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PRAYER: #2
The PRAYER of PETITION
Let us begin this study in God's word by reading Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7, which says,
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.
7. And the PEACE of God, which passes all understanding, shall KEEP your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Please notice that the first word that I emphasized in this passage of scripture is the word "CAREFUL". If we look this word "CAREFUL" up in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and scroll down to our scripture reference, Philippians 4:6, we will find the Strong's number 3309 in italics, which means that it is a New Testament word that is translated from the Greek. Then if we look this Strong's number, 3309, up in the back of our concordance we will find the Greek word "MERIMNAO", which is a verb that means to WORRY, to have ANXIETY, or to be CONCERNED. This word is translated as take thought, care fore, careful, taking thought, and have care.
So then the phrase "be CAREFUL for NOTHING" is giving us INSTRUCTING as to the first principal of prayer, which is NOT to WORRY, NOT to be ANXIOUS, NOT to be be CONCERNED, as in FEARFUL that our prayers will not be heard and answered. In other words, we are NOT to TAKE THOUGHT of ANYTHING that causes us to FEAR, WORRY of DOUBT that our prayer will not be answered according to the WAY that we presented our request to Almighty God.
Now the next part of this verse after the phrase "Be CAREFUL for NOTHING" is the word "BUT", which gives us and alternative other than WORRYING and being ANXIOUS or FEARFUL. This alternative is called PRAYER. Let's read the first part of this passage of scripture again with the emphasis on the word "BUT" while asking our self the question "BUT WHAT?".
"Be careful for nothing, BUT (but WHAT? BUT) in EVERY THING (referring to EVERY THING that causes you CONCERN, or causes you to WORRY and be be ANXIOUS or FEARFUL. So then, do NOT be FEARFUL or ANXIOUS about ANYTHING, BUT RATHER) BY PRAYER and SUPPLICATION with THANKSGIVING let your REQUESTS be made known unto God...."
So then, we can clearly see the instruction in God's WORD for us NOT to be FEARFUL or WORRIED about ANY THING, but INSTEAD, we are to take these CONCERNS and AXIETIES that come upon us and CAST them upon our Lord God, because Almighty God our heavenly Father deeply cares for us on every level of our lives. Please read 1 Peter 5:6-11 which says,
"HUMBLE yourselves THEREFORE under the mighty hand of God, (WHY?) that he may exalt you in due time:(So HOW do we HUMBLE our self?)
7. Casting ALL your CARE upon him; (WHY?) for he CARES for you.
8. Be sober, be vigilant; (WHY?) because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, SEEKING whom he may devour:
9. Whom RESIST steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10. But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
So then, how do we HUMBLE our self and NOT be filled with worry, anxiety, and fear? In verse 6 we see the phrase "Humble yourselves THEREFORE..." and when ever you see the word "THEREFORE" you need to find out what it is there for. In other words, in the last part of the previous verse, verse 5 we are told the God resists the proud, BUT he gives grace to the HUMBLE.
So THEREFORE were are instructed to HUMBLE ourselves UNDER the MIGHTY HAND of Almighty God our heavenly Father, BECAUSE he CARES for us and he desires to give us GRACE to overcome the trial that we are in and NOT to WORRY or FEAR, while we are facing the trying of our faith.
Now for some, who are just LEARNING about PRAYER, you may not have yet developed the confidence of Almighty God ANSWERING your prayer. As Proverbs tells us, you may be learning to your OWN understanding, rather than fully TRUSTING in the Lord. Take a moment and read Proverbs 3:5.
"TRUST in the LORD with all your heart; and lean NOT unto your own understanding."
You see, the enemy comes to us sometimes with his lies, saying things like, What good will it do to PRAY? Do you really think God is going to hear your prayer? What right to you have to trouble God with your petty needs? You know that God only helps those who help themselves, so why are you asking him to help you, when you can go out and find your own job on your own? There are thousands of these lies that the enemy uses on mankind to kept us from PRAYING to God and CASTING all our CARES upon him BELIEVING that Almighty God will hear and answer our prayer.
But the TRUTH of the matter is that Almighty God desires that each and every one of us TRUST in him by coming to him in our time of need and CASTING ALL of our CARE, ALL of our WORRY, ALL of our ANXIETY, ALL of our FEAR upon him, because he sincerely and deeply has concern for all each and every one of us as well as each and every one of our needs.
So then, we HUMBLE ourselves by hiding God's WORD in our hearts and TRUSTING in his WORD of TRUTH more than what our natural logic dictates to us. Normally when we hear the word, "CAREFUL" we tend to think about being cautious, or being protective and we often do not take thought of WHY we are be cautious or protective. What I mean by this is let's say for example we are CAREFUL when carrying an expensive delicate breakable item, BECAUSE we are FEARFUL that we might drop and break the item.
Now let us add that we do not have the confidence to successful carry this item safely, but know that this item must be moved. So then HOW do we relieve our self from this worry or fear of dropping and breaking this item knowing that we, in our self, are not capable of successfully moving the item? Naturally we transfer this burden of worry and fear upon another whom we TRUST to do the job SUCCESSFULY. In other words, we CAST this CARE upon ANOTHER in whom we TRUST fully to do the job and we stay CLEAR OUT of the WAY until the job is DONE!
This is what PRAYER IS to one who FULLY TRUSTS is Almighty God to get the job DONE.
A farmer, who plants a seed in the ground, FULLY TRUSTS that the seed will grow and produce what is is designed to produce. We learned in lesson #1 that Jesus likened God's WORD to that of a SEED in the parable of the sower sowing seed. In short, YOU, that is to say, your HEART is the SOIL or GROUND in which the WORD of TRUTH is planted.
(This study is still under construction. Below are SOME of the verses of scriptures that I have and will use in this study, but many more will be added as I write this study. Please feel free to read through the scriptures below, because they are a blessing just as they are. May God bless you richly as you study his living word.)
Matthew 6:5-8
“And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6. But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.
7. But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8. Be not you therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him.”
Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
9. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10. Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Matthew 18:19,20
“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.”
Matthew 21:17-22
“And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
18. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
19. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away !
21. Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily (or truly) I say unto you, If you have faith, and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say unto this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22. And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
Luke 11:1-13
“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2. And he said unto them, When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3. Give us day by day our daily bread.
4. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
5. And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6. For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you.
8. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
9. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
11. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12. Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13. If you 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?”
John 14:12-14
“Verily, verily, (or truly, truly) I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; (WHY?) because I go unto my Father.
13. And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14. If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
John 15:1-16
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2. Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.
5. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
8. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples.
9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue you in my love.
10. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.
13. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14. You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does : but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
John 16:16-24
“A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he says unto us, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18. They said therefore, What is this that he says, A little while? We cannot tell what he says.
19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do you inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me?
20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, That you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21. A woman when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22. And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you.
23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24. Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
1Kings 3:3-28
“And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
4. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
5. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6. And Solomon said, You have showed unto your servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you; and you have kept for him this great kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7. And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8. And your servant is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9. Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this your so great a people?
10. And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11. And God said unto him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for your self long life; neither have asked riches for your self, nor have asked the life of your enemies; but has asked for your self understanding to discern judgment;
12. Behold, I have done according to your words: lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like unto you.
13. And I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto you all your days.
14. And if you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days.
15. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
16. Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
17. And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
19. And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
20. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
22. And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. And this said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.
23. Then said the king, The one says, This is my son that lives, and your son is the dead: and the other says, Nay; but your son is the dead , and my son is the living.
24. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said , O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
28. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.”
James 1:5-8
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.
6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers 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.
8. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
1 John 5:14,15
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us:
15. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
Philippians 4:6,7
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
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