PRAYER BY PHIL SCOVELL

GOD'S THREE STEPS TO ANSWERED PRAYER

PHIL SCOVELL

By Phil Scovell

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Phil Scovell
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Denver, Colorado 80226-8017
Voice: 303-507-5175
Email: Phil@RedWhiteAndBlue.ORG
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GOD'S THREE STEPS TO ANSWERED PRAYER

PHIL SCOVELL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD

Part I Petitioning God (Explained)
Step 1 Prayer
Step 2 Supplication
Step 3 Thanksgiving

Part II Petitioning God (Exercised)
I. Personal Promises
II. Possessions of Covenant
III. Power and Authority

Part III Scriptures for Specific Requests
A. Petitioning for Physical Health
B. Petitioning for Finances
C. Petitioning for Wisdom and Spiritual Insight
D. Petitioning for Faith, Power and Confidence
E. Petitioning for Emotional and Psychological Health

Part IV Suggestions

CONCLUSION

End Of Table

FORWARD

Unanswered prayer is perhaps the most frustrating
aspect of Christian Life. It is as familiar as the common cold
and we have simply learned to live with it because everyone does.
Time, we reason, is the problem. "If I just had more time to
pray, more of my prayers would be answered," we confess. Is it
time we lack or truth? We have all somehow gotten the idea that
God is more likely to answer our prayers if we pray longer.
Thus, we conclude, the more time spent in prayer, the greater our
chance of receiving an answer. Fortunately, chance has nothing
to do with answered prayer. God is more interested in how we
pray. Discover how to spend less time in prayer with greater
results in the pages that follow.

Part I Petitioning God (Explained)

Petitioning God in prayer and applying for a bank loan
are in some ways similar. The first time I applied for a
business loan, the interview was over in moments. All of my
financial records were in order and the bank had plenty of money.
They were even willing to lend some of it to me; but not on my
terms. After learning of the banks requirements, I resubmitted
my loan request, being careful to conform to the bank's terms;
and secured a loan. What made the difference? Knowing how to
ask. So it is with God. If we are willing to petition God
scripturally, according to his will, he has promised to hear and
answer our prayers.

I John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that,
if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth
us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
him.

Petitioning God

In this text, we see that the spiritual confidence is
assured when praying according to God's will. God's will for
petition is His terms. Thus the text could read: "That, if we
ask anything according to His terms, He hears us." If we conform
to His terms, He has promised both to hear and answer our prayers
and even grant up possession of our own desires.

What then, are God's terms?

Phillipians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God.

A literal Greek interpretation of this verse can be,
"Do not become unduly distressed by circumstances, but rather
bring about change by making request of God through prayer,
supplication and thanksgiving."

The Greek word for "requests" in Phil 4:6 is translated
"petitions in I John 5:14-15: "...[and] we know that we have the
petitions that we desired of him." Thus God's terms for petition _________
are clearly revealed as the three steps mentioned in Phil 4:6:
prayer, supplication and thanksgiving.

Step 1 Prayer

We are first required to pray when making request of
God. Prayer, in basic form, is asking God. In this case, it is
making a formal request. Consider the average prayer: we spend
most of our time complaining about the circumstances and
wondering why God has not done something before now. If we are
going to agree God's terms, we must begin by making a formal
request through a deliberate act of prayer. Simply tell God what
you need.

Step 2 Supplication

Supplication is favoring God through His word. It is
consecrated earnestness which transcends human reason,
spiritually expressed in the face of impossible odds. "Elijah
was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth
by the space of three years and six months." James 5:17.
Supplication is the implementation of the eternal promises of God
through an act of prayer and steadfastly maintained until an
answer is received. Thus, it is a commitment to agree with God
and His terms by applying His promises to our requests. His
agreement with us is to hear and answer our prayers. "If ye
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7.

Step 3 Thanksgiving

Perhaps the most neglected aspect of petitioning,
certainly the most misunderstood, is the giving of thanks. The
Greek term for thanksgiving in Phil 4:6 is: grateful language
offered in an act of worship. Therefore, worship is an important
part of petitioning. This form of worship is shown as ap-
preciation of God as the one who hears and answers our prayers in __
advance of any answer received. It is not thanking God for the _______
answer not yet received; that would be presuming upon the grace
of God, but rather it is honoring God as the one who has the
power to supernaturally move on our behalf.

Often a feeling of uneasiness occurs when such
thanksgiving is offered in advance of an answer. Some may even
confess it feels unnatural. So it should. Honoring God in such
a manner results in the release of our personal faith. "Without
faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6. Spiritual
faith characterizes the very nature of God Himself. Thus,
exercising faith is supernatural; hence, we feel uneasy, humanly
speaking, as we thank God, because faith is at work.

Thanksgiving and praise, in the mouth of one making
request of God, is a powerful weapon of worship which frustrates
the unholy forces that oppose us when we pray.

The Will of God

Praying the will of God is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Prayer.
We ask God by confessing our need and requesting His
power to work on our behalf.
2. Supplication.
We agree with God by claiming His word.
3. Thanksgiving.

We appreciate God's supernatural ability to act on our
behalf by confirming His power to hear and answer our
prayers.

Remember, it is not the amount of time spent in prayer,
not the length of one's petitions, that causes God to hear us
when we pray. It is the credibility of our request and
conformity to His terms which cause Him to give us the desires of
our heart. Applying God's three steps to prayer will allow us to
spend less time in prayer and more time in praise and
thanksgiving for answers received. This is God's perfect will. _______

Part II Petitioning God (Exercised)

The following was designed to assist you in praying
through each of the three steps, either when making request for
your own personal needs, or when interceding for others. To
streamline the petitioning process, you may wish to eliminate
some of the verses under each step and instead focus on those
which seem to release more personal faith as you pray. You may
even find memorizing those verses to be helpful.

In Part III, you will find five different categories
listed A through E. These categories will allow you to refer
specifically to verses that conform to your request. See part IV
for more information.

As you begin to practice these three steps, eventually
it becomes routine. This is a dangerous stage of spiritual
development because we become tempted with unfaithfulness and
inconsistency. Do not allow this to happen. You can help avoid
this problem by praying the verses instead of just reading
through them. Whenever possible, pray aloud and pray the verses
as though they were your own words spoken directly to God. In
this way, you will be able to identify yourself with God and His
word while at the same time causing your faith to be released.
Remember, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of
God." Rom 10:17. Learning to pray is something like learning to
type. At first, everyone has to hunt and peck. Eventually,
however, we type from experience by faith without ever looking
because it has become second nature. Then we can type anything
successfully.

Step 1 Prayer ______________

Asking God
Confession of need and request to God to supernaturally act
on your behalf according to His word.

Phillipians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God.

John 16:23-24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask
the Father in my name, he will give [it] you. Hitherto
have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall
receive, that your joy may be full.

Step 2 Supplication ____________________

Agreement with God
Lay claim to what scripturally belongs to you through
agreement with God's word.

I. Personal Promises

I Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and
his ears [are open] unto their prayers.

Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee
great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 32:27
Behold, I [am] the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there
any thing too hard for me?

Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things
[are] possible to him that believeth.

Mark 11:22-26
And Jesus ... saith unto them, Have faith in God. For
verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto
this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into
the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that those things which he saith shall come to
pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I
say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye
pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have
[them]. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have
ought against any: that your Father also which is in
heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

I John 3:22
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we
keep his commandments, and do those things that are
pleasing in his sight.

Matthew 19:26
Jesus said, ... with God all things are possible.

Psalm 84:11
No good thing will God withhold from them that walk
uprightly.

John 15:7-8
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall
ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
so shall ye be my disciples.

John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye
shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Matthew 21:21-22
Jesus ... said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye
have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this
[which is done] to the fig tree, but also if ye shall
say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive.

II. Possessions of Covenant

Galatians 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us.

Galatians 3:29
And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.

II Peter 1:3-4
According as his divine power hath given unto us all
things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through
the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and
virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust.

Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God: And if children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also
glorified together.

Romans 8:32

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up
for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give
us all things?

Matthew 6:10
Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.

III. Power and Authority

Luke 10:19
[Jesus said,] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Matthew 16:19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in
judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of
the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is]
of me, saith the LORD.

John 14:12-14
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on
me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
[works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my
Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that
will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it].

Step 3 Thanksgiving ____________________

Appreciation of God
Confirming God's supernatural ability and power to move on
your behalf, through worship.

Ephesians 1:3
Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ.
Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit
together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:19-20
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God; And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
the chief corner [stone].

