How to Pray?

Spiritual Impact Is Like Dominoes Falling

Rich Stearns, the president of World Vision, calls it the domino theory of spiritual impact. Imagine a long line of dominoes. When one falls, it starts a chain reaction that can cause dozens or hundreds more dominoes to fall. For instance, Jesus set up 12 dominoes (his disciples), mentored them, empowered them with the Holy Spirit, and then sent them off to go and do likewise. Now there are over 2 billion followers of Christ in the world. That's a lot of dominoes! Stearns provides the following story about the spiritual impact that one person can have. In the 1880s, Robert Wilder, a missionary kid from India, was preparing to return to the mission field. During college, he even signed a pledge along with friends to become a missionary. But because he was so physically frail, he never fulfilled that pledge. Instead, he encouraged others to take up the task. One domino fell.

During a preaching tour that took Robert through Chicago, he spoke to an audience that included Samuel Moffett. Samuel also signed Robert's pledge, and within two years he landed in Korea. Another domino fell.

A few years later, Samuel shared the gospel with a man who had become disillusioned with his Taoist practice. Kiel Sun-chu trusted Christ, and quickly another domino fell.

In 1907, Kiel was one of the leaders of the Pyongyang revival. In January of that year, spontaneous prayer and confession broke out during regular church meetings. Thousands of dominoes fell. Those days of fervent prayer are now considered the birth of an independent, self-sustaining Korean church.

When Kiel died in 1935, 5,000 people attended his funeral. The church in Korea now numbers about 15 million, and it sends more foreign missionaries than any other country outside the United States. Millions of dominoes continue to fall. Stearns concludes:

As Christians, we are all dominoes in the chain reaction set off by Jesus 2,000 years ago. The amazing thing about dominoes falling is that the chain reaction always starts small—with just one, seemingly insignificant domino. Whether you are sponsoring children, filling backpacks for children in inner-city schools, talking to your own children, or praying earnestly for [people around the globe], you have no idea what how big the impact will be as God multiplies your faithfulness

Prayer is the greatest privilege and most sacred duty of every follower of Christ.

Many people struggle with prayer. People carry guilt around because they feel that they have not been proficient, efficient and consistent in their prayer lives.

Note: Many in our Christian culture have reduced prayer to merely talking to God. But there is so much more involved than a conversation between two parties. If we were truly honest most of our prayers end up being a one way conversation. There are several things we must look at when we ask the question How do we Pray?

Why do people struggle so much with a consistent prayer life?

We must recognize that prayer is a sacred duty and only effective when it is vibrant and expectant of being answered.

We are called and commanded to be constant in prayer as modeled and taught by Jesus.

INTRODUCTION

Hannah’s Fervent Prayer

Hannah’s prayer for a child gives us a vivid picture into what proficient, efficient, and consistent prayer look like. We learn at the beginning of 1 Samuel chapter 1 that the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb and caused her great sorrow.

There was a man named Elkanah of Ephrath who had two wives. The name of one was Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children and Hannah did not. Now, year after year Elkanah would go up to worship and sacrifice at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli were priests of the Lord. When Elkanah would sacrifice he would give portions of meat to his wife Peninnah and and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.

Now here we have a picture of the sovereignty of God in our prayers. We will discuss more about God’s sovereignty in prayer during week 5 of our study on prayer. However, it is important to note that it say’s God closed Hannah’s womb, which would indicate that God is in control of all things even the children we have or are unable to have for whatever reason. Hannah was being tested like famous women before her. (Sarai was barren, Rebekah was barren, and Rachel was barren). This would appear to be the way God operated to reveal his sovereign plan and glory to the earth.

To make matter worse the name Peninnah means “fruitful”, and true to her name she has children.

Hannah was tormented by the reminder of her barren state routinely when they would go up to worship. You can imagine the merry chatter of all the children of Peninnah enjoying their portions while Hannah sat in isolation and despair. Peninnah is called her rival. This is not a happy family picture, and this went on year after year; time and time again, Hannah suffered the humiliation and agony of her situation. Till she wept and would not eat.

