1. The Life of Prayer
· McIntyre lays out the Scriptural implication that God’s people will pray as their new natures cry out for the living God.
· It is the mark of a true believer to pray to his Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit.
2. The Equipment
· The equipment for prayer consists of
· a quiet place,
· a quiet hour,
· and a quiet heart.
· The quiet heart is confident in the acceptance
· before the Father
· through the sacrifice of Christ,
· the enabling grace of the Holy Spirit,
· and the steadying text of Scripture.
3. The Direction of the Mind
· Our attitude as we approach God is to
· realize the presence of God,
· deal honestly with Him in His presence,
· draw near to Him in faith
· believing no miracle is impossible
· and believing we are praying to our Father in Christ’s authority.
4. The Engagement: Worship
· Our prayers are to praise the Lord in
· acknowledgment of daily mercies,
· thanksgiving for the great redemption,
· or contemplation of our Father’s perfections.
5. The Engagement: Confession
· Confession of sin is the first act of an awakened sinner and the first mark of a gracious spirit.
· Confession is explicit and balanced with the love of Christ that swallows up sin in a measureless ocean of peace and grace.
6. The Engagement: Request
· The prayer of faith that has been brought into conformity with the mind of Christ is
· subject to the Father’s will,
· restrained within the interest of Christ,
· instructed in the truth,
· energized by the Spirit,
· interwoven with love and mercy,
· accompanied with obedience,
· so earnest it will not accept denial,
· and seeks an answer.
· The prayer of faith is restricted to the Word of God and rests on the character of God.
7. The Hidden Riches of the Secret Place
· Fellowship with God discovers the excellence of His character, and by beholding Him the soul is transformed as the habit of prayerfulness produces
· a peace in our trusting spirit.
· an obedience of our life according to the will of God,
· and a richer influence and wider usefulness as we ouch other lives.
8. The Open Recompense
· When we reach the end of our lives, we should be able to say, “There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised.”
· Every gracious work that has been accomplished within the kingdom of God has been begun, fostered, and consummated by prayer.