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What is prayer? What does prayer accomplish? Why is prayer important? Who should pray?
How should one pray? Is there an example for prayer? If there is an example for prayer, who gave it and why should it be followed? Is prayer effective? If it is not effective, then why not? These are a few of the manly questions that can be asked on the subject of prayer. While I do not claim to have all the answers concerning prayer, I do feel there is an excellent example that can be followed, i.e., the Man Christ Jesus. Jesus was a Man of prayer.
He not merely prayed and is now praying, He not merely teaches and influences us to pray, but He is prayer, the fountain and source of all prayer as well as the foundation and basis of all answers to our petitions.1
To establish the foundation upon which this writing is based, most of the presented questions need to be answered. Edward Poll answers the first question concerning prayer.
…looking up into the face of the Father is prayer. Prayer is not a mere matter of words, Jesus tells. It is not a matter of opening one’s lips: it is a matter of opening one’s heart. It is a matter of going to the Father and unbosoming oneself to Him: going with all that is (in) one’s heart; going with the impulses or motives which prompt a loving, dutiful child to go to his earthly father; going under the impulse of gratitude to tell Him how thankful we are: going with our burden of sin to ask His forgiveness; going with our tangled problems to get Him to untangle them; going with empty hearts that He may fill them; going with broken hearts that He may heal them; going with yearning hearts –just to be with Him.2
Prayer is the most powerful weapon the child of God has in his God-given arsenal of Christian armor.
I call prayer the polish to the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:18. Without prayer, the remainder of the weapons become useless. Without prayer, the soldier in the Lord’s army becomes careless and sets himself up as an easy prey for Satan. This is why prayer is important. This is why God’s children should pray.
The question is asked, “What does prayer accomplish?” To answer this question, I call your attention to James 5:16b-18.
(James 5:16b-18) …The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (KJV)
There are many more examples in the Scriptures, too many to even begin to mention, that illustrate what prayer can accomplish. I, personally, as well as many of God’s children who have known Him for any length of time, have much personal experience that proves that prayer can accomplish much.
Jesus is a prime example as to what prayer can accomplish. The seventeenth chapter of John reveals 5
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Jesus’ accomplishments through prayer. The Lord’s church of today is what it is largely because of the Lord’s prayer.
Prayer cannot accomplish anything unless it is done right.
The trouble with us is that we want to be exceptions to God’s rule. We know that we must harmonize with God’s will as roses do and as stars do, but we don’t want to be compelled to harmonize in the way they do. We don’t want to have to go to God and fall in with His wishes and plans, as they have to do: We want God to come down to us and fall in with our wishes and plans. This is the secret of most of our distressing failures in prayer…Most of us don’t go to God to fall in with His wishes and plans; we go to persuade Him to fall in with our wishes and plans.3
What can prayer accomplish? If prayer is in the right form, in the will of God, and presented correctly, much can be accomplished.
(James 5:15-16) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV) To give an illustration of what he had just written, James continued on in verses seventeen and eighteen,
(James 5:17-18) Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (KJV)
We might wonder why James would pick such a person as Elijah to illustrate his meaning about prayer until we remember how this Old Testament prophet conducted himself after his bout with the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the groves. This seemingly invincible warrior of God, after such a stunning victory over those false prophets, took to his heels after a threat was leveled at him by Jezebel. His actions proved he was just a common man used greatly by the Lord. James
writes if Elijah, being the common man he was,
could pray mightily, then every other child of Prayer is an admission that we
God has the potential of doing the same. We are not in control, and yet at the
don’t have to be great in other things in order to
be able to be great in the matter of prayer. Every
same time completely and
child of God has the capability of becoming a confidently under God’s control.
mighty prayer warrior for the Lord.
