LEARNING TO PRAY: The power of Relationship in prayer
The Lords Prayer starts out with words that are all quite familiar to us. Can you quote the first line for me?
"Pray, then, in this way: ’Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (Matthew 6:9) In teaching us that single prayer and in fact right there in the start of the prayer, Jesus keys in on one fact that is central to our effectiveness in prayer. It’s the driving factor in our prayers. It is the power of relationship!
When we Call God "Our Father" we are placing a claim of relationship that finds it’s truth and basis in our adoption as sons through faith in Jesus Christ. Our Relationship to God was once full of hatred and Paul says we were at hostility or open war with God.
But our relationship to God was drastically changed to one in which we can not only not be at war with God, we actually have passage through Jesus into his presence. Paul describes the dramatic change in Ephesians 2:11-12 this way, "12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
This has dramatic effect on our prayers to God. Before we came to Christ we had no access, but now we have access to God founded in our relationship to him.
In Abraham’s life there is an incredible example of intercessory prayer. It’s found in Genesis 18:16-33. Please turn there with me and we’ll discover together 5 Aspects of relationship that if we pay attention to, they will help to fashion our prayers into prayers that are effective and powerful.
< Read Genesis 18:16-33 >.
There are tons of applications and lessons in this very powerful section - tonight I want to start by talking about the relationship of promise.
1. The Relationship of Promise (v18-19)
V 18 God was going to effect (destroy) a nation that Abraham was supposed to be a blessing to. Therefore God obligated himself (?) To inform Abraham of what he was going to do. "All the nations of the earth" included Sodom and Gomorra.
We need to let our relationship of promise guide our prayers. Abraham was promised that God would bless all the nations of the earth through him. That promise is what opened the doorway for the prayer of Abraham to be possible. We also have received promises.
We are promised a relationship as children, so that we know we have access to God. We also have the promise that whenever we pray according to the will of God - our prayers will be answered in the positive. We have the promise that praying in the authority of Jesus will bring answers to our prayers. With all these precious promises and more in relation to prayer, we have confidence that God both hears our prayers and will answer them as we ask.
2. The Relationship of Presence: V 22
Abraham remained standing in God’s presence (this is an attitude of prayer.)
Prayer, by it’s very nature is the relationship of being in God’s presence. And God has likewise promised that we 2 or 3 are gathered together in the name of Christ that He Himself is right there with us; again there is the relationship of presence.
The Bible encourages us to Pray without ceasing. I’m convinced that very practically that means Practice God’s presence at all times. Keep a prayer fullness about you. Let prayer be a constant motivator in your life.
Sometimes we’ll be walking, or driving and a very powerful urge to be in God’s presence overcomes us, and when that happens it may not be what you would consider to be the best time, but that’s the Holy Spirit moving you into prayer - obey the urge and pray.
If you’re driving, pray with your eyes open - but we have that very real relationship of being in God’s presence. Let that Guide your prayers.
3. We have The relationship of knowing God: Vv23, 25,
Abraham knew God, and he based his prayers upon what he knew. He knew that God was both just and righteous and he likewise called upon God to be righteous in his judgment (v23).
Abraham knew that God was the judge of all the earth and he expected God to act in that manner (V 25). Abraham knew that God was God and he was not, he did not dare to tell God his business and as a result of that knowledge he humbled himself before God as he prayed (V27,30,31,32).
How often are your prayers based upon the character of God? How often do you fashion your conversation in accord with your knowledge of him? Jesus identified eternal life as knowing God (John 17:3). Therefore we who know him, whether you’ve known God for years, or for days, we can pray based upon what we DO know.
If all we know is that God is powerful, we can pray trusting that God can do whatever we ask of him - Gone will be the "if you can do this" prayers. If we know that God is both powerful and Holy our prayers turn not only to asking for great things, but also toward worship of his Holiness. If we learn that God is Loving - we are able not only to ask God for great things, and to worship Him - but also to enter his presence joyfully; knowing that w will be accepted. Then we learn that God is sovereign; and we come to Him and worship his Holiness and pleading for Him to use his power to change things because He is mighty - we know that God accepts us and loves us and when our prayers are said, we can look at God "square in the eye" so to speak and say - "But you know what God? I don’t just want things my way, I want them your way."
Abraham fashioned his prayer not only around his knowledge of God, but also around his knowledge of God’s plans.
4. The relationship of Knowing God’s plans.
To Abraham it came from God telling him face to face what His plans were. For us we have the Bible. From the Bible we gain knowledge not only of God, but about His plans as well.
This is where our knowledge of God’s word guides us. We know that God is not willing that anyone should perish. So we pray with boldness for the salvation of those we love. We also know that nobody comes to Jesus unless the father calls them so our prayers are focused again to become "dear Father call this persons heart to you!" We also know that Peter knew that and yet in Acts 2:40 we read that Peter used many words and he begged the Pentecost crowd to "... saying, ’Be saved from this perverse generation!’"
There is great wisdom in praying prayers based upon God’s word. It is our relationship of knowing Both God and his plans that guided Abraham’s prayers - the same knowledge ought also to guide ours.
Concerning this Truth, Matthew Henry wrote: "Those who by faith live a life of communion with God cannot but know more of his mind than other people, though not with a prophetical, yet with a prudential practical knowledge. They have a better insight than others into what is present (Hos. 14:9; Ps. 107:43), and a better foresight of what is to come, at least so much as suffices for their guidance and for their comfort."
5. The relationship of Trust v 33 "Abraham returned to his place." He had said his peace, and said his prayers. His heart was now at peace that God would uphold his justice righteously. He Knew God’s intent was not to destroy the righteous, but simply to punish wickedness. He trusted God to be Godlike and nothing less. His was a relationship of trust.
I believe this is the primary factor behind Philippians 4 verses six and seven. NAU Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
That overwhelming peace is not the end product merely of some mystical experience but Real peace from prayer results from taking your burden to God and walking away just knowing that God’s in charge and He won’t drop the ball.
And I wonder if the injunction to pray without ceasing isn’t borne in part from the knowledge that most of us have this inner desire to keep picking up the burden after we’ve laid it at Jesus’ feet.
It doesn’t take a super saint to be effective and powerful in prayer. We just need to pray, simply based upon relationship. The Relationship of Promise, of Presence, Of Knowing God Personally, Knowing God’s plans and Trusting God.
We already have his promises, we have His Presence, We know Him Personally, We’re learning His Plans, and trust is gained as we watch God answer prayers in our lives and the lives of others.
Prayer isn’t merely a place of struggle and striving, but of walking in relationship to God.
