A Study On Prayer

           A  STUDY ON PRAYER

By Jerry Akpolagha

                             

                                                                                                     Sept 2016

DEDICATION

This research work is dedicated to my unborn children, as I build my foundation and continue to grow and advance in the service of God my heavenly father, I pray that your lives and the lives of my children’s children even to the third generation be a light and blessing to the world and be of service to God in line with his word in Isaiah 59:21.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My profound gratitude goes to God Almighty and my Saviour Jesus Christ for the salvation of my Soul, and giving me the grace to complete my foundation school.
I sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude to my daddy in the Lord Pastor David Wale Feso for this wonderful platform, building soldiers for Christ, armoring them with the word which is the greatest weapon and the move of the Spirit in a very powerful way amongst us. And for all his powerful teachings which is always special and a blessing to lives. Am also grateful to the family of Mr. & Mrs. Tangi Samuel who gave me shelter and show me love, also giving me support and encouragement.
I thank my brother Perebodor Paul and Sister Tarila Blessing and all my other siblings wherever they are. My sincere gratitude goes to lecturers for their profound positive influence and knowledge they have impacted on my life spiritually and otherwise, Pastor Tari, Pastor Doke, Pastor Azazi, Pastor Femi Feso, Bro Fems. As my lectures they deserve more gratitude from me than credit expressed here, I pray the God Almighty would bless and reward them, feel them with more wisdom and revelation in the service of God and their lives.
I also wish to appreciate all members of the  New sound choir in the church and the entire members of the Charismatic Renaissance International church Incorporated, may God Almighty bless and keep you all in love and peace in Jesus name, Amen.

ABSTRACT

This study is centered around “PRAYER” What it means, its importance to the lives of Christians, how to use it and get desired results. The study also tries to expanciate to get indebt knowledge of word prayer with scriptures to back it and books which are related to prayer up to four (4) books from different authors were used to develop this topic to give a sound and precise knowledge to its reader (s). The study gives a definite idea of prayer ingredients to answered prayers, kinds of prayers, why we pray, the roles of prayers, its impact etc. The importance of prayer cannot be overlooked especially in the life of a Christian because a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian, even Jesus who is God himself prays.  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND
WHAT IS PRAYER?
The word prayer in Greek simply means supplication, petition, request entreaty etc made to God. Therefore, we can define prayer as making demands on God based on His promises.
Your revelation of God is what determines your confidence in prayer in other words; your view of God is what determines your confidence in prayer. How do you get revelation of God? God and His character is revealed to us in the Bible. So when you study the bible, you will become acquainted with God and His character. God’s character revealed to us in the Bible shows us that God is a good God. Jesus said in Mark 10:18 “there is none good but one, that is, God”.
Jesus said in John 16:23-24, “And in that day, ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, He will give to you. Either to have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

OTHER DEFINITIONS OF PRAYER
Prayer is a verbal request or demand made to God based on His word with His promise to meet that need. Psalm 65:2, Luke 11:2, Psalm 5:3, James 4:2-3, James 1:5, Jere 33:3.
Prayer is defined as, inviting God to intervene in the affairs of men. Isaiah 45:11
Prayer is partnering with God, to bring his plans to pass Jere 29:11-13.
Prayer is a man’s need crying out to God with the aim of purpose to meet it.

PRAYER IS PETITION
We get this idea mainly from the original Biblical words translated for us as ‘Prayer’ from Greek and Hebrew words (three Hebrew and eight Greek words) indicates that prayer is petition – asking God for something. It is an expression of a wish or desire; Christian prayer is an expression of wish or desire to God. We see particularly in the following Greek words: euchomai (to pray to God, to wish for), deomai (to desire, to want, to ask and to beg), and deesis (a wanting, a needing, then an asking, entreaty and supplication).
Here we see in these words that desire comes first and then we express that desire with a request I order to receive from God what we desire. That is the nature of petitionary prayer – pretty simple. But another thing to remember is that in the prayer the desire must come from God. We see this illustrated in Mathew 9:36-38.
Jesus after seeing the weary and scattered multitudes (likes sheep without a shepherd), was moved with compassion for them, and therefore urged His disciples to pray to God (the Lord of the harvest) to send out Labourers into His harvest. Here Jesus perceived that more Labourers were needed to minister to the needs of the great multitudes.
So Jesus having great desire and compassion to meet the needs of all the people, urged His disciples to pray for more Labourers.
So just as the desire of the disciples to pray for labourers was urged upon them and transferred to them by Jesus, our prayers to the Father must be urged upon us by Jesus. Thus our desire in prayer must first be his desire.

