Prayer - A powerful resource

Matthew 5:44 NIV
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

In prayer, we acknowledge the God, the most powerful and most intelligent. To praise his name for who he is and what he has done, what he is doing and going to do.

Jesus constantly kept on saying about prayer and its effects:

Matthew 6:9-13King James Version (KJV)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Praying for who he is:
Father of all the nations. He is king of kings, Lord of Lord. To gratify and to magnify we say Hallowed be thy name. Let his name be honored high above everything.

Praying for  the Kingdom of God:
Praying for the transformation, the world today as we know has various problems and has been known for its chaos and difficult situations. The only way of solution is asking God for his will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. When Jesus says about the heaven, it is true and we can rely upon his word.
John 14:2 NIV
My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

Praying for Daily Bread:
Daily Bread for us is not only the bread we consume to satisfy our physical hunger, but for the Word of God to satisfy spiritual hunger.

Praying to overcome temptations:
There may be times when one goes through difficult situations not knowing what to do. Because of the weariness one may take steps which are not directed by God. The source of power to take up the right decisions is to pray over the situation and to take up the cross and follow Jesus.
Matthew 26:41 NIV
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."


Praying on persecution and sufferings:
In the garden of Gethsemane:
Prayer is one of the most important aspect of a Leader, as Jesus himself shows us the example. When he was at the most important period of time, when he was about to be denied, betrayed and crucified. Jesus looked upon the God, the Father and asked “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

2 Corinthians 11:16-33New International Version (NIV)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

Praying for the Laborers:

Matthew 9:37-38New King James Version (NKJV)

37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" is a Christian hymn originating from India.

The lyrics are based on the last words of a man in Assam, north-east India, who along with his family was converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of a Welsh missionary. Called to renounce his faith by the village chief, the convert declared, "I have decided to follow Jesus." In response to threats to his family, he continued, "Though no one joins me, still I will follow." His wife was killed, and he was executed while singing, "The cross before me, the world behind me." This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.

The formation of these words into a hymn is attributed to the Indian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh. The melody is also Indian, and entitled "Assam" after the region where the text originated. The fierce opposition is possible as various tribes in that area were formerly renowned for head-hunting.

An American hymn editor, William Jensen Reynolds, composed an arrangement which was included in the 1959 Assembly Songbook. His version became a regular feature of Billy Graham's evangelistic meetings in America and elsewhere, spreading its popularity.

Due to the lyrics' explicit focus on the believer's own commitment, the hymn is cited as a prime example of decision theology, emphasising the human response rather than the action of God in giving faith. This has led to its exclusion from some hymnals. A Lutheran writer noted, "It definitely has a different meaning when we sing it than it did for the person who composed it."

I have decided to follow Jesus, 
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus
no turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me,
the world behind me, the cross before me,
the world behind me, the cross before me
no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, I still will follow, 
though none go with me, I still will follow, 
though none go with me, I still will follow, 
no turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow Jesus? 
Will you decide now to follow Jesus? 
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
no turning back, no turning back.