Prayer - What Is It?

This is a excerpt from the Liberty University Online course I'm taking.  it's written by Dr. Elmer L. Towns.  By the way, search him out on Amazon - some amazing books!  I thought I would share it here, as perhaps some of you are (like me) struggling with your prayer life.  Blessings, Linda

PRAYER 
“Nothing of eternal consequence happens apart from prayer.  Churches grow when 
people pray effectively to get people saved, receive resources, remove barriers and enrich 
the service of Christ.” 
   
“There are two kinds of means requisite to promote a revival: the one to influence God, 
the other to influence men.  Prayer is an essential link in the influence that leads to a 
revival, as much so as truth is.  Some have zealously used truth to convert men, and laid 
very little stress on prayer.  They have preached, and talked, and distributed tracts with 
great zeal, and then wondered that they had so little success. And the reason was that 
they forgot to use the other branch of the means, effectual prayer.  They overlooked the 
fact that truth, by itself, will never produce the effect, without the Spirit of God, and that 
the Spirit is given in answer to prayer.” – Charles G. Finney  

A. WHAT IS PRAYER? 
1. Proseuchomai – Prayer that is directed to God. – Phil. 1:9; Eph. 6:18; Heb. 13:8 
2. Aiteo – Prayer that makes a request of God. – Matt. 7:7 
3. Deomai – Prayer that expresses a deep desire or need. – Luke 10:2; 22:32 
4. Epikaleo – Prayer that calls upon God for help. – Acts 7:59; Rom. 10:13 
5. Entunchano – Prayer that pleads with God for results. – Rom. 8:27; 11:2; Heb. 
7:25 
6. Enteuxis – Prayer that requests favor from a sovereign God. – 1 Tim. 2:1; 4:5 

B. SEVEN KINDS OF PRAYER 
1. Prayer of intercession for others. 
2. Prayer of worship for God. 
3. Prayer of agreement for communion. 
4. Prayer of petition for things. 
5. Prayer of confession for forgiveness. 
6. Prayer of salvation for sinners. 
7. Prayer of faith for miracles. 

C. WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS OF PRAYER? 
1. God responds to our prayer when we are yielded to Him. – Mark 14:36; 1 John 
5:14 
2. God responds to our prayer when we pray “in Jesus’ name.” – John 14:13, 14; 
15:16 
3. God responds to our prayer when we pray with faith. – Heb. 11:6 
4. God responds to our prayer when we are abiding in Christ and the Word of God. – 
John 15:7 
5. God responds to our prayer when we are persistent in prayer. – Luke 18:1; Col. 
4:2