THE
PRAYER M O T I VA T O R
THE
PRAYER M O T I VA T O R
Volume II
Compiled and Edited by
Daniel Whyte III
THE PRAYER MOTIVATOR (Volume II) Cover Design by Atinad Designs Š Copyright 2014 TORCH LEGACY PUBLICATIONS, DALLAS, TEXAS; ATLANTA, GEORGIA; BROOKLYN, NEW YORK First Printing, 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except for brief quotations included in a review of the book. _________________________________________________________ The Bible quotations in this volume are from the King James Version of the Bible. Printed in the USA.
Dedication f This book is dedicated to the glory of God and to the memory of E.M. Bounds, who God used to motivate me to pray. And to my favorite prayer partners: my wife, Meriqua; and my children: Danni, Daniel IV, Danita, Danae, Daniqua, Danyel Ezekiel, and Danyelle.
Introduction f “And He [Jesus Christ] spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” -Luke 18:1 “Prayer is a serious thing. We may be taken at our words.” -D.L. Moody I am convinced that most people do not need to learn how to pray; they need to Just Pray! Prayer is like any other important discipline in the Christian life. If you don’t do it, you won’t reap the benefits and blessings that God wants you to have. If you want to reap the benefits and blessings of prayer, then you need to Just Pray! This is what The Prayer Motivator is all about. Down through the years, nothing has motivated me to pray more than verses on prayer in the Bible and powerful quotes from saints of the past and present regarding their experience with prayer. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” -Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:7 The simple but powerful verse above uttered by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was what turned me on to prayer when I was a young Christian. Soon after that, someone introduced me to a series of wonderful books on prayer written by E.M. Bounds. I devoured them all, and this started me on my prayer journey with the Lord. Prayer to 9
God has been the center and the highlight of my life ever since the beginning of this exciting journey. In spite of myself, God has been very good to me and to my family in many ways, but the thing that stands out the most to me are the thousands of answers to prayer over the past thirtyfive years of full-time ministry and over twenty-six years of marriage with a family of nine. Below are some benefits that I have received from prayer to God, and that I know you can receive as well. These are not things I THINK God can do through prayer; these are things I KNOW God will do through prayer: • •
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Prayer to God can bring you the mate that He wants you to have. Prayer to God can keep your marriage and family together against the odds with joy and happiness. And let nobody fool you, “the family that prays together, still stays together.” The reason why the divorce rate in the church is equal to the divorce rate in the world today is for no other reason than a lack of prayer. Prayer to God can bring healing to the heart, mind, soul, and body. Prayer to God can keep your teenagers on track. Prayer to God will guide you at the many crossroads of life. Prayer to God will give you wisdom, knowledge, understanding, insight, and discernment; and having these wonderful gifts will save you a lot of trouble, money, and time. Prayer to God will make money come to you when
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• • • • • • • • • • • •
you need it most. Prayer to God will make things happen for you, right in the nick of time. Prayer to God will give you a great night of sleep. Prayer to God will give you peace and joy even though you don’t deserve it. Prayer to God can supply your needs. Prayer to God can lift burdens, worries, fears, and cares. Prayer to God can cause your ministry to flourish beyond your wildest imaginations. Prayer to God will help you to be a better witness for the Lord. Prayer to God will help you have good relationships with other people. Prayer to God will deliver you from temptation, evil, and sin. Prayer to God will protect you from hurt, harm, and danger. Prayer to God will deliver you out of bad situations and trouble. Prayer to God will do things for you “exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think.”
The Prayer Motivator will inspire, encourage, and motivate you to pray daily and throughout the day so that you can receive the benefits and blessings of a prayerful life. This is not another devotional book. This is an action book. If you have no interest in actually doing the, sometimes difficult, work of prayer, then this book is not for you. This simple book is designed to motivate you to pray. Because if I can get you to pray, all sorts of wonderful things will begin to happen for you, your family, and 11
whatever God has called you to do. So, very simply, here is how I suggest you use this book: 1. Read as many of the pages as you would like. It can be one page, it can be three pages, it can be ten pages. All of the pages are very short and will only take you a few minutes. Again, this is not a devotional. You don’t have to just stick to one page. Read enough that will motivate you to start praying, especially when you don’t feel like praying. 2. Pray! and look to the Holy Spirit to help you and expect God to work and answer your prayers. Oftentimes, God will give you answers while you are praying. Listen to those answers, write them down, and keep on praying until you finish. It is as simple as that. As the Lord allowed me to travel on this journey of prayer (which included preaching in churches across the United States and in over twenty foreign countries), I began to see, to my amazement, how that many Christians struggled to pray. Even more shocking than this, I discovered that not only were many in the pews struggling to pray or not praying at all, but many in the pulpit were struggling to pray as well. After I would preach one of my revival sermons titled “A Praying Time” or “Prayer: The Main Ingredient,” many pastors, in private conversation, would share with me, ‘Bro. Whyte, I hate to admit it, but I don’t pray as I should.’ One dear pastor picked me up from an airport in a European country, where I was to preach a revival in his church, and he frankly told me, ‘I really have not been praying for this revival as I should, and I really 12
don’t know if I want revival.’ I concluded from this discovery that the problem was not that many Christians didn’t know how to pray or that they were never taught how to pray. Rather, the problem was, these people simply didn’t pray, because if they had been praying as they should have, they would know the benefits and blessings of prayer, and that would have motivated them to continue praying no matter how difficult it was. I noticed five hinderances that stood in the way of these dear Christians praying as they should. God revealed to me that if they could only get over these five hurdles they would then pray more effectively and begin to reap the benefits and blessings of prayer to God. These five hurdles are: 1. Spiritual Inertia 2. The Flesh 3. Satan and his Demons 4. Doubt and Unbelief 5. The “Busy”-ness of life (the World) The simple purpose of this book is to encourage and motivate you to get off the ball regarding prayer, and take the little faith you may have and Just Pray! Before you pray and even while you are praying, you may often times feel at your lowest—Just Pray! Before you pray and even when you begin to pray, you may feel as though you are the worst sinner in the world—Just Pray! Before you pray and even when you begin to pray, you will be distracted with bad things as well as good things—Just Pray! Before you pray and even while you are praying, your wife, your husband, 13
your children or some other human being may do something to upset you—Just Pray! This book is designed to help you get over spiritual inertia, your sinful flesh, the devil and his demons, doubt and unbelief, your busy life and the world, so that you can hit “pray dirt” and God will do the rest. Just open your mouth and start praying. JUST PRAY! and watch God do things beyond your wildest imaginations. In this second volume of The Prayer Motivator, please feel free to take advantage of the new “Prayer Starter Prompts” (PSPs) on each page that are designed to get you to just pray to the God who hears and answers prayer. —Daniel Whyte III Dallas, Texas
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Prayer Starter Prompts (PSPs) f In this second volume of The Prayer Motivator we have included short “prayer starter prompts� (PSPs) on each page to help get you started praying to God. These prayers are not meant for you to recite verbatim (although you can do that if you pray the words from your heart). Rather, you can see these short prayers as booster rockets to launch you into the stratosphere of your own prayer time with the Lord.
