Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Memory Verse John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”

John 14:13-14 The Doctrine of Prayer

Later in the Upper Room Discourse our Lord reiterates the points made in verses John 15:16; 16:22-24

When a request is made in the name of the Son, God the Father treats it as if the Son made the request Himself and the Father denies nothing to the Son.

Mat 18:19-20, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Does this count?

How about this?

Doctrine of Prayer:

A. Definition: 1. As part of equal privilege of election, the Church Age believer is a Royal Priest, and there has never been such an emphasis on every believer entering into prayer.

a. In past dispensations, there were specialized priesthoods. A priest is a person representing the human race (believers) to God.

b. Any system of specialized priesthood in the Church Age is a false system. All believers in the Church Age are catholic priests.

c. You have the right to represent yourself before God the Father in the name of the Son and through the power of the Spirit. You also have the right to spiritual privacy.

2. From the Royal Priesthood originates prayers to God the Father as the recipient of all prayers.

3. Prayer from the function of your Royal Priesthood, gives you access and privilege to present two categories of requests to God the Father.

a. Petitions; prayers for yourself. b. Intercessory prayers; prayers for others.

4. Therefore, prayer is communication with God for the expression of personal needs in petition and the function of intercession for others.

5. The approach to prayer is part of God’s protocol plan for His Royal Family and has a precisely correct procedure.

a. All prayer is offered to God the Father, not to Jesus Christ or to the Holy Spirit as illustrated in: Mat 6:9; Eph 1:17, 3:14; 1 Peter 1:17.

b. Prayer is addressed in the name of or through the channel of the Son. John 14:13 ‑ 14; Heb 7:25

c. All prayer is made through the enabling power (filling) of God the Holy Spirit, Eph 6:18.

6. Prayer is related to the omniscience of God. Isa 65:24

Isa 65:24, “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.”

God hears the prayer twice: in eternity past, and at the time of the prayer.

7. Prayers and their answers are part of the Divine decrees and part of the foreknowledge of God. He knew and answered all your prayers in eternity past.

8. All answered prayer is part of your Portfolio of Invisible Assets.

a. As a primary asset, prayer is a part of your equal privilege of election, a part of your Royal Priesthood.

b. As a secondary asset, prayer is a part of our Christian production. Therefore, prayer is one of the most powerful and effective functions in all of history.

9. Prayer is an invisible power directed toward invisible God (1 Tim 1:17) in relationship to our invisible assets.

John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, June 2, 2009 Doctrine of Prayer, Part 1 Tape # Doctrine of Prayer, Part 1 Upper Room Discourse, Part 268 John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:22-24; Mat 18:19 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2009