7. Principles
1. Prayer should be steady
2. Prayer should be solitary
3. Prayer should be simple
4. Prayer should be steadfast
5. Prayer should be surrendered
9. Steady Prayer
Examples from Scripture
1. Daniel prayed three times a day.
2. Jesus often withdrew to pray.
3. Paul mentions his unceasing prayer.
4. We should be faithful in prayer.
5. We should pray without ceasing.
12. Matthew 6:5-6
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and
on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you
the truth, they have received their reward in
full. But when you pray, go into your room, close
the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
13. Solitary Prayer
Is it a sin to pray in
public?
No, not at all! The great
saints prayed publicly,
including Jesus himself.
14. Solitary Prayer
Is it a sin to pray in
public?
No, not at all! The great
saints prayed publicly,
including Jesus himself.
What sin was Jesus
condemning?
Hypocrisy! Public pretence
without private devotion!
Praying to look spiritual.
15. Solitary Prayer
Is it a sin to pray in
public?
No, not at all! The great
saints prayed publicly,
including Jesus himself.
What sin was Jesus
condemning?
Hypocrisy! Public pretence
without private devotion!
Praying to look spiritual.
Any public display without private devotion is
pure deception.
17. Matthew 6:7-8
And when you pray, do
not keep on babbling like
pagans, for they think
they will be heard because
of their many words. Do
not be like them, for your
Father knows what you
need before you ask him.
18. Simple Prayer
Prayer is a matter of the heart. God responds to a sincere
heart, not to smooth words.
K Keep
I It
S Simple and
S Sincere
20. Steadfast Prayer
True or False?
“If you ask in faith, you only
need to ask once. Then you
just believe God for your
answer. To ask repeatedly for
the same thing shows a lack
of faith.”
21. Steadfast Prayer
True or False?
‘If you ask in faith, you only
need to ask once. Then you
just believe God for your
answer. To ask repeatedly for
the same thing shows a lack
of faith.’
False!!!
Jesus taught that true faith
holds on to God
aggressively in prayer until
it receives an answer.
23. Steadfast Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
• Jesus’s parable of a friend
asking for bread illustrates
that persistence is
rewarded.
• Jesus teaches that we
should keep on asking,
seeking and knocking.
Luke 18:1-8
• The parable of the unjust
judge illustrates Jesus’
teaching that God rewards
persistent prayer.
• The point is made by way
of contrast, not
comparison.
28. Strengthening Prayer
1) Prayer is our source of
spiritual power.
2) Prayer changes things, but
more importantly prayer
changes people.
29. Strengthening Prayer
1) Prayer is our source of
spiritual power.
2) Prayer changes things, but
more importantly prayer
changes people.
3) Prevailing in private prayer
produces power in public
prayer.
Mark 9:29
[Jesus] replied, ‘This kind [of
demon] can come out only by
prayer.’
31. Surrendered Prayer
2) Accept His answer
‘Thank you.’
‘You know best.’
‘Prepare me.’
2) He has three answers
Yes
No
Wait
1) Pray every prayer in your
heart
1) God answers each and
every prayer
ResponseTruth
32. Bill Hybels
If the request is wrong God says, No
If the timing is wrong God says, Slow
If you are wrong God says, Grow
But if the request is right
the timing is right
and you are right God says, Go
2.4. Steadfast Prayer
True or false: “If you ask in faith, you only need to ask once. Then you just believe God for your answer. To ask repeatedly for the same thing shows a lack of faith”? What did you say? The correct answer is FALSE! Jesus taught that true faith holds on to God aggressively in prayer until it receives an answer.
If you think the answer is too obvious, you may be unaware that many people teach the opposite. They teach that asking repeatedly is a sign of unbelief. We should ask once, and then be careful not to do or say anything suggests we doubt that God will answer our prayer. There is a certain logic to this teaching, but Jesus taught the opposite.