Page 37 - Principles for Discipling Others-Student textbook

What Prayer is NOT!

1. Prayer is not summoning God as if He were a genie, waiting to grant our wishes.

2. Prayer does not make demands! God is the sovereign Master of the Universe. We can make
requests to God, but we dare not make demands. He does not take orders from us. Quite often I hear
preachers “claim” healing from God or demand that God do certain things. This is not what prayer is all
about! You cannot tell God what to do!

3. Prayer is for our benefit, not God’s. Prayer builds our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
God desires a relationship with us so that we can understand His mind and ways.

4. Prayer is not a guarantee against difficult times. Sometimes God brings these times in our lives to
teach us to yield our lives to Him. Sometimes they come to teach us to be compassionate to others.
God has many reasons why He tests us, and most of the time we will not understand it all. We have to
remember I Peter 4:12-13 which says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are
suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the
sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

5. Prayer is not making a deal with God. We get into a situation, and then we pray “God, if you will so
such and such, I will do this for you.” Prayer is not a bargaining table where we put God to our tests.

What is Prayer?
In his article on prayer, Robert Velarde gives this definition of prayer:

Prayer is a relationship, wherein we humbly communicate, worship, and sincerely seek God's face,
knowing that He hears us, loves us and will respond, though not always in a manner we may expect or
desire. Prayer can encompass confession, praise, adoration, supplication, intercession and more.
The central concept in prayer is that it is genuine communication with God in order to build a
relationship with Him. It allows us to worship and praise the Lord. It offers us the means to confess our
sins which should lead to our genuine repentance and holy walk. Prayer grants us the opportunity to
present our requests to God. Through prayer, we are communicating with our Creator. He is personal,
He is caring, and He is desirous that we commune with Him through prayer.

2 Chronicles 7:14 … 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.
Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow
tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be
faint.
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then
approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in
our time of need.

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