An Introduction to Prayer

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Introduction to Prayer

What is Prayer? Towards a Biblical Definition

Matthew 6:6: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

When asked for a definition of prayer the answer is simple, prayer is talking to God. However, we must know who God is, and who we are in order to really understand this definition. Genesis 1:1 is a good place to start in building this understanding: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

In this, the very first verse of Scripture we learn that God is transcendent in existence and in power, and in wisdom, knowledge, and all things. In this verse we find the definition of “God” played out in the act of creation. Exodus 3:14 bears further witness to the transcendence of God as He gives His name as, “I AM.” See verse: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

God is independent, self-sufficient, self-existent, He simply is. No one could introduce themselves in this way except for God. This is no secret; it is much spoken of in Scripture. God wishes everyone to know of His unrivaled glory, He says as much through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”

There is simply no one like God. No one can stand toe-to-toe with Him: as Job learned well. He is exalted above all else set-apart in the perfection of perfection as the holiest one. This we see in Isaiah 6:1-4 is ever proclaimed in praise around the throne of Heaven, and even those creatures who eternally proclaim this truth must cover their eyes and their feet in the awesome presence of God: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”

The hymn rightly says that God dwells in inaccessible light which eyes cannot begin to penetrate.

You see, we have loved the darkness rather than the light. See John 3:19: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” We have been since Genesis 3 rightly ashamed in our sinfulness. Our very hearts are become corrupted within us, so that we would well ask the question of. See Jeremiah 17:9 and Matthew 6:23:

• Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
• Matthew 6:23: “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

No one has escaped this depravity of soul, we have fallen short of the mark. See Romans 3:10-12 and Romans 3:23:

• Romans 3:10-12: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
• Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Thus, all our efforts to reach the presence of God must end like that of the builders of Babel. See Genesis 11:1-9: “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builder. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

For we have no rights to approach the righteous God as we have no righteousness of our own. See Isaiah 64:6: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” We were hopeless, dead in our trespasses. See Ephesians 2:1: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:” We are at once separated from God as a result of our sins, and in sin do not seek God. We are born in godlessness, loving and worshipping self.

The picture painted is not pretty by any stretch of the imagination. We are entirely cutoff from God. We seem to assume that God will hear any and every prayer no matter who prays it. If prayer is a privilege it is a universal privilege in the general estimation, but the Bible paints a somewhat different picture. See Isaiah 1:15, Jeremiah 11:11, Zachariah 7:13, Proverbs 28:9, and John 9:31:

• Isaiah 1:15: “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.”
• Jeremiah 11:11: “Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.”
• Zechariah 7:13: “Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:”
• Proverbs 28:9: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”
• John 9:31: “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”

Sin, and particularly idolatry, silences prayers. It does not matter how loudly, or how fervently a sinful heart or hearts call out, God will not hear them. We can see from the Old Testament example that this condition extended even to God’s own people. When Israel turned from God, God turned away from their prayers. The idea was firmly established, and in John 9 is stated plainly as common knowledge.

The heart that holds onto sin cannot take hold of prayer. The blemish of sin cannot be countenanced in the holy of holies. The Psalmist expressed it this way in Psalms 66:18: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

All mankind is born sinful; that is full of sin. See Genesis 8:21, Proverbs 22:15, and John 3:6: ”

• Genesis 8:21: “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”
• Proverbs 22:15: “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
• John 3:6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and 1 John 1:8-10 make it clear there is no exception to this rule:

• 1 John 1:8-10: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

We might play at praying, but all our words vanish into the ether unheard. The prayers of the unrighteous are wishful thinking. What a depressing reality, and yet it is reality.

I do not mean to drag anyone down with this discussion, but we really must appreciate the chasm which sin creates between us and God. We are enemies of God, we violated His perfect decrees willingly according to Romans 5:10. It really was hopeless, but as Romans 5:8-10 assures us, God carried out an incredible campaign to win us back to Himself: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

God condescended to our level, manifesting His glory in ways that we might comprehend and appreciate, both that we might perceive the vast gulf between us, and that we might know that He is able and willing to bridge it. God through Christ did bridge the gulf of sin, so that anyone who believes in Christ has access to God. The bridge was built with the broken body of the Lord upon the tree, the same body which was resurrected three days later and now sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father. The way was opened with the priceless blood of the perfect Lamb shed once and for all to satisfy the just wraith of the thrice Holy Trinity.

Now we are in a position to begin to appreciate how awesome the simple act of prayer really is. For we see now what sort of miracle was needed to accomplish this reconciliation. What was needed was for God to become man, for the infinite to somehow take on finitude. Read John 1:1-14.

In Why God Became Man, Anselm of Canterbury said: “It would not have been right for the restoration of human nature to be left undone, and…it could not have been done unless man paid what was owing to God for sin. But the debt was so great that, while man alone owed it, only God could pay it, so that the same person must be both man and God. Thus it was necessary for God to take manhood into the unity of His Person, so that he who in his own nature ought to pay and could not should be in a person who could… The life of this Man was so sublime, so precious, that it can suffice to pay what is owing for the sins of the whole world, and infinitely more.”

Truly nothing is impossible with God! See Luke 1:37 and Matthew 19:26:

• Luke 1:37: “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
• Matthew 19:26: “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

In His incarnation, Jesus faced every temptation of man, and overcame without a trace or hint of sin See Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, and 1 John 3:5:

• Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
• 1 Peter 2:22: “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”
• 1 John 3:5: “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

In this He was the perfect sacrifice to bear the wrath reserved for us, paying the great penalty of our sins upon the cross and even to the grave. See Isaiah 53, Psalms 22, Romans 3:24-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21:

• Romans 3:24-26: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

He rose from the grave; the first of the new creation! See Acts 2:24, 1 Corinthians 15:20-21 and 1 Peter 1:3:

• Acts 2:24: “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:20-21: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.”
• 1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

As Christ is the only way to the Father, He is our mediator with the Father. See John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 8:6, and Hebrews 9:15:

• John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
• Hebrews 8:6: “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”
• Hebrews 9:15: “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

It is through Christ we approach God the Father. See Hebrews 4:14-16: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

For this reason, we are commanded to pray in the name of Jesus.

The completed work of Christ gave us standing before God’s heavenly throne. Standing not as slaves, but as adopted sons having all the privileges of a son born to the family of God, and destined to receive the full inheritance. See Galatians 4:1-7: “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

So, we are welcomed into God’s presence as those who belong to His own family.

Now in Christ we see ourselves at once humbled to the lowest point, and also at once raised to the highest by such amazing grace. One of infinite worth died to save what must be worthless, yet in that sacrifice, such wretched souls were counted worthy even of redemption that cost so incalculable a sum. In this way, we were invited to commune with the Father by the Son through the Holy Spirit.

God did all of this out of love for us, according to John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He who needs nothing outside Himself was under no requirement to save, but willingly chose to undertake the work. Prayer is not some repayment of a debt, nor some offering that supplies the Almighty. See Psalms 50:12: “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.”

