Mark 1:35

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Jesus Christ is our greatest example of learning to pray. He provides the pattern for prayer and the path to holiness.

WHAT IS PRAYER? Luke 3:21-22
1. It is the recognition of God as our source .
2. It is the method Jesus modeled for communicating with the Father.
3. It acknowledges that God is in charge of this universe.
4. It is the believers’ link to spiritual vitality !

“We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible’s idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.” -Oswald Chambers

WHAT ARE THE HINDRANCES TO PRAYER? Luke 5:15-16
“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
1. Selfish motives . James 4:8
2. Unconfessed sin . Psalm 66:18
3. Worldly idols . Isaiah 33:22
4. Unsympathetic attitudes . Proverbs 21:13
5. Unbelieving hearts . James 1:6-8

“No sincere prayer in the name of Jesus is ever left unanswered.” -Ian Paisley

WHAT SHOULD I PRAY FOR? Luke 6:12-13
“When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them,. . .” (v. 13a)
1. The faith of Esther. Esther 4:16
2. The leadership of Moses. Exodus 32:30-32
3. The courage of Ruth. Ruth 2:1-5
4. The heart of David. Psalm 51:10
5. The wisdom of Solomon. I Kings 3:7-9
6. The patience of Job. Job 2:3
7. The zeal of Paul. Acts 20:24
8. The faithfulness of Timothy. Philippians 2:22
9. The compassion of Jesus. Matthew 9:35-38

“Prayer is after all, a very dangerous business. For all the benefits it offers of growing closer to God, it carries with it one great element of risk: the possibility of change. In prayer we open ourselves to the chance that God will do something with us that we had not intended.”
-Emily Griffin

WHAT KIND OF RESULTS CAN I EXPECT FROM PRAYER? John 6:19-23
1. Prayer cultivates miracles .
2. Prayer brings about change .
3. Prayer stimulates renewals .
4. Prayer provides hope .
5. Prayer convicts the unsaved .

1. Set aside 15 minutes a day for prayer.
2. Keep a prayer journal
3. Find a prayer partner.
4. Study the Bible daily.