"Minute Messages" - Word for Life World Ministries

Link: http://wordforlife.com/b2e/blog1.php/2012/02/18/teach-us-to-pray-1

Teach Us to Pray - - - - by Michael D. Inman

"This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us we have what we asked of him." (1 John 5:14-15)

Scripture Focus: Luke 11:1-13

One of the extraordinary gifts that God has given to His children is the gift of prayer. But we, like the disciples, need Jesus to teach us to pray. Left to ourselves, we are senseless and ignorant before the Lord (Psalm 73:22). Christ, however, gave Himself to prayer and set aside precious time to converse with His Father. He is the ultimate example, and He teaches us how to pray by His Word and Spirit.

1 John 5:14-15 says that when we pray in faith and in accordance with God's will, we can be confident that our Father hears us and will answer. But how do we know what God's will is? We must search the Scriptures! When we pray God's Word, we come into agreement with God's will and can expect answers. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray by interceding on our behalf in harmony with God's will (Romans 8:26-27). The Holy Spirit never contradicts the Holy Word.

Today, may the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with God's Word so that we may know how to pray as Jesus prayed.

Insight: Jesus said, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7).

Michael D. Inman