The Purpose of Prayer

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." - Martin Luther

Martin Luther was man notorious for his prayer life. Luther said that he prayed regularly for an hour every day except when he experienced a particularly busy day. Then he prayed for two hours. I’m too busy not to pray, was the idea.

“I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this, the measure of the intensity of your prayer.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

These 2 quotes have a profound truth to them. One that certainly rocks us to the core and should cause great conviction and evaluation to our prayer lives. Prayer is a vital part, in fact, as Luther said, essential.

So how’s your prayer life. Thriving? Neglected? Passionate? Dull? I think alot of you would say “so so”… whatever that means. But prayer is known for being part of greatest things.

“Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” ~ Dwight L. Moody

Yet, even knowing of this, how many of us truly pray. We want God to do something in our lives, in our church, in our families, in our nation, and in our world. But not enough enough pray. Our prayer lives have mostly dwindled down to mealtime prayers, a list of physical needs that need met, and our emergency hotline when things get bad. Perhaps, the reason for our negligence in our prayer life isn’t just because we aren’t being faithful enough. Perhaps, too it is because we haven’t been taught. So this is why we as the First Baptist Church

I. What is Prayer

Ask question ‘what is prayer:’

“Everyone knows what prayer is!…? Not so fast. Sometimes, the most common words are the hardest to define. How often do you use the word so? No one stops you midsentence to ask you to clarify your use of so. It seems like a word that doesn’t need to be defined. But go ahead, define it. You see what I mean? It’s a word that’s easier to use than to define. Sometimes, the most common words cause the most confusion, and prayer isn’t exempt.

The Word prayer or pray is used all over the place and in many different ways. Even often times in settings other than the church and the believer’s home. We hear, even non-believers, say to people our thoughts and prayers go out to you when people are going thru hard times. If you’re watching a western show or movie, a character may say, “say your prayers”… before you know sending him to his grave. Someone might tell another person to “say up a prayer” before going off to to something difficult. But when you look at these ways in which people talk about prayer, is it truly what prayer is all about.

I went and looked up a website about some of the top songs on prayer. I found a site, a secular site mind ya, about prayer. The list had songs from Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Kesha, and a whole sort of people. One song called “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran written in the 1980s caught my hear. The song is about a one night hookup. The writers encourages his partner to save a prayer until the morning that their encounter doesn't result in anything regretful, like an unplanned pregnancy. This is appalling but it’s certainly not uncommon for people to think this way about prayer. The writer of the website that listed these songs had this to say about prayer…

“What is the purpose of prayer in life? Some people pray as a direct line to the Man Upstairs, making specific requests for supernatural action. They bow their heads and earnestly plead for divine intervention in the health of someone they love or ask for God to intercede so that things go their way.

While some among us use praying as a spiritual wild card—when all else fails, that's where they turn. Some use it as a way of a sort of a good luck charm, thinking that by throwing out a prayer, life will stay good. Others hit their knees regularly to express gratitude for the simple abundance in their lives. Or they seek divine guidance in becoming a better person: more forgiving, resilient, patient. They solicit God's intercession in making the world a more peaceful place.”

What do you guys make of this? Some of this feels so wrong, right? I hope so. And why do they pray like this? Because that’s the way they view prayer. “Misinterpretation leads to misapplication.”

If time allows allows, tell story of parrot.

“Did you ever hear the story about the guy who got his mom an expensive parrot for Mother’s day? He paid $10,000 for a parrot that could speak 40 languages and sing a few hymns. He sent the bird to his mom and didn’t hear back for a few days. Nervous that she didn’t like the bird, he called his mom and asked her, “How’d you like the bird?” to which she replied, “It was great!” Filled with pride, the son asked, “What was your favorite part?” She answered, “the thighs. They were delicious.” Wrong interpretation, wrong application.

