Question 1

What is prayer?

Accepted Answer

2 Chronicles 7:14“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”Psalm 140:6I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!Prayer is conversation with God. It is simply talking with God and listening to him, honestly telling him our thoughts and feelings, praising him, thanking him, confessing sin, and asking for his help and advice. The essence of prayer is humbly entering the very presence of almighty God, ready to engage personally with him.Psalm 38:18I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.1 John 1:9If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.Prayer often includes a confession of sin, an acknowledgment that we approach our Creator as deeply flawed creatures. It is through confession that we demonstrate the humility necessary to open our line of communication with the Almighty, holy God.1 Samuel 14:36Then Saul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines all night and plunder them until sunrise. Let’s destroy every last one of them.” His men replied, “We’ll do whatever you think is best.” But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”2 Samuel 5:19So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”Prayer is asking God for guidance and waiting for God’s direction and leading.Psalm 5:1-3O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.Daniel 6:10-13When Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”Mark 1:35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.Prayer is an expression of an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father, who makes his own love and resources available to you. Just as you enjoy being with people you love, you enjoy spending time with God the more you get to know him and understand just how much he loves you.Judges 7:1-18So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.” So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!” He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”1 Samuel 3:10The Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”1 Kings 19:9-13He [Elijah] came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”Good conversation also includes listening, so set time aside for God to speak to you. Most of us will never have a conversation with God like Gideon, Samuel, and Elijah, but God still quietly speaks to us if we prayerfully listen. When you listen to God, he will somehow make his wisdom and plan known to you.Psalm 9:1-2I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.Psalm 54:1-4Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!It is through prayer that we are able to praise our mighty God. Spend some time listing items that you can thank God for; then praise God for each one. Include your requests in these prayers, and praise God when he answers. Prayer is an essential part of our personal worship and includes giving him praise.

Question 2

Why is prayer important?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 6:5-6“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”Matthew 6:7-8“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”Matthew 6:9-13“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”Matthew 7:7-11“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”Jesus didn’t say, “If you pray”; he said “When you pray.” There’s more to prayer than just getting an answer to a question or a solution for a problem. God often does more in your heart through the act of prayer than he does in actually answering your prayer. As you persist in talking and listening, you often gain greater understanding of yourself, your situation, your motivation, and God’s nature and direction for your life. Prayer creates the atmosphere and opens the way for change to take place.

Question 3

In what ways did Jesus, our ultimate example, model a healthy prayer life?

Accepted Answer

Mark 1:35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.Luke 4:16-21When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”Luke 4:31Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day.Jesus began his days with prayer and included in his weekly practice a time to meet with others in the synagogue to study God’s Word and pray together.Luke 9:28About eight days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain to pray.Jesus chose others to spend special times with him in prayer.Luke 10:1-2The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”When he sent out his disciples, he instructed them to pray for guidance, for resources, and for others to join them in the work of evangelism.Luke 11:1-2Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.”Interestingly, the disciples didn’t ask “Teach us how to pray”; they asked, “Teach us to pray.” Knowing how to pray doesn’t mean much if we don’t pray. The Lord’s Prayer was not so much a prayer to be repeated over and over as it was a framework for prayer, including the various areas of life to be discussed with our heavenly Father.Luke 18:10-14“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”Jesus taught by this illustration the profound emptiness in praying self-justifying prayers and the spiritual healthiness of humility in prayer before God.Luke 22:31-41“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” . . . Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed.Jesus prayed to his heavenly Father for protection for his disciples. We also can pray for the long-term protection of others in our care, even as we pray that we will not give in to temptation.Luke 9:15-17So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!Luke 22:17-19Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.” He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”Luke 24:30-34As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”Jesus’ mealtime prayer habits were so regular that his disciples recognized him by the way he blessed their meal. The Lord’s Supper, as well as every meal, provides us with a moment where we can give thanks to God for his provision, just as Jesus did.

Question 4

How can I know God hears my prayers?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 145:18The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.1 John 5:14We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.God invites us to make prayer our first thought or response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him. The promise in God’s Word is that God hears and answers prayer, particularly when we are intent on wanting what God wants.Nehemiah 1:4-11When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer!”1 Peter 3:12“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”Since prayer is conversation with God, approach him with the same love and courtesy you would bring to any relationship you value. Pray with humility, not arrogance, admitting your sin and seeking his forgiveness. In the face of national tragedy, join in prayer with others, recognizing the importance of corporate as well as individual confession.1 John 5:14-15We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.While we cannot know God’s specific will for every situation, we do know that his will is to empower your obedience, to overcome evil with good, and to equip you to be his witness. You can pray confidently for his power and guidance in these situations and many others, knowing that you are asking for the very things he most longs to give.2 Chronicles 7:14“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”Does it sometimes seem like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? Is God not paying attention? The bigger question is, are you paying attention to God’s answer? God does answer prayer, and he wants to do so because he is loving and good. It is his nature to give good things to his people. Sometimes, after things work out, we fail to give God the credit. When you pray, be alert and watch for God’s answers, and then don’t forget to thank him!

Question 5

Does the Bible teach a “right way” to pray?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel 23:2David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.Nehemiah 1:4When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.Psalm 18:1I love you, Lord; you are my strength.Psalm 32:5Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.Matthew 14:28-33Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.Throughout the Bible effective prayer includes elements of adoration, fasting, confession, requests, and persistence. Prayers may be long and thoughtful or brief and desperate. The content and style of prayer doesn’t matter nearly as much as our conscious awareness of God and our belief that he has the power to help us.Matthew 6:9-13“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”Jesus taught his disciples that prayer is an intimate relationship with the Father that includes worship, a dependency God to meet our daily needs, a commitment to obedience, and our forgiveness of the sins of others.Luke 18:1-8One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. . . .Our prayers should be regular and persistent.Nehemiah 2:4With a prayer to the God of heaven, . . .Our prayers can be a spontaneous acknowledgement of God’s presence in any situation and our desire for his guidance and direct intervention.Luke 18:9-14Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”Prayer is a conversation between us and God, not a public display of our spirituality.

Question 6

Does God always answer prayer?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 30:17God answered Leah’s prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob.Psalm 116:1-2I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!1 Peter 3:12“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”God listens carefully to every prayer request and answers it. His answer may be yes, no, or wait. Any loving parent gives all three of these responses to a child. Answering yes to every request would spoil us and be dangerous to our well-being. Answering no to every request would be vindictive, stingy, and kill our spirits. Answering wait to every prayer would be frustrating. But sometimes God just wants to talk to us, because it is through a conversation that we learn and grow our relationship. Many of the best times with a parent are spent just talking. The same is true with God.John 15:7“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”James 5:16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.1 John 5:14We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.As we maintain a close relationship with Jesus and consistently study his Word, our prayers will be more aligned with his will. When that happens, God is delighted to grant our requests.2 Timothy 2:11-13This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.1 John 1:8-9If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.A genuinely repentant confession and request for forgiveness is one prayer God always answers in the affirmative. He demonstrates his faithfulness even as we demonstrate our unfaithfulness and need for healing.2 Corinthians 12:8-9Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Sometimes, like Paul, we will find that God answers our prayer by giving us something better than what we asked for.John 14:14“Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”Jesus’ name is not a magic wand. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying according to Jesus’ character and purposes. It mean exercising the authority he gives us while at the same time affirming, as Jesus himself did, that our deepest desire is to see God’s will done. When you pray like this, you are asking for what God already wants to give you.Exodus 14:15Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”Acts 12:6-16The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!” When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.Effective prayer is accompanied by a willingness to obey. We should pray, expecting God to answer. When God opens a door, walk through it! When you get an answer, accept it.

Question 7

How will God respond to my prayers?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 9:12He [the Lord] who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.Psalm 55:22Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.God cares for you and does not ignore a single prayer, no matter how simple it may be. However God chooses to answer, he cares for you. When you bring your burdens to God in prayer, you will often experience real freedom from worry and anxiety in your heart and soul because you are confident he cares and is listening. The assurance of God’s love and concern refreshes you and renews your hope.Philippians 4:6-7Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.There are no limits on prayer. Big requests, small requests, and all sizes in between are welcomed by God. If something is bothering you, bring it to God.

Question 8

What role should prayer play in a leader’s life?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 33:11Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.1 Samuel 12:23“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.”1 Kings 3:3-14Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. . . . Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”Jeremiah 1:4-10The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”God’s leaders consistently pray for the people they lead. They acknowledge God’s role in their lives and offices, and ask for God’s help in exercising their authority and accomplishing their duties.Exodus 32:11, 14But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? . . .” So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.Leaders pray for the Lord’s mercy on the people. This does not mean that they don’t confront the people’s sin, however. Moses’ intercession saved the disobedient Israelites from the punishment of God’s wrath. A leader places himself between the Lord and those he leads.1 Kings 8:22-23Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven, and he prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.”Leaders pray publicly at times, reminding their people that they can depend on the promises and power of God. These public prayers, however, should be accompanied by other regular private times with God.2 Chronicles 20:3-7, 12Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help. Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? . . . O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”Leaders pray when they don’t know exactly what to do, or when they don’t have the resources they need for a crisis or situation.Luke 22:31-32“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”Leaders pray for the spiritual protection of the people they lead.Colossians 1:9So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.Colossians 4:2-4Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.Leaders pray for the spiritual growth and maturity of those they lead. Leaders also depend on the prayers of those they lead.

Question 9

How should I respond when my prayers seem to go unanswered?

Accepted Answer

John 11:3-6So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.John 11:20-27When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”John 11:38-44Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”What do you do when God seems silent? When you think that God is ignoring you, he may be telling you “no”—and you don’t want to hear it—or he may simply be waiting because he knows that in waiting, your faith is tested and will grow stronger. Or God may be doing things behind the scenes, preparing you to experience him in greater ways than what you may be asking for. Mary and Martha didn’t understand why Jesus didn’t answer their prayer to come and heal their brother, Lazarus. Jesus waited because he had an answer better than anything they could imagine. When Jesus did come, their brother had been dead several days. But Jesus came to raise Lazarus from the dead to reveal his glory to many people and to strengthen their faith in him. Mary and Martha would have been grateful if God had simply healed Lazarus. But imagine their sheer joy at the sight of their brother alive again. Can you feel the hope they must have felt watching their brother walk out to them? You too can have this hope in times when God seems silent. God’s answer will come—and it may be better than your best dreams.2 Corinthians 12:5-10That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.God’s answers, particularly those we don’t want to hear, are always intended for our good and for God’s glory.

Question 10

How do I learn to talk to God?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 1:16-20Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!”Communication with God should begin with confession. The more we keep up to date with our transparency before God, the easier it will be to approach him with anything.Philippians 4:6-7Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.God invites you to bring all your needs to him in prayer. Prayer is both the antidote and vaccine for any number of sinful tendencies you may face. When in doubt, always pray.