All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired. MARTIN LUTHER
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. PSALM 4:1
f Holy Father God, all glory, honor, and praise is due Your name. Thank You for Your holy Son, Jesus Christ, who has made salvation possible for all of us. Please have mercy on me and hear my prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Every time I have had a breakthrough in my life, it has been because of Prayer. JOHN MAXWELL
Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. PSALM 141:1-2
f Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise to give me the desires of my heart, if I delight in You. Help me to take heed to Your Word and watch and pray in times like these. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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It is only when whatsoever we do is done in His name that He will do whatsoever we ask in His name. THE KNEELING CHRISTIAN
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. ACTS 1:14
f Holy Father God, I praise You and thank You that You are willing to do whatever I ask in Your name. Lord, help me to remember that whatever I do, I must do in Your name according to Your will, and for Your glory. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The man who prays grows, and the muscles of the soul swell from this whipcord to iron bands. F.B. MEYER
Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 CHRONICLES 16:11
f Holy Father, I give You all glory, praise, and honor. Thank You for the strength that You supply. Lord, please help me to seek and to depend upon Your strength so that I can be truly strong in You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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It makes a great difference in our feeling towards others if their needs and their joys are on our lips in prayer; as also it makes a vast difference in their feelings towards us if they know that we are in the habit of praying for them. CHARLES H. BRENT
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. PSALM 5:3
f Holy Father, I praise You and I thank You for Your love and grace. Thank You, Lord, for the privilege to not only pray for myself, but for others. Lord, help me to pray for my family members and my fellow church members, including my pastor. Also, help me to awaken each day with a mind to pray. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Even if all the things that people prayed for happened — which they do not — this would not prove what Christians mean by the efficacy of prayer. For prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinitely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them. C.S. LEWIS
Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. PSALM 17:1
f Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your longsuffering with us. Thank You for answering many of my prayers, and thank You for not answering some as well. When I pray, Lord, help me, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, to always be sincere. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer may just be the most powerful tool mankind has. TED DEKKER
Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. PSALM 25:1
f Holy Father, I praise You for Your goodness to us. Thank You for giving us the most powerful gift on earth—prayer. Help me to be faithful in prayer to You daily. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift up our hearts to God. JIM CYMBALA
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. PSALM 37:7
f Heavenly Father, I praise You and I thank You for Your Holy Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us the knowledge that prayer can do the most damage to Satan's kingdom. Help me to humble myself and pray. In Jesus' glorious name, Amen.
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You now have, Christian, the armour of God; but take heed thou forgettest not to engage the God of this armour by humble prayer for your assistance, lest for all this you be worsted in the fight. WILLIAM GURNALL
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. PSALM 50:15
f Holy Father, thank You for the armor that You have provided. Help me to put on the whole armor, but also help me to pray without ceasing. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Prayer is the place where burdens change shoulders. UNKNOWN
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. PSALM 55:17
f Heavenly Father, hallowed be Your name. Thank You for salvation full and free. Thank You also for being our burden bearer. Lord, give me a heart and mind to pray morning, noon, and night. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Prayer has never been a mail-order business for me — a place where I place my order and I get what I want. It is a communication with God so that I may understand His will and act upon it. The utmost demonstration that prayer works is a sublime sense of peace. UNKNOWN
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. PSALM 65:2
f Holy Father, thank You for the gift of Your precious Holy Spirit. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit's power so that I can pray effectively and with power. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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True prayer is done in secret, but this does not rule out the fellowship of prayer altogether, however clearly we may be aware of its dangers. In the last resort, it is immaterial whether we pray in the open street or in the secrecy of our chambers, whether briefly or lenghtily, in the Litany of the Church, or with the sigh of one who knows not what he should pray for. True prayer does not depend either on the individual or the whole body of the faithful, but solely upon the knowledge that our Heavenly Father knows our needs. DEITRICH BONHOEFFER
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. PSALM 145:18
f Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing all about us and all of our needs. Lord, help me to be faithful in prayer whether in private or at church. Whatever the case, help me to always pray to You in truth. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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When the Lord finds his rod, his people find their knees. WILLIAM TIPTAFT
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. PROVERBS 15:8
f Holy Father, thank You for Your chastening hand upon us. Thank You for loving us so much that You will chastise us so that we will not continue in our ugly ways. Help us to confess our sins and repent in prayer. Lord, help me to live in such a way that delights You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The key to praying with power is to become the kind of persons who do not use God for our ends but are utterly devoted to being used for His ends. JOHN PIPER
And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. I SAMUEL 3:10
f Heavenly Father, I praise You for life, health, and strength, and for the many and manifold blessings You have bestowed upon me. I do not take You and what You have done for me for granted. Help me never to be a person who tries to take advantage and use You for my own selfish ends. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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A praying man can never be very miserable, whatever his condition be, for he has the ear of God; the Spirit within to indite, a Friend in heaven to present, and God Himself to receive his desires as a Father. WILLIAM BRIDGE
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. MATTHEW 5:43-44
f Holy Father, glory be to Your name. Thank You for Your grace. Lord, grant me Your grace and love to forgive and to pray for my enemies. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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If you will believe God, you can have anything you ask. With faith, nothing in earth or Heaven is impossible, and nothing unattainable. JOHN R. RICE
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. MATTHEW 6:5
f Heavenly Father, hallowed be thy name. Please forgive me of prayerlessness. Thank You for being faithful to me, even though I am often unfaithful. Lord, help me never to use prayer to make myself look good to others, but to pray sincerely; and help me to have the kind of faith that can move mountains. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Indeed, a person who lives in the exercise of faith and love, and who finds by experience that it is good for him to draw near to God, will not need to be told how often he must pray, any more than how often he must converse with an earthly friend. Those whom we love, we love to be much with. A believer will account those his happiest days, when he has most leisure and most liberty of spirit for the exercise of prayer. JOHN NEWTON
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. MATTHEW 7:7-8
f Holy Father, I praise You and thank You for loving me more than I love myself. Help me to hate sin as You hate sin because it hinders answers to prayer. Lord, also give me the kind of heart that prays to You because I love You and I want to and not because I have to. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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It has been said that no great work in literature or in science was ever wrought by a man who did not love solitude. We may lay it down as an elemental principle of religion, that no large growth in holiness was ever gained by one who did not take time to be often long alone with God. AUSTIN PHELPS
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? MATTHEW 7:11
f Heavenly Father, glory and honor be to Your name. Thank You for the joy of being able to pray to You. Help me to spend much time in solitude with You in prayer, and help me to trust You completely. In Jesus' name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
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According to the Bible, a genuine answer to prayer is getting what you ask for. JOHN R. RICE
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. MARK 11:24
f Holy Father God, I praise You and I thank You for allowing me to approach Your holy throne boldly because of Your Son, Jesus Christ. When I pray help me to believe so that I can receive. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Do not burn false fire upon God’s altar; do not pose and pretend, either to Him or to yourself, in your religious exercises; do not say more than you mean, or use exaggerated language that goes beyond the facts, when speaking to Him whose word is truth. A.J. GOSSIP
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. ZECHARIAH 4:6
f Heavenly Father, thank You, Lord, for allowing us to rest in Your everlasting arms by Your grace. Help me to always pray in sincerity and not in a hypocritical or pretentious way. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit to pray with power. In Jesus' powerful name I pray. Amen.
