Lesson 06
The Privilege of Prayer
“Family prayer and public prayer have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul-life. . . . While engaged in our daily work, we should lift the soul to heaven in prayer. These silent petitions rise like incense before the throne of grace; and the enemy is baffled. The Christian whose heart is thus stayed upon God cannot be overcome. . . . Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. No other means of grace can be substituted, and the health of the soul be preserved. .. . Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage in prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God.” Gospel Workers, page 254-255.
1. How are we encouraged to come before the throne of God?
Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
2. Who can come to the Lord in prayer?
Romans 10:12: “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
Psalms 86:5: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
[Further Study]
Psalms 145:18 “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”
3. What is the Lord’s promise to those who come to Him in humble prayer?
Psalms 102:17: “He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.”
4. How do we know that God will always answer our prayers for our best good?
Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
[Further Study]
Psalms 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”
5. Whose prayer will the Lord hear?
Proverbs 15:29: “The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”
6. What is the first step we must take before we can receive answers to our prayers?
Matthew 7:7-8: “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.”
John 15:7: “lf ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
1 John 3:22: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
[Further Study]
John 16:23 “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”
7. Once we have asked, what is the next step we must take to receive answers to our prayers?
Matthew 21:22: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing ye shall receive.”
Mark 11:24: “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
[Further Study]
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
James 1:5-7 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
8. Is giving thanks a condition to answered prayer?
Colossians 4:2: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.”
Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
[Further Study]
Colossians 3:17; “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
9. Is forgiveness a vital element to prayer?
Matthew 6:12, 14-15: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. . . . For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
[Further Study]
Matthew 18:21-35“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
10. Do we always know what to pray for?
Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
11. What special invitation does the Lord give us regarding our prayers?
1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
12. How should we pray?
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.”
[Further Study]
Matthew 26:39 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
13. If we reject the law of God, how does the Lord regard our prayers?
Proverbs 28:9: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”
Proverbs 15:8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
14. Will the Lord hear our prayer if we have unconfessed sin in our life?
Psalms 66:18: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
John 9:31: “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
15. If we seek His righteousness and abide in Him, what is the result?
John 15:7: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
16. How often should we pray?
1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”
[Further Study]
Luke 18:1-8 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Acts 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
17. When is an especially good time to pray?
Psalms 5:3: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Proverbs 8:17: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
[Further Study]
Psalms 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”
18. What was Jesus’ example?
Mark 1:35: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”
19. When did the Psalmist David pray?
Psalms 55:16-17: “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”
20. How about the prophet Daniel?
Daniel 6:10: “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
21. What should be our attitude in prayer?
Psalms 95:6: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”
Luke 22:41: “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.”
[Further Study]
2 Chronicles 6:13 “For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,”
Acts 20:36 “And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.”
Acts 21:5 “And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.”
Philippians 2:9-10 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
22. In whose name and by whose authority do we address the Father?
John 14:13-14: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
[Further Study]
John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
John 16:23-24 “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
23. Why do we pray in Jesus’ name?
1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Hebrews 9:24: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
24. Will the Lord help us when we call on Him in time of need?
Psalms 50:15: “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Psalms 86:7: “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.”
[Further Study]
Psalms 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”
25. Although any time and place is appropriate for lifting our hearts in prayer to God, where does God tell us to pray in order to receive a special blessing?
Matthew 6:6: “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.”