Prayer

Old Testament Scriptures

Jonah 4:2

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

Proverbs 28:9

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination

NOTES:

  • The importance on keeping God's Law

    • New Testament Scriptures

    Matthew 21:22

    And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

    NOTES:

  • When you pray, expect an answer

    • Matthew 6

    And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

    NOTES:

  • This manner of prayer is NOT optional. He said when thou prayest not IF you pray or sometimes when you pray.
  • He shows the way the hypocrites were praying so you don’t be like them. They prayed publicly. Yeshua said don’t do it where people can see you. Pray secretly.
  • Enter into thy closet. This is that part that confuses a lot of people. What is the closet and how do you shut the door? Some say it’s anywhere that is secret from others. This is possible, However, I believe He is referring to the Tallit, also called the Prayer Shawl. In Jewish belief the Shawl is used to cover the upper body especially the head and face. When you would wrap the shawl over your head this is referred to as shutting the door. This was a symbolism of entering into the presence of God Like the High Priest would do when he entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple. This was considered your one on one time with the Lord
  • Don’t use repetitions. God heard you the first time you spoke. He knows your thoughts so why couldn’t he hear you when you speak a prayer the first time. If you come to God with faith He will answer.
  • Speak like Yeshua did. He simply stated the facts once and nothing else. Now does this mean you can’t pray in groups? Of course not.

    • Matthew 18:19-20

    Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

    Mark 10:15-16

    Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

    Luke 18:16-17

    ...Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

    Mark 11:22-26

    ...Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

    NOTES:

  • Yeshua says here again that FAITH must be in your prayers
  • He also tells the disciples that they are to forgive people that have wronged them so that there sins will be forgiven

    • Luke 11:9-13

    And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

    Matthew 6:9-13

    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

    NOTES:

  • Declare that God in Heaven is Holy
  • Remember He is your Heavenly Father
  • Request His Will to be done. (Not yours)
  • Request the things that you need from Him. (food, clothes, etc…)
  • Ask for Forgiveness. Remember this is a conditional request. You MUST FORGIVE people that have wronged you or your sins will not be forgiven. (Mark 11:25-26)
  • Request that the Father lead in Good paths in you life Example: That he keep friends and family that may tempt and harass you to sin away from you.
  • Declare that All Glory and Power is His.

    • John 15:7-14

    If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

    NOTES

  • Here Yeshua is saying that His words must abide in us and we abide in Christ so that whatever we ask we will receive from Him.

    • 1 John 3:22-24

    And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Yeshua Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

    1 John 5:14-15

    And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

    James 4:3

    Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

    NOTES

  • Something I would like to point out in these scriptures is that they are in the NEW TESTAMENT and they are referring to the Commandments of Moses in the Old Testament. Many people believe that the commandments were abolished when Yeshua died on the cross. But if that is true, then why is John referring to them as a standard to getting your prayers answered? Yeshua only gave one new commandment that you love one another.

    • John 13:34-35

    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

    NOTES

  • The word commandments in 1 John are plural so what other commandments are there except the Old Testament laws such as the Ten Commandments? Also keep in mind that every time someone asked Yeshua about eternal life He spoke of the Old Testament Laws and Commandments. Why would he keep referring to them if He was about to get rid of them at the cross?