1 Samuel 1:7–18 ESV

7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” 9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 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. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Big Idea: True prayer begins when we recognize our greatest need in Him.

KEYS TO RECOGNIZING OUR GREATEST NEED IN PRAYER

1. Prayer should be fervent not casual

We tend to turn our prayers into nothing more than casual conversations. I have heard people say before, prayer is nothing more than talking to God like you would talk to your best friend. Where in scripture do you find people talking to God like they would talk to their best friend? This is not a Biblical concept.

*Fervent prayers are expectant prayers

Note: I think many times difficulties arise when we pray without expecting results. Look at the picture of Jacob in his conversation with God. He wrestled with God all night long and was persistent to the depth of His heart. Hannah pray’s a silent prayer from the depths of her soul that resulted in her singing a song of celebration in response to God for answering her prayer.

For Peninnah, it is a reason to mock Hannah

For Elkanah, it is a reason to pity Hannah. (Elkanah wants her to show more interest in him than her childless state)

For Hannah, it is a reason to pray. (If God had closed her womb then maybe God might also open her womb. God’s sovereignty leads Hannah to action.)

NOTE: notice that no one recognizes the kind of prayer that Hannah is praying, not eve Eli. This also should show us the spiritual state of the people coming out of the Judges. Prayers may have become routine and casual. Possibly the fervent kind of prayer that Hannah is praying seemed out of place or foreign to anyone who would witness such a fervent outcry to God for mercy and action.

*Fervent prayers are needful prayers

TRUE PRAYER

There are some in Christian circles who would say that prayer is about quiet and contemplative prayer. Sometimes the implication is that the more spiritual your are, the more calm and composed you will be in your prayer life. However, this is just not true. Hannah’s prayer which God answers is born out of:

deep anguish (v10)

bitter weeping (v10)

misery (v11)

being deeply troubled (v 15)

great anguish and grief (v 16)

If you are experiencing anguish or bitterness, then you are in a good place to pray well! Perhaps the problem is that we struggle with our mind being all over the place, so we find it hard to concentrate in prayer. But actually that is the kind of condition that produces good praying. Prayer is not a technique that we need to master. “It is pouring your heart and soul out to the Lord.”

One of the primary reasons that people do not prayer more is that they do not feel the need to pray. We think that we can manage things just fine without God’s help, and so our prayers end up a duty to perform, options in our busy way of life. We glibly put a few cursory words together with little fervency behind what we are praying.

It is sweet to actually come into the hall of the king of kings and Lord of Lords, God Himself and speak to Him from the deepest level of our concerns and hearts. A lack of prayer is not the result of having no desire to fellowship or commune with God, nor is it because we have little time or lack discipline. Most people fall short and do not enjoy prayer because they do not know how to pray.

2. Prayer should be a plea for help not a duty to perform

Note: Hannah did not get up from the meal because she had forgotten to have her quiet time that day. It was the cry of an anguished soul.

Tim Chester, pastor, author, and teacher.

The main image that Jesus gives us of prayer is of a child asking her father for help. And three-year-olds do not ask for things in a quiet and contemplative manner! They insist, they shout, they clamour, they persist. If a child cries and no one comes then they eventually stop crying. There are orphanages where children have been neglected to the point where an eerie silence hangs over the dormitories. The point is this: the cry of a child is a cry of faith. It reflects their belief that there is someone out there who hears them and responds to them. Of course, they are also selfish, and often we struggle to work out what they want, so ti can be difficult! But it is essentially a cry of faith. And the cry of prayer is a cry of faith. It arises from the belief that God is a Father who is able (powerful enough) and willing (loving enough) to answer.

*A plea for help is a deep sense of our need and a deep sense of God’s care.

Note: Pray for he cares for you. Matthew 7:7-11

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

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!

What happens when Prayer is simply becomes a duty to perform?

We add it to our daily to do list. (we just check that box)

We rush through prayer without giving it it’s due time. (passionate plea’s are constant and consistent)

We make it something we should or have to accomplish. (this causes prayer to lose it’s power and urgency)

*A Plea for Help begins with the asking.

