DAY 3

Three Aspects of Prayer

Read Matthew 28:18-20; 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; 22:39-41; John 14:13-14.
The apostle Paul knew prayer is important. Philippians 4:6 proves it.
Can you record Philippians 4:6 from memory?
Prayer is a faith exercise. Yesterday you studied something Jesus said that showed the importance of prayer.
Can you summarize Matthew 21:21-22 in one sentence? If you don’t remember, check the work you did yesterday.
Now read Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; 22:39-41. According to these verses, where are three places Jesus went to pray?
1.
2.
3.
Prayer is being with God. Jesus prayed in the hills, at a lonely or solitary place, and on the Mount of Olives. He prayed at night and at early morning before daybreak.
Why do you think Jesus chose such times and places for prayer?
Luke 22:41 should have given you a clue to the answer. Jesus withdrew “about a stone’s throw” from His disciples. He chose times and places when He could be alone with the Father.
What words in which of the verses you read tell you that prayer was a lifetime habit for Jesus?
Did you spot the words “as usual” in Luke 22:39? Which verse tells you how long Jesus sometimes prayed?
Prayer is a life pattern. Luke 6:12 tells you that Jesus sometimes prayed all night long. Think what this means. Jesus lived in constant prayer fellowship with God the Father. Nevertheless, Jesus found it necessary to withdraw from the pressures of life at regular times and at special places in order to pray. Sometimes He prayed for hours at a time.
In light of Jesus’ habit of prayer, what conclusion can you draw about your prayer life?
Growing in Christ is essentially a matter of getting your priorities in order.
Prayer is a priority. Before you gave the indwelling Christ complete control, you did many things that are now low-priority items in your life. Because old habits still trap you, you may need to deliberately restructure your time to make time for prayer.
When and where do you—or will you—go to pray specifically for your unsaved friends?
Yesterday you studied what Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 about asking, seeking, and knocking. Now read what He said in John 14:13-14.
Each of those verses tells you to ask in a certain way as you pray. In whose name are you to pray?
When you make your request in the name of Jesus, whose glorious power is released to work?
God the Father, who is all-powerful, will be glorified in Christ the Son as you pray in Jesus’ name. Prayer is trusting Christ’s power.
Now read Matthew 28:18-20.
According to verse 18, how much power is released by praying in the name of Jesus?
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” What an awesome statement! And what awesome power is at your disposal when you pray in Jesus’ name!
Learn a lesson of the five-and-five principle. You’ve probably found praying for the five who are open to your sharing easier than praying for the five who aren’t open. Is it because the five who aren’t open to you are harder to reach?
Wait! You must reject such an idea. Remember, Christ is the One who’s reaching them. What you think is hard or easy looks completely different to God. Thinking one person is harder to reach than another person only limits your prayer life. When you pray in the name of Jesus for those friends, the One you’re inviting to enter their lives has all power in heaven and on earth.
Does it matter to a tornado sweeping through a forest that some trees are hardwood and others are softwood? Of course not! The tornado’s power is vastly greater than either softwood or hardwood.
Don’t underestimate the power of your prayers. When you ask the Lord to enter a life, never doubt His ability to do what you ask.
God can do more than you ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20). All the power in the universe rests in His name.
Before ending your quiet time today, see if you can fill in all of the words that should be on the hand drawing. Use the hand drawing to check your work.

Praying for your lost friends puts the power of God to work in their lives. Nothing you do could possibly be more important than that.
What could you eliminate, readjust, or cancel in your weekly schedule that would allow you to have a special time and place to pray for your lost friends?
How much time will you need to ask, seek, and knock for each of those friends?
Will you combine praying for these friends with your regular quiet time, or will you set a different time to pray for them? When and where will you pray for these friends?
End your quiet time today with a commitment to make time to pray for your lost friends.