David's Prayer Series

B. Petition for God’s Promise to Be Fulfilled (7:28-29)

And second, there is a petition for God’s promise to be fulfilled.

David concludes his prayer in verses 28-29, “And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” David asks God to do what he said he would do. And, of course, such a prayer is always God’s will.

Conclusion

Therefore, having analyzed David’s prayer in 2 Samuel 7:18-29, let us give attention to our prayers.

David’s prayer is a model for our own prayers. David gave praise for God’s plan, prayed for God’s people, and petitioned for God’s promise to be fulfilled. It is a model that can guide our praying even today.

Let me close with a few practical suggestions. I said earlier that I think that the most difficult thing to do as a Christian is to pray. Rather than feel guilty for not praying as you would like, let me offer some suggestions that may help you pray better.

First, plan to spend time each day in prayer. Set aside some time each day when you are able to be alone to pray.

Second, use a plan to guide your prayer. Make sure that your prayer includes praise, confession, thanksgiving, and petitions. A guide using the acronym of ACTS for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication is one such guide. I personally use the Lord’s Prayer as a guide. The point of using a guide is to make sure that your prayers are full and don’t just focus only on petitions.

Third, use a prayer list. A list enables me to keep track of things for which I pray. It also helps me know when and how God has answered my petitions. There are many different kinds of prayer lists. The simplest is just a notepad or three by five cards. There are a number of different apps that you can use to help you keep track of your prayers.

And finally, don’t give up. We have an enemy, Satan, who does not want us to pray. He doesn’t want us to praise God, confess our sins to him, thank him, or petition him for anything. Let me encourage you to forget about yesterday’s failure and pray today.

My dear brothers and sisters, let us give attention to our prayers. God will hear us when we turn to him in prayer. Amen.