The Discipline of Prayer
The Purpose of Prayer
The primary purpose or prayer lies not in “getting things _________ God, but getting _____” (Tim Keller).
We don’t pray because we don’t plan the _________ to pray, because we __________ that anything will happen if we pray, we don’t sense the____________ of God, or we don’t sense our ___________ (Donald Whitney in “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life”).
We can pray with confidence because our God is a God who __________.
Reduced it to its most basic function, prayer is _________________ with God.
The Priority of Prayer in the Bible (and in history)
Jesus: Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, Luke 5:16, 6:12, Mark 14:42]
[Psalms: 63:1, 17:6, 141:2]
[Early Church: Acts 2:42]
Prayer does not come naturally to us. We have to ____________how to pray (Luke 11:1).
The Practice of Prayer
Prayer is primarily communion ________God before it is receiving answers _________ God.
Four Suggestions for Enriching Private Prayer
1. ____________ your own Closet.
2. Begin with the _____________.
Your prayer time will be most effective (and enjoyable) when it grows out of/is shaped by your time in the ______________.
3. Adore, Confess, ___________, Supplicate (ACTS)
Prayer doesn’t begin with our needs, but with his bounty; we adore before we _________.
Psalm 106:
Supplication: Praying for ___________ (sometimes called Petition although the word is more broad) and praying for others, which is ________________.
Petition [James 4:3, Psalm 37:4]
Our spiritual maturity will alter the _____________ of our petitions. As we mature, our prayers (for ourselves and others) become more concerned with God’s ___________than our own ___________________.
Psalm 37:4 is not ____________________ if I pray, God will give me whatever I want; it’s _____________________ as I genuinely take delight in God, He changes the desires of my heart.
To pray “in Jesus’ name means 1) to pray in keeping with His ________________ 2) realizing He is our _____________ to the throne of God.
Intercession [Col. 1:9, Matthew 5:44, 1 Tim. 2:1, Eph. 6:18]
4. Divulge Your ______________. This is _______ _________ in prayer. [Ephesians 1:17-21, 3:16-19, Phil. 1:9-11, Col. 1:912]