Note: Notice that the them running through the following narrative is one of asking. verse 17 Eli literally says: “Your asking that you have asked” - the request you have requested, we might say. When Hannah fulfills her vow and offers Samuel back to the Lord for his service in the tabernacle, she says: “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord.” Literally Hannah is saying that the Lord has granted to her what she has asked him for. Now for his whole life he shall be given as a response to my asking the Lord.”

James 4:2 ESV

2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

John 16:24 ESV

24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Why are we so reluctant to go before the throne of God and ask for help in our time of need? We have been preconditioned by our culture to pull ourselves up by our own boot straps and handle each situation that comes our way on our own. We fail to understand the premise behind asking God. When we ask God in our passionate plea before the throne of God we are acknowledging who is in control and the only one who can do anything about our situation. This is a true test of our faith in God.

We can say we believe in God, but if we do not trust him enough to take our passionate pleas to God do we really trust Him? When people come to me and speak of struggling with a decision they must make or something that they need to happen in their lives whether it be a job, finances, marriage, you name it, the first question I ask is have your taken it before the Lord in prayer. Most people will respond with a cursory, oh yeah I prayed about it. I wonder if they prayed the kind of prayer that Hannah had, or did a cursory casual prayer with little faith or belief that God would hear their prayer.

Hannah’s story is not to illustrate ordinary life. The message is not that every childless woman who prays for a child will receive one. Hannah’s story is told because it points to something bigger, something “extra-ordinary.”

THE LORD MAKES GOOD ON HIS WORD

When Hannah asks God to look on your servant’s misery, she is echoing the language of God’s relationship with Israel during the exodus. The Lord says’, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.” Notice that the response of the people once they realized that the Lord was concerned with their plight, they bowed down and worshiped Him.”

The end of the book of Judges shows that the nation of Israel is in deep turmoil, just as Hannah is barren, so is Israel. They are not bearing fruit.

In verse 21 it is now time once again for Elkanah and his family to make their sacrifices at Shiloh - however this time, Hannah has a baby boy, and this time Hannah does not go up with her husband. Hannah shares that she will stay until the boy is weaned and then keep her word to the Lord by taking Samuel and dedicating him to the Lord. Elkanah responds by affirming that she should stay until the baby is weaned and that the Lord make good his word.

The odd thing is that Hannah is the one who had made the vow which needs to be made good on not God. The answer is that the word mentioned is given to his people. God has promised to bless his people and make them a blessing to the nations. What is happening to Hannah is part of a bigger plan with a greater purpose for God and His people. Remember that there is still no earthly king and David will soon come to set up the Messianic kingdom.

Hannah’s Song

Hannah’s song has bee compared with that of Mary’s song after hearing the announcement of the Messiah’s birth. Mary was also a woman used for God’s purpose for His people. She was not the first barren woman in the Bible to receive a child. All the way through Biblical history God gives children to barren women. It is an indication that salvation will be accomplished only through his power and grace alone.

We see God bringing to life where there is not life. Like Hannah, we are all surrounded by enemies. Israel’s enemies were the Philistines; and they were in one sense a picture of the enemies that humanity faces, the enemies of sin and death. But the movement in Hannah’s story comes from a woman “provoked” by her “rival’ to a woman who can say: “My mouth boasts over my enemies.”

1 Samuel 2:1–11 ESV

1 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. 2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. 9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” 11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

3. Prayer should be a confident trust not uncertain hope.

Hannah’s victory prayer is all about trust in the God who controls and judges the whole world either something that is already existing or a future event.

HOW DO WE APPROACH THE THRONE OF GRACE?

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

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.

We approach the throne of grace through the one who has secured the victory. She begins with my heart rejoices. A horn in the Bible is a picture of strength. It’s animal injury. Imagine a rhino goring its enemy and then lifting high its bloodied horn as a sign of victory.

Her mouth is now wide open with a victory cry in the face of her enemies.

Notice i the first verse Hannah uses the word “my” three times. After that she focuses on what is true for all God’s people. Notice that the Lord’s name is mentioned nine times in the song. He is the actor in the song. He is sovereign.

v 2 speaks of how there is no one like the Lord, there is no rock like our God. It is God’s opinion that matters in our life. It is God alone that is at the center of all the activities that take place as a result of prayer.

