1. Seven Lessons on Prayer That Your Sunday School Teachers May Never Have Taught You

3. God speaks to us through His word We speak to the Lord through prayer
Lesson 1
God speaks to us through His word
We speak to the Lord through prayer
I Samuel 1:12-15

4. Some basics on prayer…
Learning the habit of prayer. Commit to three minutes a day at the same time every day and watch your time grow.
Specific bodily position seems optional:
Bowing down – Psalm 95:6
Lifting of hands – I Timothy 2:8
Standing – Mark 11:25
Kneeling – Luke 22:41
We have been given bold access 24/7 to the throne of grace – Hebrews 4:16. The flipside is that we can take this for granted. What if God only allowed us to pray to Him on certain days and specific times?
“No” is an answer. Just ask you kids – II Corinthians 12:9
Corporate prayer assures Christ’s presence – Matthew 18:20 (Note: context is church discipline)

6. putting confession first)
Lesson 2
Prayer is comprised of four elements best understood by the acronym ACTS
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
(Some like CATS better
putting confession first)
Matthew 6:9-13

7. The Lord’s Prayer Models Three Matthew 6:9-13
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Adoration
'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
'Give us this day our daily bread. Supplication
'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Confession
'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Supplication [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]'

8. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 Thanksgiving

9. Prayer unleashes the power of heaven
Lesson 3
Prayer unleashes the power of heaven
Ephesians 6:18
In the context of spiritual warfare Paul says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” Ephesians 6:18

10. Elijah’s effective prayer
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
James 5:16-18

11. Elisha calls up God’s angelic army
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
Then Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. II Kings 6:15-18

12. Anna in Luke 2:36-38 was a great example
Older Christians sometimes passively wait at the bus stop to heaven rather than actively provide prayer cover for believers on the front lines
Anna in Luke 2:36-38 was a great example
Our children’s great grandmother covered our family with prayer. When she died we lost our prayer cover.

13. Husbands and wives praying together creates a bridge to intimacy
Lesson 4
Husbands and wives praying together creates a bridge to intimacy
I Corinthians 7:5

14. The two most intimate things a couple can do is make love and pray together
Helpful hint: If you have trouble praying together, try praying specifically for something and then have your mate pray for the say thing in his or her words. Take turns.

15. God
Husband
Wife

16. Lesson 5
There is something about intense and persistent prayer that moves the mighty arm of the Lord
Luke 11:5-10

17. The Shuttle Crawler-Transporter moves the 4
The Shuttle Crawler-Transporter moves the 4.5 million pound Shuttle travels at about two miles per hour

18. It is not the quantity but the quality
"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7
The Jew’s custom was to pray three times daily at 9 AM, 12 noon, and 3 PM standing, head bowed, and arms stretched out with palms up. Their goal was not necessarily communion with God but a religious act that stacked up points with God. This is what Jesus was condemning and correcting.

19. You do not really know how to pray and require the Holy Spirit’s help
Lesson 6
You do not really know how to pray and require the Holy Spirit’s help
Romans 8:26

20. Some possible examples
Joe: Dear Lord, please give me that promotion at work.
Holy Spirit: Father, Joe isn’t ready for a promotion. He rejects his boss’s authority and is full of pride. Please lay him off for three months until he learns humility.
Suzie: Dear Lord, please make Joe see that he is not being a good husband because he is unwilling to buy new furniture for the house.
Holy Spirit: Father, please have Suzie attend the “Love and Respect” conference so that she will learn what it means to respect her husband and his leadership.
Church: Dear Lord, please heal Pastor Johnson of his horrible disease.
Holy Spirit: Pastor Johnson has lived a wonderful Christian life. Father You can do more through his death than through more years on earth. Please bring him home.

21. Lesson 7 Prayer is not like dial up, rather it is continuous DSL
(The “Divine Supplication Line”)
I Thessalonians 5:17

22. What does continuous prayer mean?
…pray without ceasing; I Thessalonians 5:17
While your Christian brain surgeon is operating on you, do you want him to alternate between praying for missionaries and concentrating on the surgery or just concentrating on the surgery and praying for the missionaries later?