Building a Life of Prayer

Jonah was angry that the people of Ninevah had repented at his preaching and God was displeased with his anger. We can learn from this that rather than being angry at the unbelieving world, we who are Christians should sincerely pray for them to know the Lord. 

Jonah calls upon the Lord in his distress and the Lord hears his prayer. God listens to us in times of crisis, even if it is a crisis we bring upon ourselves. 

When the prophet Jonah is at sea and God causes a tempest to come upon the ship, when the mariners hear Jonah's statement of truth about the Lord, they turn to the Lord themselves and call out in prayer. A crisis often provides a great opportunity for unbelievers to turn to the one true God. 

The prophet Amos prayed for the Lord's judgment to be turned away from his people.  God hears the prayers of his servants who seek him for mercy on behalf of others.

Joel has been called the prophet of the Holy Spirit. Joel teaches us how people experiencing judgment should pray. He does this by using one word— returning . The call to repent is a common form of prayer in the Old Testament.

The name Hosea comes from the Hebrew word for salvation. The Book of Hosea teaches us how disobedient people should pray, repent, and turn back to God. 

Daniel is praying and fasting for three weeks and again an angel comes to visit him. The angel says some unusual words to him that give us some insight into spiritual warfare in the heavenly realms. 

At the end of Daniel's great prayer for his people, he is visited by the angel Gabriel who encourages Daniel and gives him understanding about the future. He also tells him that he is greatly loved by God. 

Daniel's prayer for the Israelites is guided by Scripture. He confesses the sins of his people and does not exclude himself. Then he makes his request to the Lord. 

The account of Daniel shows us a remarkable and uncompromising devotion to prayer. This teaches us the value of steadfastness in prayer. 

Daniel was a Jewish captive in Babylon. When he is facing a crisis, he goes to his companions and asks them to pray for him. When we don't know what to do, the Scriptures invite us to pray and ask others to pray for us. 

One of the recurring ideas in the Book of Ezekiel is that God will do what He's going to do so that people will know that He is the Lord.  This is an emphasis that should be in our prayers—that God is the Lord.

Ezekiel was a prophet during the time that the Jews were in exile in Babylon. There is a short prayer recorded in Ezekiel chapter 11. In answer to his prayer, God says what he will do in the future for the nation of Israel. 

In the Book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah recognizes that real restoration begins by being in a right relationship with God. 

The Book of Lamentations emphasizes God's anger at sin, Jeremiah's grief, and the people's suffering under the siege against Jerusalem. Despite all this lament, there is hope in the book as well.

While imprisoned, Jeremiah prays to God. His prayer expresses joy and exclamation, recalls God's steadfast love, and offers words of hope. 

While lamenting over his situation, Jeremiah remembers his calling. He then expresses his confidence in God.

Should Christian's ever pray the same way Jeremiah prayed regarding their enemies? 

In Jeremiah chapters 15 and 16, we see that God's people must sometimes stand alone and that there may be prolonged times of prayer without seeing results—even times of lament or pain—but God never leaves his servants. 

Jeremiah's prayer in chapter 10 includes worship, declaration of who God is, the futility of idols, and prayer for guidance. 

We see with the prophet Jeremiah that God often calls one individual who is in a right relationship with Him to pray for many other people who are not in right relationship with God. There is always hope because of who God is.

It is evident in Scripture that fasting and prayer are connected. The prophet Isaiah emphasizes considering the poor when fasting and also that we should take time and give focused attention to seeking God when fasting.

The prophet Isaiah often uses the verb "wait." What does it mean to wait upon the Lord? It is not passively passing the time. It is a hopeful expectation in God.

Isaiah's prayer in chapter 25 reminds us that our prayers should always include praise to the Lord for what He has done and for what He is doing in our life. Furthermore, the prayer reminds us that despite our present trials we can pray with gratitude and expectation for what lies ahead for believers.

Isaiah chapter 12  is a reminder that our prayers should include 3 things:  1) thanksgiving and praise to God for his great gift of salvation. 2) expression of our trust in Him. 3) concern for the unreached people of the world.