BACK TO OUR KNEES

I KINGS 18...

“John Knox prayed, and the results caused Queen Mary to say that she feared the prayers of John Knox more than she feared all the armies of Scotland. John Wesley prayed, and revival came to England, sparing that nation the horrors of the French Revolution. Jonathan Edwards prayed, and revival spread throughout the American colonies. History has been changed time after time because of prayer. I tell you, history could be changed again if people went to their knees in believing prayer. Even when times are bleak and the world scorns God, He still works through the prayers of His people. Pray today for revival in your nation, and around the world.”

Do you believe ANY of what I just read? Do you believe that Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees?

The Prayers of an Ordinary Man

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.”

Think how awesome Elijah was!

But the Bible says he was a man of “like passions.” The word is homoiopathes. It means to be “similarly affected.”

Acts 14:15: “And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:”

He was an ordinary man.

What is unique is that it is not Elijah’s prayer on the top of Mt. Carmel that is used as the ultimate experience. Rather, it is the prayer he prayed AFTER Carmel that catches James’ eye.

Why?

Because the purpose of James’ writing is less about the exploits of prayer and more about the PERSISTENCE of prayer. Though Elijah was favored in remarkable ways, the Bible records that he was of similar affections to us. That ought to help you and me. He was a mere man— but he was persistent.

The text is to illustrate the efficacy of prayer, not the power of a prophet.

proseuchai------> worship

The Nature of Man’s Prayer

Prayer presupposes the belief in the personality of God

Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO FELLOWSHIP WITH US

Prayer is the way in which we correspond to God— not in contemplation or meditation, but in DIRECT ADDRESS TO GOD

prayer is part of a believer’s way to fully enter into all the privileges and obligations towards God

Hebrews 4:14-16: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

through faith, I have a relationship with God

through faith, I have access to God through His Son

through faith, the Holy Spirit intercedes for me to the throne of God

through faith, we believe that God is at work in our lives

prayer is not a natural response: “A man prays because God has already touched his spirit.”

An ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say his prayers. He is trying to get into touch with God. But if he is a Christian he knows that what is prompting him to pray is also God: God, so to speak, inside him. But he also knows that all his real knowledge of God comes through Christ, the Man who was God-that Christ is standing beside him, helping him to pray, praying for him.

You see what is happening. God is the thing to which he is praying-the goal he is trying to reach. God is also the thing inside him which is pushing him on-the motive power. God is also the road or bridge along which he is being pushed to that goal. So that the whole threefold life of the three-personal Being is actually going on in that ordinary little bedroom where an ordinary man is saying his prayers. spiritual life: he is being pulled into God, by God, while still remaining himself. -CS Lewis

Prayer is a human activity. People all over the world pray!

The Ordinary Prayer of Elijah to an Extraordinary God

Had fire ever fallen because of prayer before?

2 Chronicles 7:1: “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.”

What would make the fire of God fall?

THIS IS HOW WE IN ISRAEL PRAY TO GOD!!!

we talk directly to the living God

we speak to the God who is immanent. He is near— not a distant God.

we talk directly to the One, true God

He has no counterpart in the Universe. He alone is God!

Even prayers that acknowledge a god as supreme typically place the god as supreme over the other gods in his or her counsel. This is evident in the Hymn to Ishtar: “Ishtar among the gods … respected is her word; it is supreme over them … In their assembly her word is powerful” (Hymn to Ishtar, vv. 27–33). By contrast, Yahweh has no counterpart in the heavens and interacts primarily with humanity.

Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:”

Exodus 20:3: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Isaiah 43:11: “I, even I, am the Lord; And beside me there is no saviour.”

Isaiah 45:21: “Tell ye, and bring them near; Yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? Have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.”