So there is a real danger here for us as believers. I fear that many of us, including myself, have adopted a wordly view of prayer or adopted elements of worldly prayers and that’s a real problem. If we have a wrong interpretation or a improper view of what prayer is, what will that lead us to? Misapplication. Let’s put in another example. If we are working on a vehicle, say we order the parts, and put it together using the manual. And for some reason the cars not working right. You don’t know why your vehicle isn’t working so you bring it into the mechanic shop and he informs you that you somehow managed to install the brake caliper in the engine compartment, and that’s why you can’t stop when you drive. Pretty big problem right. Now this is a pretty drastic example but I want you to see that how people view prayer is very similar and very drastically wrong. It’s not only not helpful ours that our wrong pray, but they are also dangerous when we misapplied. What is our prayers most likely to harm. Our understanding of God and who we are and why things exist. We might call prayer broken cause it doesn’t work, we may get mad at God and give up on Him. We might quit on prayer or be stranded in our walk, unable to move forward. But it’s not prayer that’s broken, its the one praying that broken. They misinterpreted and thus misapplied and thus are broken.

It’s not even just getting it totally wrong. Even getting it partially wrong can have damaging effects. Go back to the illustration of the car brakes. I just recently replaced my brake pads and rotors on my mini-van with the help of Tom Cornell. I learned a few really important things about brakes. Its not just about putting the pieces on in the right place, you also have to make sure the fit exactly right. Paying attention to really small details. If the pad doesn’t seat correctly in its spot for instance, it can lead to brake trouble, weird thumbing in the steering wheel when applying the brakes, faster eroding brake pads, and worse. Same is true of prayer. We’ve got to get it right and all the way right or our prayers won’t last long, will feel off, won’t have the same effect and power, and ultimately could lead to failure.

So I want us to be correct in our thinking so that we can exercise this wonderful gift that God has given and be blest by the power it brings in our relationship with God and our walk of life.

So now you tell me, what is prayer. We’ve talk alot about the dangers of not understanding prayer. But what is it. I’m actually gonna let you take a minute or to to have you write down on your notes what you believe prayer is. How would you describe it, teach it, to a new believer. How would you describe your prayer life. If it’s this important, we need to get it rightly divide the Word of truth on this topic and accurately speak about it.

So now that you have written down your answers, let’s begin by examining it with the Word of God, and we are gonna start with what it is not.

1. Definition of what Prayer is NOT

Prayer is not just some wishful thinking aimed in God’s direction.

In the songs you hear on the radio, prayer is thrown up as some hopeful last ditch effort to make change. It’s given little thought, and seen as the last measure. “Doesn’t hurt to just try it out.” All I can think about it what yoda says, do or do not, there is no try (haha). If we really understood what prayer is, it wouldn’t be our last straw.

James 1:5–7 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance or the assurance of the things we hope for.

This definition of faith contains two aspects: intellectual assent and trust. Intellectual assent is believing something to be true. Trust is actually relying on the fact that the something is true. A chair is often used to help illustrate this. Intellectual assent is recognizing that a chair is a chair and agreeing that it is designed to support a person who sits on it. Trust is actually sitting in the chair. Understanding these two aspects of faith is crucial. Many people believe certain facts about Jesus Christ. Many people will intellectually agree with the facts the Bible declares about Jesus. But knowing those facts to be true is not what the Bible means by “faith.” The biblical definition of faith requires intellectual assent to the facts and trust in the facts.

Prayer isn’t wishful thinking. Prayer is faith-filled trust in a faithful trust-worthy God.

Prayer is not mediation, passive reflection, or even just a spiritual discipline.

Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favor (Ex. 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:15), crying our to heaven (2 Chron. 32:20), drawing near to God (Ps. 73:28), and kneeling before the Father (Eph. 3:14)

Prayer is not just simply talking to God.

Oversimplification. Yes, Moses did speak to God as a friend (Ex. 33:11) and yes, we do have a friend that sticks closer to a brother. Yet, that’s not all it is. Jesus was God in the flesh. So everytime the disciples had a conversation with Jesus, they were talking to God just as they would talk to anybody else. If prayer meant merely talking to God, and Jesus was God, then shouldn’t we see every conversation someone had with Jesus as prayer? I don’t think Jesus saw it that way.

