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Volume. XXIX, No. 51 Seven Facts about PrayerPRAYER, in the words of Dr Alexis Carell, is the most powerful force of energy one can generate; it is a force as real as terrestrial gravity. When we pray we link ourselves with the inexhaustible power that swings the universe.
In a poem written by Lord Tennyson, the power of prayer is described as follows: More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of, Wherefore, let thy voice Rise like a fountain for me night and day. For what are men better than sheep or goats Thai nourish a blind life within the brain, If knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer Both for themselves and those who call them friend? Prayer, to put it simply, is opening our hearts to God. What a wonderful privilege we have that we are able to talk to God in prayer! It pleases our Heavenly Father when we talk to Him. In the same way, parents are pleased when their children tell them of their love for them and of their needs. So God is also pleased when we come to Him with our joys, burdens, cares and desires. It has been said that prayer is offering up of our desires to God for all things lawful and needful; with humble confidence that we shall obtain them through the mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. What are the Seven Facts of Prayer? 1. Its Character. Prayer is characterized by adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (ACTS). "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker“ (Psalm 95:6). "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have l not hid” (Psalm 32:5). "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). “I exhort therefore, that, first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1). 2. Its Certainty God hears our prayers. “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear” (Psalm 10:17). God answers our prayers. "Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them" (Psalm 99:5). God said in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not". Gods' answers to our prayers may be “yes”, "no" or "wait" depending upon His will and always working for our good. 3. Its Conditions We must pray according to the will of God (Romans 6:27). Our Lord prayed, “....Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done“ (Luke 22:42). We must have a forgiving spirit. "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any" (Mark 11:25). We must come in humility. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will l hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). We must pray in faith, believing. "....What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24). "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord" (James 1:6-7). We must obey His commandments. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22). "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). We must pray in the Holy Spirit. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ....“ (Ephesians 6:18). “.... Praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20). The Holy Spirit's assistance is required for effective praying for He is the power and energy behind it. We must pray in Jesus‘ name. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13), "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). 4. Its Barriers Victory through prayer is often hindered because of sin of unbelief which separates us from God. Our prayers do not ascend unto God's throne of grace because of barriers such as an unforgiving spirit (Mark 11:25), unconfessed sins, wrong motives, etc. David said in Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me". "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume upon your lusts” (James 4:3). 5. Its Place Private: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:6). Jesus Christ was constant in private prayer and He sets us an example in Matthew 14:23. Public: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker" (Psalm 95:6). Solomon prayed to God before the great congregation of Israel in 1 Kings 8:22-53. Family: The family altar is perhaps the most important small group prayer meeting. Every Christian home should have a family worship. Even if not all of the members of the family are Christians, the few who are believers should unite in prayer for the rest who are not saved. "A family that prays together stays together." “Again I say unto you, That it two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:19-20). 6. Its Posture It has been said the “kneeling in prayer keeps you in good standing with God". However, there are no hard and fast rules about posture in prayer. The following postures have been mentioned in the Bible: Kneeling - 2 Chronicles 6:13, Luke 22:41, Acts 20:36, Ps 95:6; Standing - Mark 11:25, 1 Kings 8:22; Bowing down - Psalm 95:6; Falling on the face - Numbers 18:22, Joshua 5:14, 1 Chronicles 21:16, Matthew 25:39; Spreading forth the hands - Isaiah 1:15; Lifting up the hands - Psalm 28:2, Lamentation 2:19, 1 Timothy 2:8. 7. Its Time “No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer". "Men ought always to pray and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). Night and Day: “.... continueth in supplications and prayers night and day" (1 Timothy 5:5 and Psalm 88:1). Morning: "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up" (Psalm 5:3). Noon and evening: "Evening and morning and at noon, will l pray and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17). Constancy: "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). "Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually" (1 Chronicles 16:11). "We will give ourselves continually to prayer“ (Acts 6:4). Now that you have known the seven facts of prayers, it is my prayer that you and l will put these into practice, for prayer is only learned by praying. Ask the Holy Spirit, the Master Teacher to teach us to pray to enable us to tap the resources of infinite power - power which can change the course of your life and mine — power which can help us to live a victorious Christian life. Remember all things are possible through prayer, only believe. Elder Khoo Peng Kiat, Life BP Church (Reproduced from Maranatha Messenger, Sunday 31st May 2015) |
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