Case Study Approach to Prayer

Prayer is one of the most vital yet challenging parts of discipleship. In this series, Brother Jim Harper explores prayer through a thoughtful, case study approach. Each talk draws directly from scripture and real examples, helping us see prayer not simply as words we say, but as a way of aligning our hearts and lives with the will of God. With warmth and urgency, these studies encourage us to reflect honestly on how and why we pray, and to let the Bible guide both our priorities and expectations in prayer.

Watching Unto Prayer

Prayer is deeply tied to watchfulness. From the Garden of Gethsemane to the exhortations of Paul, the call is to stay spiritually alert, resisting distraction and temptation by turning constantly to God. This study emphasizes the urgency of prayer as the posture of readiness for trials, temptations, and the coming of Christ, reminding us that true watchfulness is expressed in humble prayer before God.

Prayer Is...

What is prayer? Beyond requests, prayer is praise and blessing to God, giving Him the glory due to His name. This talk reflects on the Lord’s prayer and the spontaneous doxologies found throughout the New Testament, showing how prayer springs naturally from recognizing God’s greatness, mercy, and sovereignty. In praising Him, we fulfill part of the purpose for which we were created.

God Hears More Than Prayer

Prayer is not limited to words spoken aloud. God also hears the inner struggles of a righteous heart. Drawing on the example of Lot, who “vexed his righteous soul” in Sodom, this class explores how God perceives our inner spirit, shaped by His word. It is a reminder that the Spirit He has begotten within us communicates with Him, even when words fail, and that He yearns jealously over that spirit.

Prayer Priorities

Scripture teaches us what to pray for. The apostles’ prayers focused on the faith, love, and hope of their brethren, the spread of the gospel, and the building up of ecclesial life. This study highlights how unselfish these prayers were, urging us to adopt the same priorities—thanking God for the faith of others, interceding for their growth, and striving together in prayer for the strength of the body of Christ.

Prayer Proprieties

Can we ask God for anything we wish? This session examines Jesus’ repeated promises in John’s gospel—“whatever you ask in my name, I will do”—and sets them in their proper context. Rather than a blank check, these promises are tied to the apostles’ mission and the forwarding of the gospel. The lesson for us is that prayer must be shaped by God’s will and purposes, not by our desires, if it is to bear fruit.

Prayer That Implicates

Prayer is not detached from life; it implicates us in God’s will. This talk considers prayers for healing, Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” and the Lord’s own thanksgiving at the Last Supper. Sometimes prayers are answered with healing, and sometimes they are not—but in every case, prayer binds us to God’s purpose, that in life, sickness, or death, His name might be glorified. To pray is to commit ourselves to that calling.

This description has been generated by AI and lightly edited.