Prayer is Relationship
“If you live in Me and my words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7 Amplified)
This verse has much basic truth to teach us about prayer. I want to break it down into three parts:
1 If you live in Me.
2 If My words remain in you.
3 Ask whatever you will and it will be done for you.
1. “If you live in Me”
There is a place of prayer, it is in Jesus. Jesus had just told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them so they could be with him where he is (John 14:3).
That is just what He did. As He died on the cross, the curtain was torn from top to bottom by divine decree. Until then, the Holy of Holies was only accessible once a year and then only to one man, but the moment Jesus died it was torn open for all who would come. The throne room of God was made accessible for all by the blood of Jesus. Heaven was torn open! Heaven not just for when we die but for NOW!
“God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).
We are with Him and in Him. In relationship with Him and justified in Him.
On the Cross, Jesus’ side was torn open by a spear. When Moses wanted to see Gods’ glory, God hid him in a rock. Jesus is the rock cleft for us, as we hide in Him we can see God’s glory. The spear pierced His heart and out flowed water and blood. Medically as far as I understand it, if the heart ruptures there is a flow of blood and water. Strictly speaking then, Jesus did not die of crucifixion; Pilate was surprised when he was told he was already dead (Mark 15:44). He died of a broken heart as He took into Himself the sin of the world, and for the only time in all eternity felt the Father turn away from him. The place Jesus has prepared for us is in His heart.
Prayer is hearing the heartbeat of God for His world. Prayer is the most intimate place possible because there we can hear the whispers of heaven. Sometimes we need to proclaim the name of God; but in holy, intimate times, He Himself proclaims it to us as He did to Moses, “The Lord God, merciful, and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). We need not struggle to remain in Him, we need only believe. His words to us are, “I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).
2. “If … my words remain in you”
The words of Jesus can remain in us. He Himself is the WORD of life (1 John 1:1). His presence brings His word, and prayer has to take place in His presence. The study of God’s written word - Logos - is so important. Jesus Himself is the Logos of God. Yet it is equally important to hear the breathed word of God - ‘rhema’. This is the word that comes as we are meditating on scripture, or simply reading it, or sometimes it just seems to drop into our spirit. It is a word from the word that is for us or for something we are concerned with at this present time. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
So how do we find that word if we are having trouble hearing?
1) Prayer of enquiry
This is so simple, so often used in scripture, but not so often practised now. ‘What is your word, Lord, for this situation?’ The response can be Logos and rhema. Know the basic truths, principles that can be applied (Logos), and then find God’s ‘now word’ (rhema). For example if someone is sick, the truth is that God can heal. The truth may also be that there are other things to be dealt with first - eg sin, as with the paralytic man in Matthew 9 and Luke 5. It may also be that common sense needs applying - eg: Timothy needed wine for his stomach. This second word is the rhema for the specific situation.
David always knew God could give victory in battle but he never assumed, he always enquired, eg 2 Samuel 5:19-23. The Lord gave different tactics and specific word for each situation.
2) Biblical Meditation.
This is not emptying our minds (as in many Eastern religions), but filling them with a specific word of God. Take a verse or even part of a verse and mull it over and over in your heart. Ask the Lord, 'what are you saying to me through this Scripture?' As we meditate, God's word becomes personal to us. He breathes it again and we realise 'this was written for me'. Joshua was told to meditate on God's word day and night if he wished to succeed in his task (Joshua 1:8). The apostle Paul exhorts us to 'Let the word dwell in you richly' (Colossians 3:16).
3) Search the Scriptures.
By doing this, Daniel found God’s word to him in the book of Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2), and so received God’s word for the nation.
4) Don't give up
Keep seeking God the Lord. He will speak. Don’t pray the problem but pray the promises of Scripture. The former destroys faith whereas the latter builds faith. Don’t be afraid to ask God faith-filled questions. The prophets asked many questions - ‘Why?’ ‘How long?’ - not in unbelief, but struggling to understand the purposes of God. Worship the Lord. As we seek Him for Himself, He pours out His heart to us.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Once you’ve heard God’s word, you know what to ask and you know you have what you’ve asked for, (Mark 11:24). Don’t just receive God’s word but pray it back to Him. The promise is that it will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). A word is returned by believing prayer.
Build on a word that has already been given. The word is a lamp (Psalm 119:5). Keep a record of what God says to you. Sometimes there is a long wait between word being given and fulfilled. In these times it is so important that the word remains in us. Mary the mother of Jesus treasured so much in her heart surrounding the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:19). She didn’t understand all the significance of what people did or said, but she knew that the Lord was in it, so she pondered these things. What did Simeon mean, or Anna when they prophesied over her baby? Some things would not be fulfilled for 33 years, but when they came she was prepared.
3 “Ask whatever you will ...”
If we are living in Him and treasuring His word, then there is a tremendous freedom in prayer. “Ask whatever you will”. God has given us each distinct personalities, and He delights in our expressing them. When I first started Christian work someone gave me a gift for a much-needed pair of shoes. I thought that I was being very holy by asking the Lord which colour shoes I should buy. After agonising over getting God’s word for the decision I felt him gently say to me, “you chose….ask whatever you will”.
Our characters need moulding and forming, but He doesn’t stereotype us. There are many ways of getting to a destination; the important thing is our heart attitude. As we fall more and more in love with Him and listen to His concerns, they become ours as well. Amazingly in His grace and grandeur He also accommodates our longings and desires. His word in us and our life in Him shape the way we think and act, but he delights in us expressing our personality as we walk closely with Him. Prayer is expressing His longings through our longings.
To ask is so important. The blind man had to ask, “Lord I want to see” (Mark 10:51). He had to ask, even though Jesus knew what he wanted. He could have said, ‘Oh come on, Lord, it’s obvious what I want’. However asking is an expression of faith, of trust and of confidence in the One we love.
The reason we must ask is that the Lord wants to build faith in us. James tells us we don’t have because we don’t ask. How many of us think deep down, ‘Oh God would never give me that’ or ‘That’s too big for me to ask for, I must leave it to someone more “spiritual”’. Do we think He’ll give us a stone if we ask for bread? Do we think prayer is to do with how good we are … or how good He is?
God is GOOD. God is BIG. God is LOVE. God is POWERFUL.
Let our asking reflect it and let’s not demean God. Apart from Him we can do nothing; in Him we can do all things.
“Ask and receive that your joy may be full” (John 16:24)
We are loved: “ ... the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (John 16:27)
ASK-Ask Him to reveal His love.
Ask Him to show you your destiny.
Ask Him to lead you into your inheritance.
Ask of Him and He will make the nations your inheritance and the
ends of the earth your possession. See Psalm 2:8.
God really delights in our boldness because it reveals faith.
Assessment: Prayer is Relationship
Write down and then share three words (promises) of Jesus that are living in you and what you are asking out of them.
Give one example of a word and answer that has already been fulfilled.