Various Kinds of Prayer
Cheryl Riley
Maters II Theology
May 9, 2015
Dr. Patricia Yeargan

Various Kinds of Prayer
Throughout my journey as a Christian I have found prayer to be a relevant part of my life. It is and essential instrument that all Christians can use on a daily basis. Prayer is defined as communication with God as our source of help just as you can use different instruments to make different sounds. Diverse prayers can yield different results. The Bible tells us in Thessalonians 5:16 “to pray without ceasing,” As we pray it opens up communication with our father God and strengthens our faith. As Christians we must pray to strengthen our relationship with him not because times are hard or that we are in need of something. Dr. R.T Kendall topic on the Various Kinds of Prayer enlightens people on the vast areas of praying. For instance the prayer of agreement can be used with intercessory prayer with great results. It also gives us insight to the power of prayer. Our heavenly Father values us more than anyone and wants to talk to us. With prayer, we all have equal access and we are all on level ground.
What's more, prayer gives you the privilege of access to ultimate power. God can make anything happen. He can heal, solve any problem and change your financial situation and open doors. Cause everything that has happened in your life will work together for good. People must understand what prayer is, and why it is so important, and how you can overcome the obstacles that prevent you from doing it. Make prayer the foundation of your life...you can only benefit from spending more time with God. "I cannot imagine a greater motivation to pray than that God enjoys having me in His presence. He enjoys my company. He delights in listening to me! He doesn't get bored with my repeated requests. He never makes me feel stupid. There is no rejection, only total acceptance"(-R. T. Kendall in Did You Think to Pray?)
Prayer is defined as communication with God as our source of help (Proverbs3:5-6) tells us to trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path. (Verse 7) be not wise in your own eyes. (Verse 8) Give us a promise it shall be health to thee and marrow to thine bones so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses burst out with new wine. (King James Version)
When we have communication with God we know that he will answer and God is not a man that he should lie. (Numbers 23:19) He promises to direct us and fill our barns with plenty. If God said it he will do it. Prayer is and open door. Since the beginning of time with Adam and Eve in the garden God has communicated with his people. Adam had a place and time that he would meet with God in the garden. This shows how important communicating with God is. There are various prayers that one can use to communicate with God through there is Intercessory Prayer, Imprecatory Prayer Corporate or Public Prayer, Private Prayer and prayer of worship and faith.
Intercessory Prayer: The Future seems hopeless (Retrieved from www.firstminden.org)
You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. As an intercessor one doesn’t need to know all the information because you may become too consumed. The objective is to let God handle the situation. Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we have his mindset. There are so many people that God has put in our path that we must pray for on the basis of redemption that God create through intercessory prayer. There are several reasons why we have need of intercessory prayer and if one listens to the devastation that is going on in the world today this is a reason for prayer. The world and personal surroundings can seem hopeless. Today prayers are close to my heart for the people of Nepal; a Massive earthquake killed more than 1,300 people. Some see this and blame God but we know that in (Matthew 5:45King James Version (KJV) “45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust”. Intercessory prayer is the best prayer for a situation like this one. We can make a request to God on behalf of other people to ease their pain and speed the healing process for them.
Imprecatory Prayer: The Future seems hopeless
Imprecatory Prayer is a type of prayer that is associated with King David. To imprecate means to curse or speak evil toward someone. When David used this type of praying it wasn’t as a form of exacting revenge. Rather, David used it as a way to show agreement with God’s judgment and sovereignty over evil. A few examples of this type of prayer are Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58 and 59.” We also see an example of this prayer in (Numbers 22:5) “So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, "Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. 6"Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." Today as Christians we don’t use Imprecatory Prayer as people did in the Bible.
In the book of Acts it teaches us about corporate prayer. {The disciples and the early church were involved in public prayer. In the first couple chapters of Acts it seems that the church services were mainly made up of prayer. Decisions in the early church were accompanied by prayer. This is seen in the choosing of the first deacons (Acts 6:1-6) and when they sent out the first missionaries} (D Peach, 2004, Bible Hub) (Acts 13:1-3). 6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them} KJV. Today public prayer can vary from praying for causes of injustice to having a state come and pray for rain in a drought. In 2007 at the state capitol in Georgia the governor tried something different prayer. On a partly cloudy warm fall day, hundreds of people from the region came to join Gov. Sonny Perdue in a prayer service for rain. This prayer is still working for Georgia today. Private prayer: The Future seems hopeless In our private prayer we must trust in the Lord with all our heart you must completely and securely rely upon God’s wisdom, power, and goodness, and upon his promises, for direction and help in everything. Leaning not to thine own understanding –Respecting the decisions that God has made for you even when you don’t understand. In Matthew 6:5, 6{But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you} KJV. the Lord tells His disciples to pray privately. Certainly there is nothing wrong with public prayer, but we should not pray to be seen of men. The example that Christ uses is the hypocrites who pray out loud—and loudly—so that they can be seen by others. Private prayer is a time of personal relationship with the Lord.
Private prayer and understanding
There are several scriptures stating that man is not too leant unto their own understanding so when we are in our secret place with God we should not try and figure things out. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; and much less should men lean to their own understanding in matters of religion; a natural man has no understanding of spiritual things, of the things of the Gospel, nor indeed any practical understanding of things moral, Romans 3:11, Jeremiah 4:22. The understanding of man is darkened by sin; yea, is darkness itself; it is like the first earth, covered with darkness, till light is let into it, and therefore not to be leaned unto and depended on, Ephesians 4:18. There is a necessity of a new heart and spirit, of an understanding to be given, in order to understand spiritual and divine things, Ezekiel 36:26; for though these are not contrary to the reason and understanding of men; yet they are above them, and cannot be discovered, reached, comprehended, and accounted for by them, Matthew 16:17. Nay, there are some things in the Gospel, which, though plain to an enlightened understanding by the word of God, yet the manner how they are cannot be apprehended: as the doctrines of a trinity of Persons; of the generation of the Son of God; the procession of the Spirit; the union of the two natures in Christ; the resurrection of the dead, &c. In short, not our reason and understanding at best, and much less as carnal and unsanctified, but the word of God only is our rule of judgment, and the standard of our faith and practice; and to that we should have recourse and be directed by it, and not lean to our own understandings.)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
In Philippians 4:6 {be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God}. and Colossians 4:2 tell us to pray with thanksgiving. Psalm 95 and 100 tell us to enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving. We must pray as Christ prayed giving thanks often. (Matthew 15:36; 26:26, 27; Luke 22:19). Praying with thanksgiving should be a regular part of our prayer life. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that praying with thanksgiving should be a regular course for communication with God. It is the will of God for us to pray with thanksgiving. Thank God every day for all the blessing that He has given you.
Supplication: The Future seems hopeless
Along with being thankful, Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 that we should pray with supplication. The idea of supplication is that of asking. It isn’t just asking God for something on behalf of others (which is an intercessory prayer), but supplication is more a prayer for oneself. We see this prayer often in the Psalms where David is asking God for help in a particular area of his own life. When Daniel learned that King Darius had issued an edict prohibiting prayer to any god but the king, Daniel continued to pray to God with prayers of thanksgiving as well as prayers of supplication for His help in this dire situation. When we pray some may think that it’s selfish to ask God for things that they may need in their personal life. How will God know what you want if you don’t ask. In John 16:24 English Standard Version (ESV) {24 until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.} In the New Testament, Jesus tells us to ask for our daily bread in Matthew 6:11, which falls into the category of a prayer of supplication. In addition, in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus teaches us not to give up praying for what we need. James says that: on the one hand we don't receive because we don't ask (James 4:2). On the other hand, we ask and don't receive because we are thinking only of our fleshly desires (James 4:3). Perhaps the best way to approach supplications is to ask God in all honesty as children talking to their kind-hearted Father, but ending with "Your will be done" (Matthew 26:39), in full surrender to His will. After describing the need to take up the “full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13-17), the apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians (and us) to remain alert and to pray in the Spirit, “making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18). Clearly, prayers of supplication are part of the spiritual battle all Christians are engaged in. Paul further exhorts the Philippian church to relieve their anxieties by remaining faithful in prayer, especially prayers of thanksgiving and supplication. This, he concludes, is the formula for ensuring that “the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 2.
Your faith needs strengthening through Intercessory Prayer
One of the important ideas that come from scriptures is that faith, in relation to prayer, is linked to understanding and trusting in Jesus and our Heavenly Fathers. As stated earlier when one prays that person will not try to comprehend God’s plan. In Deuteronomy 31 {Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid of them! For the Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you. } (KJV) In this scripture God is telling us to not worry or be afraid. He states that he will be there for us and that we have to hold on. We have to live like the scripture in Psalms 32:7- {You are my hiding place from every storm of life; You even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory. I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. Don’t be like a senseless horse or mule that has to have a bit in its mouth to keep it in line!}because the Lord hears the good man when he calls to Him for help, and saves him out of all his troubles. {The Lord is close to those whose heart is breaking; He rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape all troubles – he has them, too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.} Psalms 34:17-19. Intercessory prayer can strengthen faith because when one prays for others and those things come to pass then the intercessor knows that God will work in their personal life the same way. Faith comes by hearing and when we witness someone’s testimony of the goodness that God has done for them it strengthens our faith. Your faith needs strengthening through Private Prayer
When we pray in private we can communicate with Him of the doubt or worry that we may be having. Why is it that Christians are living beneath the standard of the world? Is it because we don’t ask for what we want or is it that we don’t have faith that or heavenly Father can provide what we ask for. Jesus warns us in scripture that He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20. God has already given us all we need now if we will have faith we can see the manifestation of things coming to past. We can change the course of our lives if we believed as much as we doubted. Conversing with God through private prayer and tuning out all the negative reports such as the news and gossip will keep your mind and focus of faith on God.
Your faith needs strengthening through prayers of Thanksgiving
We need to thank our Father God, for the blessing and favor upon our lives! Thank God those blessings come to you abundantly, unexpectedly and delightfully. The bible encourages us to do this. In the psalms we read "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever". (Psalm 118:1, NIV) To be grateful dispels fear, worry and anxiety. If we allow our minds to think about and celebrate and be thankful all the good things we have. We can remove negative thoughts and fill that with faith. There are gospel songs that we sing that teach s to praise and thank God in advance. This in itself is faith one knows that the blessing is coming so why not just thank the Lord in advance.
Your faith needs strengthening through prayers of Supplication
Although most prayers of Supplication can be a private or personal prayer. We can also use this prayer with others. The Hebrew and Greek words most often translated “supplication” in the Bible mean literally “a request or petition,” so a prayer of supplication is asking God for something. Jesus himself. In helping us form a close, personal relationship with God, he encourages us to ask for things, just as children ask their parents. He goes even farther, telling us “everyone who asks, receives” (Matthew 7:8) and “…how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:11) Another crucial aspect of the prayer of supplication—the necessity of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who belong to Christ also have the indwelling Holy Spirit who intercedes on our behalf. Because we often don’t know what or how to pray when we approach God, the Spirit intercedes and prays for us, interpreting our supplications so that, when we are overwhelmed by trials and the cares of life, He comes alongside to lend assistance with our prayers of supplication as He sustains us before the throne of grace (Romans 8:26).
Intercessory Prayer that fights temptation
In fighting temptation, regardless of its type, prayer is a weapon that we cannot do without it. The purpose of temptation is to ensnare us and to draw us away from God. Prayer, fellowship with God, is the exact opposite: it keeps the channels of communication with our Father open. If a person is struggling with temptation and you need to intercede on their behalf, take encouragement from the Bible. Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, [c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. This is an extraordinary verse it informs us that God will not let us be tempted passed the point we can handle. We already have the victory according to the word of God. The temptation that one is faced with on a daily basis has already been conquered. The Word promises that you won’t be tempted beyond what one can bear. Simply ask God for the strength to stand up under the temptation whenever it is encountered. The Lord gives wisdom to walk away when tempted, and the clarity to see the way out. In Matthew 6, disciples are called upon to use prayer in their fight against temptation: "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (v. 13a). We may not always easily discern the relation between prayer and our ability to say "no" in the face of temptation. Jesus also asked his disciples to intercede when he was captured, in the garden of Gethsemane, he told to his disciples:

Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” In Luke 22:46“And he said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Temptation is something the disciples could enter into and they needed to pray. “Pray, lest you enter into temptation”, the Lord said. Obviously if they did not pray they would indeed enter into temptation. Prayer, fellowship with God, keeping the channels of communication open and receiving from Him through prayer the needed encouragement and support, is a shield of protection against temptation. This does not necessarily mean that the temptation will not come. But because of prayer we can easily resist.
Private Prayer that fights temptation
Satan tempts us in one of three ways: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:16). He does not have new tricks and since I know this my private prayers are detailed fighting plans. I will pray for the knowledge of avoidance and others tools to resist temptations Some situations ask that we stand and fight while others call for flight. We need wisdom to determine the difference. Armed with effective fervent prayer, we can keep our spiritual eyes open for the escape. We need to pray for vision, understanding, and wisdom. "Lord helps me to see the escape and earnestly desire it. “The soldier of Christ is not fully dressed unless he takes up prayer (Eph. 6:18-19). Let each of us determine to add prayer to our apparel using it in our continuing struggle with temptation. We can pray when we are tempted and pray when we fail. With prayer on our lips, let us set our sights on the celestial city. (Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 2, p. 38 January 19, 1988) Supplication Prayer that fights Temptation Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?saed=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.deepertruthblogthe-catholic-defender-the-lords-prayer.)
We as Christians must pray and put on the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil; Ephesians 6:11(ESV) to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Fasten on us the belt of truth, put on us the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for our feet, put on us the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Give us the shield of faith, with which we may extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and the helmet of salvation; and let the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, be always ready to us. Ephesians 6:13-17(ESV) Enable us to resist the devil, so that he may flee from us; James 4:7(ESV) to resist him firm in the faith. 1 Peter 5:9(ESV) And may you, the God of peace, tread Satan under our feet, and may you do it soon. Prayers of Supplication to resist temptation will be a beneficial quality with a relationship with God.
Taming Your Tongue with Intercessory Prayer
James 3:2-10 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. These verses inform us that the tongue can be used to curse and bless others. Why not use it to pray on someone else’s behalf. Ask the Holy Spirit, to help us separate what we feel in our flesh from what we allow out of our mouths. We don’t have to say and do everything that we think. Instead, by the power of your Spirit within us, we can take every thought captive and make it obedient to God (1 Corinthians 10:5)! God, we have self-control in you.
Taming Your Tongue with Private Prayer
When we pray privately we can get with God and repent our sins to him and he will forgive us. This is especially true when it comes to taming the tongue. We may have to repent frequently because speaking negatively and gossiping can be very enticing when everyone else is doing it. We must ask God to guide our tongues so that we will not criticize decisions and ask guidance from the Holy Spirit. One needs to pray for wisdom when they speak so that it can benefit, encourage, uplift, and wisely advise others. Of course at the end of the prayer as with all others we will ask in the name of Jesus.
When should we pray?
Now that we have discussed why we pray we will now be enlighten to the facts of when one should pray. Prayer is not for emergency use only or for when we get in a pinch and need someone to bail us out. Prayer is not an “Aladdin’s Lamp” or a trip to the wishing well for our wants. Prayer is a means of intimate communion, fellowship, and dependence upon God the Father who has promised to work in and through us through His Son, just as God worked through Him Prayer is a means of claiming God’s promises and knowing and becoming abandoned to God’s will.
There is a passage in the Bible that stat "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." (Mark 1:35es “is one among many that let us know that Jesus’ habit was to spend time alone each day with His Father. It is an example He sets for us and confirms in Matt 6:6a, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” It is that special time when we shut out the world and hear directly from God. We should consider what He says to us as we read His Word and pray back our response to Him. It is two-way communication with the Creator of the universe…who also happens to be our loving Heavenly Father.
