1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: Teach Us to Pray is brought to you by Life 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Audio and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: For more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 2: Welcome back, friend. You are listening to the Teach Us 5 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 2: to Pray podcast, where we teach believers practical and real 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 2: with God through the power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson, 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 2: host of the Teach Us to Pray podcast and founder 9 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: of Beloved Women, where I encourage, equip and empower women 10 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 2: in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 2: God's Word. In today's episode, I want to talk about 12 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: how to pray the scriptures. In episode nine, we discussed 13 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: how to pray when we don't know what to say, 14 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 2: and one of the ways that we shared that we 15 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: could know what to say when we don't know what 16 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: to pray is to pray the scriptures. And what that 17 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: means is using the foundational truths of God's Word to 18 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: structure our prayers. And that's what I'm going to. 19 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 3: Teach you how to do today. 20 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 2: So, in order to pray the scriptures, the first step 21 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: that you need to do is to choose the verse 22 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: or passage or scripture you are going to pray, and 23 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 2: so you might choose a scripture that is like your 24 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 2: life verse, a scripture that means a lot to you 25 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: over the course of your life, that is reoccurring value 26 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: to you as you think about it, or you might 27 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: pick a scripture that relates to the current circumstances or 28 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: situation that you're facing right now. One thing that you 29 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 2: can do to find a scripture or decide what passage 30 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: you want to pray over your life is to do 31 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: a word search in the U version Bible app or 32 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 2: any kind of Bible based software where you can search 33 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: a particular term or word and it will pull up 34 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: all the verses related to that particular topic, and that 35 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 2: can be a good starting point for you and deciding 36 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: what verse you want to pray now. Also, a lot 37 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 2: of Bibles, if you look in the back of some Bibles, 38 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 2: they will have indexes where you can look up particular 39 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: words and it will share with you what scripture references 40 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 2: you can look up to find scriptures on that particular 41 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: word or topic. So that's where you want to start. 42 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: What scripture are you going to pray? And those are 43 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: some ways that you can think about where to find 44 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 2: those scriptures. The next thing you want to do, once 45 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: you've decided on your verse or your passage, you want 46 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: to find the principal promise or command that the verse holds. 47 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 2: And so I want to go over each one of 48 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: these and how to pray over each one. So, if 49 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 2: you find a promise in the scripture, a promise is 50 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 2: a declaration that God will do something. It is not conditional. 51 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: It's simply a statement about God or his character based 52 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: on who he always is. So, for example, when Jesus 53 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: says I will be with you always in Matthew twenty 54 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: eight twenty, that is a promise not dependent on what 55 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: we do or what we don't do. When we pray 56 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: promises of God, we are praying to believe his promises. 57 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 2: We're asking God to renew our mind so that we 58 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 2: can trust that what he's saying in his word, the 59 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: promises that he is giving us are true. Now, this 60 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 2: is important because our beliefs reflect our actions, and so 61 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 2: if we're not believing in the promises of God, we're 62 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 2: not going to act like they exist. We're not going 63 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 2: to act like God's always gonna be with us. We're 64 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 2: not gonna act like he's going to keep his promises. 65 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 2: We're not going to have that godly boldness and confidence 66 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:35,119 Speaker 2: that comes from truly standing on the word of God. 67 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: And so that's why our prayer is, Lord, here is 68 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: your promise in your word. Help me to believe it. 69 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 2: Transform my mind to believe it if I'm not already. 70 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 2: And so God's giving us his promises for the purpose 71 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 2: for us to stand on so that we can act accordingly. 72 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: So let's look at Joshua one nine, where God says, 73 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: have I not commanded you be strong and courageous, Do 74 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the 75 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 2: Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Now 76 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: we see here that there's a command, and we'll talk 77 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: about commands in a little bit and how to pray 78 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: over those that you know. He's commanded to be strong 79 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 2: and courageous. But that command is followed by a promise. 80 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 2: God will be with Joshua, and God will keep his word. 81 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 2: And as we believe in him, we are strengthened to 82 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 2: follow his commands. Two Timothy two thirteen reminds us of 83 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 2: the beauty of God's promises. It says if we are faithless, 84 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. Many times 85 00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: we mistakenly not believe the promises of God because we 86 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 2: compare God to man. We think, well, I wouldn't do that, 87 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: or I couldn't imagine for giving someone for that or 88 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: loving someone like me. And God's not like us. If 89 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: he says that he will do it, we must believe 90 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: that he will. And if we struggle to believe, well, 91 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 2: then that's what our prayer is for. Next, when you 92 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 2: choose a scripture or a verse to pray about, you 93 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: want to see if there's a principle found