PRAYER

Lesson 4

Different Kinds Of Prayer

Part 3-Tongues, Prayers Of Faith, Agreement, And Consecration

PRAYING IN TONGUES

As should be apparent from our study thus far, there are many types of prayers. Several times in the New Testament the saints of God are recorded as spending time in “prayer.” However, the Bible does not tell us what kinds of prayers they were praying (Acts 4:31; 13:1-3; 16:25). We can be confident that some of this prayer was in other tongues. Even Paul said, “I thank my God, I speak in tongues more than ye all” (1 Corinthians 14:18).

WHAT ARE TONGUES?

Tongues refers to a supernatural prayer language where the language spoken is both unknown and unlearned by the Christian praying. This language can be either an earthly tongue or an angelic tongue (1 Corinthians 13:1).
  • The gift of tongues is established thoroughly throughout the Bible.
      • See Isaiah 28:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-13, 10:44-48, 19:1-7; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Jude 20.
  • Tongues are for everyone.
      • See Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-13; 10:44-48; 19:6-7.
      • In Acts, in every account, everyone present received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. That is 100% of the believers receiving and speaking.

WHAT PRAYING IN TONGUES ACCOMPLISHES

  • It builds, encourages, and recharges you as a believer (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20).
  • You allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for yourself (Romans 8:26).
  • You pronounce blessings (1 Corinthians 14:16).
  • You give thanks well (1 Corinthians 14:17).
  • You worship God and declare His wonderful works (Acts 2:11).
  • You speak the unspoken mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 14:2).
  • Your spirit is praying (perfect prayer) (1 Corinthians 14:14).
  • You’re speaking directly to God (1 Corinthians 14:2).
Praying in tongues can be you praying for yourself, you praying for others, or you magnifying and worshiping God. (See also our PodSchool course on The Gift of Tongues.)

THE PRAYER OF FAITH

  • And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  – James 5:15

All prayer should be prayed in faith for “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6) and “I will therefore that men pray everywhere . . . without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). But there is a category of prayer called the prayer of faith. This is prayer given for something for which there is clear Bible authority to ask for and receive. In James 5:15, the request is for the healing of a sick person. In this instance, the sick person has called for the elders of the church to come and pray for them. The one in need initiated the prayer (as opposed to the Holy Spirit) on their own behalf with someone else doing the praying.
The prayer of faith is often free from any tangible anointing or natural feelings. Faith, after all, is not based on feelings. However, it should be noted that the prayer of faith can manifest the anointing. The anointing just wasn’t there when the prayer started. If the one requesting prayer and the one proffering the prayer are in agreement, then this prayer would also be called a prayer of agreement. This type of prayer can be made for yourself or for others.

THE PRAYER OF AGREEMENT

  • Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  – Matthew 18:19-20

Jesus stated He had taught this more than once. There is great power in agreement. The prayer of agreement is not just limited to two. Jesus said, “two or three.”
  • Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
  • Two lying together have heat. You can’t be warm alone (Ecclesiastes 4:11).
  • Two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
  • Can two walk together, except they be agreed (Amos 3:3)?
  • Jesus sent the disciples out by twos (Mark 6:7; 11:1; 14:13; Luke 19:29).
  • The people of Babel were united and in agreement:

      • And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.  – Genesis 11:6

Because of the power of agreement, we must be mindful of what we consent to. Be careful what you pray for with people. For this reason, “unspoken” prayer requests are unscriptural. What if the unspoken request is for evil to befall an enemy or for a man to leave his wife? We don’t want our prayers to be partaking of another person’s sins. The prayer of agreement can be made for yourself or for others.

INTERCESSION SCENARIOS

  • We can intercede for an individual’s salvation (from both hell and natural destruction).
  • We can intercede for an individual’s healing.
  • We can intercede for an individual’s decision-making and mental faculties.

THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

To consecrate means to sanctify something to God’s worship and service. The prayer of consecration refers to prayer used to sanctify and set apart the person who is praying for God’s service. This prayer can only be made for yourself.

 

Jesus demonstrated this for us in Gethsemane.

  • “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”  – Matthew 26:39b

The prayer of consecration helps the believer to keep their heart and will focused and consecrated to the will of GOD. This should be a frequent, if not daily, prayer in our lives.
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