CHAPTER 2

2.1         ESSENCE OF PRAYER
“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18)

“First of all, then, I urged that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone …” (1 Tim 2:1)
Prayer is not simply what Christians do from time to time, but as the very essence of Christian life. As its hearts, prayer is walking with God. Prayer is an ongoing dialogue with God that characterizes a life lived in vital relationship to God. Through Jesus Christ, we have access to God the Father and live our lives as an ongoing experience of God’s presence with us. God speaks to us in scriptures and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; we speak to God in prayer. In its essence, prayer is communion with God.

2.2         WHAT DO WE MEAN BY PRAYER?

Majority of Christians would say, ‘Prayer is asking things form God’ but surely prayer is much more than merely getting God to run our errands for us; as someone puts it. It is a higher thing than the beggar knocking at the rich man’s door.

The word ‘Prayer’ really means a wish directed towards; that is, towards God Himself, for with Him we get all we need. Prayer is simply the turning of the soul to God. David describes it as the lifting up of the living soul to the living soul. What a beautiful description of prayer that is! When desire the Lord Jesus to behold our souls, we also desire that the beauty of holiness may be upon us.
When we lift up our souls to God in prayer, it gives God an opportunity to do what He wills in us and with us. It is putting ourselves at Gods disposal. God is always on our side. When (someone) prays, it is God’s opportunity. The poet says:

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

“Prayer says and old Jewish mystic is the moment when heaven and earth kiss each other”
“Prayer, then, is certainly not persuading God to do what we want God to do. It is not bending the will of a reluctant God to our wills; it does not charge His purpose, although it may release His power. We must not conceive of prayer as overcoming God’s reluctance; says Archbishop Trench, but as laying hold of His highest willingness,
For God always purpose our greatest good, even the prayer offered in ignorance and blindness cannot swerve Him from that, although when we persistently pray for some harmful thing, our willfulness may bring it about, and we suffer accordingly. ‘He gave them their request says the Psalmist, but sent leanness into their soul’ (Psalms 116:15). They brought this leanness upon themselves. They were cursed with the burden of a granted prayer.
“Prayer in the minds of some people is only for emergencies! Danger threatens, sickness comes, things are lacking, difficulties arise – then they pray”
Prayer is, however, much more than merely asking God for something; although that is a very valuable part of prayer if only because it reminds us of our utter dependence upon God. It is also communion with God – Intercourse with God – talking with (not only to) God. We get to know God in like manner.
The highest result of prayer is not deliverance from evil or the securing of some coveted thing, but knowledge of God. ‘And this life is eternal, that they should know thee, the only true God’ (John 17:3) yes, Prayer discovers ignore of God, and that is the soul’s greatest discovery. Men still cry out. O that I know where I might find him that I might come even to His seat (Job 23:3).

CHAPTER 3

3.1        VARIOUS DESCRIPTIONS OF PRAYER
Below are nine (9) description of prayer by various authors

Prayer is Asking and Receiving.
According to E.M. Bounds, “Prayer is the child’s cry callings to the child for the Father’s ear …. Prayer is the seeking of God’s greatest good, which will not come if we do not pray.
Mathew 7:7-8 says, “Asking and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you.”
Again E.M Bounds writes, “Prayer is asking, seeking and knocking at door for something we have not, which we desire, and which God has promised to us…… Prayer is voice of need crying out to Him who is inexhaustible in resources. Prayer is helplessness reposing with child-like confidence in the word of its father in heaven.”
Thus prayer is asking because we are as a needy child, and it is receiving because He is our father and so willing to supply our need.