Prayer is our privilege by grace through faith in Christ. It is a privilege of our adoption and a sign of our status. Prayer is the expression of the relationship we now enjoy with God. It is a necessity for us, but not a dreary duty, or obnoxious obligation. Prayer is entirely for our good, and to God’s glory. Now, to answer our original question:

What is prayer? It is the Gospel realized. Prayer is at once a grace and a means of grace. Prayer is communication with the Godhead who has loved us and invited us into their conversation and their community. Ah, now this is a point worthy of exposition.

A Conversation Already in Progress; a Trinitarian Understanding of Prayer

• Romans 8:34: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
• Romans 8:26: “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.”

In Romans 8, Paul reveals two wonderful truths the Son and the Spirit are continually before the Father speaking on our behalf. They advocate for us, represent us, and ask for us what we truly need. They do this work without tiring, without distraction, and with perfect love for us. O, what a wonder! The Trinity has shown us wretched creatures such unmerited favor, that God should shower us with such holy affection. Surely His matchless strength is presented in this mighty intercession!

May the Heavens and the Earth resound with the praise of Him who cares so for His people, and does for them more than they could think or even dream!

Yes, let us rejoice, for when we begin to pray the conversation is already in progress. There is the Spriit helping us along as we stagger into the throne room weak with our exertions, and burdened with our cares. And there at the right hand of our Heavenly Father is Christ announcing us as one of His own, and bidding our Father receive us in his righteousness.

And there is our Father welcoming us in, and inkling His ear to hear from us what He already knows perfectly, delighted to hear from His precious child. O, and all stand ready to act, to lift the burden off our shoulders as though it were nothing, for to God it is nothing at all. Hands of comfort reach out to nurse us. Provisions are made ready to restore our strength. We are well cared for.

As our attention turns from this reality, the conversation continues as it has from eternity past, and we remain there even if we are not aware of it for God never leaves us nor forsakes us. When we are unable to muster our strength still intercession is made. When we do not feel like encountering God still intercession is made. Even when we find ourselves unworthy to look towards our God still intercession is made. For Scripture says Christ is interceding, and so to the Spirit they are even now presently active.

O beloved may these feeble words begin to paint some picture of the glory which is beyond this poor writer. May the Holy Spirit who is acquainted with these marvelous things make them real to you so that you might rejoice in them, and have peace through them, that your love might grow on account of the display of God’s unfailing love to you.

The Danger of Godless Prayer

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is one of several places where God explained Himself to His people, only He was God as such He alone was to be worshipped see verse: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

However, Israel was prone to neglect this reality as it suited them. They had forsaken God for the golden calf, and would soon enough forsake Him for all the idols whose’ people He had driven out of the land of promise. Time and time again god’s people abandoned Him for others who did not hear or answer prayers.

It seems odd to us, even ridiculous that these people who had seen the effect of praying to the one true God would so often turn to false gods instead. We would think after so many times praying to worthless idols and being on the brink of disaster only to be delivered when God Himself intervened they would learn. Yes, it seems after a while people would figure out that who you pray to is important.

We have defined prayer as communication with God, and by that definition any communication not involving God is not prayer. Simple enough, until we involve the idol factory which is the human heart. There is only one God eternally existing in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; but there are countless knock-offs sprung forth from our imaginations.

Some of the counterfeits are fairly easy to spot like the mother of God or the spirit without personality. Others are harder to detect like the Jesus who was made in the image of a red-blooded American male, or a middle-aged suburban housewife. “Our god” is easily substituted for God, and we go on talking to this imaginary friend, and getting increasingly disillusioned as our “prayers” seem to fail. Well, of course, such prayers fail as “our god” does not exist.

The origins of “our god” often lie in our true desires. If we come to God for wealth, health, or status then God is not our god, the object we seek is. So, to satisfy our true desires we instinctively edit reality to make a god that serves our object of worship. We want money so we come up with a god that will certainly give us money.

That is the allure of idols, they can be tamed and controlled. Idols operate on principles we set ourselves. God does as He sees fit and laughs at the opposition of the nations, according to Psalms 2. Any god we could bend to our will is not God. It is not He who needs to heed our will, but we who need to heed His.

It does not matter if an idol is radically different from the true and living God, or only subtly and minutely different from the true and living God, any prayer offered to anything but the one true God is nothing. Such godless “prayer” is a vanity of thought that can affect nothing but our own sensation. I do not mean to be harsh, only to be perfectly honest.

The chief matter in prayer is to know who we are praying to. It is the persons who receive our prayers that make them effective. It is the communicating with the God of Scripture that accomplishes something. We need to take care that we are after the real God and that our deceitful hearts have not switched Him for some easily tamed golden calf.

Why Pray? Motivation & Effectual Prayer

Here there is a simple answer. We are commanded to pray. This answer is correct, but fails to satisfy. There is a further difficulty which must be resolved. See Matthew 6:7-8: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

The purpose of normal human communication is to convey new information, more or less. God’s omniscience obviates this purpose. We cannot tell God anything He does not already know. See Isaiah 40:13-14: “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”

He has perfect knowledge and perfect wisdom with which to ordain a perfect plan by His perfect power. So, we are told in Numbers 23:19 that God does not change His mind: “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?”

Why should He? His ways are best. See Isaiah 55:8-9, Psalms 18:30, and Romans 11:33-34:

• Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
• Psalms 18:30: “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
• Romans 11:33-34: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?”

There is no improvement to be made; and if there was, which is a veritable impossibility, we certainly could not suggest it. In all of this, God is unlike us being infinitely greater, to the point of transcendence.

However, God desires a relationship with man. This may be seen in the account of creation in Genesis 2 and is seen also in Genesis 3:8: “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”

All of God’s covenants with men from Noah to David point to this fact. It is at the heart of the redemptive narrative, for love is the motivation cited, and love is relational. We see how deep the love of the Father is that reconciled wretched souls to Himself. He would give the Son over to suffering and to death. See Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

And the Son willingly gave Himself to this humiliation. See Philippians 2:5-11: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This was the Will of God. See John 6:40: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” See also John 1:10-13 and Ephesians 2:8-10:

• John 1:10-13: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
• Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

So now by grace, through faith in Christ alone, we are called children of God. See 1 John 3:1: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

In Matthew 6:9, we are instructed to pray to “Our Father which art in heaven.” We are to seek from Him our every need. See Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 25-32, and Matthew 7:7-12:

• Matthew 6:9-13: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
• Matthew 7:7-12: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

In this way, we also fulfill the commandment to seek God above all else Matthew. See 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” And by this God is glorified as we esteem Him as we ought. So true prayer is an act of worship of which God is worthy.

It appears also that God as our Father simply wishes us to communicate with Him. See 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Just as any loving earthly father wants to talk with his children, so does the heavenly Father. This is evident in the numerous commands to pray, and the equally numerous stories of answered prayers. Therefore, far from leading us to abandon prayer as useful the attributes of God, even His perfections, ought to inspire us to pray with confidence. See 1 John 5:14: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”

What I am saying is that the very fact of God, the greatest of all possible beings, ought to motivate us to seek an audience with Him. Think of the men and women you would like to be able to converse with, God is greater than all of them. If I would go out of my to spend time with a state official, or the executives of a business, or an esteemed entertainer, how much more should I be motivated to speak with the creator and sustainer of the cosmos?