Hosea 13:4: “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, And thou shalt know no god but me: For there is no saviour beside me.”

we invoke the God of history

His Acts

Unlike the prayers of the heathen, we focus not upon his physical prowess but upon His deeds. In other words, our prayers do not speak of God’s appearance…His radiance…His stature…but they praise His mighty works in this world.

when we pray, our God speaks to us

not unidirectional

the gods of this world answered in oracles or decrees, but not personally or specifically—

it is a dialogue

FIRST RECORDED PRAYER IN THE BIBLE: Genesis 15:2-6: “And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

our prayers are simple, reverent, and candid

simple- 63 words

reverent- Elijah rebuilds the altar

candid- He’s having a private conversation with God in public

we pray to a God who answers in power

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Prayer)

PRAYER Communication with God, primarily offered in the second-person voice (addressing God directly). May include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament.OverviewPrayer was not unique to the Israelites of the early biblical period. Many cultures in the ancient Near East offered liturgical and ceremonial prayers and petitions to their deities. However, the prayers of the Old Testament differ in many respects from those of the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures. The biblical examples of prayer portray Yahweh as a God who listens, not a deity who is distant or must be cajoled into attending the affairs of humanity.The earliest biblical prayers stem from a conversational intimacy with Yahweh and include spontaneous and unfiltered requests. Over time, prayer evolved into more fixed and liturgical forms. The teachings about and examples of prayer in the New Testament stem from these Jewish roots, yet they contain innovations introduced by Jesus and the early Christian community. The most notable developments are prayer in the name of Jesus and the introduction of the Lord’s Prayer in Matt 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4.Prayer in Ancient ContextsThe prayers of the ancient Hebrews reflect the prayers of other ancient Near Eastern cultures in that they praise God as creator, make petitions and requests of Him, and show willingness to acknowledge sinfulness and wrongdoing.Ancient Egyptians praised the god Amon as the creator and giver of life, as illustrated in A Hymn to Amon-Re, which hails Amon-Re as the god “who made mankind and created the beasts, lord of what is, who created the fruit tree, made herbage, and gave life to cattle” (A Hymn to Amon-Re 1:5). After the fourteenth-century BC pharaoh Amen-hotep IV established the worship of Aton, the sun, Egyptians praised Aton as “the beginning of life” who “didst create the world … All men, cattle, and wild beasts, whatever is on earth” (The Hymn to the Aton). The acclamation that Amon-Re “spoke with his mouth and there came into existence all men, gods, large and small cattle in their entirety, and that which flies and lights totally” (Hymns to the Gods as a Single God) bears striking resemblance to the Hymn to Ishtar, which claims “life is in her mouth” (v. 9), and to the biblical account of creation, which states, “God said … and it was so” (Gen 1:3–29; see also Psa 33:8–9; Rom 4:17; Heb 11:3). Egyptian prayer texts also depict Amon as “hearing the prayers of him who summoned him” (The God Amon as Healer and Magician).Sumerian and Akkadian prayers included more petition than their Egyptian counterparts. For example, the Prayer of Lamentation to Ishtar begs the goddess, “Accept my prayers. Faithfully look upon me and hear my supplication” (Prayer of Lamentation to Ishtar 3–5). These prayers portray gods who are disengaged from the affairs of humanity and must be cajoled to take notice: “I am kneeling; I tarry (thus); I seek after thee” (Prayer to the Moon God, 21). Additionally, Sumerian and Akkadian prayers are less optimistic than those of ancient Egypt and focus on petitions and acknowledgement of sin more than creation and life. For example, the phrases “How long?” and “be appeased” recur throughout the Psalm to Marduk. The Akkadian Prayer to the Gods of the Night depicts the great gods of Old Babylon—Shamash, Sin, Adad, and Ishtar—asleep in their chambers, indifferent to the concerns of their devotees. These prayers often included the consultation of omens, oracles, and magic rituals as a way of appeasing the gods’ anger and arousing their attention (Lenzi, Akkadian Prayers, 9–68). By contrast, the biblical prayers portray a God who is eager to listen to the concerns and cares of His people: “I call out to Yahweh; he answers me from his holy hill” (Psa 3:4).

Differences from Ancient IsraelSeveral significant differences distinguish early biblical prayers from those of surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures. Most significantly, Hebrew prayers were monotheistic—addressed to Yahweh alone. The nations and cultures surrounding Israel were polytheistic and offered prayer to multiple gods. Even prayers that acknowledge a god as supreme typically place the god as supreme over the other gods in his or her counsel. This is evident in the Hymn to Ishtar: “Ishtar among the gods … respected is her word; it is supreme over them … In their assembly her word is powerful” (Hymn to Ishtar, vv. 27–33). By contrast, Yahweh has no counterpart in the heavens and interacts primarily with humanity. The first commands given to the fledgling Israelites included, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exod 20:3). This command is solidified in the patterned recitation of the Shema: “Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone” (Deut 6:4; see below: “Standardized Prayers”).

Another notable difference between Israelite prayers and those of other ancient Near Eastern cultures is that while Israel’s neighbors praised their gods for their attributes and character, the Israelites praised Yahweh for His involvement in human history. Descriptions of the gods’ beauty and fragrance dominate the prayers of Egypt, just as the Akkadian prayers hail Shamash as true, just, and glorious. For example, Ishtar is “strong, exalted, splendid” (Hymn to Ishtar, 22–24). By contrast, the prayers and hymns of the early biblical tradition, while careful to note Yahweh’s attributes, continually refer to His acts. Yahweh’s deliverance of His people from Egypt and His defeat of opposing kings and armies are recurring themes in the biblical prayers (1 Kgs 8:52–53; Pss 77:11; 78:1–72; 105:8–41; 106:6–22; 136:10–22; Neh 9:7–15, 19–25). His character leads Him to action, and His good deeds on behalf of His people can be recounted and verified in human history.An additional difference is that the prayers of Israel’s ancient Near Eastern neighbors are unidirectional, not dialogical. The gods do not speak and offer little in response to prayers offered to them. Descriptions of the decrees and counsel given by the gods refer to general descriptions, not specific content. Ishtar gives counsel (Hymn to Ishtar, v. 13) and Sin, the moon god, gives oracles (Prayer to the Moon-God, v. 12–14), but no recorded words are associated with them. Prayer with Yahweh, however, is conversational. God appears in the garden speaking to His creation: “Adam, where are you?” (Gen 3:9). The first recorded prayer in Genesis is a two-way argument between Abraham and God about Abraham’s childlessness (Gen 13:2–6). Yahweh answers David’s cry of lament, “Why do the nations rage?” with the words, “You are my son; today I have become your father” (Psa 2:1–7). Recorded prayers of the ancient Near East portray the gods communicating to their petitioners indirectly through oracles and omens. Yahweh communicates directly with His people, answering their prayers through spoken and written words.Prayer in Ancient IsraelThe earliest Hebrew prayers are simple, spontaneous petitions, requests, and praises. With the advent of the temple and the priesthood, prayer began to take on more formal, liturgical, and standardized forms.Early PrayerThe prayers of early biblical literature reflect a spontaneous and conversational tone, bearing no mark of formality. In the opening chapters of Genesis, God converses directly with Adam (Gen 1:28–30), Eve (Gen 3:13, 16), Cain (Gen 4:6–7, 9–16), and the serpent (Gen 3:14–15). God is assumed more than recorded—“men began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen 4:26). Later chapters of Genesis record explicit prayers. For example, Abram cries out to God for to grant him a child (Gen 15:2–3) and to protect the righteous in Sodom (Gen 18:22–33). His servant petitions God for guidance (Gen 24:42–44), and Hannah prays a song of thanks for the delivery of Samuel (1 Sam 2:1–11). The petition in Num 12:13, “O God, please heal her,” illustrates well these simple, spontaneous prayers. Among the patriarchs the most common verb to introduce prayer was “speak” or “say” (Miller, They Cried to the Lord, 32–48; Peskett, “Prayer in the Old Testament,” 33–34).Increasing