Prayer is Approaching God’s Time
According to spurgeon, “True prayer is an approach of the soul by the spirit of God to the throne of God”. I would say it this way; it is the approach of the Holy Spirit in our soul that drives us to the throne.
Again spurgeon writes, “True prayer is a spiritual business from beginning to end, and its aim and object end not with man to God Himself” yes we enter into the courts of heaven to do business, spiritual business with God. Thus prayer should be regarded as spiritual business meeting in the heavenly places with God. But we go there not alone. The Holy Spirit goes there with us. He has invited us there, where a prayer-business meeting has been going on for 2000 years. Says Thompson, who wrote a little book entitled, Master secrets of Prayer: “(Prayer) is a tuning in on the glory above, thunderous, tow-thousand-year-old prayer meeting going on in the glory above”  there we join Jesus and the Holy spirit along with all the saints gathered around the throne of God.

Prayer is our Service due Him.
According to E.M Bounds, “Prayer is not a duty which must be performed, to ease obligation and quit conscience …. (It is rather) a solemn service due to God, an adoration a worship and to gain answers, it is also to please God, to render our service to Him in honour of His name, which is due him. And our greatest service in prayer is our faith when we pray with faith, we pray with a spirit of thankfulness to God for the sacrifice of His son; hence, we pray believing in Him, with a desire to do His will.

Prayer is letting Jesus come into us and Heal us.
According to O Halleby,
Our prayers are always a result of Jesus knocking at our hearts doors… He knocks in order to move us by prayer to open the door… giving Jesus access to our needs and permitting Him to exercise His own power in dealing with them…to pray is nothing move involved than to lie in the sunshine of His grace, to expose our distress of body and soul to those healing rays which can in a wonderful way contract and render ineffective the bacteria of sin.

Prayer is an Expression of our Fellowship with God
Emil Erpestad gives us another look at prayer. Prayer, he says is an expression of our fellowship with God. “ (it is)  the means at which fellowship with Him can become part of our daily experience” He says “Conscious fellowship with God…. Has its beginning in the prayer of repentance….. Continued fellowship is possible only where there is some means of communication”
Therefore Erpestad suggest that prayer is communication with God; so, as communication (Prayer) with Him continues, fellowship continues. And the reverse is also true – as fellowship continues communication (or prayer) continues.
I would agree with Erpestad, but would rather go further since fellowship by definition is the sharing of things in common, I think prayer is not only an expression of our fellowship with God, it is fellowship with Him. For I believe that prayer is the sharing of the things of our soul that we have in common with Him – which is all the things that He has given us in Christ, mainly our new nature.

Prayer is something we do Naturally
In many respects prayer is one of the hardest things to learn to do, because in our selfishness and sin we find it impossible to grasp and believe who God is and that He will help us and deliver us.
On the other hand, God has created in us a natural tendency to cry to Him when we need help. Even if one is not a Christian even if he says he is an attest, God nevertheless has created in him a natural desire to get to know Him and to be dependent on Him and to cry out to Him when he is in trouble and needing help.
Now if you are skeptical of this idea, watch and listen to a man (whether a Christian or not) as he is compelled to jump out of a ten story window of a burning building. What does he cry in his heart, and even out loud for all to hear? “Oh God, help me, save me?”
Unfortunately, because of our inborn sin and because of the devil that constantly tempts us; we don’t always do what is natural. I have heard of people even to their death bed course God.