This point needs to be drawn out further, as it really is the foundation of any healthy prayer life. Jerry Bridges says it well in Trusting God: “Prayer assumes the sovereignty of God. If God is not sovereign, we have no assurance that He is able to answer our prayers. Our prayers would become nothing more than wishes. But while God’s sovereignty, along with his wisdom and love, is the foundation of our trust in Him, prayer is the expression of that trust.”

God has commanded His people to pray and has ordained that certain of His actions shall be in response to the prayers of His people that He might get greater glory. He causes us to want, that He may Himself satisfy it. He works in the circumstances of our lives to bring us to Him that we might come to rely upon Him and be satisfied in Him. Put simply, the circumstances of our lives are opportunities for the demonstration of God’s ability and character.

Thomas Watson said: “God will fill the hungry because He Himself has stirred up the hunger. As in the case of prayer, when God prepares the heart to pray, He prepares His ear to hear. So, in the case of spiritual hunger, when God prepares the heart to hunger, He will prepare His hand to fill.” See Psalms 10:17: “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:”

But can God satisfy our wants? Is God able to successfully intervein and resolves our problem. The answer of scripture is a resounding yes! From Genesis 1:1 we encounter a being of limitless power, able to do whatever He wills. Later in the book God wipes out all of creation save Noah and his family and the animals rescued on the ark. At the tower of Babal God frustrates the collective efforts of all of humanity. In Exodus God has His way with Pharoh and then utterly ruins the greatest military power of the time. God humbles several nations as He installs His people in the premise land, and continues to crush invasions for decades. In Daniel god utterly humiliates the most powerful ruler of the day twice, and also his son. We see wonders upon wonders from the feeding of thousands with a handful of provisions, to healing of every sort of condition, to resurrection of the dead. God is perfectly able to do anything an everything we ask, so that it is written,

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 ESV

God might answer our remaining doubts with the words He spoke to Jeremiah the prophet,

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27 ESV

Absolutely not! With God not only is nothing impossible, but nothing is challenging. There is never any cause for concern when God is involved.

We might ask next whether we might trouble God over little things. One pastor answered the question by saying, “Dear one, you have nothing big about which to prayer.” That is quite true, God is just so much bigger than anything we could encounter in our lives. Yet, we are told He has even numbered the hairs of our head Luke 12:7. God’s care for us extends into the most trifling of affairs. If you care about it may be cast upon Him who cares for you 1 Peter 5:7.

Here then is the last question already partially answered, will God act on my behalf? It is one thing to believe that God can answer your prayers, it is another thing to believe that He will. Yet, if you are welcomed into His presence by the grace of Christ then already the infinitely precious blood of Christ was shed for you. Now if God would give you Christ what good thing would He withhold? Such is the reasoning of Paul, and we find no flaw in it,

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 ESV

What a good Father would withhold are things that are not good for us. We may not get everything we ask, but we will always receive good from God, even if the goodness is beyond our appreciation. Some readers might ponder the experience of Job, but my assertion is based on a teaching of Christ, and must apply even in the case of Job.

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11 ESV

Again, we must remember that God has a much better definition of good than we do. This is partially due to God perfect perception freed from the constraints of space and time, and the distortion wrought in the human perception by sin. Suppose we have a man who has been disabled since childhood due to disease, and all his family and many churches, and even some notable minister’s prayer earnestly and fervently for his healing, but that healing never comes… Has prayer failed?

The is no. First, God will heal every disability in the resurrection. Secondly, as we learn in John 9 and 2 Corinthians 12 God is using this thorn in the flesh to some higher purpose. I know of at least one soul that was saved from eternal death in part due to a childhood disease. These things are not easy to understand or to accept. Still, we must believe, and may the Lord help our unbelief.

We do not understand unanswered prayers, or difficult circumstances of suffering and pain. We do not get immediately all the things we need to feel ourselves secure and provided for? The timely delivery of goods from God is only the least benefit of prayer. The much greater, and most immediate benefit of prayer is a peace which surpasses all understanding,

The Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5b-7 ESV

There is peace in being relieved of distractions, peace in being assured, peace in being relieved of care cast upon the Lord, and peace in being reminded who that Lord is who cares for you so as to hear your prayer. This peace is all about God’s identity and our relationship to Him in Christ. These things are immutable meaning they cannot change or be altered in any way.

Prayer draws us back into those wonderful unchanging truths. Prayers centers us, and realigns us to the reality of God. Peace is perhaps the most profound expression of that operation, but it is not the only one. Clearer perception, spiritual refreshing, joy all of these are to be found through prayer. Whatever good is from being nearer to God that good is to be received from prayer.

Of course, the great good is God Himself, everything is simply the symptom of having been with God. It is the radiance of Moses’ face after he had seen the least part of God’s glory pass by. In all the description of what we gain from prayer we really speaking only of the benefits of knowing God. God himself is the object, and what we describe as benefits are only feeble attempts to point towards excellencies which exceed our ability to express.

We were made to be in relationship to God, to communicate with Him as a regular rhythm of life. Apart from that our lives are lived in dissonance. Prayer restores the consonance and brings the realization of harmony with our design. This is a very academic way of saying what Augustine said so simply in his Confessions, we are restless until we rest in God.

I pray sincerely the point is clarified for our good and God’s glory. Still, it is worthwhile to delve into the pitfall of selfishness which infects our prayers and keeps them from achieving their truest aims.

The Danger of Selfish Prayer

We all have needs, and not one of us can meet those needs apart from God’s provision. That is the reality which undergirds the most effective sort of prayer. It is right to seek from God our daily bread by which we mean all the things we need in a day to accomplish His will for us. It is absolutely right to ask that of our Father in Heaven just as Jesus taught in Matthew 6.

The danger is not in asking for things, but in asking for things to spend on ourselves, and in doing nothing more. That sort of prayers turns God into a genie, and renders our prayers ineffective.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3 ESV

When our hearts are selfish, they are out line with the heart of God. He came not be served, but to serve; but we often come to be served and not to serve. That kind of disconnect cannot help but strain the communication, and the relationship.

In the model prayer of Matthew 6 the first request is for God to be glorified as His will is done, and then come the more personal requests for daily provision, and for forgiveness. The model prayer is truncated (edited down to its most basic and necessary components), but the order is order is significant.

Our passions can run away with us and our prayers. By focusing first on God the passions are brought inline. That is easily written, but not easily done. Passions are powerful, and our hearts are deceitful. Sometimes we must go to battle with our passion in prayer, pressing our hearts godward till the turmoil of selfish desires is silenced and our wills submitted to God.

