Love Tabernacle - Who We Are In Christ

What is prayer?

Prayer is communion with God, specifically, communication with God, thru talking to and listen to God. It can be spoken with the mouth, or spoken in the heart. It can be in your natural language (e.g., English) or in your spiritual prayer language (i.e., tongues).

Prayer is simply talking with God. It is not some strange or ritualistic event, which must be done in one method or style alone. It is not some mystical exercise or occurrence, which requires you to be in a certain physical place, or in a certain physical position, or a certain frame of mind. It is merely communication with God, our heavenly Father.

God created man, and put man in the Garden of Eden, so that God could come down and visit man. God wants to walk with you, and talk with you, and spend quality time with you face to face, hearing from you and speaking to you. It is a two-way conversation.

Gen 3:8-9
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Acts 13:2
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

More specifically, prayer is to Jehovah, the Father, in the name of Jesus, the Son, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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.

Prayer is extremely powerful in bringing results, because you are asking God to move and work on your behave. So it is God doing the work, not you, at your prayer request.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

What we pray should be the Word of God (which is the same as the Will of God), that is, calling on the terms of the covenant. For example, if you need healing, then look up the scriptures on healing (or at the Healing class notes) and pray using those scriptures.

1 Tim 4:5
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

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.

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.

2 Cor 1:20
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

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.

Isa 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Jer 1:12
Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

God's Word returns to Him when you pray it. It does not return void, but in faith, causing God to effectually work His Word on your behave.

And when we know not what to pray, then we pray in the spirit, that is, in tongues. The Holy Spirit helps us pray the perfect will of God as we roll our concerns over on Him and yield to Him in the flow of tongues.

Rom 8:26-27
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. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Your spiritual prayer language can be activated simply by saying "Father God, I roll this concern over on You and ask You to help me pray concerning it by Your Spirit". The tongues, as a river of living water, will start flowing out of your inner being. Simply yield and flow along with the Holy Spirit until the tongues stop. This is what is called "praying through"... that is, until they stop. It may be long or short, but stay in there working with the Holy Spirit.

Jude 20
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Prayer should not be religious. That is, place, time, and physical positions in prayer don't matter. If a certain place or type of position, such as kneeling or walking, helps you draw closer to God, or helps you get into and stay in the anointing or presence of God, then that is fine for you. But it may not be the same for your brother.

Matt 6:7
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matt 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

I don't say be disrespectful to God, no more than to be disrespectful to your earthly father. But I do say - don't be spooky or religious about prayer, making the traditions of men more important than the fellowship of God. What would your earthly father think if he called you up and said, "lets go for a walk, or sit down awhile and talk about the things going on in your life", and you replied, "Oh, I can't do that, your too high and lifted up for me to approach you", or "Oh, I can only talk to You on my knees"?

Or how about, "oh, I can talk to You, but You cannot talk to me. You don't speak to Your children on the earth anymore."? Now when did God ever, in any part of the Bible, New or Old Testament quit speaking to His people in any age, or say that He was going to. What would you think if someone told you that they talk to their earthly father, but he does not talk to them? I would think that there is something seriously wrong with their fellowship!

But God does still talk to His people, directly and indirectly. He said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus said His sheep know His voice and would not follow another, which implies that we have to hear His voice. Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit, who would teach us, speaking nothing of Himself, but only of Jesus. The Holy Spirit would speak!

So approach your Heavenly Father, knowing that He loves you! Knowing that He cares for you. Approach Him and talk to Him just like you would a loving and caring earthly father. Talk to Him all thru the day, over every circumstance and concern, for He is concerned for you. And wait on Him, listen, be quiet, and He will speak to you! You are special to Him, and He has a place in His heart, in His kingdom, and in His ministry just for you!

Seven Forms of Prayer

Eph 6:19
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

1 Tim 2:1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

I once asked the Lord how many types of prayer there are. He said seven and proceed to explain them to me this way.

1. Worship
Worship is defined as "worth - ship". That is, what do you can worthy. What do you spend your time, efforts, attention, and money on? That is what you count worthy. If you read the newspaper, or what television for 2 hours a day, but do not read your Bible, what did you count worthy? You see our communion and communication is not just what we say, but our very lives. That is why the Bible says,

1 Thess 5:17
Pray without ceasing.

Eph 5:18-21
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Col 3:16-17
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 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.

Matt 22:37-38
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

Worship includes doing all in the name of the Lord... All of your life... Not just a "worship" time on Sunday morning before the preaching of the Word of Life.

