The Rx for a rich prayer life.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Isn’t that what we all really want?

For our prayers to be effective.

Psalms 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

This question has been plaguing man for thousands of years.

It is my hearts desire to come before the throne of grace and in so doing, have my prayer life enriched.

This teaching, hopefully, will lead us to a richer prayer life.

When you consider a formula, a prescription, understand that the ingredients are what is important, and the proportion, not in which order they are introduced.

The order of introduction is not the subject of this teaching.

Only the prescription.

Let us seek the prescription by comparing two Psalms.

Psalms 27 (KJV) marked [P27]

Psalms 40 (NASB) marked [P40]

Tonight’s study will be comprised almost exclusively by scripture.

[P27] 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

[P40] 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.

Nehemiah 8:9-11

And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

Psalm 28:6-8

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

The Ingredient: Praise & Worship

 

[P27] 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

[P40] 14 Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt.

Psalm 28:4-5

Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Matthew 5:23-26

 

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Isaiah 37:28-29

But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

The Ingredient: Reverence, Godly fear

[P27] 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

[P40] 12 For evils beyond number have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

2 Kings 6:15-17

 

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Exodus 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Deuteronomy 20:10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

The Ingredient: Salvation

[P27] 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

[P40] 16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified!

Psalms 24:3-6

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

The Ingredient: Holiness

[P27] 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

[P40] 2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

Luke 1: 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

Acts 4:9-12

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The Ingredient: Salvation

[P27] 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

[P40] 10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Revelation 12:10-12a

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

The Ingredient: Praise & Worship

[P27] 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

[P40] 13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

2 Corinthians 4:6-12

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

The Ingredient: Salvation

[P27] 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

[P40] 4 How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.

Isaiah 12:2-3

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 2:8-12

Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty.

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

The Ingredient: Reverence, Godly fear

[P27] 9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

[P40] 11 You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

The Ingredient: Salvation

[P27] 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

[P40] 17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

Deuteronomy 4:30-31

When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

The Ingredient: Repentance

[P27] 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

[P40] 7 Then I said, Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Ingredient: Repentance

[P27] 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

[P40] 15 Let those be appalled because of their shame Who say to me, Aha, aha!

The Ingredient: Need

[P27] 13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

[P40] 9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know.

Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup Runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Ingredient: Praise & Worship

[P27] 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

[P40] 1 I WAITED patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Exodus 15:1-3

Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

The Ingredient: Salvation

Here are the results, our formula.

5 Parts Salvation

3 Parts Praise

2 Parts Reverence

2 Parts Repentance

1 Part Holiness

1 Part Need

In 14 verses we see 13 verses which speak to our relationship with the Father.

And one which addresses our need.

I started noticing when the Lord was moving mightily in our church.

It wasn’t in the sermon.

It wasn’t in the ministry meetings.

It was in the worship service.

Our prayers had become needy if not greedy.

We had spent the majority of our prayer time stating our desires.

We were out of balance.

We spent more time on the problem than the solution.

For effectual fervent prayer we should be mindful of the formula and not to get out of balance with the master design, our prescription for a rich prayer life.

Psalm 27 has 14 verse compared to 17 for Psalms 40 and the verse that are left over from Psalm 40 are:

[P40] 5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

[P40] 6 Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

[P40] 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart

 

I close this teaching with these words from Ezekiel 24 verses 24 - 27

Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.

Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?

In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Amen
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