Here are three key verses in the Bible showing us how God helps us pray. Even Elijah the great prophet in the Old Testament was weak like us, and many times had trouble knowing how to pray. In James 5, James describes Elijah as a man with “like passions” which means he has feelings and weaknesses like us. So don’t feel bad when you or I feel like we don’t know how to pray, or even don’t want to pray. Elijah had very similar feelings.
In this video I present three key verses in the Bible indicating how God helps us pray.
John 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
If we are honest, we all have to admit that we have a problem with anxiety. Some, obviously, are more prone to worry than others. It seems that no matter how many problems God solves for us, there is always another problem on the back burner that we can bring to the forefront of our mind and start worrying about. Paul provides a wonderful antidote to this frustrating problem in Philippians 4:6, Be anxious about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (by prayer); and the peace of God, which surpasses our understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus.
Here is a video in which I shared on this subject.
Paul frequently addresses this issue in the Bible because he understands how easily believers can become anxious and worried. Life is full of challenges and problems. God often allows these problems to come into our lives to humble us, to test what is in our hearts, and to encourage us to turn to Him in trusting prayer.
We have a volitional decision to make. We can choose to worry or we can choose to pray. Prayer takes us into God’s presence, and results in peace of mind as we acknowledge that not only is He able, but He will always bring about the best result for His glory, and for the development of our character. When we choose to keep our eyes on the problem instead of on God, the result is continuing anxiety, restlessness, and discouragement. Paul had to keep reminding his audience, “Let your requests be made known to God”. In other words, we should always remember to pray. Prayer should be our first resort when we face troubles of any kind. Our heavenly Father delights in our prayers, and promises to hear them. These are very encouraging truths from God’s Word.
Elijah, God’s prophet, faced an impossible and discouraging situation. The people of Israel refused to follow God and worshipped idols despite His unfailing kindness to them. How did Elijah handle these thankless rebels? He trusted God and turned to Him in fervent prayer. God responded with a series of amazing miracles that proved He, alone, was the true God, and challenged the people of Israel to obey God’s Word.
A Lake in Montana
Let’s consider another impossible situation from earlier in Israel’s history. God chose Abraham out of a pagan society and made a very important covenant with him. God asked Abraham to leave his country and family for a new land He would show him. Just imagine what a difficult thing God was asking Abraham to do. It was nearly an impossible challenge for Abraham, but he pulled up stakes and left his home in Ur of the Chaldeans, never turning back. God graciously blessed Abraham’s trust, declaring him to be righteous in His sight.
Now consider the children of Israel and another impossible situation in this timeline.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, twelve sons
A famine
Down to Egypt they go
They are led into slavery
After 400 years of slavery they cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliver, Moses
There was much talking by Moses and miracles showing Egypt God’s judgment for refusing to let His people go free.
Now they are free and traveling towards the good land of Israel as God promised
Then they arrived at to the Red Sea, facing another impossible situation
They were walled in on four sides:
Behind: the army of Egypt
In front: the Red Sea
On the left: mountains
On the right: mountains
So what could they do?
Multnomah Falls, Oregon
They cried to the Lord, and the Lord made a way through the Red Sea.
This is by means of another miracle led by Moses listening to God and following God’s command.
God’s people were griping and complaining while Moses was listening to God’s Word and depending on God’s grace.
God loves impossible situations!
God will always make a way through life’s challenges and difficulties if we believe Him, pray and trust Him.
Learn to pray through the rough situations that come your way and obey God.
God will put you in impossible situations to prove that He is God.
A new Christian song encouraging us to pray and let God worry about our life. The phrase was inspired by Martin Luther who in the 1600’s wrote to his wife in a letter “…Pray, let God worry…”
Enjoy a short devotional music song video on “Pray Pray Let God Worry”
Martin Luther (16th century monk) said “Pray, and let God worry“. Which means don’t worry, give the concern to God. He can handle it. Paul in Philippians 4:6 said: “Don’t worry; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Enjoy a short devotional video on “Pray, Let God Worry”
Little Spokane River Area
Anxiety never seems to go away. Anxiety and worry seem to be part of life.
Here is a video in which I shared on this subject.
So we need to pray and turn towards the Lord by praying, reading the Bible, singing or listening to inspiring Bible music.
Little Spokane River Area
Sometimes we need to back off and focus on God. In the world there are problems but have faith in Jesus.
Pray and Let God Worry
Don’t lose sight of Jesus.
Little Spokane River Area
In the gospels, Peter needed to keep his eyes on Jesus not the raging stormy waters.
Peter sank when he looked at the water. He needed to get his vision and perspective back on Jesus.
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus said: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Pray, and let God worry – Martin Luther
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Hebrew 13: 5-6 be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Psalm 103:1-5, A Psalm of David
Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
So Isaiah is saying you need to slow down and trust God, but some of us have a hard time doing this. Just trust in Jesus.
When you pray and think about God, consider God’s creation.
Lots of Colors at Priest Lake, Idaho
Consider the design in the universe from the mass, energy and structure of the stars, planets, gravity, and light. Consider the heavenly beauty both in visible light and invisible light like radio waves.
Light Reflections at Priest Lake, Idaho
Then consider the design and laws holding the atom and molecules together. Then consider living things like plants and animals, and how they live and reproduce.
Two Geese and family at Priest Lake, Idaho
He designed their beauty in a coded language in the tiny, small DNA molecules in the center of each cell. How could that tiny code with millions and billions of instructions describe a plant or animal.
Then consider how this God loves us and cares for us and how He answers prayer.
So some wonder what holds the universe together. Who enforces the laws of nature like gravity, electrical behaviors, electromagnetic waves like radio and microwave, the laws of light, mass and energy. If the laws of nature were random, then we would expect hydrogen to behave different in the distant star than it does on earth. Yet it behaves the same in weight, light spectrum emissions, and connectivity to other atoms (also called chemistry). Hebrews 1:3 says By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. So God Himself is the God particle that holds the universe together.
Prayer works, we just need to continue and not give up. This is called perseverance in prayer. The prayer of Elijah, which stopped the rain from heaven and later opened heaven’s floodgates, was an example of a long series of his mighty prayers and pleadings with God. If we Christians would remember that perseverance in prayer is necessary for it to be effective and victorious!
James 5:16 … pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. 17 Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
The Lord is always in the restoration business because He knows we are frail failing sinners that need grace. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus knowing Peter would deny Him three times, prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail, Peter failed, but not faith. Luke 22:32
but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Peter failed many times, over and over again. But he experienced a rebounding grace. Look at how Peter writes in his epistles about “like precious faith” but still notice Peter’s impatience with The Lord asking three times, do you love me.
So when we fail, be encouraged, God will restore us. Psalms 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