For instance, when Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father, in John 14, Jesus responds “Whoever has seen me has..... seen the Father.” Jesus seems to say, “Look no further. If you have seen me, you’ve seen God.” But when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, however, he doesn’t respond, “Well, if you’ve talked to me, you’ve talked to the Father.” Instead what he gives them is careful instructions about how to address God the Father. How does it start.... “Our Father, who aret in heaven, hollowed be thy name....”

There is a certain way in which we approach prayer that is more than just casual conversation. That’s why Jesus taught them how to pray, and bonus for next week when we look at the Lord’s prayer, that is why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. They had been around Christ and noticed His prayers were significantly different than theres. In fact, of all the things they could’ve asked Jesus about, teaching them to pray is the only recorded thing in scripture that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them about. Did they have other questions, probably, but it’s the only one place in scripture where they say “teach us....”. So we’ve got to approach prayer in the right way.

Prayer is not demanding something of God or even bargaining with God.

How can we demand anything of God.

We have absolute no authority. He is infinite, we are finite. He is all-knowing, we know hardly anything (and in fact, are constantly relearning lessons we thought we already knew- if you think that’s not true of you, then you might be just blinded by pride). We exist by and for His rule not the other way around.

Colossians 1:16–17 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

It is also true that we have absolutely nothing to bargain with God!!!!! He owns it all. He made it all. Bible tells us, apart from Him, we can do nothing!!! He doesn’t need anything from us that He can’t get elsewhere.

James 1:17–18 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

He is the source of everything that is good.

So on our own, we have nothing that He would want. If properly understood.... our place.... in His universe.... and what we were created for.... and what we really are.... and what He truly is.... all of these should have a profound impact on how we talk to God.

Prayer is not just requesting things of God.

Making requests of God is certainly apart of prayer, don’t get me wrong. We will discuss that later, but it is not the sole purpose. If we only ask God for things, it warps our thinking of God into a magical genie, granting our every wish. But that’s not right theology.

“Prayer among evangelical Christians is always in danger of degenerating into a glorified ‘gold rush’.”

-A.W. Tozer in his daily devotional called Mornings with Tozer

Now that we discussed the wrong views of prayer, let’s then define what prayer truly is.

2. Definition of what Prayer Is

Defining prayers isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do because prayers involves so much. So we are gonna start with 2 simple definitions of prayer following with why the Bible teaches us to pray. In the whys of prayer, we get a fuller idea of what prayer is and why we do it. So let’s start with a simple definition.

Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate their emotions and desires with God and to fellowship and commune with God meaning to enjoy His presence as well as tell Him what is going on in our lives.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

It’s God’s chosen means of receiving communication.

Isn’t is just amazing that God beacons us and invites us to commune with Him. That’s where prayer is different that casual talk. It’s communing with God.

Communion refers to God's communication and presentation of himself to us, together with our proper response to him with joy. We say "with joy" because it would not be communion if God revealed himself in total wrath and we were simply terrified. That would be true revelation and a proper response, but it would not be communion.

Communion assumes that God comes to us in love and that we respond joyfully to the beauty of his perfections and the offer of his fellowship. He may sometimes come with a rod of discipline. But even in our tears, we can rejoice in the Father's loving discipline (Hebrews 12:6–11). Communion with God may lay us in ashes or make us leap. But it never destroys our joy. It is our joy (Psalm 43:3). (46)

John Piper

Coming before God should, indeed, strike some kind of trepidation into our hearts since He is the Almighty, but we can go to him confidently, knowing that He sent Jesus to pay for our sins an to be our advocate to the Father. We just sang about this. A great high priest house name is love, who ever lives and pleads for me. His sacrifice made it possible, because His righteousness gave me life, so that I can now have confidence to go before God, not because of mine of righteousness, but because of His. Hallelujah to that!!!!!! And furthermore, we can go to Him in prayer confidently because we are armed with the knowledge that He loves us unconditionally!!! His is unlike earthly parents that lose control of their anger. But is longsuffering. I just read in a book recently a striking thought about longsuffering. When scriptures talks about Gods wrath it usually describes him as being provoke to anger meaning something kept deliberately or continuously making someone annoyed or anger. Stimulate anger by repetitive means. God is provoked to anger, but when God’s mercy is talked about, He is described as being rich in mercy in Eph. and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness in Exodus 34. In others word, what most naturally comes out of God.... mercy, love, faithfulness. That is who God is. We get the imagine of God lashing out on us when we do wrong because that’s what our human fathers do, but that is not God. Don’t get me wrong, God does discipline sin, but He doesn’t do it in the way our earthly fathers do. God loves to forgive, loves to grant mercy, loves it when the prodigal comes home. He prepares a banquet for the lost son not a good scolding.... that’s what makes prayer so good. It’s communing with our wonderful God.

A second definition of prayer that I really like is found in a book called Calling on the Name of the Lord: A Biblical Theology of Prayer by Gary Miller. In it, he says...

Prayer is “calling on God to come through on his promise.”

Genesis 4:25-26 is the first mention in the Bible of people calling on the name of the Lord. Calling on the name of the Lord is more than just saying his name aloud. Throughout the Bible, the name of the Lord is synonymous with the nature of the Lord. To call on his name is to make an appeal to his character. It’s a cry for help, like when someone shouts, “Call 911!” We don’t ask, “after 911, what should the nature our the phone call be” or better put “what should we talk about on the phone”. Obviously, we know that is someone asks you to call 911, it means we are calling to report an emergency. The same is calling on the name of the Lord. Call on the name of the Lord is to call on His nature.

Will unpack that statement more throughout the weeks to come but for now understand that prayer is the primary way of the believer to communicate, fellowship, and commune with God as well as a “call for God to come through on His promise.”

So now with some workable definition, let’s now work with some why’s of Prayer. This is where the rubber meets the Lord. The knitty gritty’s here. The details. I believe that after looking at these, we will be much more confident and motivated to pray and for the right reasons.

II. Why Pray

The first one is the most obvious.

1. Prayer is Commanded

Luke 18:1 ESV

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Romans 12:12 ESV

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Not only is prayer commanded but it is imperative of our faith that we pray. We simply can’t help.

“One might pray and not be a Christian, but one cannot be a Christian and not pray. Romans 8:15 tells us that the spiritual adaption that has made us sons of God causes us to cry out in verbal expressions: “Abba! Father!!” Prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life.” (R.C. Sproul- Does Prayer Change Things)

2. Prayer is Beneficial to Us

Prayer is a way to strengthen our relationship with God

Prayer is a proper place/way we can unload our cares, concerns, and our burdens, finding peace (1 Peter 5:7, Phil. 4:6-7)

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If God already knows our burdens, why pray?

Remember, that prayer in not a mere exercise in therapeutic self-analysis or religious recitation as R.C. Sproul put it… but it is a discourse with the personal God Himself. Bringing my whole life under his gaze. Yes, he knows what is in my mind, but I still have the privilege of articulating to Him what is there. He says, “Come. Speak to me. Make your requests known to me.” So we come in order to know Him.

My wife and I are about as close of two people can be (at least I think so). Oftentimes, I know what she’s going to say almost before she says it. That could be said the other way around as well. But even though I have an idea what she is going to say, I still like to hear her say it regardless. If that is true of man, how much more true is it of God?

Prayer is aligning our will to God’s. (1 John 5:14-15, James 4:3)

1 John 5:14–15 ESV

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

James 4:3 ESV

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God’s will done on earth. Prayer prepares the heart. The key to answered prayer is praying according to the will of God.

John Calvin said regarding prayer… for he ordained it no so much for his own sake as for ours. In other words, God doesn’t need our prayers. He will get His glory and through His designed way of prayer, but the benefit to us is substantial. We grow alot through it. We learn what we need to ask, and we learn and are reminded about who God is, and it constantly changes us.

