Lesson 3

Prayer - The Seed-Sower's Way of Life

Success in Witnessing is simply sharing Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to God

As we continue Lesson 3, let’s look closely at three types of prayer that are taught in the New Testament. I am using three key words of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to explain the three powerful prayers. (In a small booklet on Paul’s epistle, the wonderful Chinese Bible teacher Watchman Nee identified these three key words as the outline of the book of Ephesians.)

SIT – Praying The Disciple’s Prayer daily, or certainly often, I rejoice in the privilege and seek power for the responsibilities of being a true SON OF ABBA, “Father”
WALK – Praying The Unceasing Prayer in my spirit, I move through the day in the continual awareness of being the SERVANT OF KING JESUS ― and of others!
STAND – Praying The Warrior’s Prayer, whenever possible with other believers, I put on the whole armor of God and prepare to do battle like a good SOLDIER OF THE CROSS.

Son of Abba. Servant of Christ. Soldier of the Cross.

Brothers and Sisters, The Spirit of God and the Word of God are calling us:

FIRST – to SIT. We see in the two instances of Jesus’ teachings, the Disciple’s prayer is both a model for our personal daily prayer and a specific prayer to be prayed together by the community of faith As to our model, daily prayer, we are called to go often into the quiet place and pray in the manner Jesus taught his disciples, seeking God’s desires first and our needs afterward. As to seed-sowing, we ought to pray by name for specific persons to come into the Kingdom of God and for the Lord of Harvest to send forth laborers.

SECOND, we are called to WALK., to walk through this broken world with an attitude of ceaseless prayer, continuing to call to mind those for whom we are seeking Christ’s rule and reign, to pray for our fellow seed-sowers, and to ask God to prepare the soil –- the hearts of those to whom we will witness.

THIRD, we are finally called to STAND. Armed with weapons of warfare, to stand; watching for the enemy, defeating him through praise and prayer, joining with fellow believers, binding his power, so that the Gospel may reach every tribe and nation.

Read the following Scripture verses and think about how you might apply them in your prayer times ― especially as they strengthen your desire and ability to sow seeds for Jesus!

The Disciples Prayer . . . Sit

Seven Priorities for Prayer, as Taught by Our Lord Jesus

with focus on some prayers specifically for Seed Sowers

In the several parts of the disciples prayer, expanded below, we see priorities for daily prayer and, in blue print, some prayers specifically for seed-sowers.

Matthew 6:9-13: Pray then like this ______ and Luke 11:2-4: When you pray, say _______ . . .

Our Father in heaven

Take time to recognize and meditate on who He is (ABBA) and who I am (Child).
Express adoration, praise, and thanksgiving to my Heavenly Dad.

Hallowed be Your name

Praise Him in the ways He’s revealed himself to me, expressed through His many names.
May my life bring honor to Your name and reputation today in all I do / . . . may my sharing the Gospel with others today bring glory to only You.

Your kingdom come

May salvation and God’s Rule and Reign come to _______________(name family, colleagues, others, and those with whom I’ve shared or will be sharing the Gospel).
May God’s Rule and Reign come to (name church, communities, schools, companies, institutions, governments at all levels, etc).
Send laborers into Your harvest. (Luke 10:2) / Here I am! Lord send me. (Isaiah 6:8).

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Let Your Will be done in _____________________ (important decisions of mine or others.
Strengthen me or others to trust/obey in specific areas of life that the Word is clear about and that I’ve been struggling with.

Give us this day our daily bread

Help me to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Feed my soul through Your Word today.
Provide for _________________________ (specific temporal needs of myself or others).

Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors

Forgive me for _____________________ (specific sin).
Confess & Repent / Commit not to hold ____________ (name of person) in unforgiveness.
“Right now I forgive ___________ (specific person) for ___________(the wrong done).”

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (or – the evil one)

Keep me today from the power of __________________ (an area of weakness in my life).
Show me the way of escape from this ____________________ (immediate temptation).
Protect me today from the devil’s schemes and the powers of darkness as I share the Gospel with others.

The Ceaseless Prayer . . . Walk

In silent or spoken prayers throughout the day, you may express needs you recognize in the people and situations you encounter. Develop the habit of saying “May I pray for you right now?” – then do so, rather than saying, “I’ll pray for you” and often forgetting! For now, meditate on these teachings or examples of prayers found in the Bible. As you meditate, you may think about how you might have prayed for people or situations you did encounter yesterday or today.

1 Samuel 12:23

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Luke 18:1 (NIV)

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

1 Thessalonians 1:2

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

Romans 1:9

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you.

Galatians 5:16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-20

. . . praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Warrior’s Prayer . . . Stand

Meditate on these Bible verses and think about past situations that called for prayers to bind the power of evil forces seeking to bring your or others’ down. Such prayers are best prayed with other believers whenever possible.

Mark 9:29

This kind [of evil spirit] cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:10-12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:18-20

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Psalm 149: 5-9

Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron.

to execute on them the judgment written!

This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

Consider what these 5 verses of Psalms 149 tell us: with heart-felt praise and the Word of God coming from our voices, we are enabled ─ indeed, we are honored – to bind the most powerful of evil forces . . . in other words, the gates of hell shall not prevail where two or three believers (the Church!) gather to STAND against evil forces with praise to God and proclamation of His Word.

Next Lesson