Three Kinds of Prayer

T h r e e k i n d s of

P r a ye r

Unbelief:

God, It’s hard to say why I’m doing this. I know I’m expected to pray.

Yes I go to church and spend time with the folks, but why – I really can’t say.

Now somebody is sick. It’d be good if he were healed.

But I think I’ll just watch this movie now and pretend that I have kneeled.

Along with the rest I said that I would pray for the man today.

But since I don’t really believe in all this, it won’t matter what I might say.

Hey! Somebody—pass the chips and dip this way. OK?

Idolatry:

Oh Lord. You know that my friend is sick. The doctors can’t figure it out.

Oh Lord. Bless the doctors so they will know what to do.

Oh Lord. The man’s wife is so tired she can’t think straight. Help her out.

The doctors are scratching their heads. The hospital bill’s getting BIG!

Why aren’t you answering our prayers?

Faith

Father God, You are the Great I Am. You know everything about my friend. You planned his life from before he ever was. You know his wife’s great need for wisdom and strength now.

My friend loves and serves you. So in the powerful covenant of the Blood of Jesus, Your Son, shed for our sins, sorrows and sicknesses at the whipping post and at the Cross, we come boldly to your throne.

THANK YOU that as Peter wrote, “by His stripes we were healed.”

THANK YOU that my friend is more than a conqueror through Jesus Who loves Him

and died for him.

THANK YOU that Your Spirit gives life to my friend’s mortal body. Jesus IS Your Word. Thank You that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and told us to do the same, in His Name.

So we praise You for the victory, for You told us to take dominion over the forces of darkness, which Jesus defeated by His obedience and power of His Blood.

Hallelujah!

Now sickness, depression, fatigue, discouragement, self-pity and bitterness, we take authority over you in Jesus’ mighty Name, and bind your attack against our friend and his family!

We command that you cease your attack and let loose your hold on them!

Jesus Christ, Yeshua ha’Meshiach, the Son of the Living God, is your Lord!

Obey His Word through His sons and daughters! Now flee!

Father God, we give you all the praise, all the glory, all the honor, and thank you for the privilege of being your sons and daughters, through Your Son!

So be it, in Jesus’ mighty Name, amen!!!

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man [or woman]

can accomplish much.

(James 5:14-16)