2015 05 17 when you dont have a prayer
Prologue One month prior to this Pastor Tom reviewed Jesus response to his disciples, who asked Him to teach them how to pray. This exhortation is about when to pray and in particular what happens when you don’t have a prayer. In the culture of transparency and authenticity that we are aiming to nurture here at SVBC, it will come as no surprise that in the preparation of the topic for today, the enemy of my soul had his darts to throw. It will encourage you to know that Kathy and I have recently, again, worked through barriers to prayer herein cited. Therefore we are confident that with our Lord’s help and the counsel of the Holy Spirit you all as well will be able to nurture a healthy prayer life under God. This is not an event but a process to be sure. Notwithstanding in the interim for now we are again on track and in our Lord’s grip. How thankful we are for the work of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of our Lord, whose grace and mercy have secured our souls for eternity. The topic I am privileged to review with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ is one that I, with my lord’s guidance and my Pastor’s encouragement, am working on still. My intention is to encourage your prayer life, and in particular to exhort you to persevere until we are all safe home in that heavenly harbor with storms past and his commendation “well done good and faithful servant” becomes our own.
When You Don’t Have a Prayer An Exhortation
Elder Ted L. May17, 2015
On my fishing boat I have a VHF radio. My intention when I prepare to leave port is to have the switch on and the coast guard emergency channel open to channel 16. Many days offshore I do not talk on the radio but it is on and we listen to various reports including “securete’ “(eg. equipment in danger, storm warning), general shipping communications, and friendly communication between boats. “Mayday” (lives in danger) is fortunately not likely to be heard, but when boats are far offshore, a relayed message, or the response to a request for help could save a life. Sometimes the information transmitted by fellow boaters assists us to have a successful and enjoyable day on the water. Many times the open radio channel reminds us we are not alone. Prayer should be like that. Lots of listening and little talking. So often we believers are so busy rattling off our prayer requests that we have little inclination to listen to what is being communicated to us by the spirit of God in that still small voice. We seldom take time to discern it, and then we wonder if our prayer has been heard and why we are still all alone with our problems. God’s Power for Ministry Prayer ties together all the other elements of Discipleship. From Learning to Pray to a regular Habit of Prayer, Kingdom Disciples mature and grow. For Kingdom Disciples, prayer is the communication of the redeemed soul. It is the direct line through Jesus to the Father’s heart, transferring insight, understanding, wisdom and the power of God to the work of the ministry to which God has called us. John 14:13,14 “Whatever you ask in my name this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” The story is told of a preacher’s kid who wandered off in pursuit of life his way for a time. While seeking his fortune in the world he cast in his lot with a would be commercial fishermen, with whom he invested the last of his meager savings. The fishing boat they could afford was an old leaky tub in need of repair and before long they found themselves off shore with a serious storm approaching. The two bilge pumps were stalwart and had always managed to keep up with the leaky hull, but on this particular
day, with the seas rougher than usual, one of the marginal batteries hit the limit and gave out, leaving one bilge pump running that was “almost” able to keep up with the incoming water. As the gap between dry and sinking widened, the young man began manually bailing to buy a bit more reserve, before the storm arrived in full force. When the second bilge pump gave out, his partner skippering the boat cried out above the wind, you are a preacher’s kid why don’t you try praying?! The wayward son had an inkling that his distant relationship with God was not all that solid and must have remembered some of the teaching on unanswered prayer that may have disqualified his urgent request. Reluctant in prayer he continued bailing in silence a bit longer. Before very long, with the approaching storm and their boat filling with water he too agreed that prayer was the only thing they had left. Dear God he began, I think you will remember me, I am that preachers kid who wandered off some time ago. I have not bothered you for 15 years and I promise if you get us out of this mess that I won’t bother you for another 15 years! When I was a boy and especially as a young teenager I thought my connection with God and Christ’s finished work allowed me direct access to a God who was devoted to me, like a divine House Boy who would respond to my every whim and make things in life come out my way, or at least to my advantage. This viewpoint left me with a partially selfish perspective that as a believer had to be tempered by my relationship with God, which was NOT all about me. You can imagine my disappointment and even anger at a God who did not always accomplish my bidding. God is NOT a houseboy there to do our bidding! The sooner we can learn this lesson, the sooner God can begin to shape us into disciples