2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.

Answers to the prayers of God’s people come with humility, actively seeking God, and repentance.

Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Prayer must be accompanied by confession.

Psalms 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

We can pray to God at any time, and he will hear us.

Psalms 102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

God does not ignore the prayers of those in need, or in crisis, with nowhere to turn.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

God always hears us when we seek him and call upon him in prayer.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

We should pray for those who use and abuse us, and not repay them in kind.

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

We should pray for God’s eyes only, not those of others, and not repeat the same words over and over in some kind of formula. God always know what we need, before we even ask.

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The sense of the Greek here is to be persistent in seeking, asking, and knocking, elements of prayer.

Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind [of demon] goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Spiritual deliverance, and answers to prayer, may involve a combination of prayer and fasting.

Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Prayer is especially powerful when two or more people agree together in it, with Christ in the midst.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Belief is an essential part of getting answers to prayer.

Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Prayer helps keep us from temptation, or at least from giving into it..

Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

If we are interested in evangelism, we should pray for more workers for the harvest field, which is world.

Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

The gift of the Holy Spirit is ours for the asking, from the Father. This is one prayer God never says no to, if it is genuine.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

We should pray that we would escape from times of great trial, and be able to stand before Christ without condemnation.

John 16:23 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 it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

The Father will give us everything we ask in Jesus’ name [but only if we are his, and ask in accordance with his will).

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost came in response to a prayer of unity.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The Spirit himself prays for our weakness and intercedes for us.

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Persistent intercessory prayer in the power of the Spirit is a key part of our weapons of spiritual warfare.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Prayer with thanksgiving is the antidote for worry, which is a sin.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

We should be in a constant attitude of prayer and thanksgiving.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

We should pray in faith; praying in doubt will accomplish nothing.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

We don’t receive what we pray for, if our purpose is to use it for our own lusts and pleasures.

James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Healing comes with prayer in faith [by the elders of the church, with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil.]

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Mutual confession and prayer are also connected with healing.

1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Answers to prayer are dependent on our obedience.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Our prayers are answered when they are in accordance with the Father’s will.

JESUS IS the Bridge Ministries

Keyword Study on Prayer