PRAYER: (Select Readings) Ge 18:23-32; 32:24-30; 2Sa 7:18-29; 1Ki 8:22-61 Lu 11:1-13; 18:1-8; Joh 17:1-26 (For alphabetical arrangement of subjects under this heading see Index) (1) General References to First Mentioned Ge 4:26 Universal Need of Ps 65:2; Isa 56:7; Lu 11:2 The Holy Spirit Aids in Ro 8:26,27 Prayers of the Saints Precious Re 5:8 Ascends as Incense before God Re 8:3,4 (2) Enjoined 1Ch 16:11; Ho 14:2; Mt 7:7; 26:41; Lu 18:1; 21:36; Joh 16:24 Eph 6:18; Php 4:6; Col 4:2; 1Th 5:17; 1Ti 2:8; Jas 5:13 --SEE Seeking God, SEEKING GOD Ask PRAYER Draw Near to God, FELLOWSHIP Waiting upon God, WAITING UPON GOD (3) Prayers Answered, examples of Moses Ex 15:24,25 Gideon Jud 6:39,40; 13:9 Hannah 1Sa 1:27 Samuel 1Sa 7:9,10 Solomon 1Ki 3:12; 9:3 Elijah 1Ki 18:37,38; 2Ki 6:18; 13:4 Hezekiah 2Ki 19:19,20; 1Ch 5:20 Jehoshaphat 2Ch 18:31; 32:21; 33:13 Ezra Ezr 8:23; Ne 9:27; Da 2:19; 9:22; 10:12 Zacharias Lu 1:13 The Early Church Ac 4:31 --SEE Prayer (6), PRAYER Divine Hearing, HEARING (4) Promises of Answer Ps 91:15; Isa 41:17; 58:9; 65:24; Jer 33:3; Zec 13:9 Lu 11:9; Joh 14:14; 15:7; 1Jo 3:22 --SEE Seekers, SEEKING GOD Ask, PRAYER (5) Causes of Failure in -- Disobedience De 1:45; 1Sa 14:37; 28:6 -- Secret sin Ps 66:18 -- Indifference Pr 1:28 -- Neglect of mercy Pr 21:13 -- Despising the law Pr 28:9 -- Blood-guiltiness Isa 1:15 -- Iniquity Isa 59:2; Mic 3:4 -- Stubbornness Zec 7:13 -- Instability Jas 1:6,7 -- Self-indulgence Jas 4:3 --SEE Sin Separates, SIN God's Face Hidden, ESTRANGEMENT Wicked Rejected, WICKED (6) True Prayer Heard Job 34:28; Ps 4:3; 18:6; 34:17; Pr 15:29; Mic 7:7; Zec 10:6 --SEE Divine Hearing, HEARING (7) Sometimes Refused because not in accord with the Divine Will Ex 33:20; De 3:26; 2Sa 12:16; Eze 20:3; 2Co 12:8 --SEE Spiritual Tests, TESTS, SPIRITUAL (
8) Social and Family Mt 18:19; Lu 1:10; Ac 1:14; 4:24; 12:12; 21:5 (9) Conditions for Successful Contrition 2Ch 7:14; Isa 58:9 Whole-heartedness Jer 29:13 Faith Mr 11:24 Righteousness Jas 5:16 Obedience 1Jo 3:22; 5:14 NOTABLE PRAYERS (10) EXAMPLES OF Abraham, for Sodom Ge 18:23 Jacob, at Peniel Ge 32:24 David, when denied the privilege of building the temple 2Sa 7:18 Solomon, at Gibeon 1Ki 3:6 -- at the dedication of the Temple 1Ki 8:22 Hezekiah, at the invasion of Sennacherib 2Ki 19:15; 1Ch 17:16 Ezra, for the sins of the people Ezr 9:6 Daniel, for the captive Jews Da 9:4 Habakkuk's Prayer Hab 3:1 The Lord's Prayer Mt 6:9 Christ's Intercessory prayer Joh 17:1 Paul, for the Ephesians Eph 3:14 --SEE Importunity, PRAYER Intercession, INTERCESSION Crying to God, EARNESTNESS EARNESTNESS (11) Brevity in Prayer (a) Examples of Brief Prayers -- Elijah at Carmel 1Ki 18:36,37 -- Jabez 1Ch 4:10 -- Hezekiah, when sick Isa 38:2,3 -- The Publican Lu 18:13 -- Jesus on the Cross Lu 23:34 -- The Dying Thief Lu 23:42 -- Stephen Ac 7:60 (b) Brevity Enjoined Ec 5:2; Mt 6:7; 23:14 (12) Special Pleas Offered in Ge 18:32; 32:9; Nu 14:13; 2Ki 20:3; Ps 71:18; Jer 14:20; Da 9:18 --SEE Remember Me, MEMORY POSTURES IN PRAYER (13) Bowing Ge 24:26; Ex 4:31; 12:27; 34:8 (14) Kneeling 1Ki 8:54; 2Ch 6:13; Ezr 9:5; Ps 95:6; Isa 45:23; Da 6:10 Lu 22:41; Ac 7:60; 9:40; 20:36; 21:5; Eph 3:14 --SEE Humility, HUMILITY (15) On the Face Before God Nu 20:6; Jos 5:14; 1Ki 18:42; 2Ch 20:18; Mt 26:39 --SEE Humility HUMILITY Worshippers, WORSHIPPERS Crying to God, EARNESTNESS (16) Standing 1Ki 8:22; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11 (17) Examples of Secret Prayer Moses De 9:25 Samuel 1Sa 15:11 Elijah 1Ki 17:19,20 Daniel Da 6:10 Christ's Command Mt 6:6 Peter Ac 10:9 Cornelius Ac 10:30 --SEE Prayerfulness, DEVOTIONAL LIFE (18) Pri
vate Devotions of Christ Morning Devotions Mr 1:35 Evening Prayer Mr 6:46,47 Solitary Communion Lu 5:15,16 All-night Prayer Lu 6:12 Only the Disciples near Lu 9:18 In the Garden of Gethsemane Lu 22:41,42 (19) Public Prayers of Christ Mt 11:25; Lu 3:21; Joh 11:41; 17:1 --SEE Prayer (18), PRAYER (20) Requests for Prayer 1Sa 7:8; 12:19; 1Ki 13:6; Ac 8:24; Ro 15:30; Eph 6:19 1Th 5:25; 2Th 3:1; Heb 13:18 (21) Unwise Prayers, examples of Nu 11:15; 1Ki 19:4; Jon 4:3; Mt 20:21 --SEE Prayer (7), PRAYER (22) For Food Ge 28:20; Pr 30:8; Mt 6:11 (23) For the Church Joh 17:20; Ro 1:9; Eph 1:16; 3:14; Php 1:4; Col 1:3; 4:12 1Th 1:2 (24) Importunity, examples of Abraham Ge 18:32 Jacob Ge 32:26 Moses De 9:18 Syrophenician Woman Mt 15:27; Lu 11:8; 18:5 Jesus Lu 22:44 The Nobleman from Capernaum Joh 4:49 The Early Church Ac 12:5; Jas 5:16 Elijah Jas 5:17 --SEE Crying to God, EARNESTNESS EARNESTNESS Prayer (10), PRAYER Prayer (15), PRAYER (25) Special Exhortations to 1Ki 3:5; Zec 10:1; Mt 7:8; 21:22; Lu 11:9; Joh 14:13; 15:7; 16:24 Jas 1:5; 1Jo 5:14 --SEE Seeking God, SEEKING GOD Promises Divine, PROMISES, DIVINE