayer.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)

What other verses from the Bible speak of the importance of faith in prayer?

The Disciple’s Prayer begins with an affirmation of the disciple’s relationship to God. Jesus taught that effective prayer begins with “Our Father”. This is not just an introduction or an optional part of this prayer. Without a relationship with God, as Father, there is no Disciple’s Prayer (or any other prayer). Students of the Disciple’s Prayer must first be disciples rightly related to the Father.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians 4:4-7 (NKJV)

When did you have a revelation of God being your Father?

If you don’t know God as your Father go to the Salvation for Prayer Page to learn more.

The Lord’s Prayer has had great impact and for centuries people have prayed this prayer. Unfortunately, this common use has eroded this prayer into just a ritual. Too many people just say the Lord’s Prayer instead of praying the Lord’s Prayer. It has become a series of words people say at a set time in a church service. In many circles it has become common to recite the prayer, but there is not faith involved and no expectation of God hearing our prayer or answering; leaving it devoid of power.

As just words, there is no power in this prayer, however when prayed by and with faith, this can be an effective, fervent prayer that avails much. If we are going to be effective in prayer we cannot let this prayer be merely words recited on command. We need to make this prayer our own personal prayer; prayed faithfully, fervently in faith.

With common use we have also lost the power of Jesus teaching on prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is an excellent teaching tool for effective prayer. With this outline as a starting point we can develop an effective prayer life. So, let us explore a change from religious rhetoric to powerful prayer. Since this demands much of those who will pray effectively, I like to call prayer based on the Lord’s Prayer, the Disciples’ Prayer.

The faithful pray with faith!

More tomorrow on power in prayer – The Disciple’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven… so begins the most famous prayer; the Lord’s Prayer. The disciples saw Jesus pray. They knew He regularly prayed and they were beginning to understand prayer was a source of His effective ministry and power. They wanted to learn to pray. This is Jesus’ response to their request to teach them 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.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Luke 11:1-4 (NKJV)

The Lord’s Prayer is a very powerful prayer. It has been used by Christians for centuries and continues to be very popular. It is also an excellent guide to powerful prayer. The question asked of Jesus was not, will you pray for us, but will you teach us to pray. Jesus’ response to the disciples request is a teaching on how to pray. So this is both a great prayer and an outline for effective prayer.

What is the most effective way you have used the Lord’s Prayer as a guide to prayer?

Come Back All Week for More Disciples Prayer Week

God’s Word can also bring faith to our prayers. Faith comes from the Word of God and without faith our prayers will do nothing, but with faith our prayers contain great power and force. However, too often our prayers are not faith filled; we pray with doubt, fear, or unbelief.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Romans 14:23 (NKJV)

If we desire to pray prayers that God answers, we must pray in faith. Anything less is not just bad prayer, it is sin. So it is imperative that we pray in faith. God’s Word is the source of faith and it should be a key ingredient in our prayer diet.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

Things go better with Faith!

Our diet should include intercession with Jesus. His Word will also direct us to areas of prayer; areas He wants to deal with. Part of our prayer life should be joining with Jesus in His intercession. Today He is praying for the nations, there is a call for us to join with Him in His intercession. This intercession deals with a broad range of issues, from governments and leaders, to provision for missionaries. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us in the focus of Jesus’ prayers. He will show us how we can take our place along side Jesus and pray.

God’s Word can be a focusing agent for our prayers. Look at a problem, for example, fear. I may talk to God about my fear, but the focus of the Word will take me from fear to faith, as I pray.

For example I may come to God and say, “God I have a big meeting today, I am afraid of what may happen at this meeting.” This is a problem, it is real and it could affect my whole day. If I just rehearse the problem, that is, my fears, I will have fear as a companion for the day. Too many people spend too many days with fear as a companion. However, if I focus my prayer on God and His ability to guide and protect me, I can walk in His provision for me for the day. My focus of prayer may be a verse like this.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.< br />
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

With a focus on the father, my prayer runs from fear to faith. I might pray something like this, “God has not given me this fear.” This is an important revelation in its self. And I can go on, “God has given me power. I have God given power to deal with this or any problem today. I will employ this power in a caring manner because He has given me love. I will make wise choices and decisions, because He has given me a sound mind.” This is not only a confession, which is very valuable, it is my prayer. Today what God has said He will do, He will do.

Focusing on God, His promises, and His abilities, radically changes my prayer focus and opens me up to God’s speaking into the problems with His answer. God’s Word is a great focus for prayer.

Is there an area where you have focused on God instead of your problem? What scripture verse has helped you focus on God?

A good diet is essential for prayer as well; it will make a difference in our prayer life and our prayers. The proper prayer diet has strong and regular doses of the Bible; which provides focus and faith for our prayers.

To often our prayers have no focus. We pray prayer-after-prayer wandering around any and every subject and never focusing on specific answers. It is easy to make prayer become complaint time, argument time, day dream time, or just wasted time. At times our good intentions get caught up in the stress of our daily life and we are distracted from our true business in prayer. Complaints, arguments, and daydreams may have a place in life, but if they take our prayer time, we have a problem. And although we know this to be true, we often struggle to correct this situation, it is easy to drift into various interruptions that keep us from prayer.

God’s Word is a focusing agent for our prayers. There is a time to bring before God our problems and needs, but we must not dwell on these problems. Prayer is not a therapy session where you feel better because you talk out your problem, prayer is about answers. If we never get beyond the complaint, we will never get to the answer.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 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.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

The Bible gives us examples of what is necessary for a strong Christian life. These are the things required if we are going to grow and mature. The main ingredient in this diet is the Bible, the Word of God.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Acts 20:32 (KJV)

The Word of God is a key ingredient in Christian growth. To get the Word of God in our life we need to hear it, read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it. The man or woman who does these things will grow and mature. Those who do not, their growth will be stunted. The same is true for other ingredients of the Christian life, such as faith and obedience.

What is the best thing you do to get more of the Bible in your heart?