What Is Prayer?
Fundamentals 2021 • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Today we continue our Sunday morning theme on “Fundamentals” with the express purpose of growing up into salvation through the pure spiritual milk of God’s precious message.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
Up to this point we have covered a number of vital foundational doctrines and I encourage you to go back and study those notes all the more as we continue in our studies.
Last week, we began examining another important topic within the theme of “Fundamentals” which was that of “worship.”
As we discussed last Sunday worship is based on worshiping God has he desires, in spirit and truth.
This means we must worship God the Father, Son, and Spirit with a spiritual awareness and willingness to adhere to the biblical pattern set forth by God (Matthew 7:21-23).
We also studied the five words translated as worship with one of those words “letreuo” specifically dealing with the “acts of worship.”
There are, as we mentioned, five acts of worship which are prayer, singing, preaching, giving, feasting i.e., the Lord’s Supper.
Today we are going to focus our attention on the act of worship called “prayer” and strive to ask and answer the question, “What Is Prayer?”
The word “prayer” is found some 140 times in the bible and is a significant part of any faithful Christian’s life.
So, “what is prayer” exactly?
Prayer Defined
Prayer Defined
How Has Man Defined It?
How Has Man Defined It?
Webster’s Dictionary defines it as…
an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought
Lexham Bible Dictionary defines it as…
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Prayer
Communication with God, primarily offered in the second-person voice (addressing God directly). May include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines it as…
Dialogue between God and people, especially His covenant partners.
These are all well and good, and in fact in many ways a good definition of prayer.
However, like with every study concerning God’s word, we must go to the source.
So…
How Does The Bible Define It?
How Does The Bible Define It?
An imploring of God.
11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
A pouring out of the soul before God.
15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.
A lament to heaven.
20 Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven.
A pleading or supplication to God.
5 If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy,
A physical act of reverence to God.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
A drawing closer to God.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Summary
Summary
With prayer sufficiently defined biblically let’s take a closer look at some of these…
Biblical Prayers
Biblical Prayers
Address God.
Address God.
Thankfully, God has made it possible to address him directly without relying on other humans.
This, of course, was done through the gospel.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Because this was made possible God desires us to then communicate with him or address him in prayer.
This isn’t because he needs but that we need it.
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
17 pray without ceasing,
Every time we “talk with God” i.e., address God it is to be through the worship of prayer.
There is no talking with God without it being through the prescribed avenue of prayer.
Now to be clear, I’m only discussing talking not singing as that is also an avenue of communication.
As we noticed earlier when we address God, we must be an…
Honorable & Responsible Child Of God.
Honorable & Responsible Child Of God.
We have been chosen to be heard by God.
As we just read a moment ago.
However, it is the child of God’s responsibility to be righteous so as to be heard.
God will not listen to the unrighteous or those not seeking righteousness.
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
God will listen to those striving to live a righteous life so as to be heard by God.
10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
It is up to us whether we want to be an honorable and responsible child of God.
God will not force us to be righteous and will allow us to walk away from the relationship he desires to have with us.
However, if we want the beautiful relationship God created in the beginning with Adam and Eve that God worked so hard to recreate through the gospel of Jesus Christ then we must be a prayerful people that…
Ask, Seek, & Knock.
Ask, Seek, & Knock.
In the greatest sermon recorded we find Jesus giving this address to his disciple and us his future disciples in Matthew 7:7-11.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Notice…
We are to ask petitions of God.
We are to seek answers to life’s problems.
We are to knock to gain entrance into a more abundant life.
Lastly, prayer is more than simply…
Going Through The Motions.
Going Through The Motions.
It can be very easy to find ourselves praying the “same prayer” over and over.
In other words, saying the same thing over and over and not actually putting our all into this act of worship.
These prayers are both considered by God as both “vain repetitions” and “puffed up rhetoric.”
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Summary
Summary
Biblical prayer is about addressing God as an honorable and respectable child of God through asking, seeking, and knocking.
It’s isn’t going through the motions but thoughtfully putting our all into our talks with our Creator, Father, our God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Søren Kierkegaard once said, “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” 1
Prayer is a powerful tool that will change those seeking righteousness for the better without question.
As we develop a “life of prayer” we will certainly draw closer to our God.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Endnotes
Endnotes
The Quote Garden” https://www.quotegarden.com/prayer.html