*A confident trust sees the bigger picture of our trust.

Why do we pray in the Lords prayer, “thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?” We must recognize in our confident trust that everything God is doing and has done is about his will and purpose. For every barren woman in scripture whom God gives children to there are just as many women who never have babies. Does this mean one has more faith than the other?

No absolutely not, God’s plans are not our plans, his thoughts are not our thoughts, his ways are not our ways. Confident trusting prayer is believing that God has the power to do whatever he will or chooses to do regardless of what we want or desire.

For the Lord is a God of Knowledge. (v.3)

He will guard the feet of the faithful (v.9)

The adversaries of the Lord will be broken to pieces. (v.10)

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. (v.10)

We will talk about this more later in the study, however, I want to remind you of something. What Hannah is doing in her prayer is not wearing God down or somehow manipulating God to get what she wants. She is confidently trusting God with her request and with whatever the answer to her request might be.

I think the bigger issue with our prayers is not a lack of belief but a lack of trust. We may believe that God has the capability of answering our prayers however, we lack the confident trust that he will answer our prayers.

Hannah realizes that her story is a part of a bigger picture of the church in her generation and the generations that are to come.

Here are some pics of the early day’s of the Journey Church, you can see the property we now sit on prior to a building being built here. The view of the dirt road looking at Haynes Elementary School which was our first home with people peering in the window after a prayer walk anticipating the bigger picture of what is to come. The early picture of one of our fist community groups in our home.

We pray knowing the God is the one with all the knowledge, he guards the feet of the faithful, the adversaries of the Lord will be broken at His feet, the Lord holds the judgement of the ends of the earth.

*A confident trust sees the object of our trust

The Lord kills and brings to life. (v.6)

The Lord makes poor and makes rich. (v.7)

He raises the poor from the dust. (v.8)

He lifts the needy from the ash heap. (v.8)

Note: Hannah recognizes who is in control and who is the object of her prayer. She always keeps God in plain view as the one who is controlling all things that will happen past, present, and future.

*A confident trust sees the reversal of our situation.

verses 7-8 A persons status in life is not to be regarded as fixed and unchangeable, for the Lord is well able to reverse it. This was good news for those of lowly birth, accustomed to poverty, because, if they looked to the Lord, they would no longer be the victims of their depressing circumstances.

Hindu Culture: Lives in a caste system, which means your are doomed to remain in the caste that you are born into. There is not opportunity to better your situation.

verse 8 “for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s and on them he has set the world”

The Lord has established the social and moral ordering of society. The word pillar generally is foundation or to constrain brings something under his control.

Notice that it is Hannah’s prayer that first uses the word ‘anointed’ in reference to the king. Hannah’s song is full of telling observations on God’s overruling of human life, which gives the model for Mary’s song of thanksgiving.

When we pray today, how do we see the reversal of our situation evident in our prayers. We come before the throne of God with confidence through the blood of Christ who conquered sin and death to bring about the greatest reversal the world has ever known.

In 1 Samuel 16 Samuel will be the one the Lord sends to anoint David as the future King of Israel. Approximately 1,000 years later another baby would be born, to a woman named Mary who also exalted and praised the Lord for the favor He had bestowed upon her. This baby would come to take away the sins of the world and will one day return to rule and reign for all eternity.

CONCLUSION

Calling Out

This account from a medical doctor details the physical suffering of crucifixion: “The legionnaire … drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. … With both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. … Excruciating pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms … the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet.  At this point, as the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. … Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. … Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, He is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences recorded”

Jesus prayed in his hardest moment. At the time of his greatest physical and emotional pain, Jesus called out to the Father. This means that we, too, can pray to God in our most painful situations. When we call out to God, he will hear us.

“There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety—let us pray that we may always know it!”- Corrie ten Boom

The Lord is our only constant in a life that will be full of trials and joys and every-changing circumstances. May we always find refuge in him as we cry out to the Father in our greatest hour of need.