Prayer – Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson is the Senior Pastor of Bethel Church. Here is what he said about prayer pertaining to a life of miracles:

Prayer—be specific, and be relentless in praying for miracles in every part of your life. Bring the promises of God before Him in your pursuit. He hasn’t forgotten what He has said and does not need our reminder. However, He enjoys seeing us standing on His covenant when we pray. Prayer with fasting is to be an integral part of this quest, as He revealed this to be an important way to get a breakthrough. I even pray for specific diseases for which I’ not seeing a breakthrough.

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Prayer of Consecration by John G Lake

The following is a prayer of consecration from John G. Lake.

It is a good prayer to pray for oneself:

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you boldly in Jesus' name. Take me as I am. I now give myself - my heart, my mind, my body, my time, talents and treasure to you. Fill me and possess me. I renounce all sins, self and satan. Jesus, sanctify me. Cleanse me, purge me, purify me. Your will be done in my life, on earth as it is in heaven. Let me manifest a faithful spirit, a pure mind and a sickless body to your glory. Amen.

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Great Quotes on Prayer

"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think.'" Andrew Murray

"If we would pray aright, the first thing we should do is to see to it that we really get an audience with God, that we really get into His very presence. Before a word of petition is offered, we should have the definite consciousness that we are talking to God, and should believe that He is listening and is going to grant the thing that we ask of Him." R. A. Torrey

"Satan cannot deny but that great wonders have been wrought by prayer. As the spirit of prayer goes up, so his kingdom goes down. Satan's strategems against prayer are three. First, if he can, he will keep thee from prayer. If that be not feasible, secondly, he will strive to interrupt thee in prayer. And, thirdly, if that plot takes not, he will labour to hinder the success of thy prayer." William Gurnall

"Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!" Andrew Murray

"It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer; and further we have not only to continue in prayer unto the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us, and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing." George Müller

"O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer; rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper--and sleep too--than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer, we must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while the virgin slumbers." Andrew A. Bonar

"Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down." John Wesley

"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers

"Perhaps you will have to spend hours on your knees or upon your face before the throne. Never mind. Wait. God will do great things for you if you will wait for Him. Yield to Him. Cooperate with Him." John Smith

"No one's a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it." Guy H. King

"To strive in prayer means to struggle through those hindrances which would restrain or even prevent us entirely from continuing in persevering prayer. It means to be so watchful at all times that we can notice when we become slothful in prayer and that we go to the Spirit of prayer to have this remedied. In this struggle, too, the decisive factor is the Spirit of prayer." O. Hallesby

"None can believe how powerful prayer is, and what it is able to effect, but those who have learned it by experience. It is a great matter when in extreme need to take hold on prayer. I know, whenever I have prayed earnestly, that I have been amply heard, and have obtained more than I prayed for. God indeed sometimes delayed, but at last He came." Martin Luther

"The reason why we obtain no more in prayer is because we expect no more. God usually answers us according to our own hearts." Richard Alleine

"The devil is aware that one hour of close fellowship, hearty converse with God in prayer, is able to pull down what he hath been contriving and building many a year." Flavel

"Prayer is reaching out and after the unseen; fasting, letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepens, confirms the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God." Andrew Murray

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List of things to pray for

Here’s a partial list of things the New Testament tells us to pray for:

Pray for people who give you a hard time (Matthew 5:43-44; Luke 6:28)

Pray for children (Matthew 19:13)

Pray for strength to endure difficult times (Luke 21:36)

Pray you will not fall into temptation (Luke 22:40)

Pray for all Christians (1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18)

Pray that God's Kingdom will come and His will be done (Matthew 6:10)

Pray God will provide your daily needs (Matthew 6:11)

Pray for God's forgiveness as we forgive others (Matthew 6:12)

Pray we will not be led into temptation, but delivered from evil (Matthew 6:13)

Pray for boldness in proclaiming the gospel and for God to do miracles in people's lives (Acts 4:29-31)

Pray all the time, be alert, pray for fellow believers (Ephesians 6:18)

Pray for fearless teaching of the Word (Ephesians 6:20)

Pray to be filled with the knowledge of His will (Colossians 1:9)

Pray for open doors for the gospel (Colossians 4:3)

Pray that the Word of God may be glorified (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

Pray for deliverance from evil men (2 Thessalonians 3:2)

Pray for everyone, government leaders, peace, quiet, godliness, holiness (1 Timothy 2:1,2)

Pray for sinners to find life in Christ (1 John 5:16)

Ask God for wisdom (James 1:5)

from Randy Alcorn

A Prayer of St Augustine - Repentance

O Lord, help us to turn and seek you; for you have not forsaken your creatures as we have forsaken you, our Creator. Let us turn and seek you, for we know you are here in our heart when we confess to you, when we cast ourselves upon you and weep in your bosom after all our rugged ways; and you gently wipe away our tears, and we weep more for joy; for you, Lord, who made us, do remake and comfort us.

Saint Augustine (354–430AD)

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A Prayer of Brooke Foss Westcott - God's Strength

Blessed Lord, who was tempted in all things like we are, have mercy on our frailty. Out of weakness give us strength. Grant to us your fear so that we may fear you only. Support us in time of temptation. Embolden us in time of danger. Help us to do your work with good courage and to continue as your faithful soldiers and servants to the end of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901)

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A Prayer of John Bradford - God is light

O Lord, greatest and most true light, from which the light of the day and of the sun springs! O Light, which lightens every human who comes into the world! O Light, which knows no night or evening but is always at midday most clear and fair! Without you all is utter darkness; by you everything is resplendent. O Wisdom, Father of mercies, enlighten my mind, so that I may see only those things that please you and be blind to everything else. Amen.

John Bradford (1510–1555)

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A Prayer of Samuel Johnson - God's mercy

Almighty and most merciful Father, whose mercy has kept me from the grave, grant that I may reflect on my past life and repent of the days and years in which I ignored your grace and neglected my salvation. Help me to use the time you have given me, so that I may become more diligent in the studies you have given me. When at last I shall be called in judgment, may I be received as a good and faithful servant into everlasting happiness. For the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

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Prayer to Release Us Into Abundant Life

The following "Prayer to Release Us Into Abundant Life" was written by Paul Cox last year in October 2008 while in Australia:

I repent for all those in my generational line who blamed God for wronging them and blamed Him for surrounding them with His net (Job 19:6-26).

I repent for all those in my generational line for blocking and walling up their way and plunging their path into darkness.

I repent for all those in my generational line for blaming God for bringing them into shame by stripping them of their glory and removing their crown from their head.

I repent for all those in my generational line who blamed God for destroying them and demolishing them on every side thus destroying their hope and finishing them.

I repent for all those in my generational line who blamed God for being their enemy and blaming God for being furious with them and sending troops against them or troops to build up pathways to attack them and to camp all around their bodies and dwelling places.

I repent for all those in my generational line for having a fearful and unbelieving heart that caused them to depart from the way of holiness. I ask for the restoration of the ancient path where gladness and joy overtake us. I embrace my birthright to walk knowing the Lord.

I repent for all those in my generational line for ungodly wisdom where we have been operating out of our futile mindsets where we tried to work things out for ourselves. I choose, Lord, to work out of Your knowledge of understanding, wisdom, and discernment. I choose to work with You, Lord, to change my ways so that I can walk the ancient paths established before the Fall. I choose to walk in Your healing and allow Your strength which flows from Your life giving water (Isaiah 35).

I repent for myself and for all those in my generational line who used their God given physical and spiritual senses in ungodly ways and chose to operate only from their natural mind. Lord, would You break off all the iniquity that flowed from those decisions to ignore Your mind, heart, and will. Lord would You also remove all iniquity off of my God-given senses.

I ask You Lord to restore my ability to use all of my senses to discern Your mind, heart and Your will.

I repent for all those in my generational line who blamed God for removing friends, family, and employees from them and for turning people against them so that they are despised and hated to the point of death.

I repent for all those in my generational line who blamed God's hand for striking them and persecuting them.

I repent for all those in my generational line who wished that their accusations against God and their suffering could be recorded forever in stone.

Lord, I repent for all those in my generational line for not looking for Your path and Your ways. I repent for not being willing to walk on Your path and therefore finding no rest for my soul (Jeremiah 6:16).

I repent for all those in my generational line who believed that God was withholding good from them and believed that they could become like God, knowing good and evil.

I repent for all those in my generational line who rejected the law of the Lord and the testimony of His Spirit, departing from His wisdom and truth and entering the kingdom of their own soul (Psalm 19:7).

I repent for those who relied on the knowledge of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I repent for those who relied on their own thinking.

I repent for all those in my generational line who forsook the Lord, the Fountain of Living Water and created for themselves broken cisterns that could hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13).

I reject the receiving of the seed of satan in our minds that began with the fall of man when we believed the lie that we could become like God.