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Why is prayer important? Prayer is the means by
which we communicate with God. Many people
often have the mistaken idea that we have to say
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audible words in order to pray. This isn’t correct. We may never speak a word, but still pray. Prayer comes from within. Since true, sincere prayer comes from the heart, audible words need not be uttered. I remember as a child when I went forward to be saved during an invitation being extended at the end of a sermon preacher by my own dad. I don’t remember the sermon or the invitational hymn. I never spoke a word after I expressed my desire to be saved. Others were praying for me and with me, but I never uttered an audible word. Even though not a word was spoken, the Lord knew the intense desire in my young heart was to be saved, and He answer that prayer and saved me. Many times since I have prayed and desired something concerning the Lord’s work, or His children, without ever uttering an audible word. The Lord sees and understands the sub-conscious prayers of His children. Prayer is not from the voice box, but from the heart. A clear example of this situation is given in the Old Testament book of First Samuel. In the first chapter of the book, the account of Hannah, one of the two wives of a man named Elkanah is recorded. Although one of the wives had borne children to him, Hannah had not. God had shut her womb according to verses five and six of this same chapter. This so distress Hannah that she continually and constantly prayed for the Lord to permit her to bear Elkanah children. For many years the Lord saw fit not to grant her request. Finally, she became so burdened about the matter, she went on an extended fast.
The following verses tell the story how this dedicated woman of God obtained the fulfillment of her prayers without verbalizing her request.
(1 Samuel 1:9-17) So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD
all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. [ Emphasis mine, JFR] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. (KJV)
(1 Samuel 1:19-20) And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when 7
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the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. (KJV) (1 Samuel 1:23-28) And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD
there. (KJV)
Many lessons may be drawn from the example
of Hannah. Not only did she not have to pray
audibly to have her prayer heard and answered,
Answered prayers aren’t merely
but she also was willing to wait until the Lord highly unlikely coincidences.
fulfilled her request. We should note also that
she made a promise to the Lord and after the
They are fingerprints of a living,
Lord fulfilled her request, she kept her promise.
loving God.
If you would investigate further, you will find the
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Lord did not stop blessing her with just Samuel.
Because of her patience and faithfulness, He
kept on blessing her. Verse twenty-one of
chapter two reveals the Lord blessed her with
three more sons and two daughters. The Lord
answered Hannah’s prayers in a mighty way.
The words of Jesus spoken hundreds of years later truly applied in the case of Hannah.
(Luke 6:38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (KJV) Two major points concerning Hannah and her prayers to the Lord stand out vividly. The first was she was consistent. The second was she was persistent.
In spite of all the years of seemingly unanswered prayers from the Lord, Hannah did not waver in her dedication to God. Many people of less dedication would have given up and stopped serving God with the attitude of why should they do anything since it is apparent that God does not care for them. No so with Hannah for she continued to be faithful and did not develop that kind of attitude.
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Faithfulness is one of the key items in service
to God. Hannah kept right on in spite of the
Persistence is a necessary part of
circumstances. Had she not been consistent
praying effectively. Whether God
in her living and remained faithful to God,
answers in twenty minutes or
God would never have answered her prayers
the way He did. Truly the following verse of
twenty years, we should never give
Scripture applies not only in the case of
up on Him.
Hannah but also to any servant of God.
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(1 Corinthians 4:2) Moreover it is
required in stewards, that a man be
found faithful. (KJV)
The second major point that stands out vividly is
that she was persistent in her praying. Even though more will be said about this in a later chapter, it should be considered in the
Never Let yesterday’s seemingly
establishment of the basis of this writing. For unanswered prayers stop you
years Hannah was persistent in her prayers to
from praying again today and
God. She may have become discouraged after
tomorrow with just as much
years of not having her request answered but she
never gave up. Time after time she prayed to freedom and faith. What He’ll
God with the same petition. The Bible teaches
give you today is the faith and
God’s children to be persistent in their prayer patience to wait until the right
life. Just as in the case of Hannah, just because
time gets here.
God does not answer after the first prayer does
not mean that He is not going to answer that LIVING THE BATTLE PLAN DAY2
prayer at all. God knows when it is the proper
time to fulfill the requests, if He is going to fulfill them. In the case of Hannah, she was able to grow mightily in the Lord because of the Lord’s time-table in answering her prayers. This does not mean that we harass God with prayers to the point that He finally answers them just to put a stop to it. It does mean God may not answer some prayers because the petitioner fails to be persistent in presenting his petitions to Him. This reveals to Him that the petition is not important enough to continue with it. The matter of bearing children was so important to Hannah that she continued for years to present her request to God. We should not cease to pray for a certain matter just because an answer is not seen right away. Being persistent helps us to develop faithfulness to God. The following verses help illustrate the persistency that should be evident in every child of God.
