Prayer is Relationship

“If you live in Me and my words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7 Amplified)

This verse has much basic truth to teach us about prayer.  I want to break it down into three parts:

1 If you live in Me.

2 If My words remain in you.

3 Ask whatever you will and it will be done for you.

The Prayer of Enquiry

I have touched briefly on this in the previous lesson, but it is of such importance that I want to look at it more closely. Joshua, a godly leader who habitually sought the Lord, found himself in trouble on one occasion because he trusted to his senses and did not enquire of the Lord. The Gibeonites, who lived in Canaan, pretended that they were strangers in the land, showing Joshua stale provisions which they said were the result of the long journey they had made. Joshua therefore made a covenant with them that he had no right to make. However once made, it needed to be honoured (Joshua Ch. 9)..

Prayer is Friendship with the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:14, the verse we often call 'the grace', talks about us having “fellowship with the Holy Spirit”. Fellowship according to Strong’s Concordance means: partnership, participation, social intercourse, communication.

Prayer is a relationship with the Father and the Son by fellowship with the Spirit.  The disciples related to Jesus, God in the flesh.  What could be better?  They spoke with Him, questioned Him, touched Him, and followed Him.  When the time came for Him to leave them they were devastated and did not understand Him when He said:

“It is for your good I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you” (John 16:5-7).

Intercession 

Intercession is love in action. It is a gift of love for another. It may be expressed in the quiet place with the Lord, but it will always outwork into some tangible expression of love.

Joshua 3: the priests going first into the Jordan carrying the Ark of the Covenant while all the nation pass by them, is a picture of corporate intercession.  The Priests risk everything.  They are first in (a work is always pioneered by intercession) and last out.  Even the weakest go ahead of them.  They stand and persevere.  They carry the Presence of the Lord.