(Question 5 in a series of “Questions About Prayer”)
Prayer is foundational for a maturing, successful Christian life. In our times of greatest joy prayer is often the overflow of your hearts. In our times of greatest need, we find ourselves pouring out our deepest feelings and concerns at the feet of Jesus.
The Bible is our encouragement and teacher when it comes to prayer. Scripture full of promises from God relating to prayer. Examples of prayer abound in God’s Word. And the Bible teaches us everything we need to know about Chrisitan living, including prayer.
Please share a favorite verse or Bible passage on prayer with the Pursuing community in the comment section below. If you’d like, add a little about how the passage has impacted you.
I’ll go first . . .
There are so many! But right now, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17. “pray continually” (v. 17) “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I often wonder what God’s will is. Here in part, it is clear. Pray continually.
Hard. Very hard. I keep working on it. When I am in the moment in prayer, life works better.
Just last week for me it was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in chapter 3, verses 14-21. This comprehensive prayer speaks both to my heart and mind. But what caught my eye was the word “imagine” in verse 20. I often gravitate to the “asking” of God in prayer, but I began to focus on the “imagination” of prayer, sanctified thinking of that which might be of Christ in as well as through my life. Jesus told his disciples to “open their eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (Jn. 4:35) Then Paul tells the Philippians that he is pressing on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of him. (3:12) A maturing adventure now in sanctified imagination prayer is beginning to take root within me for what Christ has apprehended me for.
Imagine! I like it, Mike! Not just asking. . . imagining! After all, that is how Paul is praying. Imagine, or perhaps think wildly outside-the-box. I like the way the Amplified Bible also helps to stretch the prayer imagination: “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory . . .”
Luke 11:1 becomes essential to “Praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20):
“Now it came to pass, as He [the Lord of Glory] was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
Fundamental to this request is well understanding our deficiency in prayer: we must continually learn how to pray–“day by day” Lk11:3. The Lord’s response to this request is followed with “the” answer that gives us the most specific answer on model praying, written on a 4th grade level, so even children can learn and obey its intent.
If the opening line of the Lord’s model prayer is missed, we are likely praying amiss (James 4:3) to get what we want for our own lusts, or presumptuously put: “My will be done!”
Lk11:2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Asking for God’s name to be holy (vs 2, hallowed) to us, through us and in us, is first and foremost. Seeking this as our life’s chief desire is seeking His face and what God Himself said we must put first. We can’t hurry through focusing on His holy name since it’s foundational to the rest of this prayer; to miss it is to negate the direction that follows. Obtaining the answer to this part of the prayer sets life right-side up so that vs 2-4 and the “Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs” [also forms of prayers], Scriptural prayers and all other Scriptural references to “Calling upon the name of the Lord” invites the Lord Himself to guide us through His will in prayer.
Even so, “Lord, teach us to pray…” Let’s slow down and get lost in the wonder of making His name holy. Lord teach me to pray. Crush all prayerful desires to make everything happen as ‘I’ think best; the prayers that attempt to give You counsel and instruct You (Isa 40:13) so life on earth makes us comfortable, enjoyable and lacking in desire for You to return and interfere with our plans.
God’s holiness finally dawned on Job after the Lord provided divine perspective concerning life. Job rejects his own previous prayers after the glory of the Lord appeared in the whirlwind.
40:3-6 Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind…
42:1-6: Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”
After God’s name was hallowed in Job’s heart, he was ready to pray, 42:8 …and My servant Job shall pray for you…