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Look to it that you do not try to do all of it, do not try to do too much, lest your spirit grow weary. Besides a good prayer mustn’t be too long. Do not draw it out. Prayer ought to be frequent and fervent. MARTIN LUTHER
Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 2 CHRONICLES 7:15
f Holy Father, I praise You and I thank You for allowing things to be as well as they are. By Your grace, help me to pray frequently and fervently because I know that You are the God who hears the prayers of all of His servants. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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You do not become a master musician by playing just as you please, by imagining that learning the scales is sheer legalism and bondage! No, true freedom in any area of life is the consequence of regular discipline. It is no less true of the life of prayer. SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray. LUKE 11:1
f Heavenly Father, I praise You and I thank You for reminding me that prayer is a Christian discipline just like studying the Scriptures. Lord, I know You will help me to do both whether I feel like it or not. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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What is the fastest thing on earth? Sound? Not quite. Light? Almost. The answer is prayer, because it reaches God even before you say it. AUTHOR UNKNOWN
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. JOHN 14:13-14
f Holy Father God, I praise You and I thank You for the blessing of life. Thank You also for knowing what I need before I even ask. Help me to pray in the name of Your Son so that You will be glorified by the answering of my prayers. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The physical voice we use in prayer need not be great nor startling; even should we not lift up any great cry or shout, God will yet hear us. ORIGEN
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. LUKE 18:1
f Heavenly Father, I praise You and I thank You, Lord, for hearing and answering the weakest prayers, even silent prayers. Please help me to pray always and never to faint. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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If God sees that my spiritual life will be furthered by giving the things for which I ask, then He will give them, but that is not the end of prayer. The end of prayer is that I come to know God Himself. OSWALD CHAMBERS
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. ROMANS 8:26
f Holy Father, thank You, Lord, for giving me what I need and only the good things I desire. Grant me the power of Your Holy Spirit to pray the way I ought to pray. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the peace of God. We know not what prayer can do. C.H. SPURGEON
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:15
f Holy Father, all glory and honor belongs to Your name. Thank You that through the power of prayer our messes can become a message. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer is action. By it we step out in advance of all other results... Praying is an activity upon which all others depend. By prayer we establish a beachhead for the kingdom among peoples where it has never been before. Prayer strikes the winning blow. All other missionary efforts simply gather up the fruits of our praying. DAVID BRYANT
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. EPHESIANS 6:18
f Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for Your eternal Word that You raise above Your name. Thank You for reminding me to not only pray, but to watch, and also that prayer is the most important action that we can take in mission work. Lord, give me direction and help me to take action. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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You cannot come to God unless you believe that there is a God and unless you believe He really hears prayer. JOHN R. RICE
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. PHILIPPIANS 4:6
f Holy Father, all glory, praise, and honor is due Your name. Thank You for Your Word which admonishes me not to worry, but to trust You. Give me the faith to consistently make my needs known to You. I thank You right now for supplying all of my needs. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer is the chief agency and activity whereby men align themselves with God’s purpose. Prayer does not consist in battering the walls of heaven for personal benefits or the success of our plans. Rather it is the committing of ourselves for the carrying out of His purposes. It is a telephone call to headquarters for orders. It is not bending God’s will to ours, but our will to God’s. G. ASHTON OLDHAM
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. COLOSSIANS 4:2
f Heavenly Father, holy is Your name. Thank You for reminding me to not only pray, but to also watch. Lord, help me to always remember that prayer is about You and Your purposes, and not about my plans. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prevailing or effectual prayer is that prayer which attains the blessing that it seeks. CHARLES G. FINNEY
Pray without ceasing. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17
f Holy Father, I praise You and I thank You for Your creation, and thank You also for allowing me to be a part of Your creation. Help me to pray without ceasing and to prevail in prayer even when I feel discouraged. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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He who prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays. JOHN OWEN
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 TIMOTHY 2:1-4
f Heavenly Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thank You, Lord, for allowing us to communicate with You through prayer. Help me to pray right and to live right. I ask You to give wisdom to my country’s leaders so that they will make decisions that are pleasing and honoring in Your sight. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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What is the reason that some believers are so much brighter and holier than others? I believe the difference, in nineteen cases out of twenty, arises from different habits about private prayer. I believe that those who are not eminently holy pray little, and those who are eminently holy pray much. J.C. RYLE
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1 TIMOTHY 2:8
f Holy Father God, I praise You and thank You for giving me a mind to pray. That itself is a gift. Lord, help me to pray and, by consistent prayer, help me to live a holy life that is pleasing to You. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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When you are in an upsetting situation, pray for everyone involved. Pray hard and be open to the power of God. Prayer is a gift that blesses you and those for whom you pray, and it is something that can be done at any time, in any place, whenever you have a moment to give. NORMAN VINCENT PEALE
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. JAMES 1:6-7
f Heavenly Father, all glory, honor, and praise is due Your name. Thank You for what Your holy Word says about prayer, and thank You also for what Your more recent saints have said about prayer, for they all encourage us to pray. Lord, help me to remember to pray to You when I am in a difficult or negative situation. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer. JONATHAN EDWARDS
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. HEBREWS 4:16
f Holy Father God, thank You for your Holy Spirit by which I am given the power to pray. Help me to strive daily in prayer to You in spite of my feelings and what is going on around me. Deliver me from becoming lazy in my faith. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer delights God’s ear. It melts His heart and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul. THOMAS WATSON
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. JAMES 4:3
f Holy Father God, like your Son, Jesus Christ, help me to determine that spending time with You is not optional. Help me to not allow the demands of life to overwhelm me to the point where I am forced to depend on You; but help me to willingly talk to You daily and throughout the day. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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In all states of dilemma or of difficulty, prayer is an available source. The ship of prayer may sail through all temptations, doubts and fears, straight up to the throne of God; and though she may be outward bound with only griefs, and groans, and sighs, she shall return freighted with a wealth of blessings! C.H. SPURGEON
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. JAMES 5:13
f Holy Father God, I pray for those who are lost and in need of salvation. Grab hold of their hearts and draw them to you by the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me to witness to those I come in contact with including my family and friends. Make me to be a shining light in this dark world. IIn the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Brothers and sisters, let us not settle for prayerlessness and so settle for powerlessness. Let us throw aside our damning dependence on natural ability and human ingenuity, and let us plead for God to do in our churches and among the nations what only God can do. DAVID PLATT
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. JAMES 5:16
f Holy Father God, thank you for choosing me and for calling me to do something meaningful for You in the world. Use my life for Your glory and for the benefit of others. Help me not to depend on my own abilities but to depend on You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayerless leaders are like ship captains without compasses; they can make their best guess at which direction to go, but they have no assurance they are heading the right way. Prayer keeps leaders focused on the one absolutely consistent factor in life — God. HENRY T. BLACKABY AND RICHARD BLACKABY
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. MATTHEW 6:6
f Holy Father God, I praise You and thank You for all that You have done for me. Guide my life in the way You want me to go. Help me not to neglect prayer, Bible reading, and spending quiet time in Your presence. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
54
If you feel your life is too full, too chaotic, too messy to find time to pray, think again. You can not get anything meaningful done before praying. Actually you can simplify your life with prayer. When we leave our burdens to God we can get on with our life. Prayer will intensify our joy of living. MARI-ANNA FRANGÉN STLLNACKE
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. PSALM 5:2
f Holy Father God, thank You for being willing and ready to answer the prayers of Your children. Help me to grow in faith, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
55
God will either give you what you ask, or something far better. ROBERT MURRAY MCCHEYNE
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. PSALM 22:5
f Holy Father God, thank You for all that You are to me. Help me to submit my plans and will to You, not to place You behind everything, but to make You first and foremost in my life. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
56
If you find your life of prayer to be always so short, and so easy, and so spiritual, as to be without cost and strain and sweat to you, you may depend upon it, you have not yet begun to pray. ALEXANDER WHYTE
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. MATTHEW 26:41
f Holy Father God, deliver me from meaningless prayers and from saying things that don't come from my heart. Wash me and cleanse from the inside out of all hypocrisy and self-righteousness and make me more life You in every way. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
57
True prayer means being concerned about God’s will, not our own wants, and claiming God’s promises in the Word. WARREN WIERSBE
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. PSALM 99:6
f Holy Father God, today I choose to praise You and thank You for Your great goodness and faithfulness to me. Help me not to only praise You occasionally when everything is going well, but to be like Job and bless Your name even in the most difficult situations. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may do Your will. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
58
Just as in prayer it is not we who momentarily catch His attention, but He ours, so when we fail to hear His voice, it is not because He is not speaking so much as that we are not listening. We must recognize that all things are in God and that God is in all things, and we must learn to be very attentive, in order to bear God speaking in His ordinary tone without any special accent. CHARLES H. BRENT
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. ISAIAH 58:9
f Holy Father God, help me to be a blessing to others even as You have blessed me. I pray for my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my church family. Touch each of their lives in a special way and use us all for Your glory. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
59
Lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us. C.S. LEWIS
Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! JOB 6:8
f Holy Father God, thank You that we can follow the example of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and intercede for other people. Instead of judging, criticizing, and gossiping about others, help me to only open my mouth with words of prayer to You for them. Work in their hearts and make them to be the people You want them to be. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
60
Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear. F.B. MEYER
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14
f Holy Father God, thank You for the joy of prayer and the unlimited access that we have to Your throne. You are a great God and worthy of all adoration, reverence, and praise. When I am burdened in life, help me to remain in prayer to You until Your answer is clear. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
61
We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism. To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don’t hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God; quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Enlist! Pray! C.T. STUDD
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. LAMENTATIONS 3:41
f Holy Father God, deliver me from making excuses about prayer and from becoming stagnant in my faith. Thank You for the wonderful blessing of prayer, and after I have finished praying help me to be determined to act on the faith with which I pray. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
62
The power of prayer can never be overrated. They who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret. If a man can but pray he can do anything. He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer has Heaven and earth at his disposal. C.H. SPURGEON
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. PSALM 62:8
f Holy Father God, thank You that true victory comes from You and that I can overcome any difficult situation that I encounter because You already overcame this life on the cross. Help me to always remember the power that resides in me from You. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
63
Spread out your petitions before God, and then say, ‘Thy will, not mine, be done.’ The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me. D.L. MOODY
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 1 SAMUEL 1:15
f Holy Father God, help me to be like Hannah and to pour out my soul to You before taking my concerns to anyone else. Whatever I face, I know that You will hear me and You will deliver me. Give me peace and joy that overflows in my life. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
64
To strive in prayer means to struggle through those hindrances which would restrain or even prevent us entirely from continuing in persevering prayer. It means to be so watchful at all times that we can notice when we become slothful in prayer and that we go to the Spirit of prayer to have this remedied. In this struggle, too, the decisive factor is the Spirit of prayer. O. HALLESBY
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. GENESIS 12:8
f Holy Father God, I praise You and thank You for Your unconditional love for me and Your steadfast grace which I do not deserve. Help me to keep my mind and heart stayed upon You so that I will always have perfect peace. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
65
For Jesus, time alone with God was not an option... The gospel of Luke tells us that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.� This is precisely where you and I so often miss out on all that God has for us. Unlike Jesus, we attempt to live life in our own energy. We think we can keep giving out without getting replenished. Then, wearied and weakened by the demands of life and ministry, we become impatient and annoyed with the very ones God has sent us to serve.
