Growing Through Prayer

GOLDEN TEXT: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” —I Thessalonians 5:16-18

LUKE 11:1-13; PHILIPPIANS 4:6, 7

THERE are two primary aspects of prayer; namely, giving thanks to God for his blessings, and making requests to him for further blessings, of whatever sort they may be. Our Golden Text calls upon us to give thanks “in everything.” It is quite natural to lift up our hearts to God to thank him for the good things of life, and for the happy experiences which he permits us to enjoy. We like to thank him also for his love as expressed through the gift of his Son to be our Redeemer, and for his glorious plan of salvation which he has revealed to us through his Word.

But the apostle says that we should give thanks to God for “everything,” and this includes our trials, the hardships of life which tend to discourage us and disrupt our peace of heart and mind, but in the overcoming of which we are made strong. We should remember that the Lord permits these experiences, also, because his wisdom sees that they are good for us; that we need them as part of our training to live and reign with Christ. They are among the “all things” which “work together” for our good, and therefore we should give thanks for these, the “sorrow and the pain,” as well as for “the sunshine.”

Concerning our requests the Apostle James writes: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3) In other words, selfish prayers are not heard by God. If what we request is desired merely in order to pamper self, or to gratify selfish desires—described by James as “lusts”—our prayers will be neither proper nor effective.

Various definitions of prayer have been suggested, an appropriate one being that prayer is the claiming of the promises of God. This is simply another way of saying that God has already promised to give what he desires us to have. This is reasonable, for certainly the Lord does not need us to enlighten him as to our needs. There is a saying that prayer changes things. It can very well change one’s attitude toward God, and toward the providences of God, but prayer cannot change God’s plan for his people.

One of the comprehensive promises of God to his people is that he will give his Holy Spirit to those who ask of him. The gift of the Holy Spirit includes all that the Holy Spirit brings into the life of a Christian—enlightenment, comfort, courage, and a fruitage of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and patience. These are all spiritual blessings which the Lord delights to shower upon his people, and the more so as we petition him earnestly for them.

The prayer which Jesus suggested to his disciples in answer to their request, “Teach us to pray,” contains all the elements essential to acceptable Christian prayer. It opens with an expression of reverence and adoration for the Heavenly Father—“Hallowed be thy name.” Proper reverence for God will lead us to follow closely the instructions of his Word, and Jesus gave instructions that we should approach the Heavenly Father in his name.

The first request in the model prayer is, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10) This is an unselfish petition, for it implies blessings for all mankind, and it is certainly within the range of what God has promised. To ask him to fulfill his kingdom promises manifests our enthusiasm for his plans and purposes.

Then follows a personal request—“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matt. 6:11) We might well think of the expression, “daily bread,” as symbolic of all our needs as Christians, both temporal and spiritual. And the Lord has promised to supply our needs according to the riches of his grace. (Phil. 4:19) Perhaps all our physical wants will not be supplied, but what we really need, and what will be for the best interests of the new creature, will be given. And certainly he has promised to supply our spiritual needs.

We also have the privilege of asking for forgiveness, for the Lord has promised to forgive us our sins. The prayer reminds us, however, that the extent of God’s forgiveness will be measured by the extent to which we forgive those who trespass against us. This is very heart searching.

James assures us that God tempteth no man. (James 1:13) We may consider this as a promise and an assurance that God will not lead us into temptation. So we are to claim this assurance and at the same time ask for deliverance from evil, which is again something which God has promised. As individuals we are daily delivered from evil, and the entire church is promised a glorious deliverance in to the kingdom.

Paul writes, “Be careful for nothing”—or be not anxious about anything. Prayer is a daily reminder of God’s care, and, if we are “instant in prayer” it will contribute greatly to the peace of God ruling in our hearts.

QUESTIONS

What are the two main aspects of prayer?

Why are our prayers sometimes not answered?

Can prayer change God’s will?

How can we properly approach God in prayer?

Explain the main points in the Lord’s Prayer.

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