StandardizationFrom these spontaneous prayers arose a tendency toward standardization of prayers in ancient Israel. Westermann proposed that the early Jewish prayers were developed into more poetic forms in the Psalms, used for liturgical purposes. These prayers were then further edited for theological and liturgical use in the corporate, written prayers of 1 Kgs 8, Ezra 9, and Neh 1, 9 (Westermann, Praise and Lament, 165–213). In this view, Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kgs 8:1–61 is composed to solidify the Jerusalem temple as Israel’s center of worship; the prayer of Ezra 9:6–15 becomes a polemic against intermarriage with foreign peoples; and Neh 9:5–37 becomes a history-of-rebellion prayer designed to elicit faithfulness (see Ballantine, Prayer in the Hebrew Bible, 80–91, 109–117; Newman, Praying by the Book, 38–116). Heinemann explains, “At first many different forms of the same basic prayer grew up in a somewhat haphazard fashion … only afterwards, gradually in the course of time, did the Rabbis impose their legal norms on this vast body of material” (Heinemann, Prayer in the Talmud, 7). Though Heinemann’s comments refer specifically to the prayers of the Talmud, the process is identical to the development of prayer throughout Israel’s history.With the additions of the priesthood and the monarchy came an increasing dependence on intercessors such as priests and prophets. Rather than communicating with Yahweh directly, the people relied on intercessors such as Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and Jeremiah to communicate with God on their behalf (Exod 20:18–21). Solomon’s temple was to be a house of prayer for the Israelites and foreigners, who would hear of Yahweh’s “great Name” and flock to Him (1 Kgs 8:41–43). Yet the spatial organization of the temple restricted access to Yahweh to the priesthood, upon whom the people were dependent for intercession (Ballantine, Prayer in the Hebrew Bible, 20–47; Miller, They Cried to the Lord, 32–38). Isaiah and Jesus both criticized the temple ministry for excluding all but the priestly class from accessing Yahweh (Isa 56:7; Matt 21:13). Liturgical and ceremonial prayers that recounted elements from Scripture and history replaced the conversational intimacy Yahweh desired with His people. The retelling of God’s great deeds became the basis of appeal (Newman, Praying by the Book, 19–116).Standardized Prayers: The Shema and the AmidahThe two most prominent standardized prayers to emerge by this time were the Shema and the Amidah (also known as The Tefillah, Shemoneh Esreh, or The Eighteen Benedictions). Israelites recited their creed, the Shema (שְׁמַע, shema', “Hear, O Israel,” Deut 6:4–9), twice a day in accordance with Deut 6:7: “talk of them when … you lie down, and when you rise” (ESV). Daniel’s practice of praying three times a day (Dan 6:10) may have led to the thrice-daily recitation of the Shema, though it also coincides with the times set for the daily sacrifices (see Psa 55:17). While the rabbis preferred that the people recite the Shema in Hebrew, Jews in areas outside Judaea, where Greek was more readily spoken, used the Septuagint form (see Babylonian Talmud tractate Megilloth 17b).The Amidah was a collection of 18 prayers, petitions, and blessings to be offered three times a day in personal prayer and during synagogue services (Mishnah tractate Berakhot 4:1). Each benediction ends with some form of the Berakhot—“Blessed art Thou, O Lord.” While minor variations of the Amidah continue to appear even as late as Gamaliel II (AD 45–115), who appended the curse of “Nazarenes” to the 12th benediction, there is evidence that the core of the Amidah was basically fixed by the early first century AD (Dugmore, Influence of the Synagogue, 22–25, 114–127; Instone-Brewer, “Eighteen Benedictions,” 25–27).Prayer in Later PeriodsPrayer was a major liturgical component of the synagogue service. Synagogues served as surrogates for the temple, providing a place where people living too far from the temple could say prayers. Synagogue services were structured around readings from the Law and the Prophets, along with ceremonial prayers offered by the attendant. In the case of the recitation of the Amidah, the attendant read the prayers aloud while the congregation responded, “Amen” (Bradshaw, Daily Prayer, 16–22). So much was the synagogue identified with prayer that by the time of Josephus, the term for “prayer” (προσευχή, proseuchē) had also become an idiom for “place of prayer” (i.e., synagogue; Greeven, “προσ εύχομαι, pros euchomai, προσευχή, proseuchē,” 2:807–808).Although they broke from the worship of the Temple ministry, the Qumran community retained standardization in its liturgical and communal prayers. Members began and ended the day with prayer, perhaps with the recitation of the Shema (1QS 10:1–2). Prayers were written and standardized, and several collections of prayers, thanksgiving psalms, and blessings have been found among the Dead Sea scrolls, including Daily Prayers (4Q503), Thanksgiving Psalms (1QHa and 4QHa—f), Blessings for Purification (4Q512, 4Q414), in addition to prayers prescribed for the community in other collections (Schuller, “Prayer in the Dead Sea Scrolls,” 66–88).The increasing standardization of prayer in Israel’s history does not mean that Jews no longer offered spontaneous, heartfelt prayers (see Heinemann, Prayer in the Talmud, 37–76). The formal prayers were designed to lead and instruct the community in its prayer activity, and there is every reason to suppose that personal, heart-felt prayers continued to be offered when the people dispersed from their communal worship. Instruction about the recitation of daily prayers included warnings like that of Simeon: “Be careful to recite the Shema and to pray the Amidah. But when you pray, do not allow your prayer to become a fixed mechanical task” (Avot 2:18). Printed prayers from this era are formal, but “there is also a large dimension of prayer that is quite nonpublic, individual, private, oral, and spontaneous” (Miller, They Cried to the Lord, 6).Prayer in the New Testament PeriodIn the New Testament period, prayer retained many of its connections with Judaism—particularly in the recitation of the Shema and the set times of prayer. Jesus’ example and teachings initiated a return to honest, genuine prayer to the God of Israel.Connections with JudaismCharlesworth notes that the earliest Christians “took with them … not only the tradition of personal, spontaneous prayer, but also some revered fixed liturgies” and traditions (Charlesworth, “Prolegomenon,” 266). One such tradition was the daily recitation of the Shema (Deut 6:4–9), which was important not only in Jesus’ praying, but in His teaching that the entire Law stemmed from its principles (Mark 12:29–31; Matt 22:37–40).The New Testament texts indicate that early Christians in and around Jerusalem continued to pray in the temple. For example, Acts notes that Peter and John traveled to the temple for mid-day prayer (Acts 3:1; see 2:46; 5:12) and continued to observe the set times for prayer (Acts 10:9, 30; 11:5; see also 10:3–4). Luke’s comment that believers “devoted themselves … to the prayers” (ταῖς προσευχαῖς, tais proseuchais; Acts 2:42) reflects early Jewish Christians’ adherence to the set times for prayer.Both Jews and Christians recognize similarities between the Amidah and the Lord’s Prayer, despite the Amidah’s considerably longer length (Matt 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4; Baumgardt, “Kaddish in the Lord’s Prayer,” 164–69; Keener, Matthew, 140–46). Similarities include:• Sanctification of the name of God (Benediction 3; “hallowed be your Name,” Matt 6:9);• A desire for the glory of God to be manifest “on earth as in heaven” (Benediction 3; Matt 6:10);• Petition for forgiveness of sin (Benediction 6; “forgive us our debts,” Matt 6:12);• Requests for adequate material provision (Benediction 9; “give us today our daily bread,” Matt 6:11);• Hope that God will cause the ruin of evil (Benediction 12; “deliver us from the evil one,” Matt 6:14).While Jesus’ prayer is in some ways an abbreviation of the Amidah, its theological themes remain. The rabbis debated whether the people were required to recite the standardized prayers of Judaism (especially the Amidah) in their entirety but eventually conceded that abbreviated forms were better than no prayer at all (Mishnah tractate Berakhot 4:3; Babylonian Talmud tractate Berakhot 28b).The Aramaic terms that periodically appear in the New Testament also point to the early Christian connection with Judaism in prayer. The terms “Abba” (“Father”; Mark 14:36; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6) and “Maranatha” (“Come, Lord”; 1 Cor 16:22) are used in direct address to God. Additionally, Jesus’ citation of Psa 22:1 (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34) in its original language points to the Jewish influences upon the prayer life of the early church. Cullmann suggests that even the terms “Ephphtha” (“be opened,” Mark 7:35) and “Talitha koum” (“little girl, arise,” Mark 5:42) could be understood as “invocations in prayer” (Cullmann, Prayer in the New Testament, 26).Paul’s prayers have many connections with Jewish traditions due to his Jewish upbringing—most prominent are his doxologies and thanksgivings. While Paul offered spontaneous prayers, petitions, and doxologies, he did so from the basis of his Jewish training and heritage. Doxologies—short ascriptions of praise to God, often written in the third person and with an optative verb—reflect the berakoth prayers (short “blessing” statements) of Paul’s worship heritage. Jews recited the berakoth at various points during the worship liturgy. They often began with the phrase, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe.” Descriptive suffixes were commonly attached to these berakoth (e.g., “who made the heavens and the earth”). Multiple doxologies appear throughout the New Testament (Eph 3:20–21; Rom 11:33–36; 16:25–27; 1 Tim 6:15–16; Heb 13:20–21; 1 Pet 5:10–11; 2 Pet 3:18; Jude 24–25; Rev 5:12, 7:12). Short “blessing” ascriptions are also common (e.g., “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”; see Phil 4:20; Rom 9:5; 2 Tim 4:18).The God Who ListensAlthough prayer in the earliest church still had ties to Judaism, New Testament prayer reflects a move away from the standardized Jewish forms of prayer and a return to a simpler, more heartfelt communication. Jesus taught that genuine prayer did not involve “babbling like the pagans” (Matt 6:7) to garner God’s attention, for God is eager to hear the prayers of His people and knows their needs before they ask for them (Matt 6:8). Two of Jesus’ parables describe Yahweh as a God who listens and acts quickly. The parable of the Importunate Widow (Luke 18:1–8) places prayer in contrast to a poor, defenseless widow requesting justice of a town magistrate, who refuses the widow until her persistence wins him over (Luke 18:2, 4, 6). Rather than recommending continual petitioning of God until He grants our requests, this parable demonstrates that God is not like the judge. Unlike the judge, God “will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:8). The parable of the Friend Knocking at Midnight (Luke 11:5–8) has the same effect, for petitioners do not have to keep knocking to get God’s attention. As Snodgrass notes, “God is not like the sleeper in that God is not reluctant but is eager to respond” (Snodgrass, “Anadeia and the Friend at Midnight,” 512).Christian Innovations to Prayer“Abba, Father”. The New Testament introduces several innovations to prayer, including the use of the term “Abba” (αββα, abba) or “Father” as a term of direct address. While Yahweh is described as a father on several occasions in the Old Testament, He is never addressed as such (Deut 32:6; 2 Sam 7:14; 1 Chr 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Pss 68:5; 89:26; Isa 63:16; Jer 3:4, 19; Mal 1:6; 2:10). Jesus’ address of God as “Abba, Father,” communicates an intimacy with God that was absent from Jewish prayer of His day (Mark 14:36). Paul taught his readers that the use of “Abba” in prayer signified their adoption as children of God (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). Barr notes that while “Abba” reflects intimacy and affection, it was a “solemn, responsible, adult address to a Father” (Barr, “Abba Isn’t ‘Daddy,’ ” 46; Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit, 22–24).Prayers of Thanksgiving. New Testament prayer—particularly Paul’s prayers—also emphasize thanksgiving more than the typical Graeco-Roman prayers (Aune, “Prayer in the Greco-Roman World,” 36–37). Thanksgiving is more prominent in Paul’s letters than any other prayer vocabulary. In this respect, he prayed like Jesus, who spontaneously prayed with thanksgivings (Matt 11:25–26). Cullmann notes that prayers of thanks are noticeably absent from Jesus’ lips in the Gospels because thanksgivings were staples of liturgical and meal-time prayers and unnecessary