Prayer
For true Christians, prayer [Gk: "proseuche"] is "communion with God". Through prayer we actually experience relationship with God. The quality of our prayer life then determines the quality of our relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God. It can take many forms - for example: worship, confession, thanksgiving, praise, petition (asking for things), waiting (silent, listening and sensing of God) and warfare (command). If we are baptised in the Spirit we can pray with the spirit, in languages unknown to us but not to God. (1 Corinthians 14:2,14).
Prayer is not simply saying words. It is not repeating formulas. God is looking for heartfelt relationship. We are told by Jesus not to make meaningless repetitions of words when we pray. (Mathew 6:7). Tongues may be meaningless to our understanding, but it is not to God. In a future lesson we will give more attention to this subject.
There is a lot of prayer that never reaches God. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself" (Luke 18:11). "One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer shall be an abomination." (Proverbs 28:9). It is outside the scope of this lesson to talk about prayers offered to false gods or to the devil. Also, we will not look at religious prayers or traditional prayers that can be uttered without heart. We will be considering prayers that come from one who has repented of his sins to the best of his knowledge, and who walks by faith.
WHY PRAY?
1. We pray because we love God. We spend time with God in prayer and communion because we love him. Just as a man and woman in love desire to be together and communicate, so we - if we love God - will desire to be with Him and to fellowship with Him in proportion to our love for Him.
2. We pray because we depend on God. God is our source. He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Through prayer we receive the comfort, the strength and all the other resources that we need in life - both naturally and spiritually. Prayer - relationship to God - is as necessary to the spiritual life as air to the natural life.
3. We need to pray in order to resist temptation. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation." (Mt. 26:41). Much sin is the result of the sin of prayerlessness. Through lack of prayer, we are weak, others are weaker and Satan gains the advantage in our lives.
4. We need to pray because it is necessary for men to invite God to act in salvation. God gave the earth to Adam and his descendants. We must invite God to work here. If no-one invites God to work here, Satan (the god of this world through man's universal rebellion - 2 Corinthians 4:4) will dominate the affairs of men and eventually the judgment of God will come. By inviting God often and specifically, multitudes can be saved that would otherwise be lost.
5. We need to pray because God commands us to pray. "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2). "Then he [Jesus] spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1). The need to pray is as great as the authority of God which commands us: "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is so vital to all that God wants to do on the earth, and so essential to us, that God commands us to do it all the time. We should even deny ourselves sleep and food at times in order to pray more and with greater power. (Matthew 6:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 21:36; Colossians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 11:27).
6. We pray because Jesus Christ, our model, prayed constantly Jesus was always in perfect communion with the Father. He always knew what the Father wanted, what the Father was saying and what the Father was doing. Jesus also took time to pray alone at night, in the morning before others were up (Mark 1:35), in times of crisis and temptation (Matthew 26:36, 39, 42). If the Son of God needed to pray, how much more we need it if we are going to be like Him.
7. We pray because God Hears and Answers Prayer
Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7)
We need the things that God can do. In serving God, many things are outside our own power. If God doesn't do them, they won't happen! In every area of life, both spiritual and natural, God answers prayer and makes the difference!
8. We pray that our joy may be full!
John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
God wants our joy to be full. This can only happen when we experience answers to prayer. God wants us joyful, not sad and downcast. His answers to prayer put great joy in our hearts. That is what God wants!
HOW TO BEGIN
If you are not sure how to pray, don't despair! Everyone had to begin sometime. Just talk with God respectfully but openly. Talk with Him as your Father. Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father ...". Recognise God as a loving Father. Recognise Jesus as a Friend and a Brother. Recognise the Holy Spirit as your Comforter and Guide. Come to the Father in Jesus' name (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19). Begin your prayer with confession of your unconfessed sins. In this way the blood of Jesus cleanses us and prepares us to really relate to God. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving..." (Psalm 100:4). Thank God for forgiving your sins, for coming into your life, for making you His child. Then just talk with God, asking Him for whatever you need. Thank Him and praise Him for His answer. Spend time also asking for His Spirit to help you to pray. Talk to the Holy Spirit. Tell Him you want to know Him. "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us..." (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13) and He will teach you to pray.
PREPARING YOURSELF TO PRAY
1. Prepare your heart for fellowship with God (Psalm 24:3-5)
- Confess known sin in your life (1 John 1:6-9; 1 John 3:21-22; Hebrews 10:19)
- Forgive all who have offended or hurt you (Mark 11:25-26)
- See yourself then as dead to sin and sinless in the eyes of God. (Romans 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
2. Have a purpose in prayer. Know what you are going to pray about. It is difficult to pray fervently without knowing what you want or desire from God. We should have a clear-cut, well-defined idea about what we are asking God for. If we do not have this, we can wait on God until He reveals His purpose for our prayer time. We do this by sitting still, or by worshiping in our hearts, waiting for God to place desires there. We can also begin by telling God our appreciation for Him.
Jesus told us to ask, seek and knock. (Matthew 7:7). In asking, we must be definite. In seeking, our goal is to know God and commune with Him. In knocking (intercession) we must understand what the Lord wants to do and pray the Word for that thing.
Sometimes we do not know what to pray for, and so we can pray in the Spirit (Romans 8:26). We can pray in tongues without understanding, even for hours, according to the will of God. However, Paul stated that he prayed with the spirit and with the understanding (1Corinthians 14:15). Our whole being, including our minds, should be involved in praying. Our minds should understand what we are asking God for. However, we can pray with the spirit (in tongues) when our minds need a rest (Isaiah 28:11,12)
The fact remains, however, that when we set ourselves to pray, especially in a group, we must be agreed about what we will pray for (Matthew 18:19). The issues that are important to the Lord may become clear as we wait upon God and begin to express ourselves to God, opening our hearts to Him.
