GOOD SHEPHERD DISCIPLESHIP AND THEOLOGY {GOSHEDITH SCHOOLS}

DISCIPLING CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLE-BASED,CHRIST-CENTERED & HOLYGHOST POWERED MINISTRY

INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER

Prayer is a universal phenomenon amongst mankind. Men and women have always prayed
everywhere. It is a natural consequence of believing in God. Humanity, by nature, believes in
the existence of deity, that is, in a super-human, powerful, eternal being or beings with
whom we are related and on whom, in some way, we depend. It is a concept congruous with
our knowledge of ourselves and of the world. And so prayer is a natural activity. It springs
out of our sense of need and of God‟s relationship to us and his ability to help.
However, if prayer is to be acceptable to the One to whom we direct it, it must be in
accordance with the mind and character of God. That is to say, our prayers to God must be
in accordance with his revealed will, both in how we approach him and what we ask for.
Man-made methods of prayer will not honour God, nor will they be answered, for to answer a
prayer that is wrong is simply to confirm the error on which it is based.
God is truth and we must approach God in truth if we are to relate to him through our
prayers. So we must approach him in the way his Word teaches us to. True prayer, when
prayed within God‟s character and according to his will, honours God; but erroneous prayer
simply distorts his character. True prayer is a form of worship of God, for true prayer is
based on faith and expresses our belief as to what God‟s character is.
In the Bible we find many exhortations and promises about prayer. God hears prayer and
loves to answer prayer. If we pray in accordance with his mind we will be related to him and
we will receive answers.
Prayer is difficult; it is difficult to persevere in prayer; it is difficult to know how we ought to
pray. We may sum up how to pray under seven heads, and for the sake of aid to memory
they may be put in alliterative form—relationship, recognition, request, repetition,
resignation, rejoicing and realisation.
It has been rightly said, “the secret of all failure is our failure in secret prayer.” Not just our
failure to pray, but our failure in prayer. In the story of the Pharisee and the publican the
Pharisee is one who prayed long and often, but he was a miserable failure. His prayers were
never heard by God because neither he nor his prayers were ever right with God.

I think it was Oswald Smith who said, “when we work, we work, when we pray, God works.”
Throughout history, the men and women that God has used mightily have been people who
knew how to pray and for whom prayer was both a priority and a necessity. As we study the
gospels and the training of the disciples by the Lord, we find that prayer is to be a vital part
of a disciple‟s life. For a couple of illustrations compare the following verses:

John 14:12-13 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. 13 “And
whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it
shall be done for you.

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DISCIPLING CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLE-BASED,CHRIST-CENTERED & HOLYGHOST POWERED MINISTRY

An electronic concordance quickly shows the importance of prayer in the Word of God.
Variations of the word “pray” such as “prayer” and “praying,” etc., occur 331 times in the
NASB, 545 in the KJV, and 375 times in the NIV. The difference in numbers is caused by the
fact some Greek and Hebrew words are translated differently in the different translations. For
instance, the KJV might use the word “pray” while the NASB or NIV might use “ask.”

Most Bible believing Christians recognize and accept, at least intellectually, the need and
importance of prayer. