A Mature Christian Perspective on Prayer
“It is what it is.” When I hear someone dismissively assess a situation or circumstance with that expression of resignation, my initial reaction is to cringe at the implication that there’s nothing that can be done about it.
The notion that “it is what it is” is closely akin to one of the most pessimistic theological views ever articulated - “whatever will be will be”.
The way I feel about “giving in” to such a pessimistic prediction of our future is the way I feel when I hear someone exclaim, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. My stock answer to that particular assessment is, “Well, I’m glad the makers of black and white TV did not see it that way.”
If I did not believe there’s a chance for betterment in life, especially a Christian’s life, I would have quit discipling folks and doing Christian ministry a long time ago . . . .
The fact of the matter is that we were brought into a relationship with God through Christ so that, as children of God and joint heirs with Christ, we might keep on growing in the likeness of Christ until we all reach the highest level of maturity attainable for entering into that glorious experience awaiting all who are “in Christ” (believers and doers of the Word) in the hereafter.
Folks, the Cause for which Christ suffered, bled and died has come a long way since that day twenty centuries ago when our Lord’s Resurrection shocked His followers and subsequently ushered in the world-wide crusade known as the Church of Jesus Christ for spreading the Good News to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Needless to say, the world today is not the same as it was then. So many changes have occurred – some for better and some for worse – and so many people have inhabited the earth that the number is now inconceivable! With population explosion, there came an eruption of ideas that inevitably led to massive advances - most of which we have witnessed during our lifetime – all of which have contributed to what you might call a “good news, bad news” proposition:
The good news being that. Nowadays, we have so much available to us for the betterment of mankind - the bad news being that, along with the good, there has come into play a dramatic rise in evil, associated with the misuse and abuse of it all, to the extent that the world may be on the verge of the coming to pass of that warning found in Proverbs – “Pride goeth before a fall.” So, how do we as Christians deal with what appears at times to be a hopeless situation? Ephesians 6:10-18 . . .
In Ephesus – an area of about a quarter million people in Paul’s day -competing religions and philosophies vied for the undying devotion of its inhabitants, as is the case throughout the world today.
In America - on every hand, in every way, each and every day – we are being bombarded with propaganda intended to minimize if not cause the demise of Christianity.
To stand firm in our faith and thereby against evil, Paul made the case for “spiritual warfare” by using the analogy of a Roman soldier’s armor to describe “spiritual armor” that is needed to win the fight for right! “Getting it right as far as truth is concerned, getting it done as far as the spread of the gospel is concerned, getting ready to go marching in as far as God’s purpose for His people is concerned” is a plan that must not fail. Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him take a stand!
After all, “He who is not with me is against me!”? (Luke 11:23) Do you recall the context in which Jesus drew that conclusion?
It occurred in connection with His teaching on Prayer . . . then He told a story to illustrate his point that our Father in heaven gives the Holy Spirit to all who “ask, seek and knock” - immediately after that, He cast out an evil spirit, for which his critics publicly “condemned” Him, whereupon He told yet another story which led to that conclusion, “He who is not with me is against me.”
To be “with Jesus” is to take your stand against the devil’s schemes . . . stand your ground and not give in . . . stand firm on Christ the Solid Rock . . . speak the truth in love . . . live in peace within the family of God . . . be and do what’s right in God’s sight . . . imitate “agape” in all of our relationships . . . be cognizant of the presence and power of, and be led by, the Holy Spirit of God!
In and through it all, face every situation in prayer – consistently asking God . . . constantly seeking His will . . . cognizantly relying on the Holy Spirit’s help for persevering so as to never “give in” or “give up”.
If anyone had had a valid reason to resign himself to “it is what it is”, wouldn’t it have been this old ship-wrecked, battered, beaten down apostle who had “become all things to all men so that by all means he might win some”?
Paul had learned “in whatsoever state he found himself” to be content by constantly reminding himself of the believer’s hope in Christ Jesus– which, for a former persecutor of Christians, presented a “new attitude” accompanied by a mature understanding that “whatever will be will be” can be said only of God’s Plan but in no way applies to the will of evil men whose “rule or ruin” policy would seek to stamp out Christian influence by breaking one’s spirit or killing one’s body.
In the same vein of thought as the Apostle Paul’s, Martin Luther wrote “the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still.”
Through the ages, men and women of God have found themselves in need of prayer. So do we - and the kind of prayers we all need are prayers of “intercession” – which means that specific needs are presented to God, with explicit requests for Him to meet those needs!
Therefore, stay alert so that we might be aware of who needs our prayers; then be sure to follow through and intercede on their behalf– and, if necessary, use words. You see, more often than not we pray by way of thoughts and various nonverbal expressions of concern.
We feel for a person. Often we say, “I’ll be thinking about you.” Often we are asked, “Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.”
The Bible says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us. We may not know what to say when we pray, but the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us with “groans” that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)
Communion with God knows no limitations nor boundaries. There is no official language of communication with God. There are basic prayer principles of knowing to whom we pray, for whom we pray, and why we pray. And why do we pray? We do so because it is our heartfelt desire that “God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Mature Christians not only pray “thy will be done”, they keep on praying and never give up, for they (we) have learned - oftentimes while “riding out the storms” of life – that the Lord God is in the business of turning negatives into positives.
So, a mature Christian never gives up on God! God’s love never fails!
When our Lord’s closest disciples were about to resign themselves to the situation as it appeared to be, and some might even have said, “It is what it is”, God took the greatest negative the world has ever known – the crucifixion - and turned it into the greatest positive the world has ever known – the Resurrection.
What a change in attitude and actions occurred in the lives of those who had been “down in the dumps” on Saturday then learned on Sunday that God’s Glorious Plan of Redemption had been validated by the Resurrection of Jesus!
When we feel discouraged, disheartened, or defeated, remember: God is at work in and through every situation to bring about that which is best for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.
Be aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life as He prods you to make your requests known to God so that He may plead your case before God.
Why not make it our policy and practice to constantly and consistently “bow our heads in reverence”, or “humble our hearts” in silence, or “get on our knees” (as it were) before God?
When we do, the Spirit pleads not only our case, but that of others for whom we pray! Amen.
