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Prayer is personal communication from us to God.

Adoration Thanksgiving Supplication Through prayer, we can communicate requests to God, confess sins to God, and give praise, adoration, and thanksgiving to God. Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication

Reasons for Prayer God does not want us to pray so that He can find out what we need. Matthew 6:8 God wants us to pray so that we become more dependent upon Him. Luke 11:9-12 James 1:6-8 Matthew 21:22 James 5:14-15

Reasons for Prayer God also desires that our love for Him and our relationship with Him will deepen and grow through prayer. God also wants us to pray because it allows us to be a part of a story that is greater than our own. Matthew 6:10

The Effectiveness of Prayer When we ask for things in prayer, God often responds to those prayers. Luke 11:9-10 Our failure to ask God for things is often the reason we do not receive what He delights to give us. James 4:2

The Effectiveness of Prayer Scripture provides us with many examples of God responding in response to prayer. Exodus 32:12 1 John 1:9 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Effectiveness of Prayer Because of sin, on our own, we have no right to ask God for anything. However, if our faith is in Jesus, our prayers will be effective. 1 Timothy 2:5 John 14:6 Therefore, God is under no obligation to answer the prayers of those that have rejected His Son.

The Effectiveness of Prayer Because Jesus is the only true mediator between holy God and sinful man, our prayers should be based on His authority as a mediator. John 16:23 1 John 5:13-14

Praying in Jesus’ Name Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:13-14 To come in the name of someone means that another person has authorized us to come on His authority, not on our own. Acts 3:6 Acts 4:7 Acts 16:18

Praying in Jesus’ Name Praying in Jesus’ name is therefore prayer made on His authorization.

Praying to Jesus and the Holy Spirit Should we pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit? A study of New Testament prayers indicate that very few prayers are addressed to either God the Son or God the Spirit. There is, however, clear pattern of prayer to God the Father through God the Son.

Praying to Jesus and the Holy Spirit Should we pray to the Holy Spirit? There are no prayers in the New Testament that are directed toward God the Spirit. There is nothing that forbids us from doing so. The Holy Spirit is, after all, fully God and is worthy of our prayers and is powerful to answer those prayers.

Our Attitude in Prayer We must pray according to God’s will. 1 John 5:14 This requires humility on our part, because we must pray for what God desires instead of what we desire. James 4:6

Our Attitude in Prayer Sometimes, it is easy to know and pray God’s will. If we pray in line with scripture, we will be asking God to do what He already desires. John 15:7

Our Attitude in Prayer Jesus encourages us to pray as though we believe that God has already decided to give us what we ask for. Mark 11:24 Anything in our lives that displeases God will hinder our prayers. Psalm 66:18, Proverbs 15:29, 1 Peter 3:12 However, we do not need to be sinless in order for God to hear our prayers

Our Attitude in Prayer God promises us that He will not leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5(b) - 6

Memory Verse for Next Week 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18– “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”