We don't want to be too legal. But we can't ignore the legal side of things. If we do, we won't be able to enjoy the vital side, the life-side of things as God intended for us.
For example, I remember when I bought my son a new car, a Chevrolet Camaro. I enjoy driving that car - it's fun. That's the life side of it. But if I didn't take care of the legal side - paying the car insurance, the car note, and other things that go along with car ownership. It was hard for me to enjoy the vital side, if you know what I mean.
So it is with prayer. To enjoy the vital side, the life-side of prayer, you have to understand and operate in the legal side of prayer. That is God's divine order of prayer.
There are four kinds of prayer mentioned by the Apostle Paul. They are:
1) Supplications
2) Prayers
3) Intercessions
4) Giving of thanks.
All of these types of prayer are plural. You can pray them collectively or individually. Notice Jesus said that when you pray, believe. In other words, the moment you pray, believe. Believe you receive the thing for which you are praying.
Take a look at Mark 11:24. Jesus also said, "what things so ever ye desire." This scripture says that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. So you can see that Mark 11:24 is referring to things in prayer.
The prayers in 1 Timothy 2:1 are relative to all men. Why are we to pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks? "In order that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God" (1 Tim. 2:3).
The Divine Order Of Prayer
Supplications: Petitions; a formal written request that is urgent; a written agreement.
Spiritual Worship Prayers: Spiritual worship; it deals with the known and the unknown.
Intercessions: An interview; it is where a decision is made.
Giving of Thanks: To express gratitude.
The first prayer, supplications, involves a written agreement. This is a prayer written down on paper. You must know the will of God regarding your situation in order to pray the prayer of supplication.
We find the will of God in His Word. John 8:31-32 reads: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Note, the truth does not make you free. It's knowing the truth that makes you free. It's having a working knowledge of what God's Word says. That's why 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The second type of prayer is spiritual worship, which deals with the known and the unknown. First Corinthians 14:14-15 tells us: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with understanding also."
Praying with the spirit means there's an entreaty by the Spirit. When we pray with the understanding, we are praying in English, the language of our country.
The third type of prayer we see mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:1 are intercessions, which means an interview. It is where a decision is made.
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn't have all the facts? Romans 8:26 has your answer. It says, "Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself (Himself) makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered in articulate speech" (AMP).
He's talking about praying in other tongues. With intercessions, you're praying on behalf of another.
The fourth kind of prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1 is giving of thanks. It means an expression of gratitude. If you will give thanks to God for those men and women involved in your situation, you will have a different response than what you might expect in your particular situation.
Sometimes, instead of going nose to nose with someone, you should entreat them. Ask them, "May I pray for you?"
Yes, there are times when you should stand up for your rights. But when you are kind to men, when you pray for them and demonstrate that you care about what happens to them, these same people have a way of changing their attitudes about you. They'll find a way to help you out of the situation, especially when you say thank you.
How many of you have an urgent request right now? If the answer is yes, the first thing you need to do is go to God's Word and list what His Word has to say about it on paper. As you list it on paper, knowing what God's will is about the matter, enter into spiritual worship about it.
After you do that, begin to intercede for the men or women who are involved with the situation because men and women are involved in just about everything we do.
Soon, you'll experience a "catching hold" of the spirit that seems to pray through you (intercessions). There will be an anointing upon you to pray - you know it's not just you praying.
God has a divine order to prayer. When we pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, we're praying in His divine order. Praying this way will cause you to be victorious, praise God!
GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE IS GUARANTEED TO WORK! God's Word has something to say about the issues we face daily. If we act on His Word and follow His plan regarding those issues, the end will result in multiple blessings.
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