Thoughts on Prayer

In the last day or two I’ve been thinking about the role of prayer in the Christians life. I have noticed that it is the men who are given to prayer who have the power and radiance, the miraculous stories, and who talk of knowing God.

Commands to pray

, King James Version (KJV)

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

King James Version (KJV)

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

King James Version (KJV)

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

King James Version (KJV)

17 Pray without ceasing.

King James Version (KJV)

6 Be careful for nothing (don’t be anxious about anything); but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

King James Version (KJV)

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I must confess some of the commands in the Bible regarding prayer are a little steeper than I thought. I will not be so bold to say to you to follow me as I follow Christ but I would like to point to Christ and say “Follow Christ”

How Christ Prayed

King James Version (KJV)

32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

King James Version (KJV)

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

King James Version (KJV)

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

King James Version (KJV)

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Just before he chose his disciples

King James Version (KJV)

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:

King James Version (KJV)

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Jesus was a man of prayer.

King James Version (KJV)

7 (Jesus) in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up many prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears

Why Does the Son of God Pray so Much?

He was dependent on God for Direction.

-47King James Version (KJV)

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

41 I receive not honour from men.

42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Dependent on God for Strength.

King James Version (KJV)

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

He Liked to Talk to His Father?

King James Version (KJV)

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away [a]to the [b]wilderness and pray.

When talking about praying, how many of you would use the term slip away?

Slip away: Reminds me of when my family used to live on a farm. I hated milking cows. Unfortunately my sister could give you example after example how I would slip away from milking to 1. be an indian in the woods 2. make inventions in the shop, 3. or just slip away to do nothing.

When life is too much, it should be our inclination to just slip away, and talk to God for an hour?

The necessity of prayer only becomes visible to us when we see that what we are called to be and do is impossible but then look at God’s ability to do the impossible.

It is essential for us to pray yet so many times we, don’t...

Four-year-old Caitlin was impatient for a sibling. One morning she told her mother, “Maybe if we both prayed out loud, God would hear us.” So they prayed together. As soon as they finished, Caitlin asked, “What did he say?” Her mother explained that it doesn’t work that way; sometimes it takes a long time to get an answer. Caitlin was indignant: “Do you mean we were praying to an answering machine?” (Reader’s Digest [12/94], p. 154.)

Praying to an answering machine?

God’s just not taking my calls.

...and so we give up.

Jesus knew the weakness of our flesh and our tendency to lose heart.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

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

King James Version (KJV)

18 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Sounds like: -11King James Version (KJV)

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

You can almost hear excitement in Christ voice as he finishes the story that if an unjust judge will give a gift to a poor woman how much more certainly will your heavenly father who only does good. He is so convinced of the reality of God’s compassion on his elect that it’s almost like a break into his thoughts when he realizes just how fickle we can be. He ends with “When the Son of man returns, shall he find faith on the earth?”

This morning Christ is urging us “Don't stop praying; but ‘always pray and don't lose heart’."

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when …

, As for me, I will call on God; and the LORD shall save me…

Trust in him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before …

For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself to prayer.

, Then shall you call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I …

, O my God, incline your ear, and hear; open your eyes, and behold …

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing …

, And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise …

But the end of all things is at hand: be you therefore sober, and …

, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any