NANCY LEIGH DEMOSS
Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. PSALM 116:4
f Holy Father God, forgive me of my sin of prayerlessness and for thinking that I can live this life on my own. Instead of shunning Your power in my life, help me to embrace it and to allow it to guide me in making good decisions. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
66
We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer. WESLEY DUEWEL
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. PSALM 34:6
f Holy Father God, I pray for missionaries around the world who are serving You faithfully. I pray that You would provide for their needs and bless them to see much good fruit from their labor. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
67
The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came... Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory. R.A. TORREY
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. JOHN 15:16
f Holy Father God, I pray for Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in You. I may not know what that is like, but You do. I pray that you would give these dear brothers and sisters strength and grace to stand firm in the face of such evil. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
68
To desire revival…and at the same time to neglect personal prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another. A.W. TOZER
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. MARK 1:35
f Holy Father God, as I go throughout life, deliver me from temptation. Help me to decide what I am going to do before temptation even comes my way and give me sweet victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
69
Pursuing prayer is prayer on a mission. It is diligent, fervent, constant, persevering, determined, and convinced. DAVID BRYANT
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. PSALM 80:18
f Holy Father God, I praise you and thank You for the life You have given me. Help me to see how much You are worthy of my life and of daily reverence and honor. Help me not to take You and Your blessings for granted. In Jesus' name. Amen.
70
Every other consideration and plan and emphasis is secondary to that of wielding the forces of prayer. JOHN R. MOTT
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ROMANS 8:15
f Holy Father God, rebuke and bind the devil and his demons from my life and from my family. Help me to be sober-minded and to arm myself daily with the whole armor that You provide. Deliver me from fear and help me to rest safely in the fact that greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
71
When I am praying the most eloquently, I am getting the least accomplished in my prayer life. But when I stop getting eloquent and give God less theology and shut up and just gaze upward and wait for God to speak to my heart, He speaks with such power that I have to grab a pencil and a notebook and take notes on what God is saying to my heart. A.W. TOZER
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. JUDE 1:20
f Holy Father God, speak to me as I pray. Help me to be open and willing to listen to Your voice and to obey what You tell me. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
72
For real business at the Mercy Seat give me a home-made prayer, a prayer that comes out of the depths of my heart, not because I invented it, but because God the Holy Ghost put it there and gave it such a living force that I could not help letting it out. JOHN R. RICE
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. PSALM 42:4
f Holy Father God, help me to realize that time spent alone with You is never wasted. Help me to cease living life my way and to start living it Your way, according to Your divine perfect will. I choose right now to surrender to You and from this point forward will do what You want me to do. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
73
To pray is the greatest thing we can do. True praying has the largest results for good; and poor praying, the least. E. M. BOUNDS
When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. PSALM 56:9
f Holy Father God, hallowed be Your name. Let Your will be done in the world as it is in heaven. Provide for my daily needs and desires. Deliver me from sin, evil, and temptation. Let my words be peaceful and my thoughts be positive. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
74
In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer. DICK EASTMAN
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? 1 THESSALONIANS 3:10
f Holy Father God, I am not perfect but You are. My faith gets weak sometimes, but I know You want me to have strong faith. Sometimes, I don't feel like praying, but I know it is best. Give me strength in the weak moments and power when I feel overwhelmed. Help me to rely on Your Holy Word and to be engaged in the matter of prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen.
75
Prayer is not given us as a burden to be borne or an irksome duty to fulfill, but to be a joy and power to which there is no limit. THE KNEELING CHRISTIAN
Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. NEHEMIAH 1:6
f
Holy Father God, forgive me of my sins, faults, and failures. Forgive me of the times I didn't listen to You or walk in Your way. Wash me afresh and anew from the inside out and help me to lean on You for strength. Keep me on the straight and narrow even when others around me are straying. I will give You glory for the good that comes out of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
76
Some say, pray and pray and don’t lean on the unspiritual work of human study. Others say, study and study because God is not going to tell you the meaning of a word in prayer. But the Bible will not have anything to do with this dichotomy. We must study and accurately handle the Word of God, and we must pray or we will not see in the Word the one thing needful, the glory of God in the face of Christ. JOHN PIPER
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. JOHN 15:7
f Holy Father God, Your Word says that whatever we ask for, it will be given to us. In faith, I believe that You are going to do for me what I ask in Your perfect time and way. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
77
The Spirit, when He prays through us, or helps us to meet the mighty “oughtness� of right praying, trims our praying down to the will of God. R.A.TORREY
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. PSALM 27:7
f Holy Father God, I lay my will aside for Your will to be done completely and fully in my life. Have mercy upon me for the times I tried to push my agenda through. Help me to be patience, to stop trying to make things happen, and to allow You to do the wonderful things that only You can do for me. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
78
Indefinite prayer is often a mere formality, and is insincere. Many people pray day after day for things that they do not really desire. JOHN R. RICE
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. JAMES 5:17
f Holy Father God, let my heart match my words and my words match my heart. Deliver me from meaningless words, praying for things out of duty instead of a desire to see them happen. Forgive me of wasting time in coming to you with heartless words. Help me to have strong faith in You and in Your power. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
79
Prayer is a humble act of declaring our dependence on God. KARL GRAUSTEIN
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. MATTHEW 6:7
f Holy Father God, deliver me from hypocrisy, show-boating, showing off, and trying to impress others. Help me to be humble and honest when I come to You and when I communicate with others. In Jesus' name. Amen.
80
If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God. E. STANLEY JONES
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. LUKE 21:36
f Holy Father God, when I wander out into the deep waters of life, thank You for being there to pull me back to shore. Instead of trying to change Your will to mine, help me to be humble and conform my will to Yours, for in doing so I know I will find peace, joy, and many blessings. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
81
Our sanctification does not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own. The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer. Prayer is nothing else but a sense of the presence of God. BROTHER LAWRENCE
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 PETER 4:7
f Holy Father God, help me to be sober and watchful throughout life. Help me not to watch without praying but to watch and pray. Thank you for being King of my life and help me to stay in Your presence everyday. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
82
Jesus Christ carries on intercession for us in heaven; the Holy Ghost carries on intercession in us on earth; and we the saints have to carry on intercession for all men. OSWALD CHAMBERS
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. PSALM 66:17
f Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the intercessory work that Jesus Christ is carrying out for me right now. I am glad that He is praying for me daily. Help me to be faithful in praying for others—believers and non-believers alike. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
83
God will answer your prayers better than you think. Of course, one will not always get exactly what he has asked for... We all have sorrows and disappointments, but one must never forget that, if commended to God, they will issue in good... His own solution is far better than any we could conceive. FANNY J. CROSBY
Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. PSALM 143:1
f Dear Lord, thank You for being a faithful God who hears and answers prayer. Help me to accept Your answers to my requests even if they are not the answers I desire. Please give me a spirit of contentment as I wait on You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
84
Sometimes a failure to persist in prayer proves that we were not serious about our request in the first place. At other times God wants us to persist in prayer in order to strengthen our faith in Him. Faith would never grow if all prayers were answered immediately. DONALD WHITNEY
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. ROMANS 12:12
f Holy Father God, please forgive me for sometimes being impatient with You. Thank You for the delays in answer to prayer. Help me to accept these delays as Your way of building patience in me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
85
Do not we rest in our day too much on the arm of flesh? Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Do not the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth still to show Himself strong on behalf of those who put their trust in Him? Oh that God would give me more practical faith in Him! Where is now the Lord God of Elijah? He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him. JAMES GILMOUR
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. ISAIAH 26:16
f Holy Father God, thank You for Your chastisement. Help me to learn from it, to not get bitter, but to get better, and to draw closer to You because of it. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
86
There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer. JONATHAN EDWARDS
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven. 1 KINGS 8:22
f Heavenly Father, please help me to be a good example for others. Help me to point others to You by my words and deeds. Use me to advance Your kingdom on earth this day. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
87
Prayer is the request for things befitting for God to give and for us to receive. JOHN DAMASCENE
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. PSALM 46:10
f Dear Lord, thank You for Your still, small voice in the midst of the storms of life. Help me to learn to be still and listen to You. Help me to get in tune with You and to stay in tune with You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
88
Prayer without study is presumption. Study without prayer is atheism. ROBERT SANDERSON
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. PSALM 95:6
f Holy Father God, I worship You simply for who You are. Thank You for creating me and giving me life. Help me to get to know You better through Your Holy Word and through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His wonderful name, Amen.