Paul said, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything, give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). As a Christian reading this verse we know that we will need to communicate with God on a daily basis. Some may wonder how many times a day. God just wants us to have Him included in all of our day. Whispers through the day thanking God for making it to work safely for a wonderful breakfast. In all our ways acknowledge Him. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to pray without being anxious, to pray about everything, and to pray with thankful hearts. God will answer all such prayers with the gift of His peace in our hearts. The proper way to pray is to pour out our hearts to God, being honest and open with God. We are to express our love, gratitude, and worship to God in prayer without worrying about having just the right words to say. God is more interested in the content of our hearts than the eloquence of our words.
For what should we pray?
We need to pray for God’s kingdom in Luke 11:2-4 He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be You name. Your kingdom come. ‘Give us each day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” First, we start with God and then we go to ourselves. Here is an important principle in all worship of which prayer is but one mode and means. In prayer, as in everything, our Lord teaches us to put God first Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (KJV) in the passage, Matthew 6:10, “Thy will be done” is added. This teaches us to pray as our Lord did when facing the cross. “Thy will be done” means help me to surrender my life to that which will further your kingdom,
Pray also that the gospel will be spread swiftly and to all in Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you. Pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit as in (Luke 11:13; cf. Ephesians 3:19) If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! “Pray that God would vindicate his people in their cause. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? (Luke 18:7 rsv) and one that is so important “Pray that God would save unbelievers. Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayed to God for them is that they may be saved”. (Romans 10:1) The power of prayer
According to the Bible, the power of prayer is, quite simply, the power of God, who hears and answers prayer. The principle of prayer is not that God needs to be told, but that we need to tell Him because of what true prayer does to us. It is a means by which the power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares. The prayer of a righteous man is always powerful and effective. Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers.
Jesus taught, "…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The Bible urges us, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18). – (www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer.)
The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully. (/www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer.)
The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5). The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him. (www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer) Discipline and prayer
Prayer is a discipline, much like fasting, meditation, and confession and it’s an important part in a Christian’s life. Without a thorough commitment to this discipline, a Christian will find it very difficult to make progress in their spiritual life. Certainly prayer should not be mechanical, but it should be disciplined. In fact, that's one reason we suggest that prayer is a Christian discipline - we should practice and make prayer a habit. Adding structure, such as having a place, a time, a pattern, or a partner, encourages consistency and growth. Discipline itself is a Spirit-generated gift necessary for fuller delight in Christ. This self-control is a fruit of the Spirit and Christian character. That we lack only so long as we refuse to pay its price.
Areas of Prayer As believers, we are all priests of God (1 Pet. 2:5). To us has been given the ministry of intercession through which we can bring untold power and blessing into the lives of others by praying for the lost, for laborers to be sent out, open doors for the Word, and the basic needs of fellow believers (cf. 3 John 2; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2-4, 12). To pray properly is to become sensitive and open to the needs of others. It is to care for others rather than be occupied with ourselves. Persistent prayer demonstrates the maturity of our faith or the lack of it and so also our need of understanding God, His plan, principles, promises, and purposes. It demonstrates our need of faith, of wisdom and biblical values and priorities along with patience and an eternal perspective. A mature or growing faith sees and believes the promises of God, embracing them with persistence even though the answer is not immediately forthcoming (Heb. 11:13, 39). Mature faith knows that God will answer in a better time and in a better way.
The Prayer of Agreement
In Matthew 18:19, Jesus introduced the prayer of agreement when He said, "'Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven'" (NKJV).Right off the bat you can see that for the prayer of agreement to work, the people involved in the prayer have to agree! You cannot know what someone else wants—what someone is believing for—and God cannot answer your prayer for someone else against his or her will. To use the prayer of agreement, you must be sure that the person with whom you are agreeing is in line with what you are asking for. If someone asks me to pray in agreement with them, I ask, "What specifically do you want me to pray for?" You absolutely must make sure you are in perfect agreement about what your prayer request is before you join with another believer in the prayer of agreement.
