Go! And Pray With Humble Dependence Series

Go! And Pray with Humble Dependence

Introduction

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges of the Christian life. It is not an attempt to manipulate God into giving us what we want, nor is it a performance to impress others. J.I. Packer wisely said, "The prayer of a Christian is not an attempt to force God’s hand, but a humble acknowledgement of helplessness and dependence."

Today, we will explore this truth through Scripture and consider what it means to pray with humility and dependence on God.

1. Prayer is an Expression of Humble Dependence on God

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) – "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Paul commands believers not to be anxious but to bring everything before God in prayer. The Greek word used for prayer here is "p??se???" (proseuche), meaning earnest supplication to God. It signifies a deep, continuous communion with the Lord. Prayer is not merely presenting requests; it is an act of surrender, acknowledging that we cannot handle life on our own.

Imagine a child asking their father for help tying their shoes. The child does not demand; they simply recognise their need and trust their father to assist them. Likewise, when we pray, we come as dependent children to our heavenly Father, trusting His wisdom and provision.

Pastor Timothy Keller once said, "To pray is to accept that we are and always will be wholly dependent on God for everything."

2. Prayer is Not About Changing God’s Will, but Aligning with It

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT) – "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."

John emphasises that effective prayer is aligned with God’s will. The Greek word for pleases here is "????µa" (thelema), meaning God’s divine purpose or desire. Prayer is not about imposing our plans on God but seeking His will.

Jesus Himself modelled this in Luke 22:42 (NLT) – "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Even in agony, Jesus prioritised the Father’s will over His own. Likewise, our prayers must seek alignment with God’s purposes.

Think of a sailboat adjusting its sails to the wind. A skilled sailor does not fight against the wind but adjusts to move in harmony with it. Similarly, in prayer, we adjust our hearts to move in alignment with God’s perfect will.

John Piper said, "Prayer causes things to happen that wouldn’t happen if you didn’t pray, but it does not put us in control; it puts God in control."

3. Prayer Requires Persistent Faith and Trust in God’s Timing

Luke 18:1 (NLT) – "One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up."

Jesus taught the parable of the persistent widow to emphasise the importance of persevering in prayer. The Greek word for never give up is "???a???" (ekkakeo), which means not to lose heart or become weary. God’s timing is often different from ours, but He calls us to trust Him completely.

James 5:16b (NLT) – "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

James encourages believers to pray with faith, knowing that God responds in His perfect way. We must trust that even when we do not see immediate answers, God is at work.

A farmer plants seeds and patiently waits for the harvest. He does not dig up the seeds every day to check their growth. Similarly, we must trust God’s process, knowing He answers in His perfect time.

Charles Spurgeon said, "God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart."

Final Application & Call to Action

Commit to Daily Prayer – Set aside intentional time each day to pray with humility and faith.

Pray According to God’s Will – Seek His guidance rather than imposing your desires.

Be Persistent in Prayer – Trust God’s timing and remain faithful even when answers seem delayed.

Invitation to Faith

If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus, the greatest prayer you can pray today is to surrender your life to Him. Romans 10:9 (NLT) – "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Will you make that decision today?

May we Go! And Pray with Humble Dependence, trusting that our loving Father hears and answers according to His perfect will. Amen.