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"Insights" from the New Testament Greek
By Bob Jones, Northside Bible Church, Jacksonville Florida
Lord Teach us to Pray
1. Prayer is a grace operation, the answer of which is neither earned or deserved, but provided only through Jesus finished work on the Cross. We cannot "bribe" God.
2. All prayer is addressed to the Father: Matt 6:9, Luke 11:1-4. God's Word gives us no authority to pray to Jesus or to the Holy Spirit. God is a "Trinity" and has told us to address our prayer to the Father.
3. Through the Son - "in Jesus' name". Jesus is our High Priest and advocate, or defender. Heb 10:19 & 20.
4. In the power of the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is only answered in a positive way when we are "in fellowship" and controlled by the Holy Spirit.
5. All our prayers are "answered". Some are answered "no" and some "yes", but we should give God thanks either way. 1 Thess 5:18
6. Our goal: constantly praying or in a continual prayerful attitude. Eph 6:18, 1 Thess 5:17 .
4 TYPES OF PRAYER
1. Confession of sin - even a sinful thought. 1 John 1:9 Psalm 51.
2. Thanksgiving, "counting our blessings" and thanking God for them.
3. Intercession, praying for others.
4. Petition, praying for ourselves.
9 REASONS FOR UNANSWERED PRAYER
1. Forgetting to pray, James 4:2.
2. Praying with ungodly desires. (For things the Word of God already says we should not have).
3. Lack of faith ("faith" here is a noun, God’s Word resident in our soul). James 1:6&7. This causes us to ask for the wrong things.
4. When we are not in fellowship, due to unconfessed sin, Eph 6:18, Psa 66:18, & John 15:7.
5. The prayer does not line up with God's will. 1 John 5:14, and 2 Cor 12:8-10, Paul’s thorn in the flesh illustrates.
6. Lack of obedience to God’s Word, 1 John 3:22.
7. Domestic strife, 1 Pet 3:7 (This often causes us to FORGET to pray, or be out of fellowship etc)
8. Neglecting true opportunities to show mercy, Prov 21:13.
9. Indifference to God’s Word, Prov 1:20-31.
Don’t worry, Pray! Phil 4:6.
Bob Jones