there. Now, 94 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: a principle is a foundational truth that is conditional. It's 95 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: a statement that says, if you do this, then this 96 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 2: will result. So let's look at the popular scripture Psalm 97 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 2: thirty seventy four, which says, delight yourself in the Lord, 98 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 2: and He will give you the desires of your heart. Now, 99 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 2: many people mistake this verse as a promise that God 100 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: will grant us the desires of our heart. But this 101 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 2: is not a promise. It's a principle. When we first 102 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: delight on ourselves in Him, then we will receive the 103 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: desires of our heart. So we're praying. When it comes 104 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: to praying principles, we're praying to live according to the 105 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: principle that we may experience the fruits of living in 106 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 2: line with God's truth. So, for example, if again, if 107 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: we're looking at Psalm thirty seven four, we're praying that God, please, 108 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: you know, help me to delight myself in You so 109 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: that then I can receive the desires of my heart. 110 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: And it's about being in alignment with God and his 111 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 2: will when we're praying the principles. Last, when you're looking 112 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 2: over your verse or passes that you want to pray 113 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: over your life, you want to see is there a command? Now? 114 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: A command is an authoritative directive or order from God. 115 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: It's simply God telling us how he wants us to 116 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 2: live our lives. So think of the ten commandments, Love God, 117 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 2: don't steal, love your neighbor, don't kill, commands or orders 118 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 2: from God on how we are to conduct ourselves. Now, 119 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 2: when it comes to praying commands, we need to pray 120 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 2: for power to fight our flesh. Jesus tells us that 121 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 2: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and 122 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 2: so we need to be praying for God's power to 123 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: truly show up in our lives so that we can 124 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: live out these commands, because it's just not in our 125 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 2: nature to do so. Now, we also don't want to 126 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 2: become discouraged in our weakness, because when we pray, we're 127 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 2: unlocking God's strength in our lives so that His power 128 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: can be great in us. I love Tewod Corinthians twelve 129 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 2: nine that says, My grace is sufficient for you, for 130 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 2: my power is made perfect in weakness, and God's power 131 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: is made perfect in our weakness. So even when we 132 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 2: fall short, we know that we can lean on the 133 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 2: power of prayer to invite God's strength into our weakness. 134 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: That is what He is in the business of doing. 135 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 2: As you reflect on the scripture that you've decided to 136 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 2: pray over your life, you want to pray to believe 137 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 2: any promises, to live by any principles, or to follow 138 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 2: any commands, and in all those things we are just 139 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: asking God to release his strength and power for us 140 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 2: to do those things. Last, what you want to do 141 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 2: when it comes to praying the scriptures is to commit 142 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 2: to knowing God's word through the study of his word 143 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 2: and continual prayer. We can't pray what we don't know. 144 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 2: If we don't know God's word, if we don't know 145 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 2: God's truth, if we don't know his principles, his promises, 146 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: or commands, then we won't pray them. And so this 147 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 2: is where Bible study is very important to our prayer lives, 148 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 2: especially if we want to be praying God's truth over 149 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 2: our lives. And the simple reflective methods that I've given 150 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 2: you today, as far as pulling out the promises, pulling 151 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 2: out the principles, and pulling out the commands, is a 152 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 2: good starting point to knowing God's word and what it 153 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 2: means and how you can apply it to your life. 154 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 2: And you already have the power of prayer to unlock 155 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 2: it in your life as well. And making those two 156 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 2: connections between knowing God's word and praying God's word is 157 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 2: a great gift to the believer. It is my hope 158 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: that today's episode has provided you with insight and helpful 159 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 2: tips on how you can pray. We have so much 160 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: more to talk about when it comes to prayer, so 161 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 2: I hope that if you were encouraged by today's episode, 162 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: you'll share it with a friend and subscribe so you 163 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 2: won't miss any future episodes of the Teach Us to 164 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 2: Pray podcast, where we will continue to learn how, just 165 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 2: like breathing, prayer can become a natural, consistent, and life 166 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: giving part of our everyday lives. Until then, be sure 167 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: to connect with me at Beloved Women dot org and 168 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 2: check out the show notes to download my free five 169 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: day prayer Guide. Thank you so much for taking the 170 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: time to listen today. God bless you and I'll talk 171 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 2: to you in the next episode. 172 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: Teach Us to Pray is a production of Life Audio 173 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: and the Salem Web Network. If you enjoyed this episode, 174 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: would you take a minute and leave us you and 175 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: your podcast app It really does help more people like 176 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: you find a podcast to hear more from Christina Patterson. 177 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: Be sure to check out her fantastic site Beloved Women 178 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 1: dot org. A special thanks to Kelly Gibbons, Stephen Sanders, 179 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: and Stephen McGarvey for their production and editing on this episode. 180 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: You can find more podcasts like this over at life 181 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: audio dot com.