Ah, but that takes time and we have so precious little to spend, and often our needs are urgent. Take heart that God is all knowing, and all wise. Our requests to God can be very, very simple. A quick, “God help.” Is enough for He knows exactly what help you need. We can certainly pour out all of the trouble to our Heavenly Father, our Lord, and our Comforter; but we do not have to. We can talk to God about what we would like, but He does not need our advice to know what to do. That is why we pray because God is God. So, the position of heart is much more important than the words themselves. Our hearts should be more focused on who we are going to than what we are going for.

If the horse be dead what is the harm in beating it? The harm in selfishness is that is disconnects us from the power of prayer by taking our eyes off of God. That orientation is what dictates everything else about prayer. And that dear readers is why I go out of my way to emphasize both the positive and negatives at every step along the way.

The spiritual disciplines of fasting and vigils help us to master our selfish desires and appetites, while also freeing up time for concentrated prayer. It is a powerful statement to our own hearts and minds when we forgo necessary things in order to give ourselves to something more necessary still. We will speak more of these disciplines in a later section.

How Should We Pray?

The answer is suggested already by the argument made as to why we should pray. Still, it is worth laying out explicitly by virtue of its importance as an act of worship, and effectiveness for the Kingdom work when rightly undertaken.

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.  And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”  And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.  And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8 ESV

The first lesson is that we are never to lose heart in praying. We must never abandon this work. To do so is to deny God. We also deny ourselves community with God. Either is bad enough, both together are disastrous. There are some prayers we ought to stop praying as we find them to be outside the will of God as revealed in scripture. There are some prayers we ought to stop praying because God tells us to 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. But we should never cease from prayer itself. We should constantly be seeking God as we are constantly in need of God.

“Longing desire prayeth always, though the tongue be silent. If thou art ever longing, thou art ever praying.” Augustine

We cannot afford to lose heart, and so cease from praying for we are in constant need of God. Prayer recognizes and acts upon this profound need John 15:5, etc. Our desire then is the expression of our understanding of this need of God. Therefore, prayer is helped greatly by biblically informed humility. We pray because we need, and our need of God is absolute and eternal.

The next lesson is that we must pray earnestly and sincerely. Empty words do nothing but betray us Mathew 6:7-8. Prayer should be fueled by need and desire. Our need is immensely great John 15:5, and so to should be our desire Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27, etc.

The next lesson is to pray expectantly. Our expectation rest on who God is, and nothing else. This foundation is sufficient to uphold the lofty expectation we might conceive. Only let these expectations be in-line with, and according to God’s will. If they are not, we should be delighted that they fail. For no matter how great their appearance they were awful things to seek, and even worse to have.

“Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, “above all that we ask or think.” Each time, before you Intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!” Andrew Murray

Hear we must say a word against those false teachers who have greatly hinder the prayers of the saints by undermining their expectation in prayer. This they have done in the most insidious way, by seemingly raising expectation of answered prayer with various means and mechanisms which force the hand of God. It is at once ridiculous to think that God’s hand can in any way be forced Psalm 2, Daniel 4:34-35, etc. etc. At the same time, it is totally unnecessary to attempt that impossible task. God has given ample assurance that whatever is asked in His name will be done John 14:13-14, 15:7,16, 16:26, 1 John 5:14, Ephesians 3:12. The only reason we would need some formulation or incantation to have what we seek of God is that we have asked something not in His name, outside His will, contrary to righteousness. In this case we should be very glad our incantation fails, and very fearful that it won’t. If we pray according to God’s will, we have every possible confidence. The promise of Romans 8:28 must hold true so that our expectations of good are secured. As had been said many times before all of God’s promises are yes and amen.

And what if we should find ourselves unsure what to pray for, or unable to locate the words we need? Our Father has foreseen and provided us a Helper in such weakness even the Holy Spirit Romans 8:26-27. Indeed, we are constantly in need of the Spirit’s help in prayer. Thankfully by grace we always have that divine help. This should be a further encouragement to steadfastness in prayer. Indeed, with this divine aid prayer should become a constant, a way of being in our lives. And our lives must be enriched by this.

How long should we pray? There is no prescribed duration for prayer. We see varying length throughout scripture as we see different situations. There is a time for a long prayer, and a time for a very short prayer. We should not think that too much of God’s time might be taken, he will gladly entertain us for days and weeks. On the other hand, we should not think there is ever too little time for prayer, if we have enough time to breath, “God help.” We time for prayer.

pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV, see also Ephesians 6:18

The reason the Bible does not prescribe a length for our prayers is that it prescribes instead a constant attitude of prayer. We believe in the real presence of God everywhere, and in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, so we should always be acting in accordance with these beliefs. If we need help, who better than the almighty is right there with us, and fully equipped to aid us? If we need someone to talk to who better than the lover of our souls who knit us together in our mother’s womb, and who daily bears our burdens? Prayer should be ongoing, interrupted, but never terminated. Prayer is after all the expression of an eternal relationship. If we are worried about the time we have missed the point.

The point is to reverence our God which do by earnestly seeking Him at all times, and in every circumstance as the One who has proved Himself willing and able to give us rest. Prayer is an attitude grounded in the wonderful truths of who God is and what He has done. It is an attitude of humility, as it is written,

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 ESV see also Isaiah 66:2, Mathew 5:3, James 4:6, etc.

Jesus told a parable regarding the right attitude with which to approach God in Luke 18:10-14. The story involves a self-righteous man whose prayer is list of religious achievement, and another man who stands a distance beating his chest and begging for mercy. It is the broken man whose pleas will be heard according to the parable, and not the overtly religious man’s.

While God has called us sons and heirs, He is still God and we are still mere mortals. We call Him Father with reverence and with love. Forgetting who we are talking to is the ruin of many prayers. Remember, the benefits of prayer are entirely found in the fact that we are speaking with God Himself. Everything about our prayers should reflect this reality for our good and for His glory.

The Dangers of Manipulative Prayer

We could also have named this section “the folly of trying to twist the Almighty Arm.”

Perhaps the most popular book on prayer over the past few decades has been Bruce Wilkinson’s “The Prayer of Jabez.” The book presents itself as an application of 1 Chronicles 4:10 which according to Wilkinson holds the formula to obtaining our requests in prayer. Wilkinson had previously done good work in biblical instruction, but in this instance his exposition fell well short of the mark.

What Jabez does in 1 Chronicles 4:10 is to recall the specific promises of God relevant to the situation, and to presume upon the faithfulness of God in much the same way Daniel does in Daniel chapter 9. The success of both men ought not be attributed to the formation of their prayer, but to their correct understanding and application of God’s revelation. Our prayers are helped not by formulas and rituals, but by our right appreciation of the divine truths of scripture.

We are often fearful in approaching our heavenly Father for the same reason we feel trepidation approaching any authority with a request; mainly, it might be denied, or delayed, or outright rejected. We believe that we know what is best for us, we are born believing that and have a very difficult time learning to doubt it. So, just as we tried to manipulate our parents, or our spouse, or our boss we look for ways to force God’s hand.

