• Matthew 6:5, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
• 6:6, "But you, when you pray go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
• 6:7, "And when you pray do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
• 6:8, "Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you need of before you ask Him,
• 6:9, "In this manner, therefore, pray Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
• 6:10, " Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
• 6:11, " Give us this day our daily bread
• 6:12, " And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive our trespassers
• 6:13, " And do not lead us into temptation But deliver us from the evil one For yours is the kingdom and the power And the glory forever. Amen.
• 6:14, "For if your forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15, "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

We see from these teachings by Jesus that we are to pray privately and not for show and we are not to pray long repetitive prayers. I often hear long repetitive prayers when we pray in a group or someone prays over a group. God is not moved by these kinds of prayer. Be sincere and concise when you pray.

Also, when you pray for someone, do not tell God what kind of person they are. God knows. You do not know what kind of person they are.

Jesus says to pray asking prayers to God, the Father, in the name of Jesus (the name above all names) and God, the Father, will give you whatever you ask. Jesus also says to ask Him, Jesus, nothing - in other words, do not pray to Jesus.

John 16:23, "And in that day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

16:24, "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Remember in Matthew 6, Jesus had not asked them to pray in His name.

In Mark 11:24 Jesus gives us a very powerful teaching:

Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them."

So, Jesus here is reminding us of that spiritual law. Confess (speak) and believe in your heart. In order for our prayers to be answered, we need to obey this law. Now let us look carefully at this scripture. It says, when you pray believe that you receive what you pray for. Not that you will receive them (what you pray for), but that you receive them when you pray. If you do that, then you will receive them. Remember Daniel, God answered his prayer when he prayed but the kingdom of darkness held up the answering for 21 days. And, sometimes God knows that the timing is not right when you pray, but will be right at a later time. But Jesus says we are to believe that God has given us what we prayed for when we pray. Therefore, once you pray, start thanking God for whatever you prayed. I will show you further scripture on this later - but now note in Mark 11:25 and Mark 11:26, Jesus once again relates forgiveness and prayer.

Mark 11:25, "And whenever you stand praying. If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

11:26, "But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Now let us look at what the apostle Paul said in his letter to the Philippians:

Philippians 4:6, Be anxious for nothing (do not worry), but in everything by prayer and supplication (earnest asking), with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, says the same thing - but goes further.

Colossians 4:2, Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

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James is telling us that if we do not have faith, our prayers will not be answered. Then he tells us God may not answer our prayers because we will spend it or use it to satisfy our lusts. A good example is money or wealth; if we cannot be a good steward of those things given us, God will not give them to us.

Then Peter tells us that husbands need to give honor to their wives.

I Peter 3:7, Husbands, likewise, dwell with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

We have been studying what I call petition, or asking prayers, but Jesus tells us about another kind of prayer; a commandment prayer. Jesus used commandment prayers when performing signs and wonders. He teaches us this kind of prayer in Mark chapter 11 and called it a prayer of faith.

First, let us set the stage for this teaching. When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the appointed time, He and the disciples stayed at Bethany - about an hours walk to the temple. One morning, walking to the temple, Jesus desired some figs from a fig tree that He saw. When He saw there were no figs, Jesus commanded the fig tree to die. The next morning when walking to the temple, Peter said:

Mark 11:21, And Peter remembering, said to Him (Jesus), "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away." (Remember, this is only 24 hours later.)

11:22, So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God."

11:23, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and cast into the sea! and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."

11:24, "Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them and you will have them."

Mark 4:39, He commanded the wind to be still. It was. Mark 5:41, He commanded the dead damsel to arise. She did. Mark 7:34-35, He commanded the deaf man's ears to be opened, they were. Mark 9:25, He commanded the evil spirit to come out of the boy. It did. Mark 11:14, He commanded the fig tree to die. It did. Luke 4:35, He commanded an unclean spirit to come out of a man. It did. Luke 5:24, He commanded a man sick with palsy to arise and pick up his bed. He did. Luke 5:13, He commanded a leper to be clean. He was. Luke 7:14, He commanded a dead man to arise. He did. Luke 13:12, He commanded the woman who was bowed to be loosed from her infirmity. She was. Luke 19:42, Jesus told the blind man receive thy sight. He did. John 5:8, He told the lame man rise, take up thy bed and walk. He did. John 11:43, He commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. He did. Acts 3:6, Peter commanded the lame man to rise up and walk. He did. Acts 16:18, Paul commanded a spirit to come out of a woman. It did.

14:13, "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

14:14, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it."

Isaiah 53:4, Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

I John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanses us from all unrighteousness.