In this series, Effective Prayer, Pastors Philip and Michelle Steele will help us become skilled in applying biblical principles of prayer. You can watch the YouTube videos or audio files included in this blog or purchase the resources for group or personal Bible study. The notes from the teaching included here are available as a study guide in book or PDF form. You can find the Effective Prayer resources by clicking here.
Intervention Prayers is Michelle Steele’s newest book scheduled for release on May 7th, 2024. But you can preorder now with this link!
God wants us to have confidence in His willingness to answer our prayers.
1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV) 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
In Christ Jesus, we are made to be “priests” who minister to God and for God.
1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV) You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
Revelation 1:5-6 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Our prayers are a large part of this ministry.
Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
The church (collectively) is God’s temple or house.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (AMPC)
Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?
A Spiritual House
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
In prayer, we offer spiritual sacrifices.
Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Prayer brings God’s power on the scene.
James 5:13-18 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Afflicted means “under the pressure of temptations, a mental battle, mental, emotional, or relational difficulties.” This does not refer to sickness.
Salvation which is defined as “rescue and restoration” and includes our being saved from sin) comes through this vehicle of prayer.
Tremendous power is made available in the prayer of the righteous.
1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1 Kings 18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
The rains were controlled by prayer, revealing that God can collaborate with us in prayer to accomplish what He wants in the situation.
1 Kings 18:41-46 (NKJV) 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ” 45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Daniel saw some events in God’s plan and began to pray about them.
Daniel 10:1-3 (NKJV) 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Daniel 10:12-14 (NKJV) 12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
- And I have come as a consequence of [and in response to] your words. (AMPC)
- In response to your prayer. (GWT)
- I have come because of thy words. (YLT)
So, the answer started moving toward Daniel the first day he prayed.
Study Questions
1. Explain our position in Christ and the role that we have to minister to and for God.
2. Describe how each believer is part of the house of God.
3. Define the word afflicted from James 5:13.
4. When Daniel prayed in Daniel 10:1-3, when did the answer begin moving toward him? How does this build your confidence in prayer?
To find more resources for Effective Prayer, click here.