89
Effective prayer is prayer that attains what it seeks. It is prayer that moves God, effecting its end. CHARLES FINNEY
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed. LUKE 22:41
f Dear Lord, help me to be consistent in spending time with You. Help me to see the value of being in Your presence. Please give me clear vision and direction for this day and for the future. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
90
Prayer opens the heart to God, and it is the means by which the soul, though empty, is filled with God. JOHN BUNYAN
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 4:19
f Dear Lord, I thank You that I can benefit from a storehouse that never runs dry. Your provisions are more than enough. But, help me Lord to love You for who You are and not just for what You do. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
91
God’s command to “pray without ceasing” is founded on the necessity we have of His grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air. JOHN WESLEY
And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. MATTHEW 26:39
f Holy Father God, help me to seek Your will in every difficult situation that I face. If the way that You have set for me is hard, please give me the fortitude to persevere. Thank You for Your Son who willingly submitted to death on the cross so that I could be saved. In His name I pray. Amen.
92
The true spirit of prayer is no other than God’s own Spirit dwelling in the hearts of the saints. And as this spirit comes from God, so doth it naturally tend to God in holy breathings and pantings. It naturally leads to God, to converse with him by prayer. JONATHAN EDWARDS
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. JAMES 4:2
f Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in my heart. Help me to be sensitive to His work in my life. Help me not to try to do things my way, but to simply ask You and wait on You to deliver. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
93
The sweetest time of the day is when you pray. Why? Because you’re talking to the One who loves you the most! WENDY TREAT
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. PSALM 28:2
f Lord, today, I just want to thank You for loving me. And thank You for showing Your love for me over and over again, even when I don't deserve it. Give me Your grace to show Your love to others. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
94
Is it not worthwhile to be wholly and wholeheartedly yielded to Christ? The half-and-half Christian is of very little use either to God or man. God cannot use him, and man has no use for him, but considers him a hypocrite. One sin allowed in the life wrecks at once our usefulness and our joy, and robs prayer of its power. UNKNOWN
When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house. 1 KINGS 8:33
f Holy Father God, thank You for Your promise that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Please wash and cleanse me of every evil thought, word, deed, or attitude. Help me to be wholly committed to You -- to not be lukewarm, but to be on fire for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
95
Accustom yourself gradually to carry prayer into all your daily occupation — speak, act, work in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be. FRANÇOIS FÉNELON
It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people. JEREMIAH 36:7
f Dear Lord, thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for always being ready to draw me back to You when I sin. Help me not to abuse Your grace, but to live each day in a way that glorifies You and Your Son. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
96
I have found it helpful to begin my day by systematically reading the Bible and giving God the opportunity to direct my attention to certain truths. These truths become the springboard to begin speaking to the Lord. BILL THRASHER
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. EPHESIANS 3:20
f Heavenly Father, speak to me through Your Holy Word today. Help me to read it, meditate on it, and apply it to my life. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
97
To pray in Jesus' name simply means to pray in the will of God. JOHN R. RICE
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes. GENESIS 18:27
f Lord, I am grateful that every day I can speak to You—the Creator of the universe! Help me to never take that for granted. Thank You for being sovereign over my life and over everything that happens in the world. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
98
God answers knee mail. UNKNOWN
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. DANIEL 9:3
f Holy Father God, I ask for Your forgiveness for often grieving You in my thoughts, words, and deeds. Help me to see my sins as You see them, and help me to repent. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
99
The neglect of prayer proves, to my mind, that there is a large amount of practical infidelity. If the people believed that there was a real, existing, personal God, they would ask Him for what they wanted, and they would get what they asked. But they do not ask, because they do not believe or expect to receive. BROWNLOW NORTH
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. ACTS 13:3
f Holy Father God, thank You for the opportunity and privilege that it is to serve You. Thank You for all of those who have walked the way of service to You before—from the members of the first century church all the way down to today. Help me to learn from them and serve You faithfully. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen. 100
Prayer is the spirit speaking truth to Truth. PHILIP JAMES BAILEY
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. ISAIAH 65:24
f Holy Father God, I thank You even now for hearing my prayers. Help me not to trust my feelings, but to trust the truth of Your Holy Word. Your Word says that You hear and answer prayer. Help me to believe that and to live like I believe it. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
101
You can never lose at prayer. Prayer is the hard, grueling, military-style training needed to win the war of life. Without prayer, you have not the basic weaponry to fight, much less to win. UNKNOWN
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. ZECHARIAH 13:9
f Dear Lord, thank You for putting me through trials and tribulations in this life. I know that by Your doing so, I will become stronger in You. Help me to remember that many of Your servants went through difficult times and to follow their example by continuing to trust in You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
102
From heaven’s standpoint, all spiritual victories are won not primarily in the pulpit, not primarily in the klieg light of publicity, nor yet through the ostentatious blaring of trumpets, but in the secret place of prayer. PAUL E. BILLHEIMER
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. EPHESIANS 3:14
f Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing me to see another day. I know I do not deserve even this blessing from Your hand. Help me not to waste the time that You have given me, but to get busy serving You and accomplishing the tasks that You have laid out for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
103
Make a determined effort to pray when you feel like complaining. Complaining only raises stress. Prayer quiets our thoughts and emotions. SERITA JAKES
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. PSALM 116:2
f Dear Lord, I know that I may not have all that I want, but I have all that I need in You. Help me to realize this and to be content. Forgive me of my sin of complaining. Help me to count my blessings each and every day. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
104
Whether you know it or not, when you pray, you are believing God for a miracle. What you pray is determined by what you believe. UNKNOWN
The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. PROVERBS 15:29
f Holy Father God, thank You for the miracles that You have worked in my life and thank You for the favor that You have shown to me. I do not want to lose Your blessings, so please help me to stay in communion with You by being obedient to You. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
105
Prayer is faith passing into action. RICHARD CECIL
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. MARK 9:28-29
f Dear Lord, I pray that You would lead me and guide me regarding any situations in my life that I need to fast about. If I do go on a fast, help me to be content to be sustained by You alone. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
106
Prayer is a lifestyle, not an emergency exit. JONI LAMB
LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. PSALM 10:17
f Holy Father God, please prepare my heart to hear, receive, understand, and obey Your Holy Word. Help me to heed biblical advice so that I can avoid trouble in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
107
Perfect prayer is only another name for love. FRANCOIS FENELON
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. 1 JOHN 5:14
f Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me perfectly. Please increase my faith in You. Help me to believe You for big things in my life, in my family, in my church, and in my country. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
108
A day without prayer is a day we foolishly believe we have under control. LECRAE
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 JOHN 3:21-22
f Holy Father God, thank You for passing down Your commandments to us in Your Holy Word. Help me to keep Your commandments, and help me to do only those things that are pleasing to You. Help me not to fall into the trap of believing that I have everything under control, because I do not. Today, I relinquish all control to You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
109
In every circumstance of life, prayer is the most natural out-pouring of the soul, the unhindered turning to God for communion and direction. Whether in sorrow or in joy, in defeat or in victory, in health or in weakness, in calamity or in success, the heart leaps to meet with God just as a child runs to his mother’s arms, ever sure that with her is the sympathy that meets every need. JOHN R. RICE
If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty JOB 8:5
f Holy Father God, help me to be consistent in prayer. Help me to seek You time and time again. Help me to resist Satan's urgings to give up on prayer. Thank You for hearing me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
110
I am one who believes that with God nothing is hopeless — that all things are possible through prayer. CHARLES L. ALLEN
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. PSALM 27:8
f Dear God, I pray that You would open the blinded eyes of those around me. Help many people to turn to You and to seek Your face. Please use me in anyway You see fit to bring this about. In the holy name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
111
When a man has done all he can do, still there is a mighty, mysterious agency over which he needs influence to secure success. The one way he can reach it is by prayer. RUSSEL H. CONWELL
And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 2 CHRONICLES 32:20
f Heavenly Father, I admit that often I come to my wits' end. Some situations that I face are too heavy for me to bear. So, Lord, I place those concerns in Your hands today. Please resolve them as You see fit. And help me not to turn to others or to trust in myself for the resolving of my problems. Help me to trust You alone. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
112
The potency of prayer hath subdued the strength of fire; it hath bridled the rage of lions, hushed the anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-efficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings.