who understand something of the response to his Lordship which leads to answered prayer for the benefit of that spiritual Kingdom and its citizens here on earth. Abba “Father” is used as a term of tender endearment by a beloved child… .in an affectionate, dependent, relationship with their father “Daddy”, “Papa”. You parents and grandparents will recall the first intelligible sounds a baby makes….. Ma, Da..da, but even before that , A… bba one of the simplest two syllable words we can say. Have you seen a toddler with a broken toy, his favorite toy, coming to his Father with tears in his eyes…. “Dada” he cries and does not have to say anything more. His Father sees and understands his broken state, but instead of grabbing the toy and running off to his workshop to fix it, he first picks up his child and comforts and reassures the child “don’t worry Daddy will fix it for you”. That project may require more time and attention from the Father than the toy is worth and the child may go to sleep with only the reassurance and none of the evidence, for the project may have several steps that could take a number of days. The child learns to trust the Father and happily receives the promised solution with a gratitude for the Father’s help that goes far beyond the gratitude for the Toy. Jesus reminds us of parents who give good gifts to their children Mathew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, knowhow 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!” Examples of Effective Prayers of Leaders of Old Soul’s Anchor in Sorrow So what are the rules around prayer, why are they sometimes answered and other times not? When is a disciple allowed to ask for his needs, wants and desires and when is he asking amiss? What does it mean when Jesus gives an answer to the disciples who marvel at the speed at which the fig tree withered on his command. Matthew 21: 21,22 “And Jesus answered them, Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” We have all these questions and some exciting vignettes of affirmative answers to prayer and yet often remained confused as to what prayer really is and how it works. Many times in the days of our immaturity in Christ, prayer is too much like that of the crisis prayer of the drowning fisherman PK. Other times like that teenager I knew, way too familiar and
presumptive. What is the nature of your struggle of Faith? Some believers find that it becomes too painful to pray. Others have lost hope. Still others have fallen asleep, lulled into a false sense of security while around them the battle rages unrecognized, the way Jesus disciples were oblivious to the metaphysical war Zone their master was engaged in with the enemy of his soul. He beseeches them and confronts them…. Mathew 26:38-44 “Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me”. And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Again for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done”. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, Leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.” His own followers left him to finish his prayers alone in sorrow! Request for Forgiveness and Mercy Daniel prays alone in Daniel 9:1-23…. Daniel appeals to God on the basis of God’s mercy and reputation of His Name with a request for forgiveness, after speaking the truth about his nation’s sin situation. The confession of sin goes on for a long time and the request for mercy is briefly mentioned at the end. Daniel confesses his sin and the sin of his people and while still in prayer Gabriel, the man seen in his earlier vision came to him in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice with the task of conferring insight and understanding. He assures Daniel the answer was given as soon as Daniel began to pray, and he even encourages him with a commendation “for you are highly esteemed”. He gives Daniel instruction to consider the message and understand the vision of the distant future. Let us pray for our nation. Perhaps on the basis of God’s great mercy a revival may yet come. Dear friends, these are big issues, beyond the ability of men to solve, but Daniel moves God’s arm in prayer, and so may we. Prayer for Strength in Weakness Consider Moses prayer in Battle Exodus 17:10-13 “So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” The significance of the uplifted hands is more than an army victory. There is documented in scripture following, the Lord’s judgment on the Amalekite nation to completely erase them from memory. Moses encapsulates the meaning of his posture that day in verse 16 “He said “for hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation”. “ Prayer in Face of Death Consider the prayers of Elijah in the face of death1Kings 17:19-24 for the Widow of Zarephath’s dead son. v22 ”the Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him and he lived”. Prayer Confronting Enemies –God’s Authority Demonstrated Consider the prayers of Elijah in the face of the enemy when confronting the 400 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. 1Kings 18:36-39 “At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you Lord are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then
the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench, When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord he is God! The Lord He is God!” “ What follows is an annihilation of the prophets of Baal who have demonstrated their idolatry to a dead god of their own making, a god who could not respond to any of their requests. Prayer of Intercession Elijah next bending down to the ground at the top of Mount Carmel places his head between his knees in a posture of intercessory prayer and remains there, sending his servant to check the skyline for signs of rain on seven occasions. Finally a small cloud described as the size of a man’s hand is seen on the horizon. Elijah warns Ahab to get going before the rain catches him and then the power of the Lord comes upon Elijah so that he runs ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel. Google describes Mt Carmel to Tel Yizra’el, which may be modern day Jezreel, as a distance of 48.7 km via route 672 and 51.4 km via route 66. A full marathon is considered 42.195 km or just over 26 miles for modern day athletes. Sounds like a gold medal race! Prayer of the Homesick When Elijah gets there Ahab the King tells Jezebel the evil Queen of the days events and she sends a messenger to Elijah to make sure he knows of her vow to assassinate him, in retaliation for the 400 prophets of her beloved Baal that he commanded be slaughtered in the Kishon valley. Elijah gets pretty rattled and runs for his life arriving in Beersheba where he leaves his servant and proceeds another days journey into the desert. His next lonely prayer is for death. Instead of answering this prayer, God sends him sustenance. Elijah falls asleep only to be awakened by an angel who feeds him freshly baked cakes and water. Elijah eats and lays down again. When awakened the second time he is again fed and hydrated by the Angel and is energized and strengthened. On that nourishment he is able to travel forty days and nights till he reaches Horeb, the mountain of God. Whatever those cakes were, that he ate, they must have been some amazing power bars! Elijah’s lament of loneliness in response to God’s question “what are you doing here?” culminates in verse 10 of 1Kings 19. …. ““I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”” God brings truth to bear on Elijah’s overwhelmed, stressed out misperceptions of the situation. First God teaches Elijah that though He is powerful, He is not to be found in wind, earthquake nor fire, but rather in a still small voice. A gentle whisper, and Elijah’s response is to pull his cloak over his face and draw near to listen. God gets Elijah to admit his fears and choices and sends him back the way he came, instructing him on his next assignments, including plans for succession. Then in verse 18 God adds a PS… ““Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel,-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”” Loneliness is often a myth, a myth perception of reality based upon the subjective nature of pain and suffering. This misperception often occurs when our mood is low and our spirit overwhelmed. Sorrow can do this. Chronic stress can do this. This can happen even to God’s leaders who have experienced his amazing intervention on their behalf. The eyes of our soul can easily drift from our object of trust and begin to focus on the fear of the threat before us. When this occurs, God remains faithful and instructive, guiding and teaching us and re commissioning us until His plans for us have been fulfilled. Prayer to the Father John 17 describes Jesus’ prayer to his Father. He starts with prayer for himself, then he prays for his Disciples for their protection and sanctification and then for all believers for their unity and that they may be characterized by the Love of God, and the abiding presence of Jesus. Prerequisite Prayer to all Prayers
Now one word of caution is needful here and I find it in a brief book called touching Heaven by Prayer by Saloff-Astakhoff. “The prayer of a sinner uttered when he is in difficult situation, other than the prayer for the forgiveness of his sins, is just an attempt to cash checks of God’s promises which have been issued to someone else, and such an attempt can never be successful. For the spirit of God says “God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth John 9:31.”” In modern English the words of the blind man that Jesus healed are in defense of the authenticity of Christ’s healing “We know that God does not listen to sinners, He listens to the godly man who does his will.” The only legitimate prayer for a non-believer and the pre requisite prayer to all other prayers, “God be merciful to me, a sinner, for Jesus sake. I believe Jesus died for my sin to satisfy the Father’s just requirements for my punishment. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I will have Jesus to rule over me from now on into eternity”. Now make no mistake about the transformation 2Cor 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has gone the new has come.” Welcome to your new life in Christ! Barriers to Prayer The sin barrier to prayer is noted for our instruction and warning from a man who had experienced the highs and lows of an authentic and transparent relationship with God. David in Psalm 66:16-19 writes: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” 1Peter 3:7 “Likewise, Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered”. The paradigm shift here is described in Gary Thomas book with God as a father in law when our wives are viewed as his daughter. What does God think of you as he watches how you treat his daughter? (Or son in the wife’s case). Wrong motives or indifference can also hinder our prayers and even require God’s discipline. James4:2, 3 ….”You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions”.