(Luke 18:1-7) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; [ Emphasis mine, JFR] Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, 9
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nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (KJV)
Who should pray? Every child of God should be a warrior of prayer. Paul told the Thessalonians to “Pray without ceasing” in I Thessalonians 5:17. This did not mean they were to go around constantly mouthing prayers, but that they should always be in an attitude of prayer. Only God’s children are commanded to pray, for He is under no obligation to hear any prayer from any except His own, outside of the prayer for salvation. Does He hear the prayers of those who do not know Him as their Savior, I am not sure. There is a thought that He might hear the prayer of a person whom He knows will eventually be saved, but that is strictly up to Him. It is up to Him to decide whose prayers He will hear.
Who can truly worship God or do His will? Only a born-again child of God can worship Him and do His will. Jesus stated to the Samaritan woman that anyone who worshipped God must worship Him in spirit and in truth and it is impossible for a lost person to do that.
(John 4:23-24) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)
How should we pray? Jesus gave the example in the Model Prayer. Many want to call it the Lord’s Prayer but it is not; it is the Model Prayer. Jesus taught not only His disciples of that day but also everyone of His followers since then. Since Jesus gave the example, every child of God should follow it if he expects answer to his prayers. This will be discussed in detail in the chapter on the Model Prayer.
Is prayer effective? The answer to this question is a definite “Yes!” Many times, it is not effective but when it is not, it is the fault of the one who prays.
(James 4:3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (KJV)
There are many other reasons why our prayers may not be effective. Some of these will be dealt with throughout this writing.
Jesus was, and is, the Ultimate in prayer. This is illustrated by the following quote.
…the utter selflessness that runs through…(the Garden Prayer…is hardly so wonderful as the loving harmony with the Father which pervades it…Here is prayer at its highest: beyond this the Master Himself could not go. And this is not all: it is not only the highest achievement in prayer, but it is the highest achievement of prayer. When prayer brings us into perfect harmony with the Father it has achieved 10
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that beyond which it cannot go. No answer that praying men have received from the Father has ever gone beyond that.
This then is what prayer meant to Jesus…the unbosoming of oneself to one’s heavenly Father.4
The prayers of Jesus covered every aspect His children might ever need covered. From the situation to the solution, Jesus taught and lived the example of effectual prayer.
Good words and works have no vitality and power without prayer. We may apparently walk in the path of Godliness and useful activity; and yet there may be little blessing on our word and little fruit from our labor. But if we meditate on God’s Law day and night, we shall be like a tree planted by the river of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.5
Much could be said concerning prayer. I do not lay claim to having examined all the prayers of Jesus.
John stated that not all of His works and words were reported and that would no doubt include many of Jesus’ prayers.
How Jesus loved to pray in secret Himself! He had a habit of “raising up a great while before day” and going outdoors—to a mountainside or some other deserted place—to pray…Before major decisions…He would pray alone an entire night.6
Would that we as God’s children pay more attention to the words and actions of our Master. Prayer would then be a wonderful and rewarding experience. I hope that you, the reader, will examine this writing with an open mind and heart as we examine “The Prayers of Jesus.” May you find, as I did, the joy of having many prayers answered by the Father.
1
Adolph Sophir, The Lord’s Prayer (Harrisburg: The Christian Alliance Publishing Co., n.d.), pp. 1, 2.
2
Edward Leigh Poll, What Did Jesus Really Teach About Prayer? (New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1921), p. 79.
3
Ibid, p. 97.
4
Ibid, p. 80.
5
Ibid, p. 18.
6
Catherine Marshall, Adventures in Prayer (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), p. 65.
Until an answer is final, keep asking in
faith. And if the final answer is not what
you’d hoped, trust God’s Spirit to sustain
you. He will provide exactly what is
needed.
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THE PRAYERS OF JESUS
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