Growing Through Prayer

MATTHEW 6:9-13

COMMUNION with God through prayer is one of the primary essentials of Christian growth. “Pray without ceasing,” wrote the apostle. (I Thess. 5:17) This does not imply the necessity of being continually on our knees in prayer. The thought is, rather, of not ceasing the habit of prayer, but continuing to make it a regular part of our lives. This we will want to do if we appreciate as we should the precious relationship we bear toward our Heavenly Father as his children, for we will delight to enter into his presence with praise and thanksgiving, there to obtain mercy and find grace to help in every time of need.

The Scriptures do not indicate that we should employ any set formula of prayer in the sense of always using the same words. However, Jesus did leave with his church an outline of prayer; a model, so to speak, containing the essential elements of prayer, which should guide us in our petitions at the throne of heavenly grace. It is very brief, but when studied is found to be very comprehensive in its implications of what is proper to take to the Lord in prayer.

We are to address our God as “Father.” This automatically keeps us reminded that we are his children, hence objects of his special care and protection. In the usual family relationship there is great familiarity, but this should not be so when we enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father. This is indicated in the words of adoration, “Hallowed be thy name.” We are to hold our God in sacred esteem at all times, and especially so when we approach his presence in prayer.

On another occasion Jesus instructed his disciples that their petitions to God should be presented in his name. If we properly honor our Heavenly Father, if we truly hallow his name in our hearts, we will be guided by these instructions of his Son, realizing that because of our imperfections we have no right to enter into his presence except through the Advocate who has been so lovingly provided for us.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” It is doubtless by special design that Jesus taught us that our first consideration in prayer was not to be particularly our own blessing, but especially that of others—the whole world indeed, for when we pray for God’s kingdom to come we are seeking divine blessings for all people. How appropriate that we should pray for that which our Heavenly Father has purposed to do and has made so prominent a part of his plan!

God’s plan to establish a kingdom for the blessing of mankind reflects his love for humanity, even as did the giving of his Son to be the Redeemer of the world. God wants us to be like him, to be enthusiastic for the things which he purposes to do, to be filled with his spirit of love for one another and for all mankind. If we attain this goal of godlikeness our prayers will reflect our interest in the things which are so close to his heart.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Here we have a simple expression of our needs—needs which our Heavenly Father has promised to supply. We should not he concerned as to whether the reference is to material bread or spiritual food, for the Lord has promised to supply both according to our needs, and in keeping with the terms of our covenant to lay down our lives in his service.

And how essential it is that our prayers include requests for forgiveness—“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”; or as stated in verses 14 and 15, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. God has made the necessary provision through Christ to forgive us. He is ready, willing, and anxious to forgive us, but he wants us to seek his forgiveness in prayer. And he wants us to be so in harmony with his spirit of mercy that we will be glad to forgive those who trespass against us. In this, as well as in our petition for the coming of his kingdom, we have indication that prayer, in order to be acceptable to God, must reflect a heart harmony with God and a genuine desire to be like him.

“Lead us not into temptation.” This does not imply that God has any intention of leading us into temptation any more than does our prayer, “Thy kingdom come,” suggest that he will abandon his purpose to establish his kingdom if we neglect to pray for it. Prayer is the claiming of God’s promises, and no prayer will be honored by God unless it is for that which he has purposed to do. He has promised his kingdom, so we pray for it. He has promised our daily bread, so we pray for our daily bread. He has promised to forgive us, so we ask his forgiveness. He has also given us assurance through his Word that he will not lead us into temptation—“God tempteth no man,” writes James—so we claim this assurance, and confidently expect him also to deliver us from evil.—James 1:13

The latter part of verse 13—“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory”—is spurious, having been supplied without inspirational authority. It may have been added to substantiate the erroneous claim that God’s kingdom was reigning through the church-state governments of Europe.

LUKE 11:9-13

“ASK, and it shall be given you,” Jesus said to his disciples, “seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” This should not be construed to mean that we can ask for anything which our human fancy may suggest and it will be given to us by the Lord. In this particular passage Jesus qualifies his promise by indicating that what he has reference to is our asking for the Holy Spirit. God has promised to fill us with his Spirit, hence in asking for this blessing we are but claiming his promise; and in doing so we can be confident that our prayer will be answered.

Asking for the Holy Spirit means the seeking of all the blessings which the indwelling Spirit of God brings to his people. It means divine guidance in the narrow way of sacrifice; it means comfort and encouragement in our trials, and it means assurance and joy as we run for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. All these blessings the Heavenly Father is more willing to give than is an earthly parent to give good gifts to his children.

On another occasion Jesus assured us that if we abide in him and his Word abides in us, we can ask “what ye will” and we will receive it. (John 15:7) If we are abiding in Christ—as members of his body—and his Word, his teachings, are abiding in us in the sense that we are being guided by them, then the only things we will wish to ask for will be those spiritual blessings which have been so lovingly promised to all who thus accept Jesus as their Head. Thus again we see that prayer is simply the claiming of God’s promises—asking for the blessings he has provided for us and which he wishes us to have.

PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11

THANKSGIVING should always occupy an important place in our prayers. In this passage, Paul tells of his thanksgiving to God for the blessings which had come to him through fellowship with the brethren at Philippi. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,” he writes. How sweet those memories must have been! He says that they went back to the “first day” of ‘his acquaintance with them. That “first day” was indeed a memorable one. It was the first contact Paul had made when he responded to the call, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” As a result of this contact, at a place just outside of the city where “prayer was wont to be made,” Lydia, the seller of purple, embraced the truth, and soon an ecclesia—the church at Philippi—was established in her home.

There it was that God, through Paul, began a “good work” in the hearts and lives of the Philippian brethren—a spiritual work, building them up as new creatures in Christ Jesus. Paul knew that this was the plan of God for all the called ones, therefore he was confident that God would complete this good work; and being confident, he prayed to this end in full assurance of faith that his prayers on their behalf would be answered.

“And this I pray,” he continued, “that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment,” or discernment. God had predestinated that all who were called according to his purpose must be conformed to the image of his Son. (Rom. 8:29) This meant that they were to be perfected in love, that the love of God and the love of Christ was to abound in them “yet more and more.” Paul knew that this was God’s will for them, as it is for every follower of the Master, so he could indeed make his request to this end “with joy.”—Verse 4

Paul’s epistle to the Philippian brethren was partly in acknowledgement of a gift they had sent to him in prison at Rome. Epaphroditus had taken it to him at the risk of his life. (Phil. 4:18) It was a wonderful evidence of their love for the apostle, which he recognized and appreciated.

Paul prayed that the love of the Philippian brethren might abound in keeping with knowledge, and that they might have discernment to approve the things which were excellent. We should endeavor to exercise discernment in connection with all things which pertain to our walk in the narrow way, and in doing this be sincere—not biased or prejudiced by our fears, preferences, earthly loves, or friendships.

It is for such spiritual guidance and blessing that the Lord is pleased to have us pray. If the burden of our petitions to the Lord is that we might be emptied of self and filled with his Spirit, we are certain to grow strong in the Lord, and ultimately to become mature as new creatures in Christ Jesus and thus be “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”—Col. 1:12

QUESTIONS

Is prayer optional in the Christian life, or is it a necessity?

What should be our first consideration when we go to God in prayer?

Should we ask God for material as well as spiritual blessings?

What is the condition upon which we may ask God to forgive our sins?

Why is it proper to pray, “Lead us not into temptation”?

What is it that we are sure to find if we seek for it through prayer?

What other purpose is there in prayer besides asking God for blessings?

Why is it proper to pray that we abound in love?

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