2. Praise
Praise is ministering to God concerning "who He is", that is "bless His name" and "praise the name". But it should be in first person nouns, such as "You are Jehovah-Jireh, God my Provider", since you are talking to Him directly. If you said "to" your wife, "she is a good cook" instead of "you are a good cook", your wife might ask you who are you taking about.

Ps 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Ps 69:30
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

3. Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is ministering to God concerning "what He has done", or in faith "what He is going to do". When we give God thanksgiving, we "magnify" Him in what He has done for us.

Ps 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Ps 69:30
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Col 4:2
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Phil 4:6-7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 Thess 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Thanking God for what He has already done raises your faith level, and after asking in prayer, thanking Him for what He is going to do helps you receive it in faith and enter into the peace of God as you wait in patience and confidence for Him to manifest it.

4. Intercession
Intercession is praying for someone else. It is "standing in the gap", and "making up the hedge" of protection. If a big mean dog was running at your young child, you would enter into the gap, or intercede, between the dog and child to stop the dog and save the child. This is what we do when we (1) call out to God for mercy for the unsaved, and (2) fight spiritual warfare against the demonic forces. (Note: "spiritual warfare" is not considered "prayer" since you are not talking to God during "spiritual warfare", but rather commanding / binding / casting out the demonic forces.)

Eph 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Phil 1:4
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

Ezek 13:5
Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

Ezek 22:30-31
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

Isa 58:6
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isa 58:12
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Isa 58:14
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isa 59:16
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

Isa 64:7
And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Isa 66:8
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

5. Agreement
Prayer of Agreement is praying with 1 or more other people. There is more faith and more power in joining with others to pray.

Matt 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.

Eccl 4:12
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

(while this verse is actually on the curse side, you should have better on the blessing side:)
Deut 32:30
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Phil 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Acts 1:14
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

6. Supplication
Supplications is asking for "supplies". What is it you have need of?

Phil 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Phil 1:19
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Eph 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

2 Cor 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

7. Dedication
Dedication includes many types of prayers or actions where you are dedicating yourself in some way to God. These include salvation, sanctification (maybe for ministry and deeper holiness), vows, fasting and prayer, etc...

Phil 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Acts 13:2
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Forms of Prayer Working Together

Obviously some of these types can work together and/or occur as a flow during your prayer time.

For example, the following lists a possible prayer order and compares it to the Lord's Prayer:

Matt 6:9-13
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Possible Order of Prayer	Lord's Prayer in Matt 6:9-13
Thanksgiving for what God has already done
enter into Praise	Praise (verse 9)
if someone is with you - then you are already in Agreement
Intercession for others (sowing seeds of faith for others... To reap back to you)	Intercession (verse 10)
then into Supplication for yourself	Supplications (verse 11)
	Dedications (verse 12)
Spiritual Warfare (binding/loosing, etc.)	Spiritual Warfare (verse 13)
again to Thanksgiving to God for His answering the prayer requests	Thanksgiving (verse 13)

Depending on where a person is in need and growth, they might start at Dedication and then go to Supplication. A person should stay open to flow as the Spirit leads in prayer.

You should stay in Praise at the beginning until you have either (1) an open heaven, or (2) are at the Throne (in the throne room). You might here the Father saying "Ask what you will". Don't be in a hurry, particularly, at the end to leave. Jehovah Father might have something to say to you. With experience, you will become sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when you have a release from prayer, that is, when you are finished.

These seven types of prayer can be understood in groups, with the higher the group, the higher the anointing and presence.

The highest group is Worship, Praise, and Thanksgiving, which are to God and about God in adoration of Him.
The next group is Intercession and Agreement, where you are praying for someone else other than yourself.
The last group is Supplication and Dedication, where you are praying for yourself.

God has also taught me that in our "worship" times, that:

(1) when people sing or minister "about" Him, usually in 3rd person nouns, such as "He is worthy" or "come let us worship", it is exhortation, in that, you are exhorting the people to come and actively enter into "worship" of Him, but you are not speaking to Him, but to the people,

(2) when people sing or minister "to" Him, in 1st person nouns, such as "You are worthy", they are entering His gates in Thanksgiving, ("Thank You, Lord"), and are entering His courts with Praise ("You are worthy").

If you become sensitive to this, you will notice

(1) a higher anointing, or more of His Presence when you sing "You" verse "He",

(2) a frustration of the people when a song, or series of songs, move from "You" back to "He" or back and forth, because the song(s) are taking the people in and out of the courts of the Lord. They know they were just there in His Presence, and then they are not, but they do not know why. This will tend to get people into the flesh as they try to reenter in.

Remember this:

Deut 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

2 Tim 2:13
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

1 Thess 5:24
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

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