Other Prayers Encouraged Prayer for Wisdom Prayer for Wisdom is encouraged in James 1: 5-8 with a caution…. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Prayer for the Sick James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 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 then reminds us of Elijah’s human nature yet effectiveness in
prayer to God. Three and a half years of no rain in response to his prayers, and then rain the afternoon Elijah prayed for it. Prayer When Anxious Phil 4: 5b-7 “The Lord is at hand; 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.” Now there is a cure for neurosis that is free for the asking and the inner security of God’s peace, defying explanation, will anchor our souls. Prayer to Focus our Trust Ps 121 David focuses our thoughts on the object of our trust, the Lord, creator of heaven and earth, guardian and sustainer of our very lives. Prayer to this God can restore this focus. Persevering in Prayer Luke 18:1 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up”. This is the parable of the persistent Widow. Vs 8 “I tell you he (God) will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (This is a personal question). Faith and prayer go together, persistent problems lead us to persistent Prayer. I have repented of my lack of faith at those moments of failure in my life. The faithless prayer is a rude, unjust, indictment of a gracious merciful God who has already shown himself to be faithful, but who is accused in our minds, which have been deceived by the enemy of our soul, that God is ignoring us. It sounds like this…. Dear God IF you are there…… and follows a request that may be misguided, or wrongly intentioned, or blocked by a bad attitude or by sin or simply clouded out by the subjective nature of pain and fear. In Psalm 103, of David, is a comforting verse from a Man after God’s own heart who himself was at times out of favor with God….. Ps 103 :13,14 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” When You Don’t Have a Prayer What if you are spiritually bankrupt or confused or pinned down by the crossfire of the enemy of your soul? What if you really don’t have a prayer? We are reminded in Romans 8:26-27 of the ministry of the Spirit of God for us….. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Mr. Saloff-Astakhoff in his book “Touching Heaven by Prayer” takes this a step further. He writes. “One thing is definite and clear, and that is that true prayer cannot be the expression of feelings prompted by the flesh, it is actuated by the Holy Spirit of God. God is holy, and prayer that goes up to Him must be holy and pure; it must be inspired by and through the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit reveals to the sinner his lost condition, reveals to him the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for his sins, and impels him to cry to God for Forgiveness of sin. And Prayer that is thus impelled by the Spirit of God, ascends to the Lord, and in answer to such prayer God saves the sinner. Then the believer has needs, which in his own power he is unable to meet. He is very occupied with work, he is ill, or is in circumstances that he cannot meet. The holy spirit lovingly reminds him that he has a Father who is ever ready to help him in his needs the prayer thus prompted by the spirit goes up to the throne of God and the needed help is sent at the right time.”
Oh dear Brother and Sister in Christ, where are you at with your prayer life? Have you given up? Are you persevering? Is it too painful to pray? Are there un-confessed sins blocking your prayer life? Do you have a wrong attitude toward your spouse that is hindering your prayers? Do you pray selfishly for the things you lust after so that God has to withhold response in order to grow you up in the Faith? Have you prayed in the Spirit to the point where His peace and the presence of the Spirit of God comforts your soul even though the answers to your prayers may wait months or years in the process? Do you pray as a regular custom and discipline receiving his daily measure of strength or with confidence in his ability to carry you? Has your perspective been eclipsed by the subjective nature of your pain? Do you need a brother or sister in Christ to begin the prayer with you and stand with you until your perspective is restored? We are instructed to carry one another’s burdens. When will we give occasion to accomplish this God given privilege?
