Lesson 5 of Complementary Course

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I. WHAT IS PRAYER?

God created people, man and woman, after His image and likeness. He gave them a place in the Garden of Eden, and He came daily to have fellowship with them and to talk with them.

Genesis 3:8, 9 - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

Today also God seeks a daily communication with men through His Spirit.

To pray is to talk with God. A conversation is talking to each other: we speak to God, and He speaks to us.

II. WHY SHALL WE PRAY?

When it is about prayer, many people right away think about asking or pleading things to God: "Oh Lord, give me this, please do that for me, help my children at school, give my husband a better salary, etc." "Oh Lord, give me money." "Oh Lord, change my kid, and make him doing his best."
(A whole, long list)

And many even don't try to establish a good relationship with the Lord.
I know people who were healed by Jesus, or received other miracles, and later they stop serving God, and never come to Church anymore.

To pray means much more then just asking something to God. How would you like it if your children only come home to ask you money, and even not greet you, or be interested in you?

God is not our servant, is He?
We must not only pray to ask things to God, but to have a relation with Him, to ask Him what He wants in my life, to intercede for others as well.

A lack of prayer is the reason that many are weak.

Let us see f.i. the life of Judas Iscariot or Saul. It doesn't seem they had a habit to pray!

And Abraham? Do you think he first prayed to God before he made a child with Hagar?

Many problems arise by not praying.

Jacob only learnt the secret of persisting prayer at the brook of Jabbok (= place of emptying). There he became empty of his own natural force with the result he was lame and the rest of his life he was not able to do anything but hanging on to God. (Genesis 32:22-32)

In Acts 6:2b, 4, we read that the apostles gave much attention to prayer:
and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. … and we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

There are many ways to stimulate us in prayer: by reading the Word of God; to worship the Father; to be aware of the fact you need Him; to be aware of what others need.

III. HOW SHALL WE PRAY?

A. INSISTING AND PERSISTING

Luke 18:1 - Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

We read in the Bible about a man who did not stop to ask, even though it was midnight, (Luke 11:5-8); about another who refused to stop asking something to Jesus (Mark 10:46-52); about a widow who carried on to plead to a corrupt judge to have her right (Lukas 18:1-8).
The Bible says in James 5:16b: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

When Peter was set in prison by Herod, the Church continued in prayer

Hebrews 5:7,9 - During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

B. AT THE RIGHT PLACE AND TIME

Great men of prayer in the Old and the New Testament stood up early in the morning. You can read that about Abraham (Genesis 21:14), Jacob (Genesis 28:18), Moses (Exodus 34:4), and Joshua (Joshua 3:1), and in particular about Jesus:
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.

It is good to establish a proper time (f.i two hours) and place to make sure you have fellowship with the Lord every day. The Bible says: Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. (Proverbs 23:23)

IV. DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRAYER

There are different kinds of prayers and every kind has its own rules which we should not confuse with each other.
Like you cannot use the rules for basketball at football, you cannot use the rules that apply for intercession at the Prayer of Faith for yourself.

There are different kinds of prayer, that list as follows:

1. PRAYER OF FAITH
2. PRAYER OF DEDICATION TO GOD
3. PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT
4. PRAYER OF AGREEMENT
5. INTERCESSION
6. PRAYER OF LAYING DOWN YOUR PROBLEM AT JESUS' FEET
7. THANKSGIVING, PRAISE, WORSHIP AND THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE
8. PLEADING A CAUSE WITH GOD

A. PRAYER OF FAITH (FOR ONESELF)

This is when we ask the Lord something for ourselves. Of course we always may apply faith for ourselves, but sometimes it will not work for someone else. Like in the case when you pray for a friend or for family. Because it can be that this other person even does not want you to pray for him or her; in which case your faith will not have much worth. (In such case we do intercession)

The Prayer of Faith for yourself is based on Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Basic Principles.

1. We first must decide what we actually want to ask God exactly, and in that we must be very clear.

Jesus one day passed a blind man who yelled: "Have mercy on me, and help me," on which Jesus questioned: "What do you want me to do?"
Then the man said exactly what he wanted, and Jesus healed his blindness.
For everybody it was very obvious what the man wanted, but Jesus only satisfied the need of the blind man, after he clearly asked for it.

Pastor Youngi Cho, from Seoul, south-Korea, one day counseled a girl who wanted to be married. He asked her what kind of a man she wanted, and she answered: "Oh, the Lord knows."
Pastor Cho then showed her from the Bible this is not correct. Then she prayed very specifically and described exactly the characteristics of the man she wanted, and very soon the Lord gave precisely the man she asked for.

The Lord does answer prayers that are not specific. He does not choose a partner for life, for He is not going to be married. Only after she prayed this way she found the right one, while she could not during many years.