Colossians 1:12-14
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light: Who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of
his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his
blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins.

Titus 1:2
... God, that cannot lie...
Numbers 23:19
God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son
of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall
he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not
make it good?

Psalms 138:2
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy
name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou
hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

I John 3:8
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil.

I John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is
in the world.

Psalm 35:27
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my
righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the
LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the
prosperity of his servant.

Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for
we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that
searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints
according to [the will of] God. And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to [his] purpose. Part III Scriptures for Specific Requests

A. Petitioning for Physical Health

Proverbs 4:20-22
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my
sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep
them in the midst of thine heart. For they [are] life
unto those that find them, and health to all their
flesh.

Matthew 8:17
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias
the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and
bare [our] sicknesses.

I Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

III John 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Colossians 2:10
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power.

B. Petitioning for Finances

Phillipians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
III John 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Deuteronomy 8:18
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for [it is]
he that giveth thee power to get wealth...

Joshua 1:8-9
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that
thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good
courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for
the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou
goest.

C. Petitioning for Wisdom and Spiritual Insight

James 1:5-7
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that
giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and
it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let
not that man think that he shall receive any thing of
the Lord.

Proverbs 1:23
... Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will
make known my words unto you.

Colossians 2:3
God, and ... Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge.

I Corinthians 1:24
... Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Additional Suggested Passages: Colossians 1:9-14;
Ephesians 1:16-23; Ephesians 5:17-21; I Thessalonians
5:16-23; Colossians 3:16-17; Romans 8; Ephesians 6; I
Corinthians 2; John 14-16.

D. Petitioning for Faith, Power and Confidence

Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.

Hebrews 13:5
... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Colossians 2:10
... And ye are complete in him.

I Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Psalm 34:18-19
The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the
LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 37:23-24
The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and
he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not
be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with]
his hand.

Psalm 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain
thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 121:2-3
My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and
earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he
that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed;
for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will
help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand
of my righteousness.

Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of
them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear
ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many
sparrows.

Romans 8:31
If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?
II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

E. Petitioning for Emotional and Psychological Health

Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by him.

Colossians 2:10
... And ye are complete in Him.

Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth
me.

I Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear [it].

I Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God.

I Corinthians 6:19-20
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and
ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's.
Romans 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that
ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield
ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that
are alive from the dead, and your members [as]
instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall
not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the
law, but under grace.

Part IV Suggestions

Here are a few simple suggestions worthy of your
consideration as you go to prayer:

1. Choose a time and place of relative quiet. Take the phone off
the hook if necessary.

2. You may find a notebook helpful for jotting down thoughts and
ideas as you pray.

3. Make a mental or written list of your requests. Confirm your
requests daily by claiming God's word until the answer has been
received.

4. After concluding Step 1, move into supplication; Step 2.
Begin to make your claim by agreeing with God's word. You will
note that Step 2 is divided into three sections: promises,
possessions and power. Begin in supplication by claiming God's
eternal promises as your own. Remember, Jesus died, shed his
blood, and was bodily resurrected that these promises might
become our personal inheritance as children of God.

5. After being spiritually refreshed with the promises of God,
continue in supplication by scripturally identifying with your
possessions applicable to your request. These possessions are
listed in Part III as A through E. For example, if praying for
healing and a financial need, refer to letters A and B. Omit all
others in this petition since they have nothing to do with your
request.

6. Immediately following your identification with your
possessions, it becomes necessary to exercise your power and
authority as a Bible believer. This is the third section of Step
2. Hold fast to the confession of authority regardless of the
circumstances until you receive the answer to your prayer.

7. Conclude your petition with Step 3 and learn the value of
personal worship.

8. Continue to practice Steps 2 and 3 until your prayer is
answered.

9. Finally, if you need to petition God for problems with weight
loss, smoking, drug or alcohol abuse, refer to letter E in Step 2
daily.

CONCLUSION __________

This booklet is offered as a guide, not as a formula to
calculate instant answers. Phillipians 4:6 is very clear: "But
in everything." This implies the norm. When Phillipians 4:6
becomes as natural as breathing, the power and presence of God
will always be available at a moments notice. Learn to pray and
pray to learn and let me hear from you concerning answers you
have received and any questions you may have.

End Of Document

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