Spiritual Warfare Lesson Seven How To Pray

When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he answered them:

    * Matthew 6:5, "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 be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
    * 6:6, "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.
    * 6:7, "And when you pray do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
    * 6:8, "Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you need of before you ask Him,
    * 6:9, "In this manner, therefore, pray Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
    * 6:10, " Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
    * 6:11, " Give us this day our daily bread
    * 6:12, " And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive our trespassers
    * 6:13, " 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.
    * 6:14, "For if your forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15, "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

We see from these teachings by Jesus that we are to pray privately and not for show and we are not to pray long repetitive prayers. I often hear long repetitive prayers when we pray in a group or someone prays over a group. God is not moved by these kinds of prayer. Be sincere and concise when you pray.

Also, when you pray for someone, do not tell God what kind of person they are. God knows. You do not know what kind of person they are.

Jesus says to pray asking prayers to God, the Father, in the name of Jesus (the name above all names) and God, the Father, will give you whatever you ask. Jesus also says to ask Him, Jesus, nothing - in other words, do not pray to Jesus.

    John 16:23, "And in that day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

    16:24, "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Remember in Matthew 6, Jesus had not asked them to pray in His name.

In Mark 11:24 Jesus gives us a very powerful teaching:

    Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them."

So, Jesus here is reminding us of that spiritual law. Confess (speak) and believe in your heart. In order for our prayers to be answered, we need to obey this law. Now let us look carefully at this scripture. It says, when you pray believe that you receive what you pray for. Not that you will receive them (what you pray for), but that you receive them when you pray. If you do that, then you will receive them. Remember Daniel, God answered his prayer when he prayed but the kingdom of darkness held up the answering for 21 days. And, sometimes God knows that the timing is not right when you pray, but will be right at a later time. But Jesus says we are to believe that God has given us what we prayed for when we pray. Therefore, once you pray, start thanking God for whatever you prayed. I will show you further scripture on this later - but now note in Mark 11:25 and Mark 11:26, Jesus once again relates forgiveness and prayer.

    Mark 11:25, "And whenever you stand praying. If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

    11:26, "But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Apparently, in order for our prayers to be answered, we need to forgive.

Now let us look at what the apostle Paul said in his letter to the Philippians:

    Philippians 4:6, Be anxious for nothing (do not worry), but in everything by prayer and supplication (earnest asking), with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

    4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Again, Paul is saying, speak and believe. Demonstrate your faith by thanking God for what you prayed for. This verbal thanking not only demonstrates your faith but your mind hearing you giving thanks increases in faith each time it hears it. Also, you give God honor by thanking Him. Then, Paul tells us we can have peace and not worry because we trust that God has answered our prayers.

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, says the same thing - but goes further.

    Colossians 4:2, Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

Paul is saying to pray earnestly and then look for the answers with thanksgiving. We are to continue thanking God for what we prayed for until we receive it.

James, the brother of Jesus, tells us why our prayers may not be answered:

    James 1:6, But let him (the one praying) ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

    1:7, For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord:

    1:8, He is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways.

    4:3, You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your lusts.

James is telling us that if we do not have faith, our prayers will not be answered. Then he tells us God may not answer our prayers because we will spend it or use it to satisfy our lusts. A good example is money or wealth; if we cannot be a good steward of those things given us, God will not give them to us.

Then Peter tells us that husbands need to give honor to their wives.

    I Peter 3:7, Husbands, likewise, dwell with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

We have been studying what I call petition, or asking prayers, but Jesus tells us about another kind of prayer; a commandment prayer. Jesus used commandment prayers when performing signs and wonders. He teaches us this kind of prayer in Mark chapter 11 and called it a prayer of faith.

First, let us set the stage for this teaching. When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the appointed time, He and the disciples stayed at Bethany - about an hours walk to the temple. One morning, walking to the temple, Jesus desired some figs from a fig tree that He saw. When He saw there were no figs, Jesus commanded the fig tree to die. The next morning when walking to the temple, Peter said:

    Mark 11:21, And Peter remembering, said to Him (Jesus), "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away." (Remember, this is only 24 hours later.)

    11:22, So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God."

    11:23, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and 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."

    11:24, "Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them and you will have them."

Now Note: You say or command the mountain, you don't ask God to do it. Then we have the spiritual law, speak and believe in your heart. This verse also says whatever you say, and Jesus gives an outrageous example of commanding a mountain to cast itself into the sea. Some unlearned brethern have said to me, when I command some semi-outrageous thing to happen, "Where does it say that in the bible?" Well, my bible says that whatever I say,if I believe, I can have it happen.

Then, in Luke 17:6, And the Lord said, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and planted in the sea! and it would obey you."

Another outrageous example!

Now, Mark 11:23 is a very important scripture. Jesus tells us that if we speak (confess) any thing we desire and believe in our heart (God's law) that it shall happen, it will take place. Notice again He says, "whatsoever we say." If anybody questions whether what you command is scriptural, you can refer to Mark 11:23. For instance, I can ask for a seven foot angel to guard you and I can get one, if I believe.

This scripture describes how Jesus performed signs and wonders. Note Matthew 12:10-13, Jesus commanded the man with a withered hand to stretch forth his hand. He did and he was healed. How could he stretch forth a withered hand?

    Mark 4:39, He commanded the wind to be still. It was. Mark 5:41, He commanded the dead damsel to arise. She did. Mark 7:34-35, He commanded the deaf man's ears to be opened, they were. Mark 9:25, He commanded the evil spirit to come out of the boy. It did. Mark 11:14, He commanded the fig tree to die. It did. Luke 4:35, He commanded an unclean spirit to come out of a man. It did. Luke 5:24, He commanded a man sick with palsy to arise and pick up his bed. He did. Luke 5:13, He commanded a leper to be clean. He was. Luke 7:14, He commanded a dead man to arise. He did. Luke 13:12, He commanded the woman who was bowed to be loosed from her infirmity. She was. Luke 19:42, Jesus told the blind man receive thy sight. He did. John 5:8, He told the lame man rise, take up thy bed and walk. He did. John 11:43, He commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. He did. Acts 3:6, Peter commanded the lame man to rise up and walk. He did. Acts 16:18, Paul commanded a spirit to come out of a woman. It did.

In John chapter 14, Jesus tells us that we can do these same miracles.

John 14:12, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father."

14:13, "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

14:14, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it."

According to "Strongs" concordance, the Greek word used for ask can mean ask, beg, call for, desire, require. We see that when Jesus performed signs and wonders He did not ask God the Father to do them. He commanded them to happen. We are to do the same.

When we minister healing by using commandment prayers, we see 80 to 90 percent healings. This is phenomenal!

As taught in Mark 11:23, besides healing some practical uses are:

    1) If I lose something such as keys or my glasses, I command them to appear where I can find them. They obey and I find them.

    2) If my car won't start or I need a parking place, I command it and it happens.

Now let us review our key verses that are life unto us:

    Isaiah 53:4, Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

    I John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

    Galations 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.

    Mark 11:23, " 'For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and 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.' "

    John 14:12, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father."