The power in Prayer: Luke 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." This is Bible Faith Teaching that works.
The disciples never asked Jesus to teach them anything but Prayer. Why? First look at the life of Jesus Who ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit by healing the multitudes when they just touched the hem of His garment, He raised people from the dead, He walked on water, stilled the storm and feed thousands of people with just a few fish and loaves of bread. The disciples never walked in the power of the Spirit like this until Pentecost came with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus equipped them to heal the sick and cast out demons but before the baptism of the Holy Spirit they did not function with the same power of Jesus when He walked on earth. So why did NOT the disciples ask Jesus for this power of the Holy Spirit so they could do the same works as Jesus did? Maybe when the disciples saw Jesus after prayer times they sensed a real closeness that He had with the Father in an intimate relationship and that He was equipped for any work to be done here on earth.
The disciples were powerless to cast out a demon from a boy. Read the story in Matthew chapter 17. Jesus told them why they were unable and there were a couple of reasons why and one was a lack of faith and the other was: Mat 17:21 "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" So really what the disciples observed was that the power of the Holy Spirit was manifested on a greater level when you were a person of Prayer and that is why the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray.
Prayer not only produces more faith [Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,] but more power to minister the Gospel for any good work. See also: Jas 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
After the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts we will see that the disciples were men of Prayer and then they were able to work miracles like Jesus. See: Act 6:4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Here are some of the works that they did. See: Act 5:15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Act 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, Act 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
This is how the disciples saw Jesus praying. See: Mat 14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Mar 6:46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 9:28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. Fervent prayer is work and requires long hours but the rewards are great as we can see from the example given to us by Jesus.
Look at the success that Jesus had because of Prayer. See: Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat". Luke 22:32 "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." As we can in the Book of Acts that Peter's faith did not fail. Jesus being a man of Prayer was able to deliver the boy from the demon. See: Mar 9:29 So He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting. See the success that Jesus had in raising the dead because of Prayer. Look at: John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard [Prayer] Me. John 11:42 "And I know that You always hear [Prayer] Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."
Your success in the Christian life will be determined by the kind of Prayer life that you have. Prayer is something that can be very effective when done alone [James 5:16] or corporate. When Elijah prayed for it to rain, it did. See also: Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Act 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. Peter was set free from prison because of corporate prayer.
All of the great Christian men of history were men of prayer. Consider: Andrew Murray, George Mueller, R A Torrey, Charles Finney and Charles Spurgeon just to name a few.
All Christians have the ability to Pray in the Spirit. It is simply allowing the Spirit to pray thru you. See: Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Rom 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. When we pray in the Spirit we will be praying according to the will of God.
One way to pray in the Spirit is to pray the Word of God. Example: When praying for someone to be healed, pray this verse over them: 1Pe 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. Another way to pray in the Spirit is to pray prayers that the Holy Spirit inspired. See this Prayer: Eph 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 3:15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, Eph 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— Eph 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, Eph 3:21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Effective fervent praying is a continual asking. See: Luke 11:9 "So I say to you, ask [keep asking until you receive], and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you". Perseverance and endurance in prayer is God's way of exercising your faith in prayer. See: Rom 12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; and Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Remember that God wants to answer our prayers and He is waiting for us to keep on asking and believing. See: Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests [Prayer] be made known to God; Phil 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Also: 1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing.
There are all kinds of ways to pray. There is petition prayer, supplications, praying in the Spirit, praying in faith, praying in the name of Jesus Christ, praying according to God's Will and praying from the heart. See: Eph 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Bill Naugle