Do you realize how highly esteemed you are by the God, who has redeemed you? By the angels, who marvel at the gift of your salvation? By the spirit, who comforts and counsels you day and night? By Jesus, who gave his life for you? Your value is beyond measure and is defined by Christ’s finished work for you. Please pray about this until you find truth from the Spirit of God himself. Thereafter, whenever the enemy of your soul taunts you, return to the foot of the cross in confession of sin and he will have to flee. You are God’s child and nothing can snatch you out of His hand. Ask Him for what is needful on the basis of His character of grace, mercy and love. Receive his discipline and his provision together and wait upon him with no plan B. Pray until his peace envelopes your soul, and the spirit, who heals all your infirmities, comforts you and counsels you, with the still small voice that a child will respond to. Take time to hear it. Receive and Obey. If you don’t have a prayer, rest in Him while the Holy Spirit prays for you. Cry to the Father when you can, “Abba” is His name, a baby can say that! Benediction Exhortation from Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Amen
When You Don’t Have a Prayer An Exhortation
Elder Ted L. May17, 2015
On my fishing boat I have a VHF radio. My intention when I prepare to leave port is to have the switch on and the coast guard emergency channel open to channel 16. Many days offshore I do not talk on the radio but it is on and we listen to various reports including “securete’ “(eg. equipment in danger, storm warning), general shipping communications, and friendly communication between boats. “Mayday” (lives in danger) is fortunately not likely to be heard, but when boats are far offshore, a relayed message, or the response to a request for help could save a life. Sometimes the information transmitted by fellow boaters assists us to have a successful and enjoyable day on the water. Many times the open radio channel reminds us we are not alone. Prayer should be like that. Lots of listening and little talking. So often we believers are so busy rattling off our prayer requests that we have little inclination to listen to what is being communicated to us by the spirit of God in that still small voice. We seldom take time to discern it, and then we wonder if our prayer has been heard and why we are still all alone with our problems. God’s Power for Ministry Prayer ties together all the other elements of Discipleship. From Learning to Pray to a regular Habit of Prayer, Kingdom Disciples mature and grow. For Kingdom Disciples, prayer is the communication of the redeemed soul. It is the direct line through Jesus to the Father’s heart, transferring insight, understanding, wisdom and the power of God to the work of the ministry to which God has called us. John 14:13,14 “Whatever you ask in my name this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” The story is told of a preacher’s kid who wandered off in pursuit of life his way for a time. While seeking his fortune in the world he cast in his lot with a would be commercial fishermen, with whom he invested the last of his meager savings. The fishing boat they could afford was an old leaky tub in need of repair and before long they found themselves off shore with a serious storm approaching. The two bilge pumps were stalwart and had always managed to keep up with the leaky hull, but on this particular
day, with the seas rougher than usual, one of the marginal batteries hit the limit and gave out, leaving one bilge pump running that was “almost” able to keep up with the incoming water. As the gap between dry and sinking widened, the young man began manually bailing to buy a bit more reserve, before the storm arrived in full force. When the second bilge pump gave out, his partner skippering the boat cried out above the wind, you are a preacher’s kid why don’t you try praying?! The wayward son had an inkling that his distant relationship with God was not all that solid and must have remembered some of the teaching on unanswered prayer that may have disqualified his urgent request. Reluctant in prayer he continued bailing in silence a bit longer. Before very long, with the approaching storm and their boat filling with water he too agreed that prayer was the only thing they had left. Dear God he began, I think you will remember me, I am that preachers kid who wandered off some time ago. I have not bothered you for 15 years and I promise if you get us out of this mess that I won’t bother you for another 15 years! When I was a boy and especially as a young teenager I thought my connection with God and Christ’s finished work allowed me direct access to a God who was devoted to me, like a divine House Boy who would respond to my every whim and make things in life come out my way, or at least to my advantage. This viewpoint left me with a partially selfish perspective that as a believer had to be tempered by my relationship with God, which was NOT all about me. You can imagine my disappointment and even anger at a God who did not always accomplish my bidding. God is NOT a houseboy there to do our bidding! The sooner we can learn this lesson, the sooner God can begin to shape us into disciples who understand something of the response to his Lordship which leads to answered prayer for the benefit of that spiritual Kingdom and its citizens here on earth. Abba “Father” is used as a term