I repent for rejecting our birthright of being children of the Most High God and relying upon Him.

I reject conceiving from satan's evil seed mischief, trouble, and the preparation of deception which birthed iniquity and evil intent in our generational line (Job 15:35).

Lord would You remove and seal the access the enemy gained in the womb to take us into ungodly heavenly places.

Lord would You remove and restore by the Blood of Jesus any elemental part of me, inheritance and birthright that is trapped in the second heaven or heavenly places. Lord, please close the ungodly doors to the second heaven.

I repent for all those in my family line who relied upon the natural wisdom of man and rejected the Spirit of God (I Corinthians 2:15). I choose to rely on the precepts of truth and the Spirit of God to give me the mind of Christ to direct my mind on the righteous pathway.

I reject the wisdom of man and I repent for the pride in my family line that saw the wisdom of God as foolishness. I claim the right to choose the womb of My Father, Yahweh, who through His Son, Jesus Christ, called me justified and glorified me before the foundation of the earth and before the elemental spirits were created.

I claim that my spiritual birthright is that I am conceived in love (Ephesians 1:4), that I have been given the Spirit of God who reveals wisdom to me (I Corinthians 2:10), that I have been given spiritual eyes in my heart to see the riches of His glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:8). I claimed that I am being formed in the image of His glorious Son. I reject the seed of satan and I reject my position as a child of the father of lies and murder (John 8:44). I ask You Abba Father to close the eyes that were open when Adam and Eve partook of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

I renounce and reject any ungodly rights or authority that was given the soul to direct my mind along ungodly pathways.

I agree with God's original plan that all spiritual wisdom of good and evil originates from God's throne and is revealed to my spirit. I agree that the Holy Spirit has permission to direct my spirit and to lead my soul and body. I receive the seed of the Holy Spirit into my spirit by which power I cry, "Abba, Father."

Lord on behalf of myself and my family line I repent for questioning God's Word and therefore inviting the influence of Leviathan, the king of pride, into my life (Job 41:34).

Lord I choose to be directed by Your commandments so that You might enlarge my heart (Psalm 119:32).

I declare that my Redeemer lives and while I am yet alive I will see God for myself with my own eyes (Job 19:25-26).

I declare that my hope is in You, my Redeemer. I ask You now to restore the ancient pathways to me and shine Your light on me so that I can see You with my eyes. I ask You to restore my stolen birthright back to me, my glory and my crown.

Father I thank You that before You formed me in my mother's womb, You had predetermined my birthright, the path of glory I should walk in.

On behalf on me and my generational line I repent for and renounce rejecting the truth that You formed my inmost being and all the days preordained for me were written in Your book before they came to be.

Father on behalf of me and my generational line I repent for and renounce rejecting the ancient path that You have chosen for me to walk in.

Father on behalf of me and my generational line, I repent for and renounce listening to and aligning my thinking with the wicked. Lord, I reject them and their pursuit of bloodlust.

Father, I declare that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and that You will lead me in the way everlasting. I declare that all Your works are wonderful.

Lord I agree with Your Word which says that the weapons of my warfare are not carnal but mighty through You to the pulling down of strongholds. I choose to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and I choose to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:4-6).

Lord would You release the resurrection power of the Holy spirit to restore me to the path of Holiness. Lord would You cause your Perfect Love to run through my entire being casting out all fear. I ask the Lord to repair or replace any part of my brain or neural pathway required to establish attachment with My Heavenly Father and fellow man.

Lord would You cause me to dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High. I declare my birthright is to walk with Abba Father in the garden where I hear His voice and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. I believe that Jesus Christ appropriated this intimacy for me when He ripped the veil in the Holy of Holies. Lord I repent for my generational line that tried to earn by works that which You had given freely by grace. Lord would You now usher me into that place of rest and perfect peace.

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A Prayer of Christina Rossetti - God's Rest

O Lord Jesus Christ, who is like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, you see your weak creatures weary of labor, weary of pleasure, weary of hope deferred, weary of self.

In your abundant compassion and fellow feeling with us, and with your unspeakable tenderness, bring us, we pray, to your rest.

Amen.

Christina Rossetti

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A Prayer of Jeremy Taylor - God's hand

O Eternal God, you have made me and sustained me; you have blessed me all the days of my life and have taken care of me through all variety of accidents.

Nothing happens to me except that which is in your will.

O let me never accuse you foolishly, nor offend you by my impatience and haughty pride, nor weaken the hands of those who minister to my needs.