Prayer is the means of obtaining His solutions in a number of situations (ie… direction)

- preparation for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13)

- overcome demonic barriers (Matthew 17:14-21)

- gather workers for spiritual harvest (Luke 10:2)

- gain strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41)

- obtain the means of strengthening others spiritually (Eph. 6:18-19)

- discerning His will (James 1:5- examples Acts 13:1-3, 2 Chronicles 1:10-12)

Prayer doesn’t change God’s mind. The king james used a bad word chose when deciding on a word for God witholding His judgment on Israel when it says He changed His mind. If God changed His mind, it would be contradictory to scripture and make out God to be less then perfect for then it could be said that His first plan wasn’t good enough so He had to come up with another one. R.C. Sproul wells says in His book Does Prayer Change Things...

“The mind of God does not change for God does not change. Things change, and they change according to His sovereign will, which he exercises through secondary means and secondary actions. The prayer of His people is one of the means He uses to brings things to pass in this world. So if you ask me whether prayer changes things, I answer with an unhesitating “YES”!

The very reason we pray is because of God’s sovereignty, because we believe God has it within His power to order things according to His purpose. That is what sovereignty is all about- ordering things according to God’s purpose. So then, does prayer change Gods mind? No. Does prayer change things? Yes, of course.”

Prayer prompts and nurtures obedience.

“Prayer prompts and nurtures obedience, putting the heart into the proper “frame of mind” to desire obedience.” (R.C. Sproul- Does Prayer Change Things) Ps. 37:4

Psalm 37:4 ESV

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

“What prayer most often changes is the wickedness and the hardness of our own hearts.” (Sproul)

3. Prayer is Glorifying to God

Prayer is a form of serving God and obeying Him (Luke 2:36-38)

Prayer is a sensible acknowledgement of our dependence on Him to His glory. (Phil. 4:19)

We make requests and ask for wisdom and guidance

Remember that prayer isn’t just supplication. John Onwuchekwa from the 9marks series said this really well.

We don’t treat prayer like breathing. We treat it like prescription medication meant to rid us of an infection. Once the infection is gone, so is the frequency and fervency of our prayers. (Prayer- by John Onwuchekwa - 9Marks series)

“Where prayer is absent, it reinforces the assumption that we’re okay without him. Infrequent prayer teaches a church that God is needed only in special situations- under certain circumstances but not all. It teaches a church that God’s help is intermittently necessary, not consistently so”. (Prayer- by John Onwuchekwa- 9Marks series)

Ultimately, the main purpose of prayer is worship.

When we pray to the Lord, recognizing Him for who He is and what He has done, it is an act of worship. Adoration, thankfulness, praise. 2 Kings 19:15, John 12:28, Romans 11:33-36. But even confession and supplication are worship. For we confess that we don’t meet with standard and ask to be forgiven so that our relationship is restored to him, and supplication is honoring to God as well. A good father is honored when his kids recognize their need of him and and ask for His help. A bad father would probably get annoyed but a good father is thankful His kids come to Him and nobody else. They recognized His strength, stability, trustworthiness, his infallibility (unable to fail), his kindness, his generosity, His wisdom and knowledge on the matter. So much more than can that all be applied to the Lord. God loves it when His children come to Him. This gives Him glory and worship.

“The immediate purpose of prayer is the accomplishing of God’s will on earth; the ultimate purpose of prayer is the eternal glory of God.” - Warren Wiersbe, On earth as It is in Heaven

Conclusion:

“The neglect of prayer is a major cause of stagnation in the Christian life. Consider the example of Peter in Luke 22:39-62. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray, as was His custom, and told His disciples, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” The disciples fell asleep instead. The next thing Peter did was try to take on the Roman army with a sword; then he denied Christ. Peter did not pray and as a result he fell into temptation. What is true of Peter is true of all of us: we fall in private before we fall in public.” (R.C. Sproul- Does Prayer Change things)

Questions:

What has been your view of prayer? In what ways has the world’s philosophy of prayer affected your own view of prayer?

What reason for prayer that we learned about today will you most work on?

How can you begin to change that mindset to pray more Biblically?