Prayer is Dominant Desire
This description of prayer I think instructs us well and help us to see clearly what real, effective prayer is, in contrast to prayer that is not genuine and not effective. We know that all petitionary prayer begins with a wish or a desire; then we expressed that desire with a request. This is the basic meaning of prayer – from the Greek word “deesis”. In fact this Greek word can actually be translated as either desire or prayer. However real prayer, prayer that is heeded by God, must have a desire that or over rides, all other desires (that are move of the flesh and not of the spirit). That is, this desire in prayer must be most important, making all other desires less importance – so that there is no doubt that the number one desire of the heart is; hence there will not be doubting – going back and forth in the mind as to what is desired (like a wave of the sea driven and lossed by the wind, James 1:6). Prayer with this description (having dominant desire) energizes the will so much that the desire for the rest and sleep is forgotten, or even not needed – because this desire in prayer tends to energize the body. This would be the case with a couple. “ in love” – who would spend hours talking on the phone to each other, not even being aware of time.
This would also was the case of our Lord who prayed to His father at night, sometimes all night (Luke 6:12). Most of us would regard this kind of prayer as particularly earnest and sacrificial – I mean, it would be something that was hard to do. But if we look at it in the light that Jesus loved His Father and longed to be with Him, we get joyous and refreshing. That is because His prayer was made up of strong desire that put all other desire in a second place, even the desire for sleep.
Some (who have subscribed to this description of prayer) have said that we don’t really have to make requests to God; that our strong, dominant desires become our requests. Well I would differ with that idea, because requests are actually part of prayer – desire being the first part.
However, if the holy desires we have are strong and dominate all others, they will in fact cause us to cry out to God with requests.
Now here is the thing that is most important in this description; in real, Christian prayer our dominant desires must be holy and from God. This of course goes without saying; all effective prayer must be according to the will of God.

Prayer is a Struggle
If prayer is dominant desire, then prayer must also be a struggle to keep the mind and the desires of the mind of God’s will – and to keep those Godly desires dominant.
Certainly, every Christian struggles in prayer to keep himself on the narrow road, as the journeys through this evil world. We struggle against the world’s system that offers us sex and food and riches possessions and status. These things are all good gifts of God, and so are good for us in the right proportions and in the night context; but if not, if we use these things for our own pleasure and in disobedience to God, then they can be very damaging and corrupting, and it is sin.
Our struggle in prayer then is obviously not only a struggle against outward forces of the world, but also with inward forces of our own flesh. We struggle in prayer with selfishness, our love of ease and all kinds of lusts. We struggle with our pride and with our temper and with our unwillingness to obey God and to forgive others and to pray for them.  And of course, perhaps most of the time unknowingly we struggle in prayer against the devil and his demons, who are constantly using us to relax in prayer – I mean to fall asleep and quit praying and they also keep putting things in our mind as we pray to distract us and confuse and discourage, yes prayer is definitely as struggle.

Prayer is Expressing the Absence of God
Theodore W. Jennings J.  in his book “Life as worship, prayer and praise in Jesus Name, says, “ in prayer we expressed the absence of something.” This something he says is God. He said,  “Prayer express our need and desire for God, a need that grows out of our godlessness and god forsakenness”
I like what Jennings has said, but it describes only the petition part of prayer the part that is always crying out to God for what we need. Another part of prayer is praise, this part, does not express our lack and His absence, it expresses our Joy in his presence. This is the part I think would be most dominant in heaven.

       CHAPTER 4

4.1        FORMS/KINDS OF PRAYER
The forms/kinds of prayer are simply the various expressions of our personal life toward God that agree with the various moods or attitudes we have or choose to have. Thus the many forms of prayer are quite endless, for there are as many forms of prayer as man has characteristics of personal life – as he has moods or attitude. Here are some forms of prayer.

The prayer of Faith – Ephesians 5:18
It is sometimes called prayer of petition and it is based on God’s revealed will in his word, if is not involved in this kind of prayer. You believe in faith and you receive – as simple as that. It is used when we are asking from God. John 16:23-24, Matt 7:7, prayers of faith can be used when you want to change things. You can pray if for yourself or babes in Christ.