O, but God’s arm is not easily twisted. Indeed, there simply is not means of making God act in accordance with our will. God will always, always act in perfect accord with His own will. Now, that can be very frustrating at times: the one is writing confesses he finds it just a bit frustrating at the time he writes. However, this wonderful immutability of God’s is a profound goodness. First because we often pray for very silly things that would do us great harm if we got them. Secondly, if we could manipulate God so could other people who wants contrary things. Thirdly, God’s will be consistent whereas our wills are not.

As for all these formulas, incantations, rituals, etc. they are witchcraft cloaked in scriptural terms, making God an impersonal force wielded on behalf of the idol of self by foolish pride. Those who propagate such evils are spoken of in 2 Peter 2. Trying to twist God’s arm is a losing proposition. Let us not be dismayed by such folly, nor deterred from continual, earnest, expectant prayer 2 Peter 3:17-18.

Any material purposed to get you something from prayer other than communion with the Holy Trinity is not worth reading. Even good books on prayer can be bad for us if we are looking for the secret to getting our wishes granted. We have to keep a close eye on our hearts less we find ourselves prying at the almighty arm trying to get something worse than what our Father has already ordained for us.

Corporate prayer: Altogether Before the Throne

Let it first be understood that corporate prayer must necessarily follow private prayer. In community we pray from the overflow of our private devotions. And what we gain from the communal devotion we carry into our private prayers, the two go together, but the individual precedes the corporate. This no different than any other relationship, the bulk of work of building the relationship happens away from the masses.

By the same token public prayer can seem awkward, forced, dole, or dry. In some cases these sensations come from acute awareness of the human audience, and in other cases from an unawareness of the Divine audience. Of course, the former contributes to the latter, and the latter to the former; and all together we end up with a display of prayer for public consumption lacking any sort of substance. What I really mean to say is lot of public praying is dead. Dead prayers are not fun to participate in, or even to witness. So, some of us will, understandably, have a poor feeling about public prayers.

Matthew 6:6 may be taken as a prohibition against any sort of corporate prayer. However, Jesus prays publicly Matthew 14:19, 19:13, Luke 9:28, etc. John 17 records one of our Lord’s prayers. Corporate prayer is seen throughout the Old Testament among God’s people Joel 1:14, Daniel 2:17-18, Nehemiah 9:3-4, 2 Chronicles 20:3-4, etc., etc. It is also the practice of the early Church Acts 1:14, 2:42, 4:24-31, 12:5,12, 20:36, etc. The apostles in writing to churches commend and command prayer to the whole church, see especially 1 Timothy 2:1-8. Therefore, what is properly condemned in Matthew 6:6 is a public performance of prayer for the sake of drawing attention to one’s self. No one needs be impressed by your prayer. Trying to impress people misses the whole point, and makes us like the proud Pharisee showing off in temple while nearby a humble sinner succeeded in piercing the veil of Heaven Luke 18:9-14.

At the same time all of your brothers and sisters, and especially your family need to be impressed with your prayers. The souls in community around your own need to feel your prayers pressing into their lives: particularly if you are responsible to shepherd those souls. It is one thing to do this work in private, but there is a certain ministry of support which is accomplished when others know you are covering their lives in earnest prayer.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 ESV

Corporate prayer is the fulfillment of this command, and the many others like it. James 5:16 further enforces this understanding. Corporate prayer is the greatest form of fellowship. There is no other means which so well accomplishes the purpose of fellowship as praying together Hebrews 10:24-25: though the activity of preaching when rightly practice by the whole congregation comes close 2 Timothy 3:16-4:1-5, Isaiah 55:11, etc. and the corporate singing of good hymns and songs is not far behind Colossians 3:16. It may even be said that a church which does not pray together has no meaningful fellowship. At no other time are the children so closely communing with one another and all together with their Father in Heaven who has joined them in eternal fellowship Matthew 6:9.

“Our prayer meetings have been a blessing to us and united us more than ever in the work.” George muller

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. James 5:16 ESV

When sin overtakes us, it is with prayer that brothers and sisters may come to our aid, fighting with fervent words to the Almighty against the evil forces of world, flesh, and devil. It with heartfelt prayers that souls are delivered, and not with gossip. Too many prayer meeting are wrecked by an unloving and unedifying interest in other’s shame. We confess our sins so little to others, for others so often fail to be broken over our confession, and so much pleased with it. We fail to confess our sins to one another because we are far too interested in our reputation, and far too little interested in our righteousness. O, that we might come again to church business meetings where sins are brought to light, and those implicated beg that the whole matter be laid bare so that all might be treated with the intercession of their faith family. We make our struggle with sin entirely too private.

O and let us not neglect the plight of those dear souls who have grown faint in the rigors of the journey, and they who have become weary in their work, and those also who have suffered grave injury, and all the rest who struggle to draw near to God. What of them? Must they drag themselves from the ditches, and through the deserts, and deep valleys? Why? Why so, when we are near to take them up on our shoulders and bear them near to the great Physician? Corporate prayer is the time and place for all the weak and weary and wounded to find help in finding ultimate help. I say to you all this ministry of praying directly with those who need it is something truly wonderful that we ought not to discard. I cannot do for everyone what needs to be done; but I can pray for anyone who has need, and the God to whom I pray is able to exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or dream. Amen.

There is also the matter of instruction by older saints to younger saints as commanded in the letter to Titus and elsewhere. Prayer before younger saints gives them a practice example which demonstrates the teaching they receive, and models it for them. The value of this practical instruction is immense. People talk about all sorts of things, those things which are really important people do. I pray my point is getting across, because we need men and women who are serious about prayer and well rooted in it.

This brings to my final point, and the most important one corporate prayer is foundational to the mission of the church. What was the first act of the Church? Praying together as they awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit as noted in Acts 1-2. They knew they needed God and they sought Him together.

That unified seeking is powerful to cohesion of the church in every aspect and arena of its life. Churches should be built in prayer, and with prayer so that every member of the local body is joined to the head, and the body as a whole is joined together under the head who is Christ Jesus our Lord.

For What Shall We Pray?

Pray then like this; see Matthew 6:9: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

The first priority in prayer, and the rest of the Christian life, is that God receive all due glory Matthew 6:33, etc., etc. Everything else we pray for flows from this central, pressing concern. This single wish might even be made definitional of prayer. God’s glory is firmly established, cannot be diminished, nor increased; but we and other can become more aware and appreciative of it. That is what we are seeking the fuller ascent to reality by all humanity.

That is a very countercultural aim, and the next line of the model prayer doubles down on that countercultural element,

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 ESV

God is glorified as His will is done, and His worship expanded. The requests is laid in the path established by the first request drawing out how God will be glorified. There is a lot of self-denial happening within these two lines. God is getting glory and God is getting His way; so, we are not getting either. That is the crux of the countercultural nature of the model prayer. It totally subverts the spirit of sin. It surely for that reason the prayer begins with these lines, and not some others. In the model prayer our spirits are oriented to God immediately. No time is wasted in making God first and foremost.

