You are watching a sermon on prayer preached by Pastor Andrew Ray titled "It's Time to Pray" taken from Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-47.

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For more information on this sermon, see the outline below:

I. THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF PRAYER (Luke 11:1)

A. Defining Prayer

1. Its definition—Simply stated, prayer is talking to God.
a. Prayer can involve the making of requests (Philippians 1:4; Philippians 4:6).
b. Prayer can and should involve the praise of God (Matthew 6:9).
2. Its method—If the Bible dictates anything in regards to the methodology of our prayer life it is that we ought to do so with uplifted hands (1 Kings 8:54; Psalm 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:8).
3. Its doctrine—Scripturally speaking, we pray to God the Father in the name of the Son (John 15:16) with the Spirit of God making intercession on our behalf (Romans 8:26).

B. Demonstrating Prayer

1. For whom should we pray (1 Timothy 2:1)?
2. Where should we pray (1 Timothy 2:8)?
3. When should we pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?

II. THE BIBLICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRAYER

A. It Parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-31)

1. Israel was caught between the Egyptians and the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-14).
2. Moses cried out to the LORD (Exodus 14:15).
3. The LORD parted the Red Sea for Israel to cross on dry ground (Exodus 14:21-22).
4. God troubled Egypt and took the wheels of their chariots (Exodus 14:23-25).
5. The LORD brought the waters back down drowning the Egyptians (Exodus 14:26-28).

B. It Conquered a Barren Womb (1 Samuel 1:2, 5-6, 9-20, 27)

1. Hannah’s womb had been shut and she was mocked (1 Samuel 1:5-6).
2. Hannah took her fretting to the LORD and begged a son (1 Samuel 1:9-11).
3. The LORD granted her request (1 Samuel 1:19-20, 27).

C. It Devastated a Formidable Army (2 Kings 19:1-37)

1. Rabshakeh sent a threatening letter to Hezekiah suggesting Judah was soon to perish (2 Kings 19:8-14).
2. Hezekiah took the letter to the temple and prayed over it (2 Kings 19:14-19).
3. The angel of the LORD smote 185,000 Assyrians in the night (2 Kings 19:35).
4. The king of the Assyrians was killed by his sons (2 Kings 19:36-37).

D. It Deprived Opportunistic Lions (Daniel 6:1-24)

1. Darius was deceived into making a foolish decree against prayer (Daniel 6:1-9).
2. Daniel, knowing the decree was signed, continued his practice of praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10).
3. Daniel was found and cast into a den of lions (Daniel 6:11, 16-17, see vs. 24).
4. The king spent the night fasting (and praying?) and Daniel survived (Daniel 6:18-23).

E. It Caused a Man to Survive the Fish’s Belly (Jonah 1:11-17; Jonah 2:1-10)

1. Jonah was cast into the sea because of disobedience to God (Jonah 1:11-16).
2. The LORD prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah (Jonah 1:17).
3. Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).
4. Then Jonah prayed (Jonah 2:1).
5. The LORD spake unto the fish and it vomited Jonah upon the dry land (Jonah 2:10).

III. THE BIBLICAL DIRECTIVE OF PRAYER

A. The Heart of Prayer

1. We should pray in faith believing (Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6-7).
2. We should be sincere in heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
3. We should pray in accordance with God’s will (1 John 5:14).

B. The Frequency of Prayer

1. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14)
2. “And they continued stedfastly…in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
3. “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer,” (Acts 6:4)
4. “For God is my witness…that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;” (Romans 1:9)
5. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12)
6. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,” (Ephesians 6:18)
7. “Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,” (Philippians 1:4)
8. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,” (Colossians 1:3)
9. “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you,”
10. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” (Colossians 4:2)
11. “Epaphras…saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers,” (Colossians 4:12)
12. “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;”
13. “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
14. “Wherefore also we pray always for you,” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
15. “Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;” (2 Timothy 1:3)
16. “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,” (Philemon 1:4)