NOTES ON PRAYER ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
by Andrew Chan, Senior Pastor, PBC, Vancouver, BC
Colossians 4:2 Paul says "devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." How do we devote ourselves to prayer? How do we make it really work today?
“The number one reason prayer doesn’t work for saints is because we have taken a wartime walkie-talkie and turned it into a domestic intercom,” said John Piper.
People live differently when they are in the midst of war, he emphasized. Not only are they on the alert, armed and vigilant, but they also spend their money differently because “the cause of the front line is everything,” he said. “War brings such a massive change in the way you live your life.”
Christians in America easily display their lack of a wartime mentality, he said. They think about how to get more comfortable and more secure, how to multiply their comforts and ease, justifying it all with 10,000 types of sugarcoated ministries.
This war currently raging is worse than what occurred in World War II because “the conflict isn’t just restricted to any global theater,” Piper said. “It’s in every town, every city, every home and family, every church. The casualties don’t just lose an arm, an eye, a leg, or their own life. They lose their souls. They enter not into any prison camp, but into Hell forever and ever.”
During this war, God’s mission for His people is for them to pray, Piper said. Unfortunately, “people have simply stopped believing that life is war.”
Instead of using prayer as God intended -- as a powerful force along with “the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” against the powers of darkness in this world -- Christians use prayer ineffectively, so “it malfunctions as it is strung up with little wires all through the cabins, the cars and all through the nice places. We try simply to make our lives more comfortable with prayer.”
The bullets of spiritual warfare are “flying over our heads, people falling all around us, blood everywhere, Hell filling up with lost people,” he said. During it all, “we’re getting our second houses and our second cars, our nice clothes and our fat retirements, our comfortable, safe neighborhoods, while the world can just perish, thank you.”
A. INTRODUCTION: Jesus’ Example
Begin lesson in praying with Christ as the Prime Example.David Watson writes in his book called Discipleship: “If Jesus found it absolutely essential to be constant in prayer, how much more should we.”
How did Jesus prayed?
Dallas Willard in The Spirit of the Disciplines (1988,p.9) reminded me that it is important to be really prepared as Christ was. He did not just overnight become the Messiah and Savior of the world. And he was not a merely a one hit wonder, but He powerfully and lovingly ministered with a depth of spiritual power, insight and love that has no parallel. Willard wrote this:
Asking ourselves “What would Jesus do?” when suddenly in the face of an important situation is not adequate discipline or preparation to enable one to live as he lived. It no doubt will do some good and is certainly better than nothing at all, but that act alone is not sufficient to see us boldly and confidently through a crisis, and we could easily find ourselves driven to despair over the powerless tension it will put us through.
Interesting, as Dr. G. Campbell Morgan observed, it is not the request of disciples in Lk.11 to say: "teach us how to pray"... but to pray – not just know in theory but to actually practice it - I.e. to pray passionately, in intimacy to Abba, to pray differently from mere rote, with personal relationship in view. It seems to me that the disciples know how to pray - i.e. the mechanics of it. They have probably been taught several models of prayer in the synagogues and have seen others but when they saw Jesus pray to God it seems different. They look at Jesus the way he was praying and it inspired them to say "Lord teach us to pray" not how to, but to pray like Him....
What Can Learn From The Bible About Satan?
Scripture teaches us about the enemy of our souls, one who would like nothing better than to stop real prayer to God. So we need to learnn a bit about what he will do.
Genesis 3
He makes us doubt God’s Word
Genesis 3:1;
He deceives us
Genesis 3:4
He casts doubts on the character of God
Genesis 3:5
Job 1
He is accountable to God
Job 1:6
His thoughts are open to God
Job 1:7
Satan cannot know the future
Job 1:9-11
God put limitations on what Satan can do
Job 1:12 Luke 22:31
Satan is real and active on earth
Job 1:7 1Peter 5:9
Matthew 4
He is resistant to truth
Jesus quoted scripture
He is a tempter
3 times
James
What is the source of the temptations?
James 1:13-15
What makes the devil run?
James 4:7
Paul’s dealings with Satan
Satan hindered Paul
2Cor. 12:9 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18
Paul’s method for dealing with Satan
2Cor. 12:8; Eph 6:10-18; Stand firm and PRAY!
1. The way His ministry COMMENCED.
While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. THEN AS HE PRAYED, the sky opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, “You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.” Lk.3:21-22 (CEV)
May we too sense this strongly in our relationship with God that we feel His love and acceptance and how proud He is that we are called the children of God. Read I John 3:1-3 (NKJV):
1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
May our hearts not be hardened to the point we cannot feel the pleasure God has in us His kids! As Jonathan Edwards wrote: “holiness of heart or true religion lies very much in the affections of the heart.” Do we have a heart of stone or flesh, confidence in the goodness and kindness of our God? Does the work on our behalf finished on the cross make sense in our inner being? Rejoice o Kids of the kingdom, He loves you like a proud Daddy so that as we pray we would feel the pleasure of God!