Under this priority, and constrained by the revealed will of God in scripture, there is nothing about which we might not pray Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 5:7, 1 John 5:15. However, there are some things which should be specifically prayed for.

Matthew 6:10 follow directly the petition of verse 9, the coming of the Kingdom is a great commission prayer. The doing of God’s will on Earth as it is done in Heaven is again a prayer for the commission to be carried out. Both are part and partial of the hallowing of God’s rightly hallowed name.

“Methinks every true Christian should be exceedingly earnest in prayer concerning the souls of the ungodly; and when they are so, how abundantly God blesses them and how the church prospers!” C. H. Spurgeon

“The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.” Andrew Murray

1 Timothy 2:1-8, we should pray for our civic leaders, and communities to the end that there be no obstruction to the great commission, and the pursuit of righteousness. This is not a prayer for easier lives, and if it is meant as such, we cannot expect to find it answered James 4:3. Given the context of the pastoral epistles it seems to me that this sort of prayer is to form the backbone of the church’s public relations, and its political activism.

Matthew 9:37-38, we must pray that God raises up working for the gospel mission. Only God can call men, and equip them to the work. The need is great, and continual. Each generation will see some called home from the fields, and new workers must take their place till Christ returns. This is a matter of utmost gospel urgency as relayed in Romans 10:14-15.

Ephesians 6:19-20, Colossians 4:2-4, We must also pray for those workers already in the field, that they may have the help they need to do the work required. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Galatians 6:6, our prayers should especially be with those workers whom God has sent to labor among us. In this way we may make the work more joyous, reaping a benefit to the whole faith family, and obeying the commandment of Hebrews 13:17. Prayer is a wonderful first step when we are dissatisfied with our ministers.

Acts 6:4, Philippians 1:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 1 Peter 5:1-4, Pastors and minister ought also to pray for their congregations. Their prayers should follow the model of their Lord’s prayer for His Church John 17. They are also to pray for the sick who call on them James 5:14-15. Prayer is a priority in ministry equaled only by preaching, and these two go hand-in-hand.

“Prayer must carry on our work as much as preaching; he preacheth not heartily to his people that will not pray for them.” Richard Baxter

Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, we should also pray for one another and for all the saints. This in keeping with our first priority. This is also to the furtherance of the Kingdom. Now if we love as we are commanded, and we understand prayer as it is, the need to pray for those we love will suggest itself to us.

“The measure of our love for others can largely be determined by the frequency and earnestness of our prayers for them.” A. W. Pink

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 ESV, see also Proverbs 25:21-22, Romans 12:14, and 1 Peter 3:9

Yes, we should pray for our enemies, even those are persecuting us, and so Christ Himself as in Acts 9. The prayers of the righteous avail much, so by prayer you might win over an enemy to friend. If such is not God’s will Proverbs 25:21-22 says such action will heap burning coals on your enemy’s head while earning

In all of this much is done. To pray about these things, or about anything, is no waste of time. No, prayer is an effective means, else our Lord would not have commended it so to us. Let no one doubt this point. Wherever there is a legitimate need, or concern there is something to pray about.

And wherever something has been done there is reason to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving should be a portion of every prayer. Gratitude expressed lifts the spirit and encourages our further prayers. Even when nothing appears to have been done, we can give thanks to God for all that He is to us, and all which He has promised, and most profoundly for the finished work of Christ.

The Dangers of Neglecting Prayer

The results of prayerlessness have already been suggested, but let them be drawn out here and plainly seen by all. Let us first admit that the western church of our time has indeed neglected this discipline. Let us concede also that such neglect must have a depressing effect upon earnest God seeking souls.

“What is both surprising and depressing is the sheer prayerlessness that characterizes so much of the Western church. It is surprising, because it is out of step with the Bible that portrays what Christian living should be; it is depressing, because it frequently coexists with abounding Christian activity that somehow seems hollow, frivolous and superficial.” D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation

Prayer being one of the two greatest sources of divine power, its absence leads to an absence of power, which then leads to a dramatically reduced effectiveness. Prayer is reliance on God, where there is less prayer there is less reliance on God, and more reliance on something else. No matter what else is being relied upon it is an idol.

Prayer works against idolatry naturally, and so where it is neglected idolatry is naturally promoted. This also promotes other sins, and so virtue is reduced all around. Evil multiplies. When we do not talk to God regularly it is easy to forget God is there.

This does not remain confined to a single life, but through that one life enters the life of the church. The member who does not pray works against all good in the church. John 15:5 shows us why as such a member has been deprived of the life giving and sustaining communion with Christ, and Father, and Spirit. So, they decay towards death, and become a burden.

“A prayerless church member is a hindrance. He is in the body like a rotting bone or a decayed tooth. Before long, since he does not contribute to the benefit of his brethren, he will become a danger and a sorrow to them. Neglect of private prayer is the locust which devours the strength of the church.” C. H. Spurgeon

All of this is uncomfortable, and the discomfort is aggravated greatly by the strain of trying to do so many things without the abiding grace of Christ, the care of the Father, or the aid of the Holy Spirit. Prayerlessness suggest comfort through neglect of discipline, but delivers the opposite.

“That which begins not with prayer, seldom winds up with comfort.” John Flavel

It should be incredibly surprising if any good comes from prayerless work, for such work has cut itself off from the source of all good James 1:17. If we find good lacking James would suggest in the first place, we haven’t asked for it James 4:2. As we have suggested this depressing for the earnest saint, and those who seek God. Discouragement, and doubt build upon each other increasing he strain.

Allowed to continue the end is sure deadness of spirit. To sum up the matter where there is no prayer evil prevails, goodness declines, God is denied, all people suffer. Neglect of prayer leads nowhere but Hell.

A Brief Word on Posture

“Every head bowed, and every closed…” that is the posture of prayer I grew-up with. It had more to do with self-conscious people than with people being conscious of God’s presence. Nevertheless, closing eyes does remove distractions, and bowing of the head shows reverence. When it comes to our posture, we simply need to ponder what it communicates to ourselves.

The power of posture is in what it demonstrates to our minds. A bended knee, or a prostrate from shows humility. A raised head and open hands direct our attention Heavenward. An uncomfortable position can be distracting, but can also display devotion. Just remember we are preaching to ourselves, anything that creates a spectacle is no good.

The other consideration is how well we can focus in a given position. I find that I pray best when I am walking. For others walking might be a terrible distraction, and sitting still in a closet will further their concentration. We see a lot of different postures of prayer in scripture, and I have yet to find any one of them universally prescribed. It is the heart attitude that is of vital importance, keep that in mind and you will find the physical situation which best suits you. It should be noted that in public prayer we cannot have our own ideal position, but must compromise with our brothers and sisters so that everyone may enter into a good attitude of prayer. The one who loves God also loves their neighbors as themselves.

Learning to Pray

Psalms 32:8-11: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”

When we ask how we can grow in prayer we are essentially asking how we grow in our relationship with God. You see prayer is not some art form, or some variety of craft, or a science; it is an expression and means of relationship. How do grow in prayer? How do you grow in communicating with any loved one?  Keeping that relational focus is the key to success.