3. Know what the Word of God says regarding the thing you are praying for.
We must renew our minds with the Word so that we know God's will on the matter without a doubt. God's will is to do what He promises in the Word. By meditating on the Word and letting it transform our hearts as we renew our mind in it, we prepare ourselves to pray in faith. If we don't know what the Word says, there is a good chance that doubt will enter, and if we doubt we cannot expect to receive from God (James 1:6,7)
PRINCIPLES IN PRAYER
1. Depend on the Holy Spirit.
In prayer, you should look to the Holy Spirit to help you to pray effectively. He can give you the right words with which you can pray effectively. Its very good to ask the Holy Spirit to help you to pray. Talk to the Holy Spirit as a person, and ask Him to help you to come to the Father in Jesus' name.
Rather than rushing in to God's presence and saying many things, it is good many times to quieten your mind and wait in God's presence so you can feel God's heart and pray the things that the Holy Spirit shows you to pray for. We should realise that learning to listen to God is an important part of prayer.
Old man praying
We are told to "pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). It is the Spirit who is to lead us in the kind of prayer we offer to God. He gives us the power to pray.
Spend at least part of your time seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The more filled you are with the Spirit, the more effective will be your whole life with God.
2. Realise who you are in Christ, and on what basis God will hear you.
We must pray to the Father in Jesus' name, not our own name (John 16:24,26; Colossians 3:17) This means that we are basing our approach to God on Jesus' righteousness and goodness, not on our own. We receive His righteousness when we repent, confess our sins and believe that we receive His righteousness. We should know then that "we are the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21) and we can come directly to have an audience with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus in our place. We come as children of God (Galatians 3:26; John 1:12), as members of the royal family of God (Revelation 1:6), and NOT AS BEGGARS or STRANGERS. Therefore when we pray we should expect that God will grant results in response to our prayer. (1 Peter 3:12)
3. It is good to begin your prayer with thanksgiving and praise. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4). Thank God for answers to prayer, for your salvation. Tell Him how great He is. It is good to use the Word of God to praise God. This is not a form of flattery in order to get God to give you things, but it is only fitting to thank Him and praise Him. Thanking God will increase your faith. Praising God will also increase your faith, since you will begin to fix your eyes on God, His goodness and faithfulness and greatness and power, and not on your problem.
4. Worship God. Many effective prayer-warriors recognise the importance of spending much time in worship, even up to 80% of prayer time. This deepens our fellowship with God, increases our faith and pleases the Holy Spirit. We are then more likely to really hear His voice and thus pray effectively. Worship is an attitude of bowing down, of submission and adoration towards God, based on a recognition of who He is.
5. Pray the Word.
God's will is to keep His promises to us. In prayer the Word of God should be in our hearts and in our mouths (Romans 10:
. In our prayers we should use the Word of God and remind God of His promises to us. This builds our faith and it also pleases God because it is an expression of our confidence in His Word and His integrity.
For example, you can pray "Father, in your Word you say that those who seek you will not lack any good thing. I thank you that you will not lack ........... . I ask you for this in Jesus' name. Thank you for it. Amen. " (Psalm 34:10).
6. Ask God for definite things that you want (Psalm 37:4)
You should pray in such a way that you will know afterwards what you prayed for and you will recognise when the answer to your prayer is manifested. Don't pray like this, "Lord, give me what you think is best. If you want this, then so be it. If not, what pleases you. Your will be done." These prayers may sound spiritual but they really express uncertainty and doubt and cannot be answered by God in a concrete way. How would you know if such a prayer was answered?
Imagine the answer and speak the answer to your prayer based on the Word. This builds faith. Don't keep speaking the problem. Constant speaking the problem magnifies fear and doubt. It makes the problem look big. Fill your mind with the solution from God's Word, not the problem.
7. Allow God to lead you to pray for others in the church and their needs, national and local situations, the government, the advance of the Kingdom of God, and the growth of the church. God is looking for people who will stand in the gap with Him in intercession for situations that are beyond their own personal interests. Make God's interests your interests.
8. Thank God for the results of prayer, both before and after you see the results. (Philippians 4:6,7). Pray with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving expresses your confidence that God has heard and answered your prayer even before you see the result.
STEPS FOLLOWING PRAYER
Usually Satan will try to suggest to you that your prayers were not heard. He will encourage you to look to the problems again and get your eyes off God. He will try to get you to talk as if you are not sure if your prayer is answered. If he succeeds in getting you to express doubt it is likely that your mouth confession will cancel the effect of your prayer. Therefore guard your mind and heart, resist the temptation to talk negatively about the situations with others, especially with those with whom you are praying.
Take firm control of your thought life. Think on positive things (Philippians 4:6-9). By praising God and confessing the relevant truths of the Word, cast down every thought that is contrary to your prayer. These thoughts many times are nothing but the suggestions of the devil, who is working to negate our faith.
Keep speaking the what the Word says on the issue at stake. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23; 2 Corinthians 4:13).
With your imagination, see your prayers as answered. Abraham was encouraged by God to imagine his descendants as the stars he saw in the sky, before there were any descendants. So God will often give us a picture for us to hold onto and encourage our faith. Speak nothing contrary to this vision.
Act in line with your faith and your confession(James 2:17). Prepare for the answer to be manifested. Examples of this can be found in Mark 6:39-40, where Jesus organises the people, preparing them to receive the blessing of the multiplied loaves and fishes. Also in John 11:39, Jesus told them to take away the stone from the tomb of dead Lazarus, a preparation for the answer to the prayer for his being raised from the dead.