Prayer of Agreement
This kind of prayer is effective for anything, according to the bible when two or more agree in His name, He is there and it will be done for them, whatever they ask of the father in His name. Matt 18:18-20

Prayer of Consecration
This is when we consecrate our lives for God’s use, to go on where and do anything for God. Submitting totally to God’s will. This form of prayer often comes after the prayer of confession. It is the prayer of dedication. It is the kind of prayer offered when we see how good and great God is, when we are moved to give him everything. His also called prayer of relinquishment. Luke 24:42

Prayer of Commitment
This kind of prayer is casting or rolling our cares and burden, worries on Jesus. 1 Peter 5:7, Matt 6:25-27, Phil 4:6, Psalm 35:7 it does not matter the weight of our problems or love hopeless our case is, God is able to restore hope and carry out burdens.

Prayer of praise and Worship
Paul & Silas prayed and sang in the bible and there was earthquakes in the prison where they were held captive and the doors of the jail became opened. So there is power in praise and worship because it moves God and release power from heaven.

Corporate Prayer
This is praying together – aloud, joining hands together, praying for a common course, it is a prayer said in one according, coming together of Christians to join hands and pray for a particular goal. Acts 41:23-31, Acts 12:5

Praying of Supplication
This kind of praying is a continuous prayer for ourselves, for physical and spiritual needs. This is a special kind of petitional prayer, marked by a sense of urgency for a desperate need, requiting an earnest humility. Thus to make supplication means to ask for humbly or earnestly. The latin words supplicants or supplicant mean to kneel down. We would use this form of prayer only when the proper mood strikes us that is only when the spirit of God moves upon us with desire and sense of need. Normally we use the word supplication to describe prayer for personal needs, but it is also used to describe our petition as we beg and plead on behalf of another such as the case with Esther as she made supplication unto the king for her people. Esther 4:8

Intercessory Prayers
We pray this kind of prayers for those who have brought Judgment upon themselves. Rom 8:26-27, Gen 18:20-23

Praying in the Spirit
This is the most effective way of praying because we are dependent on the Holy Ghost. It involves speaking in tongues, the Holy Spirit direct us and help us communicate with God the father and fills us with power. Rom 8:26-27 Gen 18:20-23.

4.2   CERTAIN THINGS WE MIGHT TO PRAY FOR
As Christians, and children of God, there are certain things we should always pray for, its more like an obligation because if we don’t pray and neglect these things, the world would not be healthy, and this would mean we have failed in our duty and failed God also because that’s the reason we are His sons and daughters here on earth. In hurry our day to day lives we often stop to say a prayer at one of three times
When we wake up, right before our business begins.
Before we fall asleep, capping off our busy day.Before we hastily throw foods in our mouth.It is not wrong to pray at these times, but sometimes this repetitive schedule or prayers leads to repetitive prayers. (Mathew 6:7) and before we know it we are praying the same ole things at the same ole time as usual (at least that’s what happens to me)
This being the case I thought it’d be good to write out a list of things we probably don’t pray about all that often. Consider this lost as a way to break up the monotony of our repetitions prayers. This list certainly isn’t exhaustive but can help us to refocus on the fact that we are talking to the Almighty God of the universe. Praying about things we normally don’t will help us remember that fact. Here are some things we need to pray about more:

1. Our government
2. Our nation
3. The Community you live in
4. The Homeless
5. Children without parents
6. People who don’t know Christ
7. Those that have run away from God
8. Those that are struggling with addiction
9. Being a better father/mother
10. Being a better spiritual leader
11. Becoming a more active member in your body
12. Your enemies
13. The house you live in
14. Your children
15. Your congregation
16. Your preacher/ministers
17. The hungry
18. Missionaries
19. Our military
20. Those dying for their beliefs
21. Your spiritual life
22. Widows/widowers
23. Those who recently lost loved ones
24.The spread of the gospel
25. Opportunity to reach those that are lost.

