Different kinds of prayers

Last evening, I was asked to give the different kinds of prayers (that I mentioned in the teaching) in a format where it could be read - thus this blog.

The scriptures teach us that there are different ways that we can pray (this list is not exhaustive).

God encourages us, each and every day to pray:

Prayers of prevention.

This is a request for divine protection in the midst of an ungodly world that bombards us with evil all day, every day.

From the time you wake up - until  you go to bed at night - and even while you are sleeping - you and I are in spiritual danger from the enemy.  Satan is against you and the world's system is against you - and we are to be watchful of his attacks.

Don't be like the desert nomad who awakened hungrily one night and decided he'd have a midnight snack.

Lighting a candle, he grabbed a date and took a bite.

Holding the date to the candle, he saw a worm, whereupon he threw the date out of the tent.  Biting into the second date, he found another worm and threw it away, also.

Deciding he might not get anything to eat if this continued, he blew out the candle and ate the dates.

Sometimes we prefer the darkness of denial to the light of the truth.

Every day, ask for protection from the evil one.

Prayers of protection.

Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing but the body is week."

Here's what I know:  Spiritual protection from the attacks of the enemy is not automatic.

God waits upon us to pray.

Pray something like, "God, protect me form this assault and keep my mind focused on you and your work and give me the power to be diligent in prayer and to overcome this temptation."

Prayers of rebuke.

Jude 1:9 tells us, "but even the archangel Michael, when he was disrupting with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

You can rebuke the enemy because of the authority and power that is within you.  You can pray a rebuking prayer and demand that Satan be silent in his fiery darts and accusations.

Prayers of dismissal.

Jesus said, "Away from me, Satan," in Matthew 4:10.

You can pray, "You spirit of confusion, rejection, fear, anxiety, I demand that you leave in the name of Jesus."

This type of prayer uncovers the enemy's hiding place and releases a direct arrow of light causing him to flee.

Prayers in your spiritual language.

Praying in the Spirit, or praying in tongues edifies or build you up to make you sensitive to know the needs of others so that you can effectively pray for them and for your own needs.

Many times we do not know what to pray for or how to pray for it.  Or we have prayed for something so much, that we have "used up" all of the ways we know how to pray for something.

That is when we can use the spiritual language that God has given us and pray in the spirit.  And when we pray in the spirit, we find that it is the Holy Spirit (or God) speaking to God the Father, and when God is speaking to God - God will answer his own prayers!

Know this:  By praying in the Spirit, I am introducing God's power into my difficult situation.

Just a thought for a Thursday.