Study 10 - Praying in Faith

Bible Study Lesson 10

Praying in Faith

The last lesson discussed how to receive grace from God. That lesson involved humility as the personal quality that God desires to see in people before He gives grace (favor), and it also included coming boldly (with courage and confidence) in prayer before God’s throne of grace. Prayer is not a mysterious word. Prayer is simply talking or singing to God, whether silently or audibly. This lesson is devoted to the subject of prayer.

1. Is it God’s will that if we have a need, we come to Him in prayer to boldly ask for it? Mat 7:7-13; Heb 4:15-16.

2. Does God want the person who prays to conform to His will? Psalm 37:4; I John 3:21-22; Isa 59:1-2; II Chron 7:14.

Comment: A person with faith should read Psalm 37:4 as a promise, and boldly stand on that promise in faith. Humility and repentance are emphasized in II Chron 7:14.

3. Does God want us to pray for wisdom? James 1:5-8; Prov 2:1-7.

4. Does God want us to know His will and then pray for those things that agree with His will? James 4:3; I John 5:14-15; John 15:7.

5. Did Jesus give us an example of how to pray? Mat 6:9-13; John 16:23-24.

Comment: His example showed Him asking His Father in heaven for various needs. However, Stephen and Paul also provided examples that show speaking to the resurrected Jesus, which is prayer to Jesus– see Acts 7:59-60; I Cor 1:2; II Cor 12:8-9. From this it is not clear that it was typical for members of the church to pray to Jesus, but it does seem from this that we may pray to Jesus. We do not have to pray exactly the same way every time. The verses in John do show that we should pray in Jesus’ name, which means by His authority.

6. Do we have a promise that if we come to Jesus in prayer asking Him to relieve us from our heavy burdens, He will give us rest? Mat 11:28-30; John 14:27.

Comment: Stress, fears, and anxieties are examples of heavy burdens that Jesus will lift from us if we come to Him in deep prayer.

7. Does God want us to pray for our needs without fears and anxieties? Phil 4:6-7, 19; Mat 6:25-34.

Comment: If a person has fear and anxiety, that will act against boldness and faith. Anyone having anxiety would do well to first pray for internal peace and calm. This will promote further prayers with boldness, courage, and confidence.

8. Did Jesus instruct people to pray in private rather than in public? Mat 6:5-6.

9. Are there examples in the Bible of praying out loud when in the midst of a group of Christians? Mat 21:13; Acts 1:12-14; 4:31; 12:12; 16:13, 16; 20:36.

10. Does a husband have a special responsibility to treat his wife with respect if he wants God to answer his prayers? I Pet 3:7.

11. Does the Bible tell people who are sick to ask elders of a church to pray for their healing from sickness or disease? James 5:14-15.

12. Does the Bible show that the prayers of righteous people accomplish much? James 5:16; Prov 15:29; 28:9.

13. Should we only pray for something one time or be persistent? Luke 18:1-8; Rom 12:10-12.

14. Did King David write a prayer that was supposed to be sung? Psalm 13:1-6.

Comment: All of the psalms were written to be sung, and many of David’s psalms are prayers.

15. What was God’s response to King Solomon’s prayer for wisdom to judge the people of Israel and to discern between good and evil? I Kings 3:5-15.

Comment: Notice Solomon’s humility in I Kings 3:7. Notice that Solomon did not ask for wealth.

16. When Abraham desired to find a suitable wife for his son Isaac, he entrusted this task to his oldest servant. Did the servant pray for a miracle to answer this request of Abraham? Gen 24:1-28.

Comment: All important decisions in life should be made through prayer. Notice Prov 18:22; 19:14.