to record for a Jewish audience (Prayer, 29–30).Prayer in Jesus’ Name. An additional characteristic of Christian prayer is prayer in the name of Jesus. In ancient cultures, people’s names were tied to their character, and names often had communicative effect (Exod 15:3; Psa 54:1; Prov 18:10). For example, Abram (אַבְרָם, avram,”great father”) became Abraham (אַבְרָהָם, avraham,”father of multitudes,” Gen 17:5); Jacob was so named because he “grasps the heel,” an idiom for “he deceives” (יַעֲקֹב, ya'aqov; Gen 25:26); Jesus was so named because “he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21; יְהוֺשׁוּעַ, yehoshua', Ἰησούς, Iēsous, “Yahweh is salvation” or “Yahweh saves”). Jews revered the name of God and connected it to His reputation. He is identified in Exodus as “Yahweh, Yahweh,” (היה היה, hyh hyh; Exod 3:14), the God who is loving and compassionate but does not leave sin unpunished (Exod 34:6–7). This introduction connects God’s name with His character as a just, righteous, and merciful God. To do harm or bring shame to the name of God was to dishonor His reputation (Lev 22:32; Isa 42:8; Jer 23:27; Ezek 36:23).Jesus taught His disciples to honor God’s name as they pray (Matt 6:9). He also tied His own character and personality to the reputation of God by asking them to pray in His name. Jesus saw His character as so identified with that of God that anything requested in His name would be granted (John 14:13–14). The earliest believers continued to pray “in the name of Jesus,” knowing that “if we ask anything according to his [God’s] will, he hears us” (1 John 5:13–15). In a limited number of cases, prayer was addressed to Jesus Himself (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor 16:22; Rev 22:20), but the pattern of the New Testament was to pray to God in the name of (or on the basis of the person and work of) Jesus.Intercession of the Spirit. Divine assistance in prayer from the Holy Spirit is a distinctive characteristic of Christian prayer in the New Testament. Whereas the prophets, priests, and holy men of Jewish tradition served as intercessors between God and His people, so now the Holy Spirit serves as intercessor (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:38; Rom 8:15–17; Gal 4:6; Eph 1:13–14). The Spirit’s intercession grants believers immediate access to God while offering help in times of need: “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us” (Rom 8:26).Prayer in the Early ChurchIn the post-apostolic era, the early church continued to mix spontaneous elements of prayer with liturgical and standardized forms, following the pattern of Jesus and Paul. Dugmore believed that the Daily Office—a set of fixed times for daily prayer and worship—originated in the synagogue, with the early church adapting the liturgy for its own use (Dugmore, Influence of the Synagogue, 7–58, 111–113). More careful study demonstrates that the early church, while retaining some Jewish practices, adapted those traditions toward authentic expressions of faith as a watchful anticipation of Jesus’ second coming (Bradshaw, Daily Prayer, 39–40; C. Jones, The Study of Liturgy, 399–403).The Lord’s Prayer became the standard prayer in the Daily Office (Matt 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4). As Jews recited the Shema and the Amidah at fixed hours during the day, so Christians in the second century prayed the Lord’s Prayer morning, mid-day, and evening (Didache 8; Apostolic Constitutions 7:47–49). The prescribed prayers of the Apostolic Constitutions retain characteristics and themes inherited from Judaism that were Christianized for the church (Fiensy, Prayers Alleged to Be Jewish, 1–10, 129–154; van der Horst, Early Jewish Prayers, 1–97). Believers also said prayers at mealtimes during the services of the church (see Justin Martyr, First Apology 65, 67).The prayer practices of the early church continue to influence believers in the modern world. The “A.C.T.S. Model” of prayer (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) has its genesis in the teaching of Origen (AD 185–225). Origen counseled that good prayer consisted of four components: ascriptions of glory to God through Christ, common thanksgivings, a recitation of personal sin, and then “the asking for the great and heavenly things, both personal and general” (Origen, On Prayer, 23.1).