Relationships can be complicated, but with God half of those complications are non-existence, and the rest are great reduced because God’s knows you perfectly. God will understand what you really meant to say, and where it was coming from. God will always forgive as we confess. God already knows all our secrets, and all our failures, and our flaws and Christ came and died for us anyway so that we might be redeemed, delivered. The obstacle to overcome are all with us.

Of the comprehensive treatments on prayer Andrew Murray’s with Christ in the School of Prayer is the most widely regarded, and for good reason. Donald S. Whitney has also treated the subject in several different volumes, and wherever he has written about the discipline we are sure to find helpful instruction. While reading about prayer is certainty a reasonable step, I do not think it is sufficient in itself.

Th best thing for prayer is to know the One you are praying to better. God has taken the first step in communication by making Him known through the sixty-six books of the Bible. Many have poured over those pages, and have left behind there insights into God’s identity. There are libraries worth of book on every aspect of who God is from A. W Pinks excellent overview in The Attributes of God, to R. C. Sproul’s the Holiness of God. There are simply too many worthy books on the topic to list them all. However, a good starting place is found in a confession such the London Baptist 1689, or the Westminster Confession which preceded it. Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, or John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion or another worthy systematic theology text is good second step.

When it comes to encouragement for prayer I have found the greatest help in the biographies of prayerful saints. Of these the biography of George Mueller stands out for its emphasis on prayer. The recorded prayers of our forerunners in the faith can also be very helpful to us, so much so that God includes numerous recorded prayers throughout scriptures from the Psalms to the pauline epistles. The best-known collection of recorded prayer is The Valley of Visions which contains many prayers from the puritans and is very worthy of attention.

It is good to pray the scriptures, as this helps conform our prayers to the revealed will of God. Now, this is not to endorse the dry recitation of formulas, but rather to allow the scriptures to give voice to inner life, and also to speak into our life as we pray. There are books which offer further guidance in this practice, of which I would recommend Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney.

What I cannot in good conscience recommend to anyone is studying prayer without practicing prayer. In fact, I would rather have you spend your time praying than reading about prayer. You can read all you want, and learn a lot of truths; but it is nothing until you put it to practical use. Look, I can read everything ever written by or about George Whitefield until I know more about Mr. Whitefield than anyone else, but that is very different from knowing George Whitefield. To know George, I would need to communicate with him directly, and build a relationship. That is precisely the way with God. I do not want you to know about God, knowing about God does not save you. I want you to know God personally. Knowing about God helps with that, but only communicating with Him directly accomplishes it.

Just start praying, just talk with God about the cares of your heart, and keep talking to Him and listening for Him through scripture. Keep at it, and see what happens. If you have trouble ask him for help. Does it feel awkward tell Him about it. Distracted, keep trying to focus. Do not give-up. Give what time you have as you have it. Please understand this one simple thing, the desire to grow in communication with God is the key to growing in communication with God. We have seen already the abundant evidence that God wants to communicate with you, the obstacle that can keep that from happening is our own lack of desire to converse with Him.

Thoughts on Fasting and Vigils

Matthew 6:16-18: “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”

Making time to seek that desire can be challenging, but let us not forget that God is sovereign over our schedule as well. There are times provided; we just need to prioritize prayer in those times. We can also free-up more time by prioritizing prayer over other activities like eating and sleeping.

Now forgoing food and sleep is a no small thing. We need food and need physical rest; but we need God more. Fasting and vigils express this truth forgoing physical needs to satisfy spiritual needs. It preaching the fact to bodies, and our souls.

The point of going without food or without sleep is not to punish ourselves. There is a line in one of my favorite films where an older monk advises a younger monk this way, “Brother Martin, you cannot save your soul by punishing your body.” This true, for nothing could or should be added to the finished work of Christ see Galatians and Romans. Penance has no place in the Chrisitan Walk, only confession and repentance. Receive God’s forgiveness and turn away, do not seek to pay for what has already been paid for.

The point of fasting is not to appear spiritual. Jesus hit on this exact point in the Sermon on the Mount. Fasting is between you and God. There is nothing to see here, no show, no fuss, no else needs to know. There are times where might need to explain why we are not eating, but let that explanation be simple and strictly informative.

When we see confession and repentance accompanied by fasting the objective is returning to God, not satisfying justice. There are times when a broken spirit is best expressed by physical depreciations. When we see fasting in company the point is not to show-off to each other but in unity to seek the Lord’s favor.

The point of fasting is to get closer to God. Jesus clearly expects that fasting will be a part of our faith. The biblical examples showing fasting as a preparation, or as a response to difficulty. In both cases the need of God’s help was pressing, and through fasting souls pressed in towards God. Moses fasts before receiving the Law Exodus 34:28, David fasted on behalf of his child life 2 Samuel 12:16 (the child died, at which point David broke his fast), Daniel fasted in response to great sorrow Daniel 10:2-3, Jesus fasted at the outset of His earthly ministry Matthew 4:1-11; and these are just a few examples. This in keeping with the Lord’s teaching,

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:14-15 ESV

That being said the time to start fasting is not when we are in crisis. Fasting is a discipline, and disciplines require… Well, discipline. Taking something away from your body pus strain on the body just like asking it to do something it has not done before. In college I took a weightlifting class, and on the first day the coach taught us to do squats. I had never done a squat before, but somehow, I ended up with three-hundred-and-fifty pounds on a barbell for two sets of ten repetitions (reps). I felt great! I walked backed to my dorm and showered feeling strong. Then I sat down for forty-five minutes before I had to go to my next class. I got out my chair, and immediately face planted into the floor. My legs would not support my weight, the muscles of my thighs were locked up, and I could barely hobble ten feet without collapsing. It took a week before I could walk steadily again, and my quads were weak for months. What happened? I tried to do too much too soon, and hurt myself. The same thing can happen in fasting or vigils.

You have to build up your bodies capacity to go without food or sleep. For your first fast skip a single meal, for your first vigil stay up one extra hour. I recommend attempt both on a day off when you will have ample time to recover. Everyone reacts a little differently to deprivation, even minor deprivation, so be aware and take note of how you are responding physically and mentally, and spiritually. Do not, attempt fasting if you have any sort of medical issues such a low-blood pressure, diabetes, etc. without consulted a medical professional as messing even a single meal could cause serious harm in these circumstances.

Praying in Difficult Seasons

There are times when our faith is challenged by circumstances, and prayer seems useless. Our flesh, and the demons never miss an opportunity to hit us when we are down, and disconnecting us from the lifeline of prayer is high on their priorities. Life is hard enough, but we are also fighting a war. What are we to do? How do we pray when we no longer feel like praying? How do we pray when it is hard to talk to God?

