What Prayer Is - Part 2 - Pursuing Intimacy With God

May 14, 2019June 29, 2019
by Kevin Bart

What Prayer Is Designed To Be – Part 2

In Part 1 we talked about how God desires to have close and intimate fellowship with His children. 1 Corinthians 1:9 shows us that God’s main call for you is to have “koinania” close fellowship with God, oneness and unity with Him, and also a partnership with God in His kingdom work and mission.

Many people do not understand that God is love relationship oriented, and that His heart’s desire is to have close and intimate fellowship with His children. Many do not understand that being a Christian is all about having a growing love relationship and fellowship with the One who loves them completely and unconditionally, and that it is not about being religious.

PRAYER/TIME WITH GOD IS VITAL TO BEING CLOSER TO GOD, “ONE” WITH GOD, AND TO GROWING MORE LIKE JESUS (SPIRITUAL GROWTH)

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” – John 17: 20-21
“Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant-the Ten Commandments. 29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” – Exodus 34:28-29
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” – Romans 8:28-29

“Prayer is designed more to adjust you to God, than to adjust God to you & your desires.” – Oswald Chambers

“The time a Christian gives to prayer & fellowship with God is not meant for his/her carnal or natural life, but to nourish the life of Jesus in him/her.” — Oswald Chambers

PRAYER IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR A SINNER TO COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY & HOLY GOD, AND COMMUNICATE & FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ” – Psalm 51:1-4

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ” – Psalm 51:10-12

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the LORD,” – Acts 3:19

PRAYER IS A MINISTRY THAT WE ALL ARE TO PARTICIPATE IN; PRAYER IS DOING GOD’S WORK.

“If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, depend upon it, you
have more business on hand than God ever intended you should have.” – D.L. Moody

God’s Word shows that our prayers touch God’s heart, and He will respond and work in others’ lives when we call upon Him and intercede for others.

PRAYER IS GOD’S WAY FOR HIS CHILDREN TO ASK HIM FOR THE THINGS THEY NEED & DESIRE, AND TO SEE & EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS, MERCY, GRACE, FAITHFULNESS,….

“Taste and see that God is good.” — Psalm 34:8

CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND PRAYER IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING GOD’S POWER: (POWER FOR YOUR LIFE, AND POWER FOR CHANGING THE PEOPLE & THE WORLD AROUND YOU)

It is not the act of prayer itself that is the key to unlocking God’s power. Many people and churches perform the act of prayer, but yet they are dead. When you have a close and right fellowship with God you will then have a powerful prayer life. Focus and concentrate on your fellowship with God first.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16b

“Anyone who takes the time to enter into an intimate love relationship with God can see God do extraordinary things through his or her life.” – Experiencing God

“The closer you get to God, the greater the impact you will have on others’ lives. – Top Gun Training

“To be little with God is to be little for God.” – E.M. Bounds

SPENDING TIME WITH GOD & PRAYER IS WHERE THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE FOUGHT AND WON ; GOD’S VICTORIES AND BLESSINGS ARE WON IN YOUR PRAYER TIME WITH GOD:

“Finally, be strong in the LORD and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand… And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the LORD’s people.” – Ephesians 6:10-18

Proverbs 21:30-31 – “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”

Psalm 33:10-11 – “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

“LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you… Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:6,12

“This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” — 2 Chronicles 20:15-16

God Is Our Victory

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” – 2 Corinthians 2:14

Paul is specifically writing about the ministry and mission of sharing the Gospel with others in this verse and others surrounding it.
When we are walking rightly and closely with God, and when we are doing what He tells us to, we will see God’s great power. The context of what Paul is talking about is the kingdom work & mission of sharing the Gospel. Jesus commanded His followers to do this in Matthew 4:19

“The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” – Jonathan Edwards

PRAYER IS POWER !

Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.

There are hundreds of Bible verses and great truths & promises in the Pursuing Intimacy With God studies.

** New Expanded Edition of Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible Studies Book – 40% more material

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Salvation: The Requirements for True Salvation

What Prayer Is - Part 2 - Pursuing Intimacy With God