Session 3: Prayer

Becoming a modern monk is about learning to practice the ways of Jesus in a modern world.

The Practice of Prayer:

Hebrews 7:25 NLT - Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God

through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

 God is a praying God

 God listens to prayer and He answers prayer

Psalm 27:4 NLT - The one thing I ask of the LORD— the thing I seek most— is to live in the

house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating

in his Temple.

 Prayer is a practice that shapes us and has the power to connect the seen and the

unseen.

 Praying doesn’t require a lot of words or a tremendous amount of knowledge. Praying is

a dialogue with God where we begin to talk to God and listen to what He says.

 Jesus didn’t pray to get God’s favor. He prayed because He had God’s favor.

 Prayer was a part of Jesus’s life. It was His practice. It was His lifestyle.

Luke 1:10 NKJV - And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of

incense.

 “The hour of prayer” speaks to the fact that prayer was scheduled. It was a practice and

a lifestyle. We need to begin to dedicate time to prayer.

Luke 1:13 NKJV - But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is

heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

 God hears our prayers.

 God hears all prayers, but He doesn’t answer all prayers in the way we want Him to

answer.

 100% of all prayers never prayed will never be answered.

Luke 2:36-38 - Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of

Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and

this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but

served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks

to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

 Anna was a woman who experienced hardship, and yet she was a modern monk. She

served God with fasting and prayers night and day and did not depart the temple.

Luke 3:21 NKJV - When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was

baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

 When we pray, there is a connection between our lives and heaven

Luke 4:42 NKJV - Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the

crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 

 “A deserted place” here is a quiet place; a sacred place

Luke 5:16 NKJV - So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

 Jesus often withdrew

 There is a power in the practice of prayer and Jesus models this for us

Luke 6:12-13 NKJV - Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to

pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  13  And when it was day, He called His disciples

to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles.

 Leadership begins with prayer

Luke 9:29 NKJV - As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His

robe became white and glistening. 

 Prayer always alters who I am

 Something in the transformative realm happens from the inside out when I pray

Luke 10:2 NKJV - Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few;

therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

 Before you begin a ministry or start an organization, pray to the Lord for the right people

to help you

Luke 18:1 NKJV - Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not

lose heart

 To pray is to receive the heart of God

 When we pray, we receive a heart for our job, our family, our nation, our neighborhood,

and more

James 5:13 NKJV - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him

sing psalms.  14  Is anyone among you sick? 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 will save

the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

 Our world is suffering. We must be a people of prayer who pray the prayer of faith.