I believe the most difficult situation for prayer is when we are angry with God. Perhaps we had asked Him to spare the life of a loved one, and He took them away. Perhaps we lost our job, or suffered a breakup, or fell seriously ill. We do not understand what God is doing, or where He has got off to. We want Him to answer all of our questions, and give us a full account. We demand this of God, and perhaps we demand reparation as well. We blame the almighty, and we are not prepared to forgive the offense. In one sense it is perfectly understandable, these sorts of things hurt us deeply. The pain often blindsides us, and we react. There never seems to be enough time, or energy, or wherewithal to consider the whole matter and formulate a proper response.

In such time some would tell us that we can vent our anger at God, He is god after all and He can handle it. There is a certain amount of truth in that notion, but it misses the point entirely. We have no right to be angry with God no matter what has happened. Whatever we suffer it is much less than we deserve to suffer. God has not done anything wrong to us. Raging at God is also unhelpful. Expressing anger tends to prolong and increase anger generally; but expressing anger towards God compounds our issues even more by misrepresenting the truth to ourselves. We are acting like God is someone with whom we might contend, and as if everything He does is not just and right.

The anger feels good because it represents us as being in a position of power, as if we might exercise some control through our raging. However, all we are doing is exhausting ourselves while pushing ourselves off into isolation. So, we are bound to end up alone and wearied. That is not a good place to be at the best of times. Anger makes us stupid, not powerful. Anger keeps us from hearing and understanding, it doesn’t get us answers.

We want answers, and we can and should ask for them; but demanding them is wrong. Consider the case of Job who lost everything he owned, and all of his children, and was abandoned by his wife, plunged in terrible physical pain, and then harassed by his friends; job wanted to know what it was all about. Job did not get the answer he wanted, instead he got an explanation of who God is, and with that Job was satisfied. We should be too. There are a lot of things we cannot understand, but we can understand that God is always good. I know that is much, much easier to write than it is to live. Nevertheless, it is true, and because it is true it is helpful.

It is helpful because it keeps us from pushing God away, and enables us to draw near to Him for the help only He can give. That is also true when we are overcome with great sorrow, or confusion, or that awful numbness of emotional burnout, or anxiety, or despair, whatever tries to hold us captive within ourselves the truth will set us free.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 ESV

God is near to the broken-hearted Psalm 34:18. We may feel otherwise, but our feeling does not dictate reality, God does. God hold it all together, He is always in perfect control, and so embracing Him brings us to equilibrium,

“…The Lord is near do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5B-7 ESV

God invites us to come to Him with our anxieties, and sorrows. We can come to Him when our faith is weak, and find help; for remember that Jesus did not despise the man who needed help for his unbelief, but did for Him what was asked Matthew 9:23-25. The man of all sorrows has not forgotten what it is like to suffer.

Ah, but what if Heaven has gone silent? I wish to give an honest answer here, and pray the reader will not think me rash in giving it. God is never silent. He speaks through the pages of scripture. When we speak of God being silent it has more to do with our sensibilities than with His voice. We find Him silent because we want particular information and it is not forthcoming. Scripture speaks to that. There are other times where we think God mute because we have gone deaf. The Bible speaks to that situation as well: consider Psalm 42, and 73 for instance.

The most serious experience of silence comes from the overwhelming effects of pain. We find God muted simply because we hurt so much, and nothing seems to ease that pain. I wish very much that could be presence with each one who right now is resonating with this description. May God send one of His servants to minister His tender mercy, and lovingkindness with physical presence. You are not the first to find yourself in the dark night of the soul. Consider William Cowper’s hymn Heal us Emmanuel, or God Moves in a Mysterious Way. The latter song contains these lines,

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower

The same themes appear in hymns, and songs throughout the ages. In the present day we have such offerings as The Silence of God by Michael Card, the Rain Kept Falling by Andrew Peterson, and The Noon Day Demon by Francisco Ortega among a host of others.. Past and present the suffers in Christ sing together in chorus, we ought to heed them. Pray through the pain as best you can. The Spirit will help you. Even the feeble cry is enough to bring the good Shepherd in the right time. Do not lose heart beloved. My words can do but little against worldly woes, but the Word He has spoken will surely prevail. As has been said, “Earth has no sorrow which Heaven cannot heal.

How to recall this when we are so much consumed by trouble? Psalm 42 speaks to this very issue, and Martyn Lloyd Jones illuminates the text in book titled Spiritual Depression. We must continually preach truth to ourselves. Get it from the Bible, and from good books by trusted authors, and from truthful songs like those mentioned above. Most especially get it from fellows’ believers. It quite easy to fall neglect reaching out to brothers and sisters for help, just as it is easy to stop asking God for help.

God already knows all about what we are going through, but our fellow believers do not. Even those trained and ordained for ministry have no special powers of awareness to sense our distress unless we bring it to their attention. The words of James regarding illness should apply to our mental, and emotional, and spiritual infirmities as well,

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:14 ESV

Not only can these men preach the gospel to us personally, they can lift us up in prayer, and bring others in to do the same. When we find it hard to pray, we can ask others to pray for us. In doing this we are actually ministering to them by giving them the opportunity to minister to us. There is no shame in such requests, it not extraordinary weakness, but perfectly ordinary fellowship. As Paul told the Galatians sharing our burdens is a vital part of God’s design for His church.

These steps, like every step in every discipline are hardest at the beginning, and become easier as we repeat them. Exercising our spirit is just like exercising our bodies, the weight that is too much today will soon be easily handled if we persist. That is not the news we wish for today. Still, it is a sure hope. It is sure because it is a hope in God’s work, and not in ours.

Final Thoughts

Well, at the end of the matter what we have learned is only of use if we use it. That is my great and urgent hope, that by God’s grace this article might multiply prayers, and make them deeper, and broader, and cause them to go up without ceasing. Prayer has changed the world before, and it may well be used of God to change it again. More importantly, prayer has changed lives for the better. It is a sure answer for every season

Prayer is a privilege. It is a mark of God’s grace upon a life, and means of further grace in that life. The one who neglects prayer cuts off a source of a mighty source of grace from their life. The full extent of this wonderous supply-line of Heaven is beyond my comprehension. Still, it is certain that the one who forsakes it deals themselves a serious blow.

Prayer is indispensable in the life of every believer and every church. It realigns hearts with the heart of God. It realizes total reliance upon God. It brings glory to God, as He works with omnipotent might in answer to His children. It is commanded, and commended, and it has proven effective. Therefore let no one neglect this most necessary discipline. Let the churches do nothing apart from it, nor let any saint be without it. And may God prove the power of prayer again in this generation, to His glory. Amen.

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Jared Helms

Jared received his Bachelor of Arts from Bryan College in 2012, and his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017. He has pastored churches in Kentucky and Tennessee. Most importantly, Jared has walked with Christ most of his life. His interests extend from theology to church history, but he is particularly passionate about ecclesiology and homiletics.

Latest posts by Jared Helms (see all)

• An Introduction to Prayer - February 9, 2025
• Views From the Branch: God is There For You - February 8, 2025
• Views From the Branch: First Do No Harm & the Role of Christian Counseling - January 10, 2025