2. The way His ministry was CHARACTERIZED.
The next morning JESUS AWOKE LONG BEFORE DAYBREAK and went out ALONE into the wilderness to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. They said, “Everyone is asking for you.” But he replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too, because that is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling demons from many people. Mk.1:35-39 (NLT)
See how Jesus Himself, though aware of His mission, needed to keep His relationship with His Father fresh. He was deeply in touch with the Father, never forgetting to recharge the batteries. That gives His mission power. If we are to keep being mission-minded we need support from God in prayer most acutely.
A.W. Tozer in his book The Roots of the Righteous (1955) in his chapter “We Must Give Time to God” noted:
“The temptation to make our relation to God judicial instead of personal is very strong. Believing for salvation has these days been reduced to a once-done act that requires no further attention. The young believer becomes aware of an act performed rather than of a living Saviour to be followed and adored.”
He goes on further saying:
“Progress in the Christian life I exactly equal to the growing knowledge we gain o the Triune God in personal experience. And such experience requires a whole life devoted to it and plenty of time spent at the holy task of cultivating God. God can be known satisfactorily only as we devote time to Him… there is no short cut to sanctity”
3. The way His ministry was CONDUCTED even when he got busy and famous.
News about Jesus kept spreading. Large crowds came to listen to him teach and to be healed of their diseases. But JESUS WOULD OFTEN GO TO SOME PLACE where he could be ALONE AND PRAY. Lk.5:15-16 (NLT)
Another great quote from A.W. Tozer in his book The Roots of the Righteous (1955) in his chapter “We Must
Give Time to God”:
“A thousand distractions would woo us away from thoughts of God, but if we are wise we will sternly put them from us and make room for the King and take time to entertain Him. Some things may be neglected with but little lose to the spiritual life, but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we cannot afford it. God will respond to our efforts to know Him. The Bible tells us; it is a matter of how much determination we bring to the holy task.”
4. The way He CHOSE the Twelve
One day soon afterward Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he PRAYED to God ALL NIGHT. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Lk.6:12-13 (NLT)
5. The way His ministry on earth was COMPLETED.
Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go on ahead to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and WATCH WITH ME.” Matt.26:36-38 (NLT)
And when Jesus had CRIED OUT with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” Lk.23:36-47 (NKJV)
6. The way His ministry in heaven CONTINUES.
But Jesus will never die, and so he will be a priest forever! He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always LIVES TO SPEAK TO GOD FOR THEM. Heb.7:24-25 (CEV)
Jesus had never stopped praying, still interceding for us. Amazing, that He lives now to speak to God for us!
Conclusion:
If the Lord Jesus Himself is immersed in a lifestyle of prayer, punctuated with many prayer retreats and even continues to intercede even from heaven, what does that say to us? I trust this will inspire all of us to examine our fellowship/relationship with God. If we are to follow Jesus, surely it makes sense to follow His lead in prayer.
B. THIRST FOR GOD.
1. Prayer makes sense only when there is a genuine longing for God to be satisfy our emptiness.
Are you thirsting for God (see Ps.42)?
2. What is Christ’s answer (John 7:37-39)?
In the book, Experiencing God Through Prayer Madame Guyon noted: “I found it easy to obtain the presence of God. He desires to be more present to us than we are to seek Him. He desires to give Himself to us far more readily than we are to receive Him.”
C. THE GIFT
Starting Point in Praying : God is Easy to Live With because of the G.I.F.T.
8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a GIFT from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Eph.2:8-9 (NLT)
1. G - GRACE: (Romans 5:1-11) - NB it’s about faith in a good and loving God revealed in Christ, experienced in our hearts by the Spirit poured into us
AW Tozer in his book The Root of Righteous said:
“Much Christianity since the days of Christ’s flesh has…been grim and severe. And the cause … an unworthy view or an inadequate view of God…. Unfortunately, many Christians cannot get free from their perverted notions of God, and these notions poison their hearts and destroy their inward freedom. These friends serve God grimly, as the elder brother did, doing what is right without enthusiasm and without joy, and seem altogether unable to understand the buoyant, spirited celebration when the prodigal comes home. Their idea of God rules out the possibility of His being happy in His people… How good it would be if we could learn that God is easy to live with…We please Him most, not by frantically trying to make ourselves good, but by throwing ourselves into His arms with our imperfections, and believing that He understands everything and loves us still.”
2. I – I NVITATION: (Matt.11:28-29) - Jesus invites, longing to give us rest.
“Today the heart of God is an open wound of love, He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence. And He is inviting you and me to come home, to come to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created…He invites us into the living room of his heart where we can put on old slippers and share freely. He invites us into the kitchen of his friendship where chatter and batter mix in good fun. He invites us into the dining room of his strength, we where can feast to our heart’s delight… He invites us into the bedroom of his rest where new peace is found, where we can be naked and vulnerable and free. It is also the place of deepest intimacy, where we know and are known to the fullest ” (Richard Foster in Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home)
See how God wants His people to have freedom and party on with Him, celebrating in His presence:
“Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—even on a donkey’s colt..” Zech. 9:9 (NLT)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!…The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Phlp.4:4-6 (NIV)
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will fear disaster no more.
