STEEMCHURCH: BIBLICAL PRAYERS

That the church may learn to pray according to the teachings of the Bible.

INTRODUCTION:
Prayer is a medium by which we communicate with God. It isthat aspect of our spiritual exercise through which we express our mind to God our creator. Prayer is an imperative way of meeting with our God. Jesus prayed and
the apostles did likewise. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. We are commanded to pray without ceasing.

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THE MEANING OF PRAYER

• Prayer is talking to God.
  It is the means by which we express our God. God wants His children to pray.

• Prayer is a communion with God.

• Prayer provides us with fellowship and communion with God. It takes serious communion with God to be able to also receive from Him.

• Prayer is an act of worship and not just an expression of our wants and needs.

KINDS OF PRAYER (1 Timothy 2:1).

• Supplications:
  In this kind of prayer, we request God to meet our felt needs. Mentioning our needs and wants is not a sin in the sight of God. But we must be cautious to ensure that our requests are not motivated by selfish ambition. Every request should be made in the name of Jesus Christ, so that they may not be in vain.

• Intercessions:
  In prayers of intercessions, we make requests for others For example, Abraham prayed on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23 — 32). The scope of intercessory prayer is broad. We are to pray for Christians, churches, unbelievers, governments, nations and leaders of various organizations (i Timothy 2:1, 2). It is part of our duties as believers to intercede for others. We can touch the whole world through prayer• We can stand in the gap for dying souls and intercede in prayers for their salvation. Intercession is unlimited. God still listens to intercessory prayers.

• Thanks Giving:
  This is definitely a part of worship. It is prayer without any Thanks petition. Psalms 103 is an example. Mature Christians understand that you don't kneel to make only requests and petitions all the time. We must cultivate a heart of gratitude. God deserves our appreciations for His goodness and kindness to us. This kind of prayer is pleasing to God.

• Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving.
  Are a part of Paul's formula for God's peace in our hearts (Daniel 6:10, 11; Philippians 4:6). We gain confidence and peace of God in our hearts when we do our best as far as prayer is concerned. The formula of Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit who always helps us in our weakness. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26).

OBJECTS OF CORPORATE CHURCH PRAYERS (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

• Paul commanded Timothy to instruc he church he pastored that they should prayforall people(l Timothy2: ).

• The church should pray for kings and all those inauthority(l Timothy 2:1).

• Jesus Christ commands us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). Nero, a notoriously cruet ruler, was the emperor of Rome at the time when Paul instructed the Church to pray for kings and those in authority. Nero unjustly blamed the fire outbreak in Rome on Christians. Consequently, he publicly butchered, burned and fed the body of many Christians to wild animals. Yet the Holy Spirit directed Paul to insist that the Church should pray for kings and people in authority (1 Timothy 2:2).

• Praying for one another (James 5:16).

POSTURES AT PRAYER

• Traditionally when we pray, we close our eyes. This practice is nowhere found or commanded in the Bible. However, closing our eyes prevents us from being distracted. It assists us to focus on God.

• Postures that were practiced in the Bible are:

Standing with outstretched hands (1 Kings 8:22).

Kneeling down (Daniel 6:10).

Standing (Luke 18:11).

Sitting (2 Samuel 7:18).

Bowing the head (Genesis 24:26).

Lifting the eyes up (John 17:1).

Falling on the ground (Genesis 17:1).

WHAT PRAYER INVOLVES

• A belief in one God and one Mediator between God and man.

• As the God-Man, Jesus Christ is the perfect Mediator between holy God and fallen mankind (1 Timothy 2:5). One of Job's major complaints had to do with the absence of a mediator who could take his request to the throne ofGod (Job 9:33).

• Besides displeasing God, anger and strife make prayer unacceptable to God. This is why Jesus said that we should interrupt our prayer to make peace with others (Matthew 5:23, 24). Our goal should be to have a right relationship with God and others.

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