Prayers : Part 6

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full ."

John 16:23,24

Confusion enters when some of us look to the past or the Old Covenant to emulate prayer. We are in the New Covenant, a new relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The Covenants are two parts of one plan, one relationship with God and is a fulfillment of what was before. Answering your questions builds the foundation that we need to understand prayer.

1. Prayer is us connecting with the Father. Relationships in the natural are developed and built upon how we ask and receive. You know communication is lacking when there are no answers. How else will you know God? I submit to you that you know God to the level you receive answers. The “how to” of prayer is found in our series text John 16:23, 24. God is not a respecter of persons, so we should confidently know, just as the disciples did, that whatever we ask we receive (1 John 5:14, 15).

What is prayer?
Philippians 4:6 – Don’t worry about anything. You’re probably worrying about an area you haven’t prayed about. Stop worrying and start praying. Prayer is a category in which you will find many different types and forms prayer. There is no ritual to prayer. However, there are forms of prayer meant to be used together (and not in any specific order):

• Prayer of confession – “Prayer” in Philippians 4:6 is translated from the Greek as “oration,” “oratory,” or giving voice to God’s Word. By verbalizing (speaking) your specific request, you know you’ve made your requests known to God. “Rhema” is speaking the Word full of faith and with such conviction and authority that it is as if God Himself is speaking. Quoting is not confession, but to get to rhema, you must start quoting.

Romans 4:17; 2 Corinthians 4:13 – God calls things as though they were – not are. As a child of God, you must begin calling things that do not exist in your life as though they already were.
Ephesians 3:14-17 -- There is no need to insert the Father’s name every other word, either. God knows you’re talking to Him – you wouldn’t do this when speaking with someone in the natural.

Prayer is not one specific thing. Like sports, prayer is a category in which you can find various types, situations, equipment, rules, and arenas in which prayer is used. The prayers of supplication, petition, thanksgiving, intercession, agreement, and confession are some examples.

John 16:23, 26 -- Jesus is not the intermediary or “message boy” of prayer. Think of prayer in terms of access to a computer or account. The User Name: Father; the Passcode: Jesus, the Christ. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, he gave us the permanent authority to communicate directly with the Father in Jesus’ name.