The Church that Jesus Builds is a Praying Church

Acts 2:42

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
NKJV

The PURPOSE of Prayer is to know what God wants of me,
not what we want from God.
Prayer does not try to bend God’s will to our own, but bends our will to God’s.
Prayer does not win God to our view, but reveals God’s view to us. Through prayer we worship the Lord and as we come to experience Him and come to know Him more completely through prayer, and His Word, we are changed, empowered, and guided to do His will.

Examples of the prayer life of Jesus

Matthew 4:1-2

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, NKJV

Mark 1:35

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place;
and there He prayed.
NKJV

Luke 5:16

16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. NKJV

Luke 9:18

And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" NKJV

Luke 11:2

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."

NKJV

Matthew 14:23

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. NKJV

Luke 3:21

When all the people were baptized,
it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized;

and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. NKJV

Luke 6:12

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

NKJV

Luke 22:39-41

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.

40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
NKJV

If Jesus, the Son of God found it necessary to pray, how much more
ought we to be a people of prayer?

We are to pray privately and corporately.

Matthew 6:5-7
"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 may be seen by men.
Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
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.
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.

The effectiveness of our praying is not determined by the number of words we say or the volume with which they are spoken,
but by our willingness to let Jesus have complete access to our lives.

Mark 11:17

17 Then He taught, saying to them,
"Is it not written,
'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?
NKJV

Wouldn't it be nice to know how the early church prayed?

Wouldn't you have loved to sit in on one of their Prayer Meetings?

Acts 4:15-20

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 saying, "What shall we do to these men?
For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem,
and we cannot deny it.

17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them,
that from now on they speak to no man in this name."

18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God
to listen to you

more than to God, you judge.

20 For we cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and heard."

Acts 4:23-31

And being let go, they went to their own companions
and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

24 So when they heard that,

they raised their voice to God with one accord and said:

"Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.'

27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed,
both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel,
were gathered together

28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

29 Now, Lord, look on their threats,
and 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."

31 And 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.

The Church continued praying throughout the Book of Acts.

Acts 6:1-4

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

Acts 6:6-7

6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

7 Then the word of God spread,
and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 13:2-3

2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."

3 Then, having fasted and prayed,
and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Acts 14:23

23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. NKJV

Acts 20:36

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. NKJV

We are to pray "in the Spirit"

Jude 20

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith,

praying in the Holy Spirit,

NKJV

Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints
according to the will of God.
NKJV

We are to pray "in Jesus' Name"

John 14:13-14

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

14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. NKJV

We are to pray in the Will of God

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,
that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. NKJV

We are not to pray for selfish desires

James 4:1-3

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires
for pleasure that war in your members?

2 You lust and do not have.
You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.
Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
NKJV

We are to pray boldly

Hebrews 4:14-5:1

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are,
yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need.
NKJV

We are to Pray Always

Luke 21:36

36 Watch therefore, and pray always... NKJV

Acts 6:4

4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer ... NKJV

Romans 12:12

12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; NKJV

9

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

Philippians 4:6

6 Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, l
et your requests be made known to God; NKJV

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,

18 in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.