The Four Themes of Prayer (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

The Bible contains many examples of the four themes we emphasize in prayer. These examples can be found in both the Old and New Testaments and, most importantly, in Jesus’ own example of prayer. These 

themes are deeply profound, yet they can also be understood by a child. The Lord’s Prayer: Matt. 6:9-13

“Our Father which art in heaven (praise/worship), Hallowed be thy name (praise). Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (supplication for God’s will). Give us this day our daily bread

(supplication for personal needs). And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (confession and humility). And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (supplication for spiritual victory): For thineis the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever (praise/thanksgiving).” (KJV) “The Lord’s Prayer was not intended to be repeated merely as a form, but it is an illustration of what our prayers should be—simple, earnest, and comprehensive. In a simple petition tell the Lord your needs and express gratitude for His mercies. Thus you invite Jesus as a welcome guest into your home and heart.” Child Guidance, p. 524  

“We are too sparing of giving thanks.  If the lovingkindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change your present order and mingle praise with your petitions. When you consider His goodness and mercies you will find that He will consider your wants.” Testimonies to the Church, vol. 5, p. 317 More examples of these themes:Nehemiah’s Prayer: Neh. 1:5-11Children of Israel’s Prayer: Neh. 9 Solomon’s Prayer: 1 Kings 8

Daniel’s Prayer: Dan. 9:3-20 Before/After Pentecost: The Book of Acts

The Sanctuary Model

1. Thanksgiving: We are instructed to “Enter into 

His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts 

with praise.” Ps. 100:4

2. Confession: The first stop inside the sanctuary is 

the Altar of Sacrifice. Here we confess our sins and 

confess our belief in Christ, claiming His sacrifice 

made at the cross. Confession is also a prerequisite 

for receiving the Rain that we desire from Heaven. 

2 Chron. 6:26, 27; Lev. 4:26; Rom. 10:9-13.

3. Confession & Cleansing: Moving to the Laver, 

we ask God to cleanse us (baptize us) through the 

power of His Word, and we accept the forgiveness 

He offers. Ex. 30:18-21; Eph. 5:26.

4. Supplication for Holy Spirit: Then, entering 

the Holy Place, we come to the seven-branch 

Candlestick. Here we ask God to baptize us and 

fill us with His Holy Spirit. Rev. 1:12; Luke 11:13.

5. Supplication for Spiritual and Physical Bread: At 

the Table of Showbread, we ask God to supply our 

needs. Most importantly, He is the spiritual bread 

of life. However, He also promises to provide for 

our physical bread and temporal needs. John 6:35; 

Isa. 33:16; Phil. 4:19.

6. Supplication Through Our Intercessor: At the 

Altar of Incense, Christ’s righteous prayers cover 

our own, making them acceptable to God. Then, 

covered by His righteousness, we are able to 

intercede with Him for others. Rom. 8:26, 34; Isa. 

59:16; Phil. 1:3-6.

7. Thanksgiving in Worship and Praise: Finally, as 

we bow in God’s presence, reflecting on all that He 

has done for us, worship and praise again springs 

from our lips. Like the disciples after Pentecost, 

our greatest desire is to testify of what we have seen 

in Christ. Ps. 150:1, 2; Heb. 10:19-23. 

What will be the result of such prayers?

In the Old Testament, God dwelt in the physical sanctuary, or temple. Now, we are God’s temple (1 Cor. 

3:6). When we confess our sins (1 John 1:9) and turn to Him in true praise, His Spirit will fill our lives. There 

will be no room for self or self-righteousness to stand any longer. His glory will fill this place! “Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord . . . that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.” 2 Chron. 5:13, 14“The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.” Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 344“If we would offer up acceptable prayer, we should realize that in our petitioning we are in the audience chamber of the Most High. . . . It means much to pray to our Heavenly Father. We come to lay our imperfect tribute of thanksgiving at His feet in acknowledgment of His love and mercy, of which we are wholly undeserving. We come to make known our wants, to confess our sins, and to present to Him His own promises.” Review and Herald, May 28, 1895, par. 2“No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holyatmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul. It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward it is to be renewed. All our good works aredependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. Only by constant 

renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 159

Hindrances to Prayer (Praying for rain! United prayer)

• ‡ We pray in unbelief. Jas. 1:6, 7; Mark 11:24
• ‡ We pray according to our own will. 1 John 5:14
• ‡ We seek the gift rather than the Giver. Jas. 2:23
• ‡ We pray prayers to feed our own lusts. Jas. 4:3
• ‡ We live in disobedience. Isa. 59:1, 2; Ps. 66:18
• ‡ We give up in prayer too easily. Luke 18:1-8
• ‡ We are judgmental toward others. Luke 6:37
• ‡ We are not able to forgive. Mark 11:26
• ‡ We have unresolved quarrels. Matt. 5:23, 24 
• ‡ We turn a deaf ear to those in need. Prov. 21:13
• ‡ We lack honor in our family. 1 Pet. 3:7
• ‡ We have not learned to abide in Christ. John 15:7

“When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers.
We are so erring and shortsighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good - that
which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are.
When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers.” Prayer, p. 102
“As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God, there is danger of trusting to
human plans and methods. There is a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.”  The Desire of Ages, p. 362

The need to persevere (Praying for rain! United Prayer)

“I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in Israel. He said, ‘Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your petitions to the throne, and hold on by strong faith.’” Early Writings, p. 73“ There must be earnest prayer. Weaken the hands of the enemy by wrestling with God in prayer.”  Pacific Union Recorder, June 5, 1902

“[Jacob’s] victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer.  All who will lay hold of God’s promises as He did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is. . . . When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” The Great Controversy, p. 621

“The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. . . . Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?” Steps to Christ, p. 94“Could we see all the activity of human instrumentality, as it appears before God, we would see that  only the work accomplished by much prayer, which is sanctified by the merit of Christ, will stand the test of the judgment.” Christian Service, p. 263

“Prayer and faith are closely allied, and they need to be studied together. In the prayer of faith there is a divine science; it is a science that everyone who would make his lifework a success must understand. Christ says, ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’ Mark 11:24. He makes it plain that our asking must be according to God’s will; we must ask for the things that He has promised, and whatever we receive must be used in doing His will. The conditions met, the promise is unequivocal.” Prayer, p. 105“ We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving His promises. Angels record every prayer that is earnest and sincere. We should rather dispense with selfish gratifications than neglect communion with God. The deepest poverty, the greatest self-denial, with His approval, is better than riches, honors, ease, and friendship without it. We must take time to pray.” The Great Controversy, p. 622

“It is a part of God’s plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.” The Great Controversy, p. 525

“Day after day is passing into eternity, bringing us nearer to the close of probation. As never before we must pray for the Holy Spirit to be more abundantly bestowed upon us.” Gospel Workers, p. 288 “While their united prayers were ascending in faith to Heaven, the answer came. The place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were endowed anew with the Holy Spirit.” The Acts of the Apostles, p. 67

Forward on our Knees, Praying for Rain!