Becoming a Prayer Warrior

Part 1

Read - 1st Timothy 2:1-8

The Different Kinds of Prayer-

"I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone"

There are various reasons to talk to the Lord. Four are mentioned in this particular verse. Let's look through them and examine them and then as we do, ask yourself if you have communicated with God in this way.

"Petitions" are requests based on a deep sense of spiritual need and helplessness. 1 John 5:15(NKJV) And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

When you have a need that is so deep and so great and it seems to go on unfulfilled, then turn to God with this deep sense of desperation for His help. The type of petition this involves is an example of an individual coming before the court of last resort and then to throw one's self on the mercy of the court. You come with an attitude of brokenness not out of pride or of a demanding nature! Sometimes the Lord allows us to go through a sense of desperation for certain things before He hears us.

1. Can you think of a time you petitioned God for the needs of someone else?
2. Have you ever petitioned God for some personal need?
3. Would it be more effective if you asked others to petition God in your behalf?

"Prayers" emphasizes the sacred nature of prayer; we are praying directly to God! 2 Samuel 24:25(NKJV) "And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So, the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel."

There are a lot of misconceptions about sacred prayer. People think that they should just let God know what it is that is important to us and just sit back and wait. There is another mindset you can have - pray as if everything depends on God, and then work as if everything depends on you! The difference is that our prayer should be out of a deep sense of hope and desperation when we pray but our efforts should be with confidence and resolve with the belief God is with us.

1. Have you ever prayed and completely depended on God for an answer because you didn't know what to do?
2. On occasions when you didn't get an answer, was it your lack of faith or was God making you wait?
3. Are your prayers more effective when you are praying on your own or with others?

"Intercessions" - the coming to a superior, often on behalf of another. Romans 8:26(NKJV) "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."

Sometimes a church family member may get ill and be unconscious or too weak to pray. In such cases we must come to the Lord and ask Him to intercede in behalf of this brother or sister. You may even have a family member that has a strained relationship with God or not at all. Praying for the confused and the lost is a noble prayer that God loves to hear. But a prayer of intercession requires true humility and respect to God as someone in the highest authority! We can make no demands of God but rather reverently ask for His intervention in behalf of others.

1. Have you ever prayed in someone's behalf before?
2. Was it with their knowledge or without their knowledge?
3. Have you ever asked others to pray a prayer of intercession on your behalf?
4. If yes, then why did you think others should pray for you?
5. If no, were you too ashamed or embarrassed to ask others to pray for you?

"Thanksgivings" - If we do not express thanks to God for what He gives, why expect more? Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving." Many of our prayers are to ask God for things we need and so little of our prayer time is spent on thanking Him for what He has already done for us.

1. How would you feel about someone coming to you and asking for help with something and failing to thank you later?
2. Then instead of thanking you, what if this person just shows up and asks you for something new?
3. What if that's the way God sees you and me?