I hope that this list would help to improve prayer lives of all who read it. Prayer is too serious and action to be relegated to something rote and routine.
Our busy lives can bring meaningful prayer to a grinding halt. Take prayer back and make it personal again by infusing new topics into your discussion with God. We don’t necessary need to pray more, but we need to make sure that the prayers we are saying matter and this list of 25 is a good place to start.  

  
              CHAPTER 5

5.1   SUMMARY
This study looked critically at the word prayer, with deep insights are explanations of what prayer is, giving different definitions to make sure there is no stone unturned about the project topic.
It also tries to explain the term petition and its relationship with prayer; they are more of the same meaning as they both mean pouring out our hearts to God-laying down our needs before Him.
The study also looked at the essence of prayer in respect to the Christian life, then it explains various descriptions of prayer from different authors as they give breakdowns of how they view prayers. Forms or kinds of prayers is very important to note as this study highlights and explains them for easy understand.
And the study concluded with 25 important things to pray for as Christians, very important to note these things because they speak volumes in our day to day lives.

5.2   CONCLUSION
Prayers goes beyond just asking from God or complaining at times of trouble or difficulties. Praying is connection and constant communication with the father, where we speak to Him, He hears us, and speak back to us, it is a relationship, and the only way we stay close to Him at all times.
This study has shown that prayer is very important especially in the lives of Christians because it’s the only way they stay active and function as children and Disciples of Christ. It is very important to know that we ought to pray at all times without ceasing according to his word, so that we can stand firm and not fall even at times of trials.
Even Jesus Himself is God prays to the heavenly father also many times, He never got tired of communicating with God the father, and He commanding us to do the same because He knows the importance of praying. Prayer is the only way we stay refreshed, empowered, and overcome the challenges of life.

5.3     RECOMMENDATION
Having considered the entire work, the researcher believes that the recommendations offered if considered would go a long way in improving the spiritual lives of Christians especially babes in Christ, it will strengthen them and stir up their inner man (their spirit) and keep the fire of God burning in their hearts. Therefore the following recommendations are made.
Know and get the full meaning and in-debt knowledge of the word prayer.
Study the word, the scriptures in this study, and read other books relating to prayer, knowledge is power.
Praying without ceasing – constant communication with the father and not just only when you are in need.
Always pray for others as listed in page 14 of the research work.
Pray in the spirit, (in tongues) it is the best form of prayer and very important in the prayer life of a Christian

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Financial constraints coupled with time constants caused the researchers work to be limited on the amount of books and publications used on the study.

REFERENCES

Stephen Nielsen (20130. Based of prayer, 1st ed. USA

Kenneth E Hagin (1996). Art of Prayer 4th ed. USA, RHEMA Bible church aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries Inc.

Jack Dodgen (2015). 25 Things Christians Need to pray about more, Mannford USA, Retrieved from www.start2finish.com

Craig L. Adams (2012). Essence of prayer, USA, An online Article – www.craigeadams.com

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

Acts 4:23 – 25
Acts12:5
Acts13:1 – 3
Acts41:23 – 31
2Chron7:14Chronicles
Eph5:18Ephesians
Eph6:18
Eph6:18 – 19
Exo32:10 – 14Exodus
Exo33:9 – 12
Gen18:20 – 23Genesis
Gen32:9 – 12
Isaiah45:11Isaiah
Isaiah59:21
James1:5James
James1:6
James4:2 – 3
James5:14 – 16
Jere29:11Jeremiah
Jere33:3
Job23:3Job
John16:23- 24John
John17:3
Luke6:12Luke
Luke11:2
Luke24:42
Mark10:18Mark
Matt6:25 – 27Mathew
Matt7:7 – 8
Matt9:36 – 38
Matt18:18 – 20
Neh1:4 – 11Nehemiah
1 Peter5:7Peter
Phil4:6Philemon
Psalms5:3Psalms
Psalms10:4
Psalms35:7
Psalms65:2
Psalms116:1
Psalms116:15
Rom8:26 – 27Romans
Tim2:1 - 2

jerryakpolagha@gmail.com