2. Then look for a scripture that promises what you need. God is only responsible to answer your prayer if you ask Him something that is according His will, in other words: that is according what He promised in the Bible.
The will of God is written in the Bible.

1 John 5:14 - This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

3. Meditate for a certain time on these biblical promises before you pray - because the Lord answers if you pray with Faith, and faith only comes through hearing the Word of God.
So, before you make the Prayer of Faith you must meditate enough time on these promises and allow them to come into your inner. Only that way you will have faith to receive, and only that way the Lord will answer.

Romans 10:17 - Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

John 15:7 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

As you see it is needed to fill your heart with the Word of God, because then He answers your prayer.

4. Ask God, the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Contrary to what many think, the official way to ask something to God is to direct you request to the Father Himself, in the name of Jesus.

John 16:23 - In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. So never pray to angels or saints. Direct your prayer always to God the Father, in the name of Jesus.

5. Believe you receive what you ask for, right at the moment when you ask for it.

Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

6. While you await the manifestation of the answer to your prayer, it is very important that you praise Him for the fact HE heard you.

If you really praise Him because you 'already have the answer', even when you don't see nothing of it yet, then you show faith, real faith.

For how long will you praise God?
Until the full manifestation is there.

Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

7. Don't be surprised if you are attacked with doubts

Of course it is exactly during this time of waiting the manifestation in which satan likes it the most to attack.

In what way does the devil attack?
He throws doubts into your mind.
The mind is the battlefield.

Sometimes it seems as if the devil throws flames of doubts into you mind, to set your thoughts on fire.

2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 - For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

During this waiting time we must fight against the devil and keep stand by means of the sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6:17).

How do you do that?
By saying aloud the biblical truths to the devil.

This way Jesus overcame the devil, and likewise you must do when the devil attacks you with doubts.

8. Don't loose courage if it even gets worse right after you prayed.

Another way the devil uses to attack is to try to DISCOURAGE you with adversaries and disappointment.

I know of cases where people asked prayer for healing, and the following days it worsened. There was more pain, or higher fever, etc.

Why does this happen?
Because if the devil is acting in someone's life, and he has to leave, then he will do his utmost to get this person down, or to make then feel worse then ever.

See what happened in the ministry of Jesus:
Mark 9:25 - When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."
But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

The devil also uses this tactics to make people think that God after all did not answer their prayer.
But if we submit to God and resist the devil, then he flees for us.

James 4:7 - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 6:13 - 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.

So, when you pass the 'day of evil' or the attack, and you did all you knew don't be discouraged but stand your ground, which means: don't give in to the devil.
Keep resisting the devil and he will; and run away from you.

B. PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND SURRENDERING TO GOD

Christianity is not just coming to God if you need Him, or to 'collect your blessings'.

Christianity is to lead a holy life: sanctification (is separation) of sin and the world; dedication to God - to serve God.

Matthew 6: 9-13
"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' Amen.

SURRENDER - It means that you separate yourself from the old to do the will of God, to work for God.
To work for God does not mean that you give up your job right away, and tomorrow you are a full-time preacher or missionary.

It means that you start doing something on your work: to witness of Jesus; and it means you start helping in Church: as an usher, or in the praise group, or children's church, etc.
This is surrendering, separating yourself for Jesus.

DEDICATION - This means you are ready to do what He asks. Isaiah 1:19 - ´willing and obedient´

Many people want that God uses them for great things, signs and wonders.
But therefore it is necessary that you are willing and obedient (out of your own free will).

An example of Paul: Acts 16:6, 7 (the Holy Spirit did not allow them); Acts 8:26 (Philip and the Eunuch).

The teachings of Jesus:
Matthew 10:37-39
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Luke 9:23-26
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:57-62
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE
"Father, if you are willing …"

Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Many people confuse different kinds of prayers, in particular with this prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane.
Because Jesus prayed here: "Father, if you are willing," people think you should pray this in every prayer.

But:
- Jesus does not pray here to receive something of God (on the contrary: He prays to be set free of something He does not want)
- Jesus was surrendering Himself to God here, to dedicate Himself to that what God wanted.
Jesus knew that He had to take all our sins on Him, to suffer and die.
He was very afraid fro it, knowing He would be separated from the Father.
That is why Jesus said: "Father, if You really want this, I will do it."
- This kind of Prayer you may use to set your life apart, consecrated to the Lord, in order that He can use your life. To send you somewhere for instance, to be at His disposal, for what He wants.
One day the Lord showed me that HE wanted me to go to Portugal. I had a good life in Africa, a good salary, all comfort in life, etc., and the last place I wanted to go was Portugal. But, because He wanted to, I went. This is one of the reasons He blessed us so much.
- "If you are willing": to use these words in any other kind of prayer is a lack of faith.
- When you pray something that is clearly Gods will, you should not pray: "if you are willing", because the Word of God is His will.
If you try to pray the Prayer of Faith this way, it is only disbelief, and it will bring no results.