CHRYSOSTOM
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. 2 CHRONICLES 30:27
f Holy Father God, I pray that You would send a revival of prayer to Your church. Help us to see the necessity and the blessing of prayer. Help us to pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray. I ask this in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
113
To have God speak to the heart is a majestic experience, an experience that people may miss if they monopolize the conversation and never pause to hear God’s responses. CHARLES STANLEY
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth. ACTS 9:11
f Dear Lord, help me to listen just as much as I speak during prayer. Help me to be sensitive to Your voice and to Your direction in my life. Help me also to listen to those Godly ministers and authorities that You have placed over me. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
114
No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me. C.H. SPURGEON
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. MATTHEW 21:22
f Holy Father God, thank You for the promises in Your Holy Word which help me to see the importance of prayer. Thank You for the people in my life who pray for me. Help me to be conistent in praying for others. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
115
The idea that everything would happen exactly as it does regardless of whether we pray or not is a specter that haunts the minds of many who sincerely profess belief in God. It makes prayer psychologically impossible, replacing it with dead ritual at best. DAVID BRAINERD
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. JAMES 1:6
f Holy Father God, thank You for being an awesome God, and thank You for the privilege and opportunity of prayer. Help me to pray, in faith, trusting You for that which I desire. Lord, You say if we have faith as a mustard seed, You will perform that which we ask. Help me to have that mustard seed faith. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Anything you have a right to want, you have a right to pray for. If you do not have a right to pray for it, then it is wrong to want it. About any particular matter, the Christian ought to ask for what he wants, or quit wanting it. JOHN R. RICE
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. JEREMIAH 29:13
f Holy Father God, thank You that I can come before Your throne of grace and make my wants and my needs known to You. Thank You for the assurance from Your Word that if I seek You with all my heart I will find You. Help me to seek You with all my heart. In Jesus' name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
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To be much for God, we must be much with God. Jesus, that lone figure in the wilderness, knew strong crying, along with tears. Can one be moved with compassion and not know tears? Jeremiah was a sobbing saint. Jesus wept! So did Paul. So did John. Though there are some tearful intercessors behind the scenes, I grant you that to our modern Christianity, praying is foreign. LEONARD RAVENHILL
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. PSALM 18:3
f Dear God, You have called us as Christians to be intercessors for others. Help me to faithfully intercede for the unsaved as well as for fellow Christians even as Your Son, Jesus Christ, is now sitting at Your right hand interceding for me. Help me to become a tearful intercessor even as Jesus looked over the crowd and wept with compassion. Thank You for being our example. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees. PHILIP HENRY
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. PSALM 119:145
f Holy Father God, I praise You and I thank You for Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins. I pray that You would deliver me from those sins I keep doing over and over again. Help me, by Your Holy Spirit's power, to resist the devil and to draw nigh to You through prayer. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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He has told us to pray, ‘Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.’ And if we have ever prayed that prayer and meant it — even once — we have ourselves shut the door on thousands of things for which we might foolishly ask. TOM WELLS
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. PSALM 86:7
f Dear God, thank You for the assurance that You will hear my prayers, and not only hear them, but You will answer them. I pray now for Your will to be done in my life. Help me to conform my will to Your will. In Jesus Christ's name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
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Perhaps you will have to spend hours on your knees or upon your face before the throne. Never mind. Wait. God will do great things for you if you will wait for Him. Yield to Him. Cooperate with Him. JOHN SMITH
And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 2 CHRONICLES 33:12
f Holy Father God, help me to always come before Your throne as humble as I know how realizing that You are an awesome God. Help me never to be in a hurry, but just to enjoy being in Your presence. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Man’s access in prayer to God opens everything, and makes his impoverishment his wealth. E.M. BOUNDS
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. MATTHEW 26:36
f Holy Father God, thank You for Jesus Christ our example in prayer. Just as Jesus went off by Himself to pray, help me to follow His example and go into my secret closet of prayer—just You and me. I count it an honor to come into Your presence. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
122
We sometimes fear to bring our troubles to God, because they must seem small to Him who sitteth on the circle of the earth. But if they are large enough to vex and endanger our welfare, they are large enough to touch His heart of love. R.A. TORREY
Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. PSALM 102:2
f Holy Father God, please deliver me from the trouble that I am in because of my own sin. Please forgive me for sinning against You. Thank You that I can come before You seeking Your forgiveness of my sins knowing that You are waiting to forgive me. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer keeps on knocking till the door opens. UNKNOWN
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. JAMES 4:8
f Heavenly Father God, glorious is Your name. Help me never to give up in prayer, but to pray always. Help me to also draw closer to You through prayer. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
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We may never be put behind bars like Jeremiah was, but God will put us in circumstances and situations in order to teach us how to talk with Him. CHARLES STANLEY
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 1 TIMOTHY 5:5
f Heavenly Father, help me to pray in faith. Help me to also be persistent in prayer and to pray day and night without ceasing. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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No erudition, no purity of diction, no width of mental outlook, no flowers of eloquence, no grace of person can atone for lack of fire. Prayer ascends by fire. Flame gives prayer access as well as wings, acceptance as well as energy. There is no incense without fire; no prayer without flame. E.M. BOUNDS
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. PROVERBS 28:9
f Holy Father God, help me to live a life of obedience so that my prayers will be heard. You said in Your Word that if I regard iniquity in my heart You will not hear me; so, Lord, help me to stay away from sin, and when I do sin, help me to immediately confess it and turn away from it. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Begin to live as though your prayers are already answered. ANTHONY ROBBINS
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. 1 SAMUEL 12:23
f Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege, honor, and opportunity to pray for others. Help me never to let a day go by wherein I do not pray for another person. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
127
Groanings that can’t be uttered are often prayers that can’t be refused. PHILLIPS BROOKS
I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. PSALM 118:5
f Holy Father God, I just want to thank You for being there when I need You. Thank You that like the Psalmist I can call out to You knowing that You will answer me. I give You all the glory, praise, and honor for that. In Jesus' name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
128
It is impossible to live the life of a disciple without definite times of secret prayer. You will find that the place to enter in is in your business, as you walk along the streets, in the ordinary ways of life, when no one dreams you are praying, and the reward comes openly, a revival here, a blessing there. OSWALD CHAMBERS
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. LUKE 22:46
f Heavenly Father, I pray this day that You would deliver me from all temptation, evil, and sin. Deliver me from walking in the flesh and from giving place to the devil. Help me instead to resist the devil so that he will flee from me. Lord, please go before me and remove all the satanic and demonic forces that may work against me this day. I plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
129
Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure. D. L. MOODY
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. ACTS 6:4
f Dear God, help me to see prayer as my main work while here on this earth. Help me to do nothing without bringing it before You in prayer. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
130
No matter where we are, Jesus is only a prayer away. UNKNOWN
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. DANIEL 9:18
f Holy Father God, please hear and answer my prayers this day, not for my sake, but so Your name can be lifted up and glorified in the end. Whatever I do, help me to do it to draw all men unto You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
131
Curtis Hutson tells the story: One of Napoleon’s soldiers made an unbelievable request. The other soldiers laughed at him. “You’'ll never get it. You’ve asked for too much.” But to their surprise, Napoleon called the soldier in and said, “You have honored me by the magnitude of your request. It shall be granted.”