Let me pass through the valley of tears and the valley of the shadow of death with safety and peace, with a meek spirit and a sense of your divine mercy.

Grant this, eternal God, gracious Father, in the name of our ever blessed Savior, Jesus.

Amen.

Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)

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A Prayer of Johann Arndt - God be our everything

Be our Joy and Hope, our Strength and Life,

our Shield and Shepherd, our Portion forever.

For happy are we if we continue in the love in which loved us;

holy are we when we love you unwaveringly.

Therefore, you whose name and essence is love,

enkindle our hearts, enlighten our understandings,

sanctify our wills, and fill all the thoughts of our hearts;

for Jesus Christ’s sake.

Amen.

Johann Arndt (1555–1621)

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A Prayer of Thomas Aquinas - Steadfast heart

Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downward;

give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out;

give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.

Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

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A Prayer of Saint Basil

O Lord, our God, teach us, we pray, to ask rightly for the right blessings.

Steer the vessel of our soul toward your heart, the tranquil Haven of all storm-tossed souls.

Show us the way we should go. Renew a willing spirit within us.

Let your Spirit curb our wayward senses, and guide us to that which is our true good, to keep your laws, and in all our works to rejoice in your glorious and gladdening presence.

For yours is the glory and praise from all saints forever and ever.

Amen.

Saint Basil (c. 330–379)

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A Prayer of Robert Louis Stevenson

We resign into your hands our sleeping bodies, our cold hearths, and open doors.

Give us to awaken with smiles; give us to labor smiling.

As the sun returns in the east, so let our patience be renewed with dawn;

as the sun lightens the world, so let our loving-kindness make bright this house of our habitation.

Amen.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

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A Prayer of Peter Marshall

Lord, forgive me that when life’s circumstances lift me to the crest of the wave, I tend to forget Thee. Yet, like an errant child, I have blamed Thee with my every failure, even as I credit myself with every success.

When my fears evaporate like the morning mist, then vainly I imagine that I am sufficient unto myself, that material resources and human resources are enough.

I need Thee when the sun shines, lest I forget the storm and the dark. I need Thee when I am popular, when my friends and those who work beside me approve and compliment me. I need Thee more then, lest my head begin to swell.

O God, forgive me for my stupidity, my blindness in success, my lack of trust in Thee. Be Thou now my Savior in success.

Save me from conceit. Save me from pettiness. Save me from myself! And take this success, I pray, and use it for Thy glory. In Thy strength, I pray.

Amen.

Peter Marshall (1902–1949)

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Dr Peter Marshall, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate after World War II, was the calming spiritual voice of the nation.

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Would you pray for your country's leader like that?

Christians praying for President-elect Barrack Obama:

A Prayer of John Calvin - Understanding God's Word

Enlighten us, O God, by your Spirit, in the understanding of your Word, and grant us the grace to receive it in true fear and humility, that we may learn to put our trust in you, to fear and honor you, by glorifying your Holy Name in all our life, and to yield you the love and obedience which faithful servants owe to their master and children to their fathers, seeing it has led you to call us to the number of your servants and children.

John Calvin (1509–1564)

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A Prayer of Saint Mark

Bless all your people, the flocks of your fold.
Send down into our hearts the peace of heaven,
and grant us also the peace of this life.
Give life to the souls of all of us,
and let no deadly sin prevail against us or any of your people.
Deliver all who are in trouble,
for you are our God, who sets the captives free;
who gives hope to the hopeless,
and help to the helpless;
who lifts up the fallen;
and who is the haven of the shipwrecked.
Give your pity, pardon, and refreshment to every Christian soul,
whether in affliction or error.
Preserve us in our pilgrimage through this life from hurt and danger
and grant that we may finish our lives
as Christians who are well-pleasing to you and free from sin
and that we may have our portion and lot with all your saints;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

From the Liturgy of Saint Mark (c.100 to 400 A.D.) - author of the Bible Book of Mark

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Prayer of Thomas Kempis - Self Control

Almighty God, you have made all things for us, and us for your glory. Sanctify our body and soul, our thoughts and our intentions, our words and actions, that whatsoever we shall think, or speak, or do, may by us be designed for the glorification of your name. And let no pride or self-seeking, no impure motive or unworthy praise, no little ends or low imagination stain our spirit, or profane any of our words and actions. But let our body be a servant to our spirit, and both body and spirit servants of Jesus Christ.

Thomas Kempis (1380–1471)

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