“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.” (1 Tim. 2:8 ESV)

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” (Matt. 6:9-13 ESV)

When you pray, believe

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 ESV)

The prayer of a righteous person has great power

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16 ESV)

What to pray for

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:1-4 ESV)

Continue to pray and watch with thanksgiving 

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2 ESV)

Therefore…

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 ESV)

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17 ESV)

Quote:

“When the devil sees a man or woman who really believes in prayer, who knows how to pray, and who really does pray, and, above all, when he sees a whole church on its face before God in prayer, he trembles as much as he ever did, for he knows that his day in that church or community is at an end.” - R.A. Torrey

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” (Prov. 14:30 NIV)

Jealousy is earthly, unspiritual and demonic

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” (James 3:14-15 ESV)

Jealousy and envy are works of the flesh  

“For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Cor. 3:3 ESV)

Jealousy leads to every vile practice

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16 ESV)

A severe warning that includes  Jealousy and envy 

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21 ESV)

Therefore.. 

“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.” (SOS 8:6 ESV)

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant” (1 Cor. 13:4ESV)

Quotes:

“When there are dissensions, and jealousies, and evil speakings among professors of religion, then there is great need of a revival. These things show that Christians have got far from God, and it is time to think earnestly of a revival.” - Charles Finney

“Envy shoots at others and wounds itself.” - English proverb

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD’, he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” (1 Kings 19:3-4 NIV)

Tired, hungry and afraid 

In the above passage we read how Elijah was afraid and felt sorry for himself and he complained to God about his situation. He had just received a death threat from Jezebel and ran away in fear. This fearful self-pity reaction was from the same man who had just called fire down from heaven and destroyed all Jezebel’s false prophets. It seems very odd that he was now fearfully complaining about a threat from the queen. And, besides, if he really wanted to die, he could have let Jezebel carry out her threat. Simply put, he was just feeling sorry for himself. Something else was going on in Elijah’s life to cause him to behave out of his normal character. We do learn some answers as we read more of the story: “Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:5-6 NIV). So, there you have it, Elijah was hungry, tired and weak. He just needed food and rest to get his strength back up. He did do the right thing by talking to God about how he felt. And God heard his cry and helped him. 

“So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.” (1 Kings 19:8 NLT)

And, remember this…

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait I say on the Lord!” (Psalms 27:14)

“The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.” (Hab. 3:19)

“He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever. He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalms 136:23-26 NLT)

Therefore…

“Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.” (Psalm 102:1-2 NIV)

“The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1)

Quote:

“As Christians we should never feel sorry for ourselves. The moment we do so, we lose our energy, we lose the will to fight and the will to live, and are paralyzed.” -  Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matt. 24:7-8)

Pestilence: A contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating. 

The Bible has a lot to say about diseases and pestilence coming upon people. History records many instances of them. They come and go. In the above passage pestilence is listed among the signs of the end times. There are instances in Scripture where pestilence came upon people as a result of their sin and disobedience. Sometimes it is as an attack from the enemy called the snare of the fowler.

What to do when it happens

“Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.” (Psalm 91:3)

“‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’” (2 Chron. 20:9)

Therefore…

“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1 ESV)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy…” (Psalms 103:2-4 ESV)

“Saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” (Exo. 15:26 ESV)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” (Mal. 4:2) 

Quote:

 “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds, in a believer's ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear.” - John Newton

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

Cast it upon the Lord who will sustain you

“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22 NASB) 

Commit it to the Lord and trust in Him to do what is needed

“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5 NASB)

Do not worry about the future

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34 NIV)

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt. 6:27

Therefore…

”Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  (Matt. 6:25-26 NLT)

Quotes:

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” - Corrie Ten Boom

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.” - Mark Twain

“This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” (Gal. 3:2 NASB)

Hear the Word of Christ and gain faith

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 NASB)

Hear the Word and hold it fast

“As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15 ESV)

Hear the Word and mix it with faith to profit from it

“…the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” (Heb. 4:2 ESV)

Therefore…

“Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.” (Mark 4:24 NLT)

Quote:

“I prayed for Faith, and thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, 'Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God'. I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since.” - Dwight L. Moody

“The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exo. 33:14 NIV)

Rest: cessation from labor, refreshment.

Come to Jesus for rest

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30 ESV)

A rest for believers only

“For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.” (Heb. 4:3 NLT)

Therefore…

“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” (Heb. 4:1)

“Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” (Psalm. 116:7)

Quote:

“Our rest lies in looking to the Lord, not to ourselves.” - Watchman Nee

“Never stop praying.” (1 Thess. 5:17 NLT)

Always pray and don’t give up

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1 NIV)

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Rom. 12:12 NLT)

 Come to God who answers 

“You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” (Psalm 65:2 NIV)

The Holy Spirit will help you pray

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Rom. 8:26 NLT)

Pray that your joy will be complete 

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24 NIV)

Therefore…

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me…” (Psalm 55:16-17 NIV)

Quote:

“Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all.” – D. L. Moody

“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Rom. 4:21 NLT)

Promise: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified; a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. 

God has given us great and precious promises 

“And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” (2 Peter 1:4 NLT)

No matter how many promises of God there are, they are all “yes” through Him

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” (2 Cor. 2:20 NASB)

God’s promises never fail

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

“Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Josh. 21:45)

“Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” (Josh. 23:14)

Anything is possible if a person believes what Jesus has said about it

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 8:23 NLT)

Therefore…

“…and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:21)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23)

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” (Psalm 119:50

Quote:

“Knowing that God is faithful, it really helps me to not be captivated by worry. But knowing that He will do what He has said, He will cause it to happen, whatever He has promised, and then it causes me to be less involved in worrying about a situation.” - Josh McDowell