What To Do In Our Personal Prayer Time
I. THE NECESSITY OF ASKING
A. The simple yet essential foundational principle of the Kingdom of God is that we ask God. In are to ask God in
everything whether it is the increase of good or the decrease of what is bad. We must offer specific prayers, not just think
about our need with frustration and desperation. God knows all of our needs (Mt. 6:32) but still requires that we ask His
for it because it causes us to interact with His heart (Mt. 7:7). To ask implies that we verbalize our prayers not just think on
them. This also helps us to control our thoughts in prayer.
2 You do not have because you do not ask. (Jas 4:2)
6 In everything by prayer…let your requests be made known to God… (Phil. 4:6)
B. Most of God’s promises for increased blessing in this life are not guarantees but invitations to partner with Him in
holy believing persevering prayer (Isa. 59:2; Mk. 11:23; Lk. 18:7-8, Jas 4:2).
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not
hear. (Isa. 59:2)
23 Whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. (Mk. 11:23)
21 If you have faith and do not doubt…you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.
(Mt. 21:21)
7 Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him…? (Lk. 18:7)
C. Biblical prayer requests are based on promises of God that require the supernatural work on the Spirit on the
human heart. Most of God’s promises for increased blessing in this life are not guarantees but invitations to partner with
Him in holy believing persevering prayer (Isa. 59:2; Mk. 11:23; Lk. 18:7-8, Jas 4:2). In other words, the work of the Spirit
is released by prayer. We can not measure the work on the Spirit on our heart. It is like radiation therapy that works to
destroy cancer cells without being immediately discerned be those who receive it.
D. God’s resources are withheld to “starve us out of prayerlessness”. He jealously protects His relationship with us by
not answering our need until we ask for them. There are blessings that God has chosen to give, but only as His people
ask Him in faith (confidence with focus).
18 The Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you...19 He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when
He hears it, He will answer you. (Isa. 30:18-19)
E. Over the next 10 years, as a sincere believer you will prayer much more with three things in place. A schedule that
establishes “when” you will pray. A prayer list to focus you on “what” you will pray. And a right paradigm of God so you
will “want” to pray. Many believers who sincerely love Jesus never develop a prayer life because prayer is not on their
weekly schedule. Some who do have it scheduled, don’t know “what to say” when they show up to pray. If you have a
sincere desire to pray and establish a schedule, a prayer list and a right paradigm of God then you will prayer significantly
more in the next ten years. Without these three things most will look back with the pain of prayerlessness.
F. If we invest the effort to draw near to God, He will draw near to us by manifesting His presence.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near (manifest His presence) to you. (Jas 4:8)
G. We reap a harvest of whatever seed we sow agriculturally, emotionally and spiritually. It takes time for the harvest
to appear but it will surely come forth. Do not grow weary when God’s answer to our prayer is delayed, it will surely come.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 He who sows to his flesh will…
reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will…reap life.
9 Let us not grow weary…in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Gal. 6:7-9)
H. We encounter His glory in various ways and measures including our heart being tenderized by the Word. We must
not despise the small measures in which God releases His glory in us.
10 For who has despised the day of small things? (Zech. 4:10)
II. WHAT TO DO IN THE PRAYER ROOM
A. We engage with what is happening on the platform by ‘repeating’ some of the ‘prayer phrases’ heard on the mic
as we focus on God.
B. When not engaged with what is happening on the platform, we pray, read Scripture or study. I strongly encourage
all to have an action plan to provide focus for their prayer and study time.
C. Personal Bible study action plan: read 10 chapters of the NT per day (6 days a week in order to read through the
NT once a month). Read biographies of people who lived in the Spirit, study the individual books of the Bible (use FSM
courses and commentaries) and read godly books.
D. Personal prayer action plan: establish a simple prayer list to provide focus to your prayer time. We want the
optimum benefit from our prayer time thus we need to be focused in prayer. I WA always to take liberty to leave my prayer
list or to select or omit different parts of it according to what is on my heart. Sometimes, I pray read all of Ps. 119 or
Jn. 14-17 or 7 key apostolic prayers (Mt. 6:9-15; Jn. 17:20-26; Eph. 1:17-22; 3:16-19; Phil. 1:9-12; Col. 1:9-13;
1 Thes. 3:12-13).
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up
His countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Num. 6:24-26)
E. Three main prayer categories: my personal life, for people and places then for social issues
1. Prayer for personal life: release of God’s glory on my inner man, through my ministry and in my circumstances
(physical, financial and relational) along with prayer-reading the Word (turning it to conversation with Jesus)
2. Prayer for people and places: individuals, ministries, marketplace and governmental authorities and the destiny
of cities or nations (Israel, Egypt, etc.)
18 Praying…with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. (Eph. 6:18)
3. Prayer for strategic social issues: justice (abortion, human trafficking), civil unrest (riots), natural disasters
(hurricane, drought), disease (AIDS, Avian bird flu), social crisis (famine, terrorism, genocide, etc.) or economic crisis.
F. Three main prayer requests: the gifts of the Spirit (God’s manifest power or favor), the fruit of the Spirit (godly
character) and the wisdom of the Spirit (insight, revelation). The vast majority of all prayer requests will be one of these
three main requests.
1. The gifts of the Spirit (God’s manifest power or favor)
7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one…8 for to one is given the word of wisdom…to another the word of
knowledge…9 to another faith…gifts of healings…10 working of miracles…prophecy…discerning of spirits… (1 Cor. 12:7-10)
2. The fruit of the Spirit (godly character)
22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
(Gal. 5:22-23)
3. The wisdom of the Spirit (insight, revelation)
17 The Father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… (Eph. 1:17)
5 If any one lacks wisdom (revelation), let him ask of God…it will be given… (Jas 1:5)
G. God will give more in there three requests if we continually ask Him for them.
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock…it will be opened. (Mt. 7:7)
III. WHAT TO IN AS WE PRAY THROUGH OUR PRAYER LISTS
A. We focus our mind on the Father who sits on His Throne (Rev. 4) or on the Spirit who lives in our spirit
(2 Cor. 13:14). We are not speaking to the air but to a real Person.
B. Take time to repeat the request often and slowly; and occasionally express your affection and thanksgiving to
God. We are speaking to a Person that we love and who loves us. Take time for moments of silence with sighs or groans
(Rom. 8:26) and praying in the spirit. Do not think praying fast and loud is proof of being passionate (which is being
engaged with attentiveness).
C. Pray much in the spirit: seek to pray in the spirit for 1 hour a day focusing on the Throne. Paul prayed in the spirit
more than all (1 Cor. 14:18). We edify our spirit and receive mysteries (revelation) when praying in the spirit (1 Cor. 14:2,
4). In corporate prayer meetings, show consideration to others by praying in tongues quietly to avoid distracting others
(1 Cor. 14:28).
2 He who speaks in a tongue…speaks mysteries…4 He edifies himself…28 Let him keep silent in church, and let him
speak to himself and to God. (1 Cor. 14:2, 4, 28)