The three elements of a proper prayer life
Philippians 4:6–7 AV
6 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 passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The Three Elements of a Proper Prayer are:
• Adoration
• Adjuration (Appeal)
• Appreciation
1. Adoration (Prayer)
PRAYER, n. In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness.
1. In worship, a solemn address, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God’s glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits.
• Paul did not just say Pray about it
• He shows us HOW to pray about it
When you find yourself worrying about something
• Get alone with God
• Worship Him
Adoration is needed
• We need to see and recognize HIS greatness
• That He is big and powerful enough to solve our problems
Too often this step is skipped
• We just rush in to tell him what need or want
ADORATION, n.
1. The act of paying honors to a divine being; the worship paid to God; the act of addressing as a God.
Adoration consists in external homage, accompanied with the highest reverence. It is used for the act of praying, or preferring requests or thanksgiving
To properly pay honor to God
We need to recognize how unworthy we truly are
Luke 17:9–10 AV
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
- Even if we did everything He commands
- We would still be unworthy
Confession is a necessary element of Adoration
Daniel 9:1–18 AV
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
Only after confession can we approach his throne in reverence:
Hebrews 4:16 AV
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2. Adjuration (appeal/supplication)
SUPPLICATION, n.
1. Entreaty; humble and earnest prayer in worship. In all our supplications to the Father of mercies, let us remember a world lying in ignorance and wickedness.
2. Petition; earnest request.
• This is an honest sharing of our needs
• not half-hearted or insincere
Proverbs 15:3 AV
3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
• Long wordy prayers are not required or requested
Matthew 6:7–8 AV
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
• Sincere prayers are
Hebrews 5:7 AV
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Mark 14:32–36 AV
32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Supplication is not a matter of physical strength
• but of Spiritual Intensity
Romans 15:30 AV
30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
Colossians 4:12 AV
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
3. Appreciation (Thanksgiving)
After Adoration and Supplication comes Appreciation
Give thanks to God
Ephesians 5:20 AV
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Colossians 3:15–17 AV
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 AV
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
When Jesus Healed the 10 Lepers
• Luke 17.11-19
Only one gave thanks
Is the percentage any higher with us today?
- We are all too eager to ask
- But slow to Appreciate
Paul tells us to:
• Take everything to God in Prayer
• Don’t worry about anything
We are prone
- To pray about the “Big Things”
- but not the so-called “little things”
- at least until they become the “Big Things”
- Taking everything to God is the First step to achieve victory over worry
The result is the Peace of God will guard the Heart and Mind
Philippians 4:7 AV
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The Peace of God stands guard over the two areas of life that create worry
1. The Heart
a. Wrong Feeling
2. The Mind
a. Wrong Thinking
After salvation, you experience the Peace of God
Romans 5:1 AV
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
That does not mean that you won’t have trials
It does mean, regardless of:
• Circumstances
• People or
• Trials
You can experience peace within
If you are struggling with enjoying the peace of God today
ask yourself:
Have you been exercising proper prayer on a daily basis?
