Lesson 4-1 - The Purpose of Prayer

Objective: To understand the importance of prayer to your Christian life.

Read: Acts chapters 3 & 4

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Why Prayer is Important
The Apostle’s Motive
Your Motives for Praying
God’s Motives in Teaching Us About Prayer
Prayer Meets the Heart’s Needs
Life Application

Jesus set the perfect example of obedience in prayer. Although His day was filled from morning to night with many pressures and responsibilities – addressing crowds, healing the sick, granting private interviews, traveling, and training His disciples – He made prayer a top priority. If Jesus was so dependent upon His fellowship in prayer alone with His Father, how much more you and I should spend time alone with God.

The lives of the disciples and other Christians who have been mightily used of God through the centuries to reach their world for Christ all testify to the necessity of prayer. They are examples of obedience to our Lord’s command to pray.

Someone has wisely said, “Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks our wisdom, but trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees.” Prayer is God’s appointed way of doing God’s work.

This lesson will help you understand why prayer is so important to our Christian life. Study the lesson carefully, taking time to meditate and apply the principles you will learn.

WHY PRAYER IS IMPORTANT?

Read

John 14:13 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

I Thessalonians 5:17 17 Never stop praying.

Acts 4:23-33 23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,

‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

27 ”In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.

Matthew 9:38 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

1.) Identify at least three reasons for prayer.

THE APOSTLE’S MOTIVE

Read Acts chapter 4

1.) What problems did the Apostles face and why did they not ask God to remove the persecution?

2.) For what did they pray? (Verse 29)

29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.

Why is this significant?

3.) What was their real motive?

John 14:13 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

YOUR MOTIVES FOR PRAYING
On the basis of your personal experience, list at least four reasons you pray.

GOD’S MOTIVES IN TEACHING US ABOUT PRAYER
Read:

John 3:5-8 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

John 3:23-24 23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.)

1.) In what form does God exist and what must happen to us before we can have fellowship with Him?

What kind of worship does He desire, and what is His delight?

Proverbs 15:8 8 The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

2.) List some purposes of prayer from each of the following Bible references:

Matthew 7:7 7 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 26:41 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!

Luke 18:1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

3.) From your understanding of these passages, what do you think God wants you to realize about Him?

PRAYER MEETS THE HEART’S NEEDS

1.) According to II Corinthians 3:5, what is the source of the Christian’s sufficiency?

5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.

How do you tap into that source?

2.) Read Psalm 63.

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced.

Note the elements of worship and write below the word or phrase that describes how we should worship God; include references (for example, “My soul thirsts for you - Psalm 63:1”).

LIFE APPLICATION

What conclusions can you now make concerning your relationship with God in prayer?
Begin a prayer list. Keep a record of the things for which you pray.

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