This kind of prayer is to receive direction and instructions from God for your life, and it has nothing to do with receiving a blessing from God, something He has promised.

This kind of prayer keeps your heart open, in order that you will do what the Lord has designated for you to do.

C. PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT

The prayer in the spirit has to do with two great happening s in the life of a Christian (after he is born again): the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the speaking in other tongues.

Although Jesus was God, He never acted as such here on earth. He dedicated Himself totally to God the Father, and gave Himself over to be clothed with the Holy Spirit, the Power from on High.

How does this power come?
By being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Luke 3:21-22
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is still for today, for all that believe and that want their lives full of His power

Acts 2:38-39
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

1. We pray in the spirit by praying in other tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:2
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.

It is a conversation between our spirit and God.
I Corinthians 14:14
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Our spirit prays, but our mind does not understand it. That is why ´speaking in strange sounds´, tongues, is nothing else then a conversation between our spirit and God.

2. There are various ways of speaking in tongues:
Slow or fast, laughing, crying, etc. (as the Holy Spirit gives the utterance).

3. We can speak in various languages:
Languages of angels or people (English, Chinese, Hebrew), with different sounds (clicking, sighing, like certain native languages); we speak in mysteries to God.

4. We can speak in tongues at every desired moment.

It is not necessary that the Holy Spirit always urges us for it.
At the baptism in the Holy Spirit the Lord gives us the gift of speaking in tongues, and we may use it whenever we want; it is a gift He gave us.

Use it every day.

5. We speak in tongues without understanding it.

I do not comprehend what I say, but that is how it works.
We may, on the other hand, ask the Lord to give us also the gift of interpretation of tongues.
WHY WE SPEAK IN TONGUES?

1. It edifies you spiritually.
1 Corinthians 14:4
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

You can compare this with charging a battery; so when you 'edify yourself' by praying in tongues, you are 'charging your spiritual batteries'.
That is why it is so important to do it every day.

2. It is a prayer that is 100% according the will of God.
Romans 8:26, 27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Nobody exactly knows how we should pray.
But by praying in tongues we pray perfectly, for it is the Holy Spirit Himself who prays, while He uses your mouth.

3. to stimulate our faith
Judas 20
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

4. To have spiritual refreshment
Isaiah 28:11
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
Isaiah 28:12
To whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen.

5. to remain conscious of the Holy Spirit
John 14:16, 17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

6. To thank God

1 Corinthians 14:17
You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

D. PRAYER OF AGREEMENT

This type of prayer is based on Matthew 18:18-19
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

When two people agree on the same case, or a certain situation and they pray in agreement, then really happens what they agreed on.

You may use this type of prayer in relation to written promises of God, and for your own life.

Example: there was a couple that were real estate sellers; for every deal they made a prayer of agreement to sell a property for a certain prize, and then they sold it in short time for that amount.
But, at a certain day she did not agree in her heart with him, and though they prayed together, there was no real agreement. So the result was that the prayer was hindered, and that they couldn't get the house sold.

E. INTERCESSION

INTERCESSION is: to pray for others, to cast down the walls that satan put around that person or situation.
It means opening the prison where the devil kept the other in bondage.

Intercession implies that one senses the needs of others around us, to go to the Lord to seek His attention for the sake of the other.

1. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INTERCESSOR

He spends time to pray for others.

He stands in the position of the other, and he
- never gives up
- stays at his post, until the result is there

2. BIBLICAL ASPECTS IN RELATION TO INTERCESSION

To pray for a city - Abraham prayed for Sodom and Gomorra

Genesis 18:23-33
Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."
Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."
Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

To pray for a war - at the side of Moses

Exodus 17:8-13
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.
When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

Two men supported the arms of Moses during this combat.
When someone does intercession for another, a brother in faith, he supports the tired arms of the other in battle.

Moses interceded for the Israelites, because of the snakes

Numbers 21:4-9
They travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."
So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Peter in jail - the Church prayed for him

Acts 12:4-16
After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him.
Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
Peter knocked at the outer entrance and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.
When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"
"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

Intercession does NOT GIVE A GUARANTEE it will work, for everybody has his OWN FREE WILL, and so this is also in cause.

When we intercede for the other, this happens:
- You set this person free of the influence of satan, you free his mind in order that this person has the freedom to choose for Jesus.
- You ask God if He sends somebody to talk about salvation.
- But it will be always the responsibility of the person TO CHOSE.

Note: Intercession can never impose your will to another: what you want.
That would be manipulation, and that is exactly what some brothers do to others, without realizing it.

3. HOW WE MAKE INTERCESSION?

a. By proclaiming Gods Word over the situation - Pray the Word of God; and change the problem in a solution.
b. Pray in the Spirit for this person, this situation.