of tender endearment by a beloved child… .in an affectionate, dependent, relationship with their father “Daddy”, “Papa”. You parents and grandparents will recall the first intelligible sounds a baby makes….. Ma, Da..da, but even before that , A… bba one of the simplest two syllable words we can say. Have you seen a toddler with a broken toy, his favorite toy, coming to his Father with tears in his eyes…. “Dada” he cries and does not have to say anything more. His Father sees and understands his broken state, but instead of grabbing the toy and running off to his workshop to fix it, he first picks up his child and comforts and reassures the child “don’t worry Daddy will fix it for you”. That project may require more time and attention from the Father than the toy is worth and the child may go to sleep with only the reassurance and none of the evidence, for the project may have several steps that could take a number of days. The child learns to trust the Father and happily receives the promised solution with a gratitude for the Father’s help that goes far beyond the gratitude for the Toy. Jesus reminds us of parents who give good gifts to their children Mathew 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, knowhow 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!” Examples of Effective Prayers of Leaders of Old Soul’s Anchor in Sorrow So what are the rules around prayer, why are they sometimes answered and other times not? When is a disciple allowed to ask for his needs, wants and desires and when is he asking amiss? What does it mean when Jesus gives an answer to the disciples who marvel at the speed at which the fig tree withered on his command. Matthew 21: 21,22 “And Jesus answered them, Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” We have all these questions and some exciting vignettes of affirmative answers to prayer and yet often remained confused as to what prayer really is and how it works. Many times in the days of our immaturity in Christ, prayer is too much like that of the crisis prayer of the drowning fisherman PK. Other times like that teenager I knew, way too familiar and
presumptive. What is the nature of your struggle of Faith? Some believers find that it becomes too painful to pray. Others have lost hope. Still others have fallen asleep, lulled into a false sense of security while around them the battle rages unrecognized, the way Jesus disciples were oblivious to the metaphysical war Zone their master was engaged in with the enemy of his soul. He beseeches them and confronts them…. Mathew 26:38-44 “Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me”. And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Again for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done”. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, Leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.” His own followers left him to finish his prayers alone in sorrow! Request for Forgiveness and Mercy Daniel prays alone in Daniel 9:1-23…. Daniel appeals to God on the basis of God’s mercy and reputation of His Name with a request for forgiveness, after speaking the truth about his nation’s sin situation. The confession of sin goes on for a long time and the request for mercy is briefly mentioned at the end. Daniel confesses his sin and the sin of his people and while still in prayer Gabriel, the man seen in his earlier vision came to him in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice with the task of conferring insight and understanding. He assures Daniel the answer was given as soon as Daniel began to pray, and he even encourages him with a commendation “for you are highly esteemed”. He gives Daniel instruction to consider the message and understand the vision of the distant future. Let us pray for our nation. Perhaps on the basis of God’s great mercy a revival may yet come. Dear friends, these are big issues, beyond the ability of men to solve, but Daniel moves God’s arm in prayer, and so may we. Prayer for Strength in Weakness Consider Moses prayer in Battle Exodus 17:10-13 “So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” The significance of the uplifted hands is more than an army victory. There is documented in scripture following, the Lord’s judgment on the Amalekite nation to completely erase them from memory. Moses encapsulates the meaning of his posture that day in verse 16 “He said “for hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord. The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation”. “ Prayer in Face of Death Consider the prayers of Elijah in the face of death1Kings 17:19-24 for the Widow of Zarephath’s dead son. v22 ”the Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him and he lived”. Prayer Confronting Enemies –God’s Authority Demonstrated Consider the prayers of Elijah in the face of the enemy when confronting the 400 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. 1Kings 18:36-39 “At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you Lord are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then
