Shalom,


This being the National Day of Prayer, I thought it would be fitting to share some instructions for prayer that we find in the Word of God. First, from today's Bible Reading Plan, Psalm 122:6-8:

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

    ⁷May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

    ⁸For my brethren and companions' sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

We often mention this, but it is most definitely the will of the One, True, God of the Bible that we prayer unceasingly for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem! 2 Timothy 2:1-4 says to pray for those in authority:


1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We pray for them to be saved; for protection, provision and safety; for their eyes to be open to the Word of God; for the Godly to be promoted and the ungodly to be removed; and for Godly plans to succeed and ungodly plans to fail and come to utter destruction! Then we have James 5:16 instructing us to pray for each other!

16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. 

As born again believers, who are indwelt by the Spirit of God and filled with the Spirit of God, our prayers are POWERFUL!!! That means they are FILLED with the power (dunamis) of God, which is "dynamic in its working"! We are also to pray for our enemies! Matthew 5:43-45:

43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy;  [Lev 19:18; Ps 139:21,22.]   44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  [Prov 25:21,22.]  45 To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. 

Praying in the Spirit causes us to pray perfect prayer, because it comes Spirit to spirit when WE don't know how to pray (Romans 8:26). 1 Corinthians 14:2:

2 For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding]. 

Then we are told in 1 John 5:14-15 how to pray in our known language:

14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. 

Prayer is vital in the life of a believer in Jesus of Nazareth! make prayer a priority in your life and you will see your own needs being met supernaturally! Ephesians 6:8 promises that! Amen! Here is Hillsong United with "Desert Song":

Shalom in Him!