F. PRAYER OF LAYING DOWN YOUR PROBLEM AT JESUS' FEET

This is when you have a situation or a problem, and you don't know what to do. You have done everything you know and understand from the Bible, and now you don't know any further.
Then it is time you lay down the problem at the feet of Jesus, and trust Him that He will resolve it.
In this type of prayer it is crucial that you really leave your problem at His feet, and not start carrying it yourself any more. Then you really allow God to be God.

G. THANKSGIVING, PRAISE, WORSHIP AND THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

When we praise the Lord, we lift Him on high, and we talk to Him.
That is why we consider Praise and Worship as a type of Prayer.

Thanksgiving - This is that we thank God for all that He has done for us, and for what He gave us.

Example: "Father I thank You that You gave me this car"; or: "Thank You that You healed my kidneys." Etc.

The Prayer of Praise is: that we exalt and honor Him for who He is, we praise Him for the wonderful characteristics He has.

Example: "Lord, I praise You for You sent Jesus to save us; You are good and full of mercy; You are my strength; my wisdom; You are my health; the source of my prosperity; You are Love."

The Prayer of Worship - This is when we give Him the highest honor and worship, when we really go out of our mind for Him.
You may worship the Lord with words, with deeds and actions, and with our attitude (there was f.i. a woman who kissed the feet of Jesus, and washed them with her tears).

People always worship somebody or something, because it is our nature; the big question is: who or what do you worship?

Ways to pray, to praise the Lord and worship Him:

1. by lifting hands - Psalm 63:4;
2. kneeled down, or bowed down - Psalm 95:6;
3. by singing songs - Psalm 69:3;
4. with shouts of joy - Psalm 132:9;
5. with dance - Psalm 147:1;
6. with all kinds of instruments - Psalm 150:3-5;
7. by clapping hands - Psalm 47:1;
8. with new tongues - 1 Corinthians 14:15-17;

The Sacrifice of Praise
Hebrews 13:15 - through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

This praising God when you are in the middle of a great problem, or while you pass great sorrow, or when you are pressed down by feelings.

A Biblical example of the Sacrifice of Praise:
Let us see what happened with the people of Israel when they arrived at the Promised Land. (Joshua 6)
They discovered that the land was occupied by giants, there were mighty nations with strongholds and fortified cities. Like the city of Jericho, of which has been said the walls were so broad that car races were held on top of them. But because they followed the instructions of the Lord (to jubilee before Him), they won the battle - and conquered the city.

Likewise we will have to conquer our Promised Land on the enemy: a life full of the blessings the Lord has promised us.
The simple fact that now we are children of God, does not automatically means everything will just happen, all by itself.
We must battle in the spirit, and CONQUER the blessings.

Another example - Acts 16:23-26
The Lord gave Paul the mission to preach the Gospel in Macedonia.

Of course they expected everything to run very well and very easy, but what really happened was that Paul was thrown into jail, only because he had delivered a girl from a bad spirit.

Now see this: Paul did not start to murmur: "Lord, it was You who sent me to this place, and You allow this to happen?"

Paul did not complain, did not resist.

On the contrary, at midnight (in other words: at the most difficult moment), Paul and Silas brought a Sacrifice of Praise to the Lord, and that is why He did a great miracle in their lives.

The Sacrifice of Praise opens a way, where there is no way.

The Sacrifice of Praise opens the door of prison where the devil has locked you in.

I. PLEADING A CAUSE WITH GOD

John Wesley said: "God cannot do anything for humanity, unless somebody asks Him."

"Why?" Someone asked.

Because the World is not longer God's.

Adam was created to rule over this world. But he committed high treason and sold himself to the devil.
This way the devil became the prince of this world. (2 Cor. 4:4).

God the Father decided, however, to save mankind through Jesus Christ.
This way the rights that were given to men, but lost, were conquered back again by Jesus Christ.
That is why when we ask Him something in the name of Jesus, He hears us.
So, He cannot do anything for us, unless somebody asks Him.
God says in Isaiah 43:25-26:
"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.

Abraham understood this way of praying, and the value of it- he pleaded to God for the sake of Sodom en Gomorra (Genesis 18:23-25)

Also Moses pleaded a case to God, when He wanted to make an end to the people of Israel, and start all over again, because of the golden calf.
God changed his mind because of this prayer:
Exodus 32:9-11
"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."
But Moses sought the favour of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

Review the past for me says the Lord (Isaiah 43:26) - what does He mean with that?

We must remind Him to His promises.
So, when we are before Gods throne, we must remind Him to His Word.
Plead your cause like a good lawyer. Use with this that what is written: the Law, the Word of God.

Be careful.

Use bible passages that describe what you need.
When we come to the foundations of His Word, it will never fail to have its original power and effectiveness.