Bible-Based Prayer Power: Using Relevant Scripture to Pray with Confidence for All Your Needs (Life Lessons Topical Bible Study Series) - Softcover

Anderson, Ken

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0785268693 ISBN 13: 9780785268697

Verlag: Thomas Nelson, 2000

Inhaltsangabe

Bible-Based Prayer Power features a new technique for talking to God that's as old as the Bible. Ken Anderson teaches readers the unique STEPS approach to prayer and gives them a topically arranged resource for incorporating the approach into their prayer lives. STEPS is an acronym for "Scripture Teaches Effective Prayer Strategy," a principle based on John 15:7 ("If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.") Bible-Based Prayer Power moves readers into a more vibrant prayer life by making Bible promises practical and personal.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Ken Anderson was a free-lance writer for more than half a century, authoring some forty books, hundreds of magazine articles and short stories. He was also active in the production of motion pictures and videos.

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BIBLE-BASED PRAYER POWER

Using Relevant Scripture to Pray with Confidence for All Your Needs

By KEN ANDERSON

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2000 Ken Anderson
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-7852-6869-7

Contents

1. Introducing STEPS.......................................................
3
2. The Origin of STEPS.....................................................
11
3. Prototypes to Get You Started...........................................
19
Topics.....................................................................
43
Appendix A: Proof Positive.................................................
287
Appendix B: STEPS Spin-Offs................................................
289
Topics Index...............................................................
291
STEPS Nuggets Index........................................................
294
About the Author...........................................................
295

CHAPTER 1

Introducing STEPS

Welcome to STEPS, new ideas about prayer that are as old asthe Bible.

STEPS is an acronym formed from the identifying statement thatScripture Teaches Effective Prayer Strategies. Through investigationand implementation, this new approach has enriched for me themeaning and function of prayer beyond anything I could have anticipatedor imagined.

As I shall more fully explain, STEPS involves reinforcing yourprayers with precepts and promises from the Bible. In the discovery,development, and use of this new method, I have learned twoimportant truths.

I have learned what prayer is not. It is not dialing Heaven 911 intimes of emergency, imploring God to come to our rescue, solve allour problems, heal, and fortify. Nor is prayer like a letter to Santa,listing our wants, which God is to promptly provide, plus makingknown our wishes for His priority attention.

Instead, I am learning that when I pray, I become like a lamb inthe arms of its shepherd, which is a relationship more intimate thanthe most endearing of human involvements. It is the kind of fellowshipJesus indicated when in John 15:4, He said to His disciples,"Abide in Me, and I in you." This abiding involves basic trust inwhich my supreme desire is to please Him, even in the requests Imake to Him. I desire more to please Him than to seek favors fromHim. If my prayers are not answered as I would wish them to be, Ican say, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God inChrist Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:18).

For many years, I struggled with prayer. I knelt by my bed at nightas if that formality might have virtue of some sort. In later years, Ipaced back and forth in my room or went for long walks duringwhich I tried to pray. I never felt at ease, no matter what position orprocedure I used.

Time seemed to drag, I often became bored while in prayer. OnceI even wondered if my watch had stopped. Most difficult of all wasgroup prayer. I have never felt comfortable talking to God in thepresence of others.

Developing a prayer notebook helped me a bit. I was even commissionedto produce a prayer notebook for the small denominationof which I was a member. It was impressively published, and I experienceda moment of pride when I first held it in my hands andthumbed through it. I tried to use it, but the old boredom syndromeprevailed and I soon set it aside.

At a conference I attended, an all-night prayer meeting wasannounced, beginning at ten-thirty. I estimated some fifty peoplewere there. I participated—once—but words seemed to knot up onmy tongue. We were all kneeling in the conference chapel, and byeleven, my knees began to ache. Around midnight, a few peoplearose to leave. The leader rebuked them kindly, urging them to stay.Two or three remained another half hour or so.

One man fell asleep and snored loudly.

In spite of the leader's admonition, people continued to leave, andby two o'clock, intervals between prayers had grown longer andlonger. After an abrupt benediction, we were dismissed.

The memory of that extended prayer time lingered long. Ittroubled me.

Years later, passing through London on my way to a Europeanfilm assignment, I was invited to give a midnight report to theall-night prayer meeting of a large mission. When I arrived,people were having a coffee break. They seemed happy, relaxed,purposeful.

"One seldom hears of all-night prayer meetings anymore," I saidto the director of the mission.

"We do it every month," he replied. "We begin at nine o'clock, andit takes us at least until four in the morning to pray for all the people,all the families, remembering everyone individually by name, plus allthe activities in which these people are involved. There are more thantwo thousand of them."

I think this group's experience was the exception, not the rule. I'mnot speaking against lengthy times of prayer. I'm simply documentingthe problem I had for many years.

But then the Lord brought STEPS into my life. By its very format,it vitalized my times of prayer.

1. STEPS is an easily understood and applied procedure.

2. Related promises from the Bible reinforce people, circumstances,and needs in my prayers.

3. I pray reverently but informally, enjoying warm rapport withthe Lord.

You, too, can benefit from using the STEPS method.

Here is an example of STEPS in action.

Let's suppose you are under much stress. Your job gets youdown. Money is scarce. You may also be the victim of demeaninggossip. Having checked the topics section of this book, you proceedalphabetically to Stress. There you find several selections foryour consideration. Realizing that your Lord has a whimsical aswell as a solemn nature, and that He wishes to relate to you inyour humanness rather than any kind of stuffy piety, you considerinitially reinforcing your prayer with the listing "In up to yourneck, Psalm 69:1": "Save me, O God! For the waters have comeup to my neck."

You could then pray in this way: "That says it for me, Lord—up tomy neck and then some. You know what kind of day I've had. Pleasehelp me to settle down. Help me to get a better grip on myself."

Next, you could turn to another item under Stress: "Your Lord canhandle your load, Psalm 55:22": "Castyour burden on the LORD, and Heshall sustain you."

"That's a new one," you perhapspray. "You mean, I actually transferthese tensions and pressures ontoYou? It's like learning a new language.Okay, I'll give it a try."

Here is where you begin a newapproach to prayer. Checking the Deliverance references, you findPsalm 57:2: "I will cry out to God ... who performs all things for me."Your prayer may continue like this: "Just the way it says in the Biblehere, Lord, I throw these problems onto You. I don't know how it happens,but by faith, I do it because the Bible tells me to do it. Your Wordassures me that it is You who performs all things for me."

In the exercise of your faith, you take the Bible at face value. Youname your tension points as you cast your burden on the Lord. Inthis brief example of prayer concerning stress, your procedure wouldbe to quietly wait. Let the Lord calm you with His gentleness anddiminish your stress until it is gone.

You will develop expertise as you become familiar with and practicedin the STEPS method. In another chapter, I offer a series ofprototypes to help...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Thomas Nelson
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2000
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0785268693
• ISBN 13: 9780785268697
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 304
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Thomas Nelson; https://www.thomasnelson.com/about-us/; ; Damson Lane; Hull; East Yorkshire; HU8 7DS; Vereinigtes Königreich
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland