Saints,
Today, let’s look at two possible “prayer-Life” scenarios. By the way, I love the term “prayer-life.” This term implies that our lives can be described or defined by prayer—yes, may our lives be defined by much prayer to a personal, loving, forgiving, just, magnificent, amazing God. However, we must realize that prayer is not the end-all. If we are Christ-followers who are given to much prayer, it is because we have a solid faith in the most-high God. We trust Him. We believe Him. We know Him—not merely know about Him. So much can be said here about prayer, but we need to move on.
Please know that these suggested scenarios are not the only prayer-life possibilities. Even so, they will serve to help us think about where we are with prayer in comparison to these two possibilities.
The first “prayer-life” scenario
Yesterday I visited a podiatrist for an issue with my foot. He examined my foot and prescribed some medicine and shoe inserts. After some time passes I will return for another visit so that he can asses how things are going and determine if surgery is necessary. Although, this visit had nothing to do with prayer, sometimes, our prayer lives can resemble this. It is possible to only go to our loving Father in prayer when we need some kind of help. In other words, we neglect connecting with God unless we (ourselves) are in need. This is illustrated by the fact that I have only visited a podiatrist once in almost 47 years.
This kind of prayer is more self-oriented and certainly not daily. It is an “only-when-we-need-God” type of prayer—very “me” centered.
You may say, “Well, isn’t all prayer some kind of request from God?” It does seem that needs drive our connecting with God in prayer. He does love us and will hear these prayers. But, our prayers do not have to only be this kind of prayer. This brings us to our second prayer-life scenario.
The second prayer-life scenario
We will need to get a running start at this, please stay with me. First of all, prayer is not a fad. Prayer is not a movement. Please forgive me if I have somehow communicated that prayer is some kind of spiritual tool in our Christian tool bag. No, dear friends, prevailing, true prayer is Bible-based, Spirit-led, kingdom-centered, communion with our heavenly father. I am convinced this kind of prayer is not about us—it is centered or is oriented on Christ. We will take a look at this kind of prayer-life scenario in the form of a walk or journey with God in prayer.
First, let’s start with the Holy Spirit, remember without the Holy Spirit, Peter only had a strong desire to follow Christ which ended in three denials. After He was given the Holy Spirit like we have the Holy Spirit, Peter went on to be powerfully used by God to grow the church (remember last week, the purpose of the church as assumed from Acts is to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth). Back to prayer, the Holy Spirit leads us to pray and helps us to know what to pray for.
Romans 8:26 (ESV)
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
So, we start with the Spirit. Then, we continue our prayer journey with an orientation of desiring God’s glory, just like Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
Luke 11:2 (ESV)
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
We continue our prayer journey by praying in Jesus name. Remember Jesus repeats the promise to pray in His name or according to His will six times in the farewell discourse passage found in John chapters 14 through 16.
So, what does this mean? Do we pray for whatever we want and then tack on “In Jesus Name” and like magic God grants our wish? No this is not what Jesus meant. I love how the author of The Kneeling Christian describes praying in Jesus name,
“To pray in His name is to pray in His character, as His representative sent by His will. It is to pray by His Spirit and according to His will. It is to have His approval in our asking, to seek what He seeks, to ask help to do what He Himself would wish to be done, and to desire to do it not for our own glorification. But for His glory alone. To pray in His name we must have identity of interests and purpose. Self and its aims and desires must be entirely controlled by God’s Holy Spirit, so that our wills are in complete harmony with Christ’s will.” P. 70
So, in our second prayer-life scenario, we empty ourselves of our desires, our dreams and we are led by the Spirit to cry out for our Father’s desires. We find ourselves echoing the Truth found in His Word—His Word is Truth. Note the following progression from God’s Word…
Ephesians 6:17 (ESV)
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
John 1:1 (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 14:6 (ESV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
So, we see the Spirit which leads our prayer is the Word of God. The Word is Jesus. And finally we see that Jesus is the Truth. Praise God!
Before we continue on with the prayer-life scenario, please note that Paul instructs the church at Ephesus
Moving on, As we pray in this manner, our hearts our changed—we find ourselves desiring God more. We find ourselves desiring other things less. Hosea helps us with this point—it is always the right time to chase and run after a deeper relationship with God.
Hosea 6:3 (ESV)
3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
This prayer-life continues. By the way, which prayer-life scenario do you prefer? Is it too soon to make a choice? We pray seeking God’s glory, in Jesus’ name (His character in us), by the Spirit’s leading, immersed in the Word—which is Jesus, as we are transformed through this prayer process to desire God and His purposes to be done on earth more. Then like David, we realize that nothing on earth is more valuable to us than the Father,
Psalms 73:25 (ESV)
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
Now, it gets good, at this pint we begin to sense our hearts ache. You may say, “So, I pray and then I will hurt—great.” Dear saint hang with me, Yes, we begin to have the very heart of God—what grieves Him, grieves us. What brings God joy, causes us to rejoice. This ache will begin to drive our prayer. Caution: this can be detrimental to your health. It was to John Hyde. It was to Daniel.
Daniel 9:2-3 (ESV)
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
Unless I am mistaken, Daniel went on to pray 21 days straight. This was not for himself. This was compelling, driven, consuming prayer for God’s purposes, and for God’s people. It cost him—he was empty. It took a visit not just from an angel, but from the Archangel Gabriel, whom God sent to him to aid him.
Daniel 10:8-14 (ESV)
8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.
9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
13 The prince of thekingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia
14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.
9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
13 The prince of the
14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
Really, can prayer be like this? Yes, friends, it can. I submit to you that we all should seek God like Daniel did. Why not? Is He not worth it? Is He not worthy of our all in prayer? Do we not see the need for prayer in our lives, churches, families, and nations just like Daniel saw the need for prayer. Yes. Yes. Yes.
We continue. We begin to see the real battle. It is not merely a political battle—God has used that scene for His churches benefit for 2,000 years. It is not merely a physical battle. It is a spiritual battle fought from our knees—please embrace this dear saint.
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
In addition, as we journey in prayer, the Spirit teaches us that prevailing prayer like Elijah prayed, is effective.
James 5:16-18 (ESV)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
Along the prayer–life path we realize more and more clearly that this life is not about us. We begin to see more clearly that prayer is not about us. Prayer is absolute surrender. Prayer is trust. Prayer is faith. Prayer is worship. Yes, friends, we are transformed in prayer because like Moses, we have been in the presence of God. We see this in Acts, as the religious leadership recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Also note the bold assertion they make in verse 12.
Acts 4:12-13 (ESV)
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Deeper in prayer, we begin to align our lives and hearts with the heart of our savior, as He intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father.
Romans 8:27 (ESV)
27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Hebrews 8:1 (ESV)
1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
One very important element in the journey is that we will as Isaiah was, be confronted with our sin as we draw closer to our Father in prayer.
Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)
5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Saints, let us be reminded to chase after God in prayer, in true, prevailing, effective, Spirit-led prayer. If you can relate to the first scenario as your practice, I encourage you to change that today. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. We are in a battle. May we take up our armor and hit our knees—this is a true prayer-life.
Father, please forgive us for our prayerlessness as it demonstrates our declaration of independence from You. No, Father, we will not live another day relying on our abilities to accomplish what we think is your work. Please. Holy Spirit, convict and cause us to repent. Please God revive, awaken your church. In Jesus Name, we pray, amen.
Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve
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