16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! 17 For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.” Zeph.3:14-17 (NLT)
3. F - FREEDOM: (Gal.5)
Freedom from the clutches of law and the heavy burden of fulfilling it by trusting with faith in our hearts in the power of the Spirit what Christ has done for us. It is never about what we can physically do such as circumcision. Freedom must be understood in context of Christ’s finished work on the cross and that is why approaching God with love and service now is our glory and privilege (v.6, 14, 15). This is not a license to indulge in sin (v.13).
This freedom is seen practically in how God helps us in reaching Him when we are…
1. CAN’T PRAY: He knows we are weak as we constantly battle against sin (v.16) That is why we are counseled to live by the Spirit and He will help in us in our prayer life (Rom.8:26-27, Jude 20).
2. CAN’T PRODUCE: Fruit of the Spirit, not fruit of our will-power or determination (v.22-23). Hence, the need to be immersed in Spirit of the Disciplines (Eph.5:18, 6:10-20), immersed in God’s Word, prayer, service, fellowship, worship.
3. CAUGHT IN SIN: There’s always restoration/forgiveness with genuine Christ-like loving accountability in the church (6:1-2).
4. T – TOOLS
In the OT, God wanted to dwell with His people, so He ordered the building of the Tabernacle. He could have by magic produced a tabernacle out of thin air. Instead, He equipped people with gifts and skills to build a dwelling place (Ex.31:1-6). Similarly, today He has equipped people with tools or spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ and grow up in Him ( 1 Cor.12, Rom.12, Eph.4:11-16). There is a need to come together to be encouraged to pray and be taught to pray (Heb.10:25). God has gifted the church with all sorts of gifts for us to be edified and to grow. Do we use those tools?
D. POINTERS REGARDING PRAYER.
1. P - Praise
Adoration of God, seeking His glory is ultimate in prayer. We are not make God to be a celestial bell-hop or a slot-machine. We are to declare His praises! 1 Pet.2:9; Lk.11:1-2; Acts 16:25; Ps.95, Ps.150:6
2. O – Obedience.
An obedient life is a key to powerful prayer. Is.59:1-2; Jas.1:22, 5:16; 1 Jn:1:9, 3:22; Jn.15:7; 1 Pet.3:7
3. I - Inner Motives
We need to examine our motives when we pray. Jas.4:3; Ps.37:4, Matt.6:5-6, 33.
4. N – Name of Christ.
Access to the presence and power of God is through the authoritative name of Jesus - John 14:6, 13-14; 16:23-24,26
5. T- Thanksgiving
If we are not thankful, it makes no sense at all to pray. 1 Thess.5:18, Philp.4:6; Ps.100:4; Mt.26:27, Mk.8:6
6. E – Expectancy
Look out for answers to prayer. Expect God to work! Knowing and claiming God’s promises helps a lot here. Mk.11:24; Rom.4:18-21
7. R – Rest
Take time to rest, be silent, lifting the eyes to the Lord.. It is not a marathon of blabbing or babbling or bringing out a shopping list of items for God to do. Mt.6:7-8; Ps.123:1-2, Ps.131, Is.40:30-31.
8. S – Seeking Faith.
A faith that’s always seeking God’s priorities and persistent, never giving up is sought after by God. Mt.6:33; Lk.18:1-14, 27, Heb.4:15-16.
E. CORPORATE UNITED PRAYER
There is a need to be empowered by the prayer of others (Col.4:2-4). When we are one, as expressed in God’s heart (John 17:21) something special seems to happen.
1. David Watson in his book, Discipleship noted: “… every significant spiritual awakening in the church has always been preceded by a concert of unusual, united and persistent prayer.” God desires for us to gather to pray. Matt.18:20, Acts 2:42, 4:24,31, Heb.10:25.
2. It is highly beneficial. Jas.5:13-16. Eph.6:18-20.
3. A model for such praying. I Cor.14:26
4. We need the Presence and be careful not to substitute it with programs. Is.1:11-15
F. SURVIVING DRY PERIODS
Ps. 63 describes such a dry period in David’s life and how he survived it.
1. Admit Dryness (v.1)
2. Recall Past Experience with God (v.2)
3. Choose to Praise and Worship (v.3-5)
4. Cling to Hope (v.6-10)
5. Wait for His deliverance (v.11)
Sometimes God seems to conceal Himself, and as Madame Guyon once said:
“It may be to arouse you from laziness, or perhaps you have not been seeking Him in faith and love.
But for whatever reason, He does so out of His abundant goodness and faithfulness to you.”
This may be the chance to prove to God that you seek Him alone, not just for the delights of your own
self-satisfaction.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Pro.3:5-6
