New Testament Church Series : PRAYER

New Testament Church Series

(XVI) PRAYER - An Outline

by J. Spender in 1984

Permission to transcribe and to distribute the messages in this series had been obtained from
the speaker who retains all rights to these messages.

I. Introduction

It is intended that the meeting for prayer be an integral part of the life of the local church, Acts 2:42. Matt. 18: 19- 20 invests collective prayer with a special significance: the presence of the Lord. The importance of prayer may be seen in the life of our Lord and in the life of the early church (see III below). There are different types of prayer: I Tim. 2:1

Supplication - strong or urgent pleading
Prayer - the ordinary petition to God for requests, etc.
Intercession - prayer on behalf of another person
Giving of thanks - gratitude to God

II. Some guidelines for successful prayer

Abide in Christ John 15:7
Ask according to His will I John 5:14
Ask in Christ's name John 14: 1 3
Pure motives James 4: 3
Ask in faith Matt. 21:22

III. The example of the early church in Acts

1:14 The whole company of believers in one accord
1:24 For decisions about leadership
2:42 Continued steadfastly (lit. "to persevere toward a goal")
4: 29 Request for boldness to speak the Word
6:4 Constant activity of the leadership of the assembly
6:6 For the deacons in their service
12:5 For the release from prison of one of their number
13:3 For missionaries going out into the work
14:23 For the elders in their work
20:36 With the elders in their work

IV. The Assembly Prayer Meeting

Should be an edifying time in which the men (I Tim. 2:8) pray - not vague generalities (bless the missionaries, save many souls), but specific requests (Matt. 7:7); not long prayers (Lk. 20:47), nor empty repetition (Matt. 6:7) - not confusion (several praying at once) I Cor. 14:33 - not ritual or rehearsed prayers (Matt. 15:8) but sincere (Matt. 6:5), earnest (James 5:16) and persistent (Lk. 11:8) prayer.
Should pertain primarily to matters involving the assembly. Personal and private matters are better left to personal, private prayer. Often the "Amen" ("may it be so") spoken by those who sit and listen (I Cor. 14:16) is not possible when individuals pray publicly for personal matters the details of which are unknown to the group,
Should be considered an indispensable part of assembly life and fellowship by every Christian in the assembly (Heb. 10:25) knowing that the alternative to praying is fainting (Lk. 18:1), and that the prayers of saints are of lasting value to God (Rev. 5:8).

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