Prayer: General Introduction
Prayer defies definition just as love defies definition. The two are very much related to one another. Prayer and love permeate the whole of the Bible and will not be boxed in. They are open to all: rich, poor, educated, uneducated. Prayer is the most powerful love gift of all. It enables us to talk with and to hear our Creator. It allows us to work with the Lord to shape the destiny of the nations. Yet it’s probably the most misunderstood gift God has ever given and the most under-used.
‘A thing is worth just what it costs. Prayer is not what it costs us, but what it cost God to enable us to pray.’ Oswald Chambers
Why did God give us the gift of prayer?
Is prayer just a matter of asking and receiving? Is the Lord a heavenly shopkeeper just waiting to hear our shopping list? If that were so He’d surely have found a more efficient way of doing business! Some people are repeating the same shopping list year after year. Others have no confidence that the shopkeeper is in the shop.
Prayer is infinitely more than a matter of asking and receiving. Prayer enables us to get to know God. Prayer is a relationship that deepens and deepens. It is not primarily asking for things - asking is just a small part. Prayer is the means to the deepest relationship of all. It is a joining of spirit, “The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16) “Deep calling to deep” (Psalm 42:7)
“He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel” (Psalm 103:7). The people of Israel were interested in answers; they wanted to see God’s deeds. Moses was interested in God Himself and in his ways. We can choose our level of relationship with God. Do we just want Him to do things for us, or do we want to know Him?
The Lord did mighty deeds for his people and continues to do so. He answers prayer and works miracles even when our hearts are far from him (as the hearts of the Israelites were in the wilderness). Yet his longing is that we would get to know him. Jesus' prayer to His Father shortly before he went to the cross was: “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them” (John 17:26)
His passion flows out as he prays. This is his desire, his longing, that we would know him so intimately that he would fill our very beings. Can you imagine his joy as he listened to Moses and to Paul?
Moses: “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you” (Exodus 33:13)
Paul: “I want to know Christ” (Philippians 3:10)
These men of God with such achievements to their names had one aim in life: to know the Lord. Count Zinzendorf, the 18th century pioneer of the Moravian mission movement chose from an early age his life-motto; “I have one passion; it is Jesus, Jesus only”. Jesus, Himself put the meaning of life very succinctly at the beginning of His prayer in John 17:
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3)
How mature are we?
If our relationship is based on what God does for us, it will go up and down depending on our circumstances. We are still living by the flesh. If our relationship is based on knowing God, we will never be disappointed because He is faithful, true and loving, “in you they trusted and were not disappointed” (Psalm 22:5).
If our hope is even in answer to prayer we may be disappointed. We cannot fathom God’s ways; our hope must be “in Him”. Knowing Him means we trust Him despite circumstances.
Prayer is spiritual
True prayer begins as we make it our goal to get to know Jesus. It sounds almost too obvious to say; yet it needs saying, prayer is a spiritual thing. Our spirit can in some amazing way connect with God’s Spirit. Jesus died to make that possible. Our spirits are dead before we are born again, but come alive when we meet Jesus and are designed to be communicating with Him. Our soul (will, intellect, emotions) has a part in prayer. Jesus himself prayed with loud cries and tears (Hebrews 5:7). However, those emotions and thoughts, if they are to be rightly used must be brought into submission to our spirit. We then begin to feel His emotions and think His thoughts.
The fact that prayer is spiritual gives us tremendous freedom. Paul could influence the world from a prison cell. He could say to a wayward church that not only could he send them godly advice, but also because of the tremendous power and mystery of prayer he could be with them in spirit (see 1 Corinthians 5:3). How can we influence a situation when we are not there? How can we pray for a place we have never been to? We can go there in prayer; we can be there in spirit. Satan can only imitate, he cannot initiate. Astral planning and such things are only an unholy and partial imitation of the believer’s ability to pray in the spirit.
As we wait on the Lord in prayer He communicates what is on His heart. It comes from His Spirit to ours, and as we understand and respond, things are brought to birth. God is the creator. He is still calling things that are not as though they were, (Romans 4:17). As we fellowship with Him we at times overhear the words of creation He is speaking, and He invites us to create with Him. That is how any work of God is born. “Deep calls to deep” as we draw near to God.
Assessment: General Introduction
Why did God give us the gift of prayer? Discuss
Give one biblical and one personal example of praying in the Spirit rather than just ‘praying’ an emotional response.