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*Why I Don’t Pray*
October 26, 2003
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
/Matthew 6:7-8 NIV /
Q: Why do we *need* to ask God for things?
Why do need to *inform* an all-knowing God of what He already knows?
Why do we need to *instruct* an all-powerful and all-loving God to do what He would already wants to do, and can do *better* than we ask?
Inconsistent and vague
I stink at prayer.
Not prayer in *general*; prayer is just talking to God, but there are *different* *kinds* of prayer:
1.
Adoration
2. Confession
3. Thanksgiving
4. Petition
I have a hard time *consistently* asking God for things.
Frequently I do it because it’s *expected* – especially when we’re praying as *staff*.
When I do pray *consistently*, my requests are usually *general* and *repetitive*.
“Father, help me *honor* and *glorify* you in this day.”
I can’t tell how many times Marilyn has heard me say that.
· 2 ½ years = 912 days x an average 1.5 times a day = *1,368* times.
That’s not a bad prayer, but it’s not the same as *daily* seeking God’s *wisdom* and *strength* for the *specific* challenges I face *as* I seek to *glorify* and *honor* Him.
· My petitionary prayers are *inconsistent* and *vague* because I lack *conviction* and passion when it comes to asking God for things.
· Because I have struggled with this, I hope to help you.
*Why* do our prayers lack *conviction* and *passion*?
I’ve found *two* reasons.
Your *temperament* will determine which is more applicable to you.
1.
To the *analytical*, petitionary prayer doesn’t make much *sense*.
2. To the *relational*, petitionary prayer seems *impersonal*.
Q: Which group do you find yourself relating to?
Prayer doesn’t make much sense
I fall in the *first* group.
It is difficult for me to pray with conviction and passion because I don’t *understand* prayer.
Why do we need to inform an *all-knowing* God of what He *already* knows?
God already knows everything!
...your Father knows what you need *before* you ask him.*
*/Matthew 6:8 NIV /
· I *wish* Jesus would have finished that thought by saying, “Even though He knows, you still need to pray, because….”
Why do we need to *instruct* an all-*powerful* and all-*loving* God to do what He already wants to do, *especially* when He’ll do it *better*?
I’m sure I usually pray for the *wrong* thing, so I *hope* God ignores me.
· Isn’t praying like a *3-year* old instructing the *president*?
Prayer doesn’t seem to make sense.
Because I am not sure *how* it works, I have a hard time believing *that* it works.
And so I have a hard time praying with *conviction*.
The Bible and prayer
I wish I could tell you I found some nifty answer in the Bible, the *Phonics* *of* *Petitionary Prayer*.
Maybe there is; *I* haven’t found it.
The Bible *isn’t* clear on how prayer *works*.
It doesn’t explain *why* we need to *inform* God of what He already knows or *instruct* Him to do what He already wants to do.
· The Bible *is* clear that prayer *does* work and that we *need* to pray.
· Our prayers have the ability to *affect* the world *around us*.
The prayer of a righteous man is *powerful* and *effective*.
/James 5:16 NIV/
it seems so impersonal
If petitionary prayer is hard to understand, it also seems so *impersonal*.
Other types of prayers *worship* God or spend time *talking* to Him, *building* our *relationship* with our Father.
· Petitionary prayer just asks for *stuff*.
If I don’t *understand* petitionary prayer and it doesn’t bring me any *closer* to God, my prayers will lack *conviction* and *passion*.
The purpose of prayer
The *good* news is that are *very* good *reasons* that we need to ask God to do things.
The *purpose* of prayer is not to *inform* God or *instruct* Him.
He doesn’t *need* us to pray to *accomplish* his *objectives*.
· The *purpose* of prayer is to draw us *closer* to God.
· It is all about *relationship*.
*Petitionary* prayer can build our *relationship* with God in a way that *nothing* else can.
There are *specific* reasons why God *wants* us to ask Him for things.
I’m going to give you *three benefits* I’ve observed.
But *first*, there’s a *key principle* you must know.
Petitionary prayer *can* be relational, but it’s *not* guaranteed.
Without this *key*, you could spend a *lifetime* asking God for things, but *never* know *Him* better.
If petitionary prayers fail to draw you closer to God, your prayers will lack *conviction* and *passion*, they will be *forced* and *unnatural*.
Or else they will be *demanding*, treating God as a *vending machine*.
· Without this key, you *forfeit* the *true* benefits of petitionary prayer.
Authenticity
Jesus demonstrated this principle when He prayed in the Garden.
Going a little farther, [Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” /Matthew 26:39 NIV/
Q: Did Jesus think that there may have been *another* way?
If Jesus *knew* that there was *no* other way, then Jesus was asking for something that He *knew* He *couldn’t* have.
Q: *Why* would He do that?
Q: Do *you* ever pray how you think God *wants* rather than how you *feel*?
Jesus *pleaded* for something He knew He *couldn’t have* because He was being *honest* about what He *wanted*.
· The *key* to *relational* petitionary prayer is *authenticity*.
Prayer is the *last* place that we should attempt to hide our *fears*, *pain*, or even *selfish desires*.
In prayer, God prefers our authentic *humanness* to our artificial *holiness*.
Being honest with God is *risky*.
It means bringing our *dark* side into the light, *knowing* that He will want to *deal* with it.
But it also means risking being *disappointed* by Him.
Being *dishonest* with God isn’t as risky, but it means we will *never* be able to grow *closer* to God through prayer.
And we will never fulfill God’s *true* purpose for petitionary prayer.
· Inauthentic prayers *may* get *answered*, but they will not achieve prayer’s *true* benefits.
trust
If we follow Jesus’ example and establish *authenticity* in our petitionary prayers, we can begin to know its benefits.
The *first* is seen in Jesus’ prayer in the garden:
My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
Yet not as *I* will, but as *you will*.
/Matthew 26:39 NIV/
Jesus did not *end* his prayer with an *authentically expressing* what He *wanted*.
With one short, simple sentence, Jesus reconfirms His *trust* in God’s *wisdom*, *love*, and *purpose*.
Petitionary prayer involves great *risk* – God may say “*no*” when we need Him to say “yes” the *most*.
Sometimes His refusals will seem *cruel* and *unloving*.
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