If you remember back during COVID (sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up), they said church wasn’t essential. That people praying together isn’t essential. Yet liquor stores and bars were open, etc. Such foolishness! Prayer is essential. Praying together is essential. I thought it would be good to review this topic of prayer and refresh our memories of the Biblical exhortation to having a meaningful prayer life. I have to say that prayer at times has been a challenge in my life. I don’t feel good about that. Life does come at us fast, and we are super busy. To pray consistently and to persevere in prayer is so important. Prayer requires discipline. Hopefully, I have improved over the years. There are at least thirty-some scriptures, mostly in the New Testament, that deal with the topic of prayer. There are more, but these were the most common. Do you struggle in your prayer life? Do you doubt that God hears your prayers? Does prayer feel like a religious duty or formula? Do you always question if God will answer your prayers? What is my role, and what is God’s role in prayer? Is it all up to God? The good news is that we can have faith, confidence, and assurance in prayer. This is the promise of God.
In the Psalms, we find King David praying a lot. I think this is why Luke wrote that David was a man after God’s own heart ( Acts 13:22). When it comes to prayer, it is a personal relationship with God. Recently I was in the hospital for three and a half days, and obviously I spent time praying. That was a good thing! You probably would too. Doctors were amazed at my quick recovery. To which I give God glory. He is faithful. Here are some of David’s thoughts on prayer.
- Psalm 5:2-3 (NKJV)-2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
- Psalm 55:16-17 (NKJV)-16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
We see in the gospels that Jesus was a man of prayer. Even the Son of God knew the importance of prayer. This is amazing because he was God’s Son but was dependent on His Father as the Son of man! If it was essential for him, it is for us and how much more. Prayer is our lifeline to the heart of God. We struggle because our flesh is weak, even though our spirit is willing ( Matt. 26:41), and the devil doesn’t encourage us to pray. He will throw every distraction in our way because he knows the power of prayer. Jesus said His house is a house of prayer, referring to the physical temple of His day. Today we are His house, His temple. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (Luke 19:46, 1Cor 3:16). The house was made for intimacy with God and not just religious formality. Jesus said in Luke 18:1 (NKJV)-1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose (not to faint) heart. The Greek word faint means to get weary or weak. I think this is part of man’s fallen nature when Adam chose independence from God. He heard the voice of God walking in the garden as he spoke to him. Our flesh pulls or opposes spiritual things ( Gal 5:17). We have authority over our flesh and carnal desires. Prayer is a spiritual activity.
Faith is a key ingredient in a life of prayer. We are praying to a God we cannot see. Praying in the Son’s Name, we cannot see. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we cannot see. Isn’t that what faith is? (Hebrews 11:1). It is through God’s Word that our faith is encouraged and energized. (Rom. 15:4, Rom. 15:13, Rom. 10:17). God has given us faith and is part of the fruit of the Spirit in our Born-Again spirit. (Gal. 5:22, Rom. 12:3, 2 Cor.4:13). We have a connection with God! It is an unbroken phone line to Him. This is why Paul told us this in Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)-16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Many writers of the New Testament talk about prayer. One of my favorites is 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)-14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. Our confidence is always in Christ, the great intercessor and High Priest of our confession. ( Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25, Heb. 9:11). You might say,’ What is His will?’ Faith begins where the will of God is known, and His Word and His promises are His will. This is a wonderful promise and gives us assurance in prayer. Will God always hear us? Yes! Will He always answer our prayer if we pray according to His will? Yes! Here is the thing: it may not always happen when we want it to. Especially when it involves other people’s will and the fact that we are dealing with spiritually antagonistic forces. This is why Apostle Paul exhorted us in Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh but against spiritual forces ( Eph. 6:10-18, Dan. 10: 12-13). He encouraged us to persevere in prayer in faith. Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV)-18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. We cannot give up no matter what!
God knows what we need every day, yet we still need to ask, to petition Him in faith, not wavering ( Matt. 6:8, James 1:5-7). We ask because God has given us spiritual authority on the earth (Psalm 115:16). He has given us free will. He cannot move independently of our choices in our prayers. God is always out for our best and many times surprises us with gifts of love that we didn’t even ask for, just to encourage us that we are on His mind. Salvation, healing, and provision are always His will (2 Peter 3:9, 3 John 2). Faith believing is a governing factor in prayer. Patience and perseverance are key as well. Many times we give up too quickly when we don’t see an answer ( Heb. 6:12, Col 4:2). Praying and asking in the Name of Jesus is a key. Why the Name of Jesus? A Name represents their character, merit, and standing. We are giving Jesus consent to move in the natural realm as our intercessor ( Rom. 8:34, Luke 22:32). Remember, He has all authority (Matt 28:18) and has given authority ( Luke 10:19-20) to the Sons of men on earth. We see this when Abraham prayed for the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament ( Gen.18:24-26). Look at what Jesus said about asking. ( Matt 21:22, Matt. 7:7, Mark 11:24, John 14:13-14, John 15:7, John 16:24). These scriptures are amazing. It really astounds me. Yet Jesus told us to ask believing and we would receive!
Some final thoughts on prayer. If you are always in a state of worry or anxiety about things, prayer is the answer. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)-6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ( 1 Peter 5:7). It’s hard not to be anxious at times. Yet God tells us we can if we pray. Thanksgiving is also important when it comes to confidence in prayer. Thanking God in advance is demonstrating our faith and trust in Him. Peace in the storm that guards our hearts is vital to standing fast ( John 16;33). Another thing is that we need to be specific in our request to God (Matt. 7:9-11). Not general or vague, but specific. We see this in Jesus’ ministry. Many times he would ask, “What do you want?”This is important. God wants to know what you’re asking. Because prayer involves faith, we need to believe before we see the answer to our prayers (Mark 11:24, Matt. 21: 22). We cant say I won’t believe until I see it. That’s not trusting faith! This is why we thank God for the answer. The Bible mentioned to(1 Thess.5:17) pray without ceasing and one way is to pray in the Holy Spirit as Apostle Paul mentions in Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV)-2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ( 1Cor 14:15, Jude 20, Acts 2:4).
In conclusion, when we pray, we need to do these things: Pray according to the will of God, pray in the Name of Jesus, be specific, believe we have received, and thank God for the answer. There are things that God has already done for us for us like salvation. We don’t ask God to save someone. Why? Because He has already provided salvation two thousand years ago. Jesus isn’t going to die again to save someone. It is God’s will that none perish (2 Peter 3:9). Yet we pray that their eyes be open to the Gospel and receive Christ. We take authority over the enemy that is blinding their eyes ( 2 Cor. 4:4). Healing has already been provided for in Redemption ( Psalm 103:1-3, Is. 53:4-5). We are learning to take our authority in Christ and release healing by faith into our bodies through the revealed Word of God (Prov. 4:20-22). Prayer confidence in our lives is a journey of intimacy with our Father in heaven. It is learning to walk in the Spirit who is our helper in our weakness, even when it comes to prayer confidence. ( Rom 8:26). You too can have an amazing prayer life!
“Prayer is the greatest of all forces, because it honours God and brings Him into active aid.” E. M. Bounds
“I think Christians fail so often to get answers to their prayers because they do not wait long enough on God.” E. M. Bounds
“Walking with God down the avenues of prayer we acquire something of His likeness, and unconsciously we become witnesses to others of His beauty and His grace.” E. M. Bounds
“This is not a praying age; it is an age of great activity, of great movements, but one in which the tendency is very strong to stress the seen and the material and to neglect and discount the unseen and the spiritual.” E. M. Bounds
In Christ’s love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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