The Prayer of Faith
The prayer of faith, also known as petition prayer, is the prayer that most people think of when they use the term "prayer." Petition prayer is between you and God. It is you asking God for a particular outcome. The key verse for the prayer of faith is Mark 11:24, in which Jesus says, "‘therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. ‘The rule to consider here is when you pray—not after you pray, not when you feel something, not when you see something. When you pray (the moment that you pray) you must believe that you receive what you asked for.

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Your faith is substance—it is something real, something tangible. It is evidence of things you cannot see. Notice that Mark 11:24 does not say when you will actually see the result of your prayer. It does not tell you how long it will take for that prayer result to appear, and this is where many Christians get hung up.
God lives in one eternal now. There is no past or present for Him. But we are temporal beings who live in the context of time. When you pray in faith, God immediately gives you what you prayed for—in the spirit realm. But in the natural world, due to a number of factors, it may take time for the answer to manifest itself.
The Prayer of Consecration and Dedication
In Luke 22:41-42, we see outlined the prayer of consecration and dedication: "And He [Jesus] was withdrawn from them [Peter, James and John] about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ “He was praying, in effect, "If there is any other way to do this, let's do it that way." But the key for Jesus, and for us, is, "Nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done. “You pray that God's will would be done when you don't know His will or don't know if an alternative path that appears is equally "correct" or godly. In the absence of direct instructions, the prayer of consecration and dedication says you will allow God to set your direction or make your decisions.
The Prayer of Praise and Worship
In this prayer, you are not asking God to do something for you or to give you something. You are not even asking for direction and dedicating your life to whatever it is God has called you to do. Rather, you just want to praise the Lord, to thank Him for His many blessings and mercy. You want to tell Him how much you love Him. A good example of this type of prayer appears in Luke 2:20, which describes the reaction of the shepherds who had seen baby Jesus: "Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told them. “In Luke 18:43, the blind man who was healed was described as "glorifying God." The verse also says all the people who witnessed the miracle "gave praise to God." They prayed prayers of thanksgiving. Look at the way Jesus prayed in John 11:41: "'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me," referring to His previous prayer regarding Lazarus. In the Lord's prayer, Jesus told His disciples, "'When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name'" (Luke 11:2).
The Prayer of Binding and Loosing
This prayer is found in Matthew 18:18-19. Jesus says: "'Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.’ “There are several important nuggets in Jesus' statements here, the first being that we have authority here on this earth by virtue of our covenant rights through Jesus. The second thing we notice is the direction of the action. Things do not begin in heaven and come to Earth, but rather the action starts here on Earth. Notice that it says, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." God has provided each type of prayer for a specific purpose. Though you may use more than one at any given time, it is important to be clear about which type you are using and why, and to be aware of its limitations. If you follow the examples in the Bible, you'll be sure to use them properly.
They are approximately 311 different languages spoken and several continents around the world, yet our Heavenly Father knows each and every person. He knows and He understands and will answer us in our prayer life. As Christians we must discipline ourselves and know how to and when to pray. Prayer is a substantial part of a daily devotional life as a Christian. Whether we are interceded for others or taking time to pray in our secret place to the most high it’s vital to our relationship with the Father. In conclusion let each time we pray, be first and foremost, a time of "seeking Jesus Himself, as our personal King", and of "returning to our First Love" [Rev 2:1-4]. The Holy Spirit will then direct our prayer, we will expect great things from God, and He will accomplish His grand purpose our lives.

References
BibleHub.com, 2004
King James Version Bible
Holy hands picture Retrieved from www.firstminden.org
Think to Pray, (Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 2, p. 38 January 19, 1988)
Retrieved from www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer
Did You Think to Pray, 2009, R. T. Kendall
Taming Your Tongue, Retrieved from www.openbible.info/topics/taming_your_tongue
Practice a Consistent Prayer Life, 2013, http://www.lifeway.com/Article/practice-consistent-prayer-life
Cindy Trimm Healing Prayer,2013
Kenneth Copeland Prayer: You’re Foundation for Success: 2001
Joel Osteen, I Declare, 2012
Apostle Fredrick K.C Price, Ever Increasing Faith, 2003
Billy Graham, Choices, 1981
R.A Torrey, the Power of Prayer, 2000