Lesson Outline for Oct 30, 2025
Prayer – Understanding “Houses” and “Rooms”
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Goal – To develop a mindset of passionate prayer to our Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit
- What does your prayer life look like?
- Does our posture for prayer matter?
- Do you pray for your will, or our Father’s will?
- Prayer is a spiritual muscle and weapon
- You are called to lead prayer in a “room of your house” – yourself, your family, your future generations
Hebrew and Greek Terms / Definitions
- Secret #G2927 “kryptos” – hidden, concealed in secret, the inner part of a man’s soul (context for Matt 6:6), the hidden things of darkness
- Room #G5009 “tameion” inner-room, inner-chamber, a secret room, a storage room
- Rooms #G3438 “mone” dwelling place, abode, abide, a place where Holy Spirit dwells in believers, a state or condition of abiding, waiting, staying
- Dark #4653 “skotia” used of ignorance of divine things and its association with wickedness, darkness due to need of light, darkness – the context is spiritual
- Door #G2374 “thyra” a door, vestibule, a portal or entrance, opening, a way or passage, access into God’s kingdom, an open door for an opportunity – as you hear in church “open and closed doors”
- House #G3614 “oikia” palace, mansion, eternal dwelling place; the body as a dwelling place for soul and spirit; a “household” as from a family line ie “House of Judah”
- Tent #G4636 “skenos” human body where our soul and spirit reside while on earth, earthly house of our tabernacle. Author’s note – the Tent of Meeting was a large well-built tent where the Tabernacle and God’s Spirit resided with the Israelites.
- Intercede #H6293 “paga” to meet (kindness), encounter (hostily), reach the mark or boundary, to intercede, to fall upon, attack, to strike; #G5241 “huperentunchano” make a petition, intercede on behalf of another; #G1793 “entygchanō” to light upon a person, fall in with, hit upon, make intercession for anyone
The green is the author’s notations in the verses below. Bold text added for emphasis
Prayer is a weapon
The weapon of prayer is wielded well by men who stand in the breach and battle from the Third Heaven
Eze 22:30 ESV – “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”
Isa 62:5-7 ESV – “5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. 6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, 7 and give him (God) no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.”
Eph 6:17-18 ESV – “17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…,”
- We’re not Ez 22:30 men – Godly men build up holy walls, and stand firm in the breach
- We’re always vigilant, praying continually, never silent
- We pray and remind God of His word. God loves us to pray His word to Him
- How long do we persevere to pray for a matter
Where posture and place meet
Posture opens the door to the secret place – it’s a spiritual place and connection
Posture is involved with most activities and actions. In boxing, judo, wrestling we have a stance – a posture we take, it is both static and mobile. The same is true for shooting…, Actually, it is one of the first things you learn in most activities. In shooting we focus is on our posture and position, the front sight post (first and foremost) placed over the target. We learn “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” We start out from a crawl, go to a walk and then run. We practice in repeatedly, until we can enter our posture static, moving, from the ground, using barriers and as a team – striking (paga) our mark. The same is true with prayer. Prayer is a spiritual muscle and requires exercise.
As men of God our prayer is an offensive and defensive weapon. Our prayer moves things in the heavenly places. We are constantly going to God in prayer. Our enemy Satan and his forces are prowling around always looking to trap, snare and bring accusations against us. The battle is constant! Luke records the following after Jesus rebuked Satan, “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)
Matt 6:3-8 ESV – “3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
John 14:1-6 ESV – “1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms (mone – dwelling places). If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- Our Father and His Kingdom are in the spiritual realm
- Our “room” is our spirit connection God’s Spirit; when we close the door we remove distractions, focus on our time with Him
- See Luke 12:2-3 below
- As God’s sons / daughters (bloodline, family) we have a dwelling place
- Prayer makes deposits into heavenly account; our prayers last past our life on earth
- The destination is our Heavenly Father – Jesus Christ always points to His Father, our Father
You and I are tents and houses. What’s foundation are you building on?
You and I are moving and breathing Tabernacles of God’s Spirit – stand on a firm foundation
Luke 6:46-49 ESV – “46 Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house (oikia), who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Also Matt 7:24-27)
2 Cor 5:1-4 ESV – “1 For we know that if the tent (skenos) that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened–not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life (#G2222 “zoe” – resurrection life, absolute life – this comes from Jesus Christ).”
- Dig deep – “Go Deep with God and His word”
- There will be waters “trials and tribulation” that come – build and reinforce on a deep and strong foundation – Standfast
- What rooms in your soul have you closed off from God
- There are many doors in our house. Open them all to God; Repent; let Him in to heal and deliver
- God does not force open “doors of closed rooms” in our soul “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” Rev 3:20; also “Submit yourselves to God…” James 4:7
Persistent and consistent – it matters!
When you don’t know what to pray – ask God
Luke 18:1-8 – Parable of the Persistent Widow
James 5:16-17 ESV – “16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.”
Rom 8:26-27, 34 ESV – “26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. … 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
- Righteousness matters to God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things will be added to you” (Matt 6:33)
- Pray with fervency
- How long do you pray for a matter? Jesus prays continuously for us
- How often do you and I pray – Jesus is praying for us continuously
- Don’t be afraid to “groan” when praying – Jesus groaned in His Spirit regarding Lazarus’ death (see John 11:32-36, 38) – Holy Spirit groans for us deeply
- Follow Jesus’ model – He went off to pray as a discipline. Jesus prayed all night before choosing His 12 apostles (Luke 6:12-13)
- Jesus wanted time alone with Abba
Decree – Jesus increase my desire for prayer. I open up every door of my house to You. Fill me with Your Spirit and teach me to pray fervent and effective prayers
Last thoughts and considerations
- Consider using ACTS if it helps – Acknowledge / Adore God, Confess/Repent, Thanksgiving, Supplications
- Get out of your head and pour your heart out to God
- Move into your “room” close the door and pray from your spirit to His Spirit
- Journal and record your prayers and what God says to you
- Listen for His voice, seek to understand His will, pray for others
- Pray God’s word, remind Him of His promises, seek His will
- Prayer can be boring at first, PUSH past boring – this is learned by praying regularly with discipline
- Learn to extend your time praying; pray when driving, pray out loud
- Breaking through dark spiritual alters takes time, intensity, posture and persistence
- Prayer is a spiritual muscle – don’t cheat on your workouts
- Prayer has Kingdom value and releases actions in the heavens
- Set prayer disciplines – for yourself, with your wife, with your family – teach them to pray
- When we pray we deposit into a “heavenly account” your deposits move across generations
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow – YOU and I are called to change
Additional verses for self-study
Luke 11:5-10 ESV – “5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
- Persistence matters
- We need to SEEK God, KNOCK on His door and He will open it…,
Luke 12:2-3 ESV – “2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark (skotia) shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms (tameion) shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”
- Jesus was talking to His disciples, in front of people and the Pharisees, about the Pharisees
- The Pharisee were hypocrites – looking holy, but really practicing sin – there have been several Christian leaders who have done, and continue to spiritually abuse and manipulate their flock, God will and is judging them
John 15:7 ESV – “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
- If you live (abide/abode) in Me (Jesus), and My words live in you – because we discern God’s will
- Our “wanter changes” to God’s “wanter”