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. JAMES 4:10
f Heavenly Father God, help me to come before You with a humble heart, spirit, and attitude. Deliver me from pride and from thinking more of myself than I really am. Help me to lift You up instead for You are worthy to be lifted up. In Jesus' name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
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The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer. E.M. BOUNDS
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ACTS 9:40
f Heavenly Father, You said in Your Word that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Help me to practice righteousness so I can pray effective prayers— prayers that will achieve much. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The greatest answer to prayer is that I am brought into a perfect understanding with God, and that alters my view of actual things. OSWALD CHAMBERS
Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us. HOSEA 12:4
f Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me an opportunity to pray to you. Help me to remember that I can only prevail when I surrender to you. Just as you blessed Jacob in Bethel, I pray that you would bless my life. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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You can pray anywhere because anywhere you are, God is there. UNKNOWN
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. JOHN 16:24
f Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are always by my side. Whenever I need strength or guidance, I know I can call on You. Thank You that when I come before You in the name of your Son, I have infinite access to Your heart. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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When God is about to bestow some great blessing on His church, it is often His manner, in the first place, so to order things in His providence as to show His church their great need of it, and to bring them into distress for want of it, and so put them upon crying earnestly to Him for it. JONATHAN EDWARDS
Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 CHRONICLES 7:1
f Heavenly Father, make me aware every moment of every day that I am in need of You. Thank You that I don't have to go through life on my own. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Prayer is the natural duty of a creature to its creator. C.H. SPURGEON
And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. LUKE 9:28
f Heavenly Father, help me to pray as Your Son prayed when He was here on earth. If He needed to pray to You, I know for certain that I cannot live without You. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
137
To be guilty of the sin of prayerlessness is to be guilty of the worst form of practical atheism. It is actually saying we can get along without His help while the evidence is very clear on every hand that we cannot. Could it be that the sin of prayerlessness stems from our unbelief that He is a living God who exercises direct influence on the affairs of men? WILL BRUCE
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. HEBREWS 7:25
f Heavenly Father, thank You that no one is too far gone for You to save. I thank You that You can save forever and that my salvation is secure. I am humbled to know that Jesus lives to make intercession for me. Teach me to be quiet before You and to listen to Your voice. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Once a poor soul entered the school of prayer after his arrival in hell. He asked for relief from his agony; it was refused. He asked that a beggar warn his brothers; he was turned down. He was praying to Abraham, a man; he could not locate God. He dared not ask to get out; he plainly knew that he was beyond all hope. Prayerless on earth, unanswered in hell, he suffers on as the man who tried to learn to pray too late. CAMERON V. THOMPSON
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. MATTHEW 18:19
f Heavenly Father, I pray that I would not only come to You when I am in trouble. Help me not to be a prayerless soul on earth but to stay in constant contact with You. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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As a sound may dislodge an avalanche, so the prayer of faith sets in motion the power of God. LETTIE COWMAN
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. MATTHEW 26:36
f Heavenly Father, help me to make time to pray to You each day. Even above the things I request, have Your divine will to be fulfilled in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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But have we Holy Ghost power – power that restricts the devil's power, pulls down strongholds and obtains promises? Daring delinquents will be damned if they are not delivered from the devil's dominion. What has hell to fear other than a God-anointed, prayer-powered church? LEONARD RAVENHILL
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 JOHN 5:15
f Heavenly Father, thank You that You hear my prayers. I am powerless on my own; but in Christ alone I know I can tap into all the power I will ever need by talking to You. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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God’s program for reviving His people is definite and clear. First Elijah 'repaired the altar of Jehovah that was thrown down.' That is the place to begin. All the ruin that sin has wrought must be cleared away by confession. Things must be made right with God; restitution must be made where it is due. Unless this is done definitely and thoroughly, prayer for reviving is vain... Too many are praying today without repairing the altar by confession of sin, without digging a trench of separation from the world and without a surrender that is even unto death. No wonder such prayer is fruitless.
ANDREW GIH
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. LUKE 22:31-32
f Heavenly Father, forgive me of all the ways I have sinned against You. Help me to repent of my sins so my prayers will not be fruitless. Work on me until my heart is clean and more like Yours. Strengthen my faith. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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We learn to pray by praying. THOMAS S. MONSON
And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. MARK 11:17
f Heavenly Father, sometimes I have so much to do, I am tired, and I don't feel like talking to You. Help me to pray anyway. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The more helpless you are, the better you are fitted to pray, and the more answers to prayer you will experience. O. HALLESBY
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. MICAH 7:7
f Heavenly Father, thank You that Your power is made perfect in weakness and that Your grace is sufficient for me. Since that is the case, help me to look to You for all that I need. I know You will hear me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. UNKNOWN
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 1 PETER 3:12
f Heavenly Father, help me to turn away from evil and to do good. Keep me away from temptation and keep my feet steadily moving on the straight and narrow path. I know Your eyes are on me and Your ears are open to me. Pour out your blessings. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Without extended, concentrated prayer, the ministry of the Word withers. And when the ministry of the Word declines, faith and holiness decline. Activity may continue, but life and power and fruitfulness fade away. Therefore, whatever opposes prayer opposes the whole work of ministry. JOHN PIPER
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. JAMES 4:8
f Heavenly Father, when I feel far away from You, help me to remember that it was not You who moved, but me. I am coming back to You now. Forgive me and have mercy on my heart that is prone to wander. Help me to submit myself to Your will and draw close to You each day, so that You will draw close to me. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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Nothing you can do will benefit you more than prayer. PAUL Y. CHO
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. JONAH 2:7
f Heavenly Father, thank You for the power that is in prayer. Help me never to forget that the greatest thing I can do is pray. In the glorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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I’ve discovered it is not sufficient simply to try to take time for quietness but that I must, with all diligence, make time. Whatever keeps me from prayer, solitude, and the Bible, however good it appears, is my enemy if I am to be God’s devoted friend and follower. TOMMY BARNETT
And there was one Anna, a prophetess...And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. LUKE 2:36-37
f Heavenly Father, You never tire of hearing my requests. I pray I would never tire of talking to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him. GORDON B. HINCKLEY
Brethren, pray for us. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:25
f Heavenly Father, give me a heart to pray not only for myself, but also for others. I pray for my family members, friends, co-workers, and those in authority over me. Be near each and every one of us and bring us all into Your kingdom. In the holy name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You’ll feel more patient and less pressured. RICK WARREN
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. LUKE 6:12
f Heavenly Father, help me to be patient and wait for You to answer my prayers. I know You will answer them, because You hear them. When I feel like giving up, help me to pray on. I thank You in advance for the blessings that are already on the way. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
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In the quiet hours, in the heat of battle, and through the hazards of the day; in times of temptation, of sorrow, of peace and of blessing, let us pray always, both alone, and with our families gathered around us, with gratitude for the blessings of life, for understanding of its problems, and for strength to endure to the end. HEBER J. GRANT
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. COLOSSIANS 1:9
f Heavenly Father, thank You for all the blessings of life—big and small. Give me understanding when problems arise and give me strength to endure until Jesus Christ returns for me. In His glorious name I pray. Amen.
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Ideas, Thoughts, and Resources to Motivate You to be the Prayer Warrior that God Wants You to Be
f 1. Great Books on Prayer
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2. Websites to Encourage You on Your Prayer Journey 157 3. Do You Need Prayer? Want to Join a Prayer Group? 159 4. How My Family and I Pray
161
5. Developing a Prayer List to Enhance Your Prayer Life 167 6. National Day of Prayer / Global Day of Prayer 169 7. The Most Important Step to Beginning a Powerful Prayer Life 171
Great Books on Prayer f
1. The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer: Experience the Wonders of God through Prayer, by E. M. Bounds 2. Prayer: Asking & Receiving, by John R. Rice 3. Prayer: A Holy Occupation, by Oswald Chambers 4. The Power of a Praying Church: Experiencing God Move as We Pray Together, by Stormie Omartian and Jack Hayford 5. Prayer, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon 6. Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders, by Dave Earley 7. The Power of Simple Prayer: How to Talk with God about Everything, by Joyce Meyer 8. Intercessory Prayer: How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth, by Dutch Sheets 9. Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer: Earthly License for Heavenly Interference, by Myles Munroe 10. Never to Leave Us Alone: The Prayer Life of Martin Luther King Jr., by Lewis V. Baldwin 11. Prayer: The Great Adventure, by David Jeremiah 12. Quiet Talks on Prayer by S.D. Gordon 13. Tony Evans Speaks on Prayer, by Tony Evans 14. A Praying Time, by Daniel Whyte III 15. Prayers That Bring Change: Power-Filled Prayers That Give 155
Hope, Heal Your Relationships, Bring Financial Freedom, and More! by Kimberly Daniels 16. Praying with the Kings, by Elmer Towns 17. The Ministry of Intercession: a Plea for More Prayer, by Andrew Murray 18. Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to be with God, by Bill Hybels 19. Praying the Lord's Prayer for Spiritual Breakthrough, by Elmer Towns 20. When Man Began to Pray (Praying Through the Bible Series, Volume 1), by Daniel Whyte III 21. When God Has to Get Your Attention (Praying Through the Bible Series, Volume 2), by Daniel Whyte III 22. What if God’s People Stopped Playing and Started Praying? (Praying Through the Bible Series, Volume 3), by Daniel Whyte III
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Websites to Encourage You on Your Prayer Journey f 1. www.PrayingScriptures.com 2. www.Pray-Today.com 3. www.StoptoPray.org 4. www.Prayer.org 5. www.Crosswalk.com/prayer 6. www.PrayerMotivatorDevotional.com 7. www.HarvestPrayer.com 8. www.AllAboutPrayer.org 9. www.CHOPMinistry.net 10. www.CCEL.org/ccel/bounds 11. www.PrayingThroughtheBible.com 12. www.InstaPray.com
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Do You Need Prayer? Want to Join a Prayer Group? f 1. www.GospelLightSociety.com 2. www.PrayerMD.com 3. www.GlobalDayofPrayer.com 4. www.NationalDayofPrayer.org 5. www.CBN.com/SpiritualLife/prayerandcounseling 6. www.Daystar.com/prayer 7. www.24-7Prayer.com 8. www.WorldPrayerTeam.org 9. www.ChristianPrayerCenter.com 10. www.PrayerChain.org 11. www.MissionariesofPrayer.org 12. www.InTouch.org/prayer-request-form
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How My Family and I Pray f If there ever was a time for families to pray together, that time is now. For over twenty-six years, my wife, children, and I have prayed together every morning and every night. From the time my seven children were conceived, they have not known a time when they have not heard or seen their father praying with them and for them. I believe that praying together as a family is one of the most powerful things on earth and is the foundation upon which to build a Godly and solid family. Below is a brief delineation of how my family and I pray each morning. We pray in a lighter fashion in the evening. Some people used to call what we do the family altar. We see it as a daily church prayer meeting. First, we open our prayer time by thanking God for the many and manifold blessings that He has bestowed upon us. Second, we confess our sins, failures, and faults, and ask God to forgive us, to cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness, and to create within us a right spirit. Third, we ask God to provide for our needs of that day or week. Fourth, we ask God to lead, guide, and direct us throughout the day. Of course, we pray other things as well. Then, we sing the “Doxology” and “Gloria Patri.” We read Ephesians chapters five and six because they deal with putting on the whole armor of God for the day and also remind us of our roles and responsibilities in the family. The words of the “Doxology” are below: 161
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The words to “Gloria Patri” are below: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. We also systematically read other passages of Scripture. From time to time, we go around and have each child to quote a Bible verse and sometimes a Christian poem. Sometimes we sing short choruses especially for the little children. A few of them are: “The B-I-B-L-E,” “Jesus Loves Me,” “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” and “There Is Something About that Name.” Then, we pray The Lord’s Prayer. The words to The Lord’s Prayer are below: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Then we say The Apostles’ Creed (with a little modification). The words to The Apostles’ Creed are below: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen. Following this, we have a prayer list that includes all of our ministry work, family obligations, and the names of people we pray for from all over the world. We simply split the
prayer list up among ourselves and pray for the needs of these people who have requested that we pray for them. Finally, we sing a hymn or several hymns as we close out our prayer time together. One of our favorite hymns that we sing is “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” The words to “Sweet Hour of Prayer” are below: Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Father’s throne Make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief And oft escaped the tempter’s snare By thy return, sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! The joys I feel, the bliss I share, Of those whose anxious spirits burn With strong desires for thy return! With such I hasten to the place Where God my Savior shows His face, And gladly take my station there, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! Thy wings shall my petition bear To Him whose truth and faithfulness Engage the waiting soul to bless. And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! May I thy consolation share, Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height, I view my home and take my flight: This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise To seize the everlasting prize; And shout, while passing through the air, “Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”
Developing a Prayer List to Enhance Your Prayer Life f Most people have good intentions when they kneel to pray, but oftentimes, our prayers end up sounding like this: “Dear God, bless me today. Bless my mom. Bless my family and friends...uh...Amen.” We know there are other things we need to pray for, and there are other requests we need to lift before God, but somehow we forget them when the time comes to pray. As C.S. Lewis writes in The Screwtape Letters, “It is funny how mortals always picture us [demons] as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” As Christians, we may want to pray, and at least know that we need to pray, but living in a fast-paced world with many distractions can keep us back from praying or hinder our prayer time by causing us to temporarily forget what we intended to pray for. Fortunately there is an antidote to this feeble human tendency. Putting together a prayer list will help you in praying effectively and praying specifically for the people and needs in your life and the lives of others. Below are some pointers on creating a prayer list that will greatly enhance your prayer life. Please keep in mind that this prayer list should not be read verbatim, where you pray exactly what is on the list. Rather, you should use this as a guide to help you go in the right direction with your prayer. 167
1. Create a running list of blessings and answered prayers. This will help to remind you of what God has done for you in the past. 2. Create a list of your family members, close and extended, that you commit to praying for everyday. Remember to record specific needs for each family member. 3. Create a list of close friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. 4. Pray for your pastor, church leaders, missionaries, and other Christian ministries that you are involved in. 5. Pray for the president, governmental officials, people who are suffering from natural disasters, etc. 6. Create a list of people you know who do not know God and pray for their salvation. To keep our prayer list in order, at first, we bought some notebook binders, punched holes in the pages, and placed the growing prayer list in the notebook binders. Now, we keep our prayer list online via Google Documents so that we can update it at will and not have to print out a new prayer list everytime we make additions to it. This has worked well for us.
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National Day of Prayer Global Day of Prayer f The National Day of Prayer is in May of every year. We encourage you to participate. MISSION: The National Day of Prayer Task Force’s mission is to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church, and Family.
The Global Day of Prayer is in June of every year. We encourage you to participate. MISSION: To call Christians from all Nations to: Unite in repentance and prayer, and work together as God’s servants for the blessing and healing of the Nations. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
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The Most Important Step to Beginning a Powerful Prayer Life f
Before one begins a powerful prayer life, he must first establish the proper relationship with the One to whom he will be praying. The Bible tells us that we should pray to the Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world and He came to Earth to deliver us from our sins and the punishment of sin. If you are reading this book and do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, please read the following to find out how you can begin a real, personal relationship with Jesus Christ today: 1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death...” 3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather 171
fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” 4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself ! The Bible states in Ephesians 2:8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” 5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in Romans 10:9 and 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 7. If you are willing to trust Christ as your Saviour 172
please pray with me the following prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have sinned against you. For Jesus Christ’s sake, please forgive me of all of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again for me. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart, save my soul, change my life, and fill me with your Holy Spirit today and forever. Amen. If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to www.GospelLightSociety.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door.” Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” May God bless you as you begin your new life with Him.
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