Prayer Ministry

“Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience.” —Aiden Wilson Tozer [1897-1963]

WHO WE ARE:

The Prayer ministry of Covenant Life Ministries is comprised of a network of Prayer Leaders and Intercessors who are on call to pray for a variety of matters. We are on active duty inside and outside of our church walls. We pray on the behalf of others that God’s grace, guidance and healing power would be released for the benefit of His people, and for the praise and glory Jesus’ mighty name.

Our network of Prayer Leaders and Intercessors is one of the primary avenues in which we actively encourage and promote prayer within the life of our church.

 

WHAT IS PRAYER?

In its’ broadest definition prayer is communicating with God. This can be done audibly as God hears our words, or silently as God knows our thoughts. And, because communication is two way, prayer can include both speaking to God and listening to God speak as He does in the Bible. Sometimes prayer moves the hand of God, but it often changes the hearts of men and women — as in prayer we capture something of God’s heart and are brought into agreement with His will and trust in Him.

While, there are times when we pray to God the Son (as Stephen did in Acts) or to the Holy Spirit, generally speaking prayer is Trinitarian. This means that Christian prayer is to the Father, through the Son, by the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Furthermore, Jesus’ prayers are a glimpse into the loving communion found in the Trinity. And, our prayers as Christians allow us to participate in the life of the Trinity.

 

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

 Pray according to scripture:

•  Scripture provides the matrix for fellowship with God because He talks to us through His word.
• Praying Scripture in Private: Replace ‘you or your’ with ‘me, my, or I’. Example of this: “keep my Life free from the love of money, making me content with what I have.” Hebrews 13:5
• Praying Scripture with Others: Replace ‘me or you’ with ’us or we’. Example of this: “Lord Jesus, may your peace rule in our hearts, since as members of your body we were called to peace. Give us a thankful instinct and disposition, Lord! And may your word dwell in us richly as we teach and admonish each other with all wisdom, and as we sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in our hearts to you.” Colossians 3:15-16
• Praying scripture out loud builds Christ-like faith: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
• “Read, pray; read, pray; read, pray. Close the Bible and you won’t last more than three minutes in prayer, probably.” –John Piper

 

Pray in faith:

• “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
• “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22)
• “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” ( Mark 11:24)

 

Pray succinctly: 

• “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin . . . Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2-7)
• “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:6-7)
• “Who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (Mark 12:40)

 

Pray in God’s will:

• “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

• “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23-24)

 

Pray humbly:

• “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I‘ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:8-14)

 

Pray fervently:

• “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
• “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 6:15b)

 

PRAY LIKE JESUS PRAYED

Jesus prayed daily: 

• The Jews prayed the Shema of Deut. 6:4-5 daily and Jesus as a devout Jew would have done the same which explains why he could quote it freely from memory in Mark 12:29-30.

 

Jesus prayed Scripture:

• “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’” (Mark 15:34) Which means [Psalm 22:1], “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 

Jesus prayed the will of God:

• “And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” (Matthew 26:39)

 

Jesus prayed thankful prayers: 

• “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.’” (Matthew 11:25-26)

 

Jesus prayed early: 

• “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

 

Jesus prayed over meals:

• “Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” (Matthew 14:19)
• “And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank of it.” (Mark 14:23)
• “And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19)

 

Jesus prayed privately: 

• “And after He had taken leave of them, He went up on the mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46)
• “… He was praying alone…” (Luke 9:18)
• “But now even more the report about Him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities. But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luke 5:15-16)

 

Jesus prayed publicly:

• “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened.” (Luke 3:21)
• So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)

 

Jesus prayed corporately:

• “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as was His custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day…” (Luke 4:16)
• “And He was teaching them and saying to them, ‘Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)

 

Jesus prayed in a small group:

• “Now about eight days after these sayings He took with Him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.” (Luke 9:28)

 

Jesus prayed short prayers:

• “And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.” (Mark 6:41)

 

Jesus prayed long prayers:

• “In these days He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

 

Jesus prayed for his enemies:

• “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark11:25)
• “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
• “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide His garments.” (Luke 23:34)

 

Jesus prayed for his friends:

• “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)

 

Jesus prayed for children:

• “Then children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray.” (Matthew 19:13)

 

Jesus prayed painful prayers:

• “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’” (John 12:27-28)

 

Jesus prayed with his dying breath:

• “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)