the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench, When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord he is God! The Lord He is God!” “ What follows is an annihilation of the prophets of Baal who have demonstrated their idolatry to a dead god of their own making, a god who could not respond to any of their requests. Prayer of Intercession Elijah next bending down to the ground at the top of Mount Carmel places his head between his knees in a posture of intercessory prayer and remains there, sending his servant to check the skyline for signs of rain on seven occasions. Finally a small cloud described as the size of a man’s hand is seen on the horizon. Elijah warns Ahab to get going before the rain catches him and then the power of the Lord comes upon Elijah so that he runs ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel. Google describes Mt Carmel to Tel Yizra’el, which may be modern day Jezreel, as a distance of 48.7 km via route 672 and 51.4 km via route 66. A full marathon is considered 42.195 km or just over 26 miles for modern day athletes. Sounds like a gold medal race! Prayer of the Homesick When Elijah gets there Ahab the King tells Jezebel the evil Queen of the days events and she sends a messenger to Elijah to make sure he knows of her vow to assassinate him, in retaliation for the 400 prophets of her beloved Baal that he commanded be slaughtered in the Kishon valley. Elijah gets pretty rattled and runs for his life arriving in Beersheba where he leaves his servant and proceeds another days journey into the desert. His next lonely prayer is for death. Instead of answering this prayer, God sends him sustenance. Elijah falls asleep only to be awakened by an angel who feeds him freshly baked cakes and water. Elijah eats and lays down again. When awakened the second time he is again fed and hydrated by the Angel and is energized and strengthened. On that nourishment he is able to travel forty days and nights till he reaches Horeb, the mountain of God. Whatever those cakes were, that he ate, they must have been some amazing power bars! Elijah’s lament of loneliness in response to God’s question “what are you doing here?” culminates in verse 10 of 1Kings 19. …. ““I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”” God brings truth to bear on Elijah’s overwhelmed, stressed out misperceptions of the situation. First God teaches Elijah that though He is powerful, He is not to be found in wind, earthquake nor fire, but rather in a still small voice. A gentle whisper, and Elijah’s response is to pull his cloak over his face and draw near to listen. God gets Elijah to admit his fears and choices and sends him back the way he came, instructing him on his next assignments, including plans for succession. Then in verse 18 God adds a PS… ““Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel,-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”” Loneliness is often a myth, a myth perception of reality based upon the subjective nature of pain and suffering. This misperception often occurs when our mood is low and our spirit overwhelmed. Sorrow can do this. Chronic stress can do this. This can happen even to God’s leaders who have experienced his amazing intervention on their behalf. The eyes of our soul can easily drift from our object of trust and begin to focus on the fear of the threat before us. When this occurs, God remains faithful and instructive, guiding and teaching us and re commissioning us until His plans for us have been fulfilled. Prayer to the Father John 17 describes Jesus’ prayer to his Father. He starts with prayer for himself, then he prays for his Disciples for their protection and sanctification and then for all believers for their unity and that they may be characterized by the Love of God, and the abiding presence of Jesus. Prerequisite Prayer to all Prayers
Now one word of caution is needful here and I find it in a brief book called touching Heaven by Prayer by Saloff-Astakhoff. “The prayer of a sinner uttered when he is in difficult situation, other than the prayer for the forgiveness of his sins, is just an attempt to cash checks of God’s promises which have been issued to someone else, and such an attempt can never be successful. For the spirit of God says “God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth John 9:31.”” In modern English the words of the blind man that Jesus healed are in defense of the authenticity of Christ’s healing “We know that God does not listen to sinners, He listens to the godly man who does his will.” The only legitimate prayer for a non-believer and the pre requisite prayer to all other prayers, “God be merciful to me, a sinner, for Jesus sake. I believe Jesus died for my sin to satisfy the Father’s just requirements for my punishment. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I will have Jesus to rule over me from now on into eternity”. Now make no mistake about the transformation 2Cor 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has gone the new has come.” Welcome to your new life in Christ! Barriers to Prayer The sin barrier to prayer is noted for our instruction and warning from a man who had experienced the highs and lows of an authentic and transparent relationship with God. David in Psalm 66:16-19 writes: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” 1Peter 3:7 “Likewise, Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered”. The paradigm shift here is described in Gary Thomas book with God as a father in law when our wives are viewed as his daughter. What does God think of you as he watches how you treat his daughter? (Or son in the wife’s case). Wrong motives or indifference can also hinder our prayers and even require God’s discipline. James4:2, 3 ….”You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions”.
Other Prayers Encouraged Prayer for Wisdom Prayer for Wisdom is encouraged in James 1: 5-8 with a caution…. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Prayer for the Sick James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 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 then reminds us of Elijah’s human nature yet effectiveness in
prayer to God. Three and a half years of no rain in response to his prayers, and then rain the afternoon Elijah prayed for it. Prayer When Anxious Phil 4: 5b-7 “The Lord is at hand; 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.” Now there is a cure for neurosis that is free for the asking and the inner security of God’s peace, defying explanation, will anchor our souls. Prayer to Focus our Trust Ps 121 David focuses our thoughts on the object of our trust, the Lord, creator of heaven and earth, guardian and sustainer of our very lives. Prayer to this God can restore this focus. Persevering in Prayer Luke 18:1 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up”. This is the parable of the persistent Widow. Vs 8 “I tell you he (God) will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (This is a personal question). Faith and prayer go together, persistent problems lead us to persistent Prayer. I have repented of my lack of faith at those moments of failure in my life. The faithless prayer is a rude, unjust, indictment of a gracious merciful God who has already shown himself to be faithful, but who is accused in our minds, which have been deceived by the enemy of our soul, that God is ignoring us. It sounds like this…. Dear God IF you are there…… and follows a request that may be misguided, or wrongly intentioned, or blocked by a bad attitude or by sin or simply clouded out by the subjective nature of pain and fear. In Psalm 103, of David, is a comforting verse from a Man after God’s own heart who himself was at times out of favor with God….. Ps 103 :13,14 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” When You Don’t Have a Prayer What if you are spiritually bankrupt or confused or pinned down by the crossfire of the enemy of your soul? What if you really don’t have a prayer? We are reminded in Romans 8:26-27 of the ministry of the Spirit of God for us….. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Mr. Saloff-Astakhoff in his book “Touching Heaven by Prayer” takes this a step further. He writes. “One thing is definite and clear, and that is that true prayer cannot be the expression of feelings prompted by the flesh, it is actuated by the Holy Spirit of God. God is holy, and prayer that goes up to Him must be holy and pure; it must be inspired by and through the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit reveals to the sinner his lost condition, reveals to him the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for his sins, and impels him to cry to God for Forgiveness of sin. And Prayer that is thus impelled by the Spirit of God, ascends to the Lord, and in answer to such prayer God saves the sinner. Then the believer has needs, which in his own power he is unable to meet. He is very occupied with work, he is ill, or is in circumstances that he cannot meet. The holy spirit lovingly reminds him that he has a Father who is ever ready to help him in his needs the prayer thus prompted by the spirit goes up to the throne of God and the needed help is sent at the right time.”
Oh dear Brother and Sister in Christ, where are you at with your prayer life? Have you given up? Are you persevering? Is it too painful to pray? Are there un-confessed sins blocking your prayer life? Do you have a wrong attitude toward your spouse that is hindering your prayers? Do you pray selfishly for the things you lust after so that God has to withhold response in order to grow you up in the Faith? Have you prayed in the Spirit to the point where His peace and the presence of the Spirit of God comforts your soul even though the answers to your prayers may wait months or years in the process? Do you pray as a regular custom and discipline receiving his daily measure of strength or with confidence in his ability to carry you? Has your perspective been eclipsed by the subjective nature of your pain? Do you need a brother or sister in Christ to begin the prayer with you and stand with you until your perspective is restored? We are instructed to carry one another’s burdens. When will we give occasion to accomplish this God given privilege?
Do you realize how highly esteemed you are by the God, who has redeemed you? By the angels, who marvel at the gift of your salvation? By the spirit, who comforts and counsels you day and night? By Jesus, who gave his life for you? Your value is beyond measure and is defined by Christ’s finished work for you. Please pray about this until you find truth from the Spirit of God himself. Thereafter, whenever the enemy of your soul taunts you, return to the foot of the cross in confession of sin and he will have to flee. You are God’s child and nothing can snatch you out of His hand. Ask Him for what is needful on the basis of His character of grace, mercy and love. Receive his discipline and his provision together and wait upon him with no plan B. Pray until his peace envelopes your soul, and the spirit, who heals all your infirmities, comforts you and counsels you, with the still small voice that a child will respond to. Take time to hear it. Receive and Obey. If you don’t have a prayer, rest in Him while the Holy Spirit prays for you. Cry to the Father when you can, “Abba” is His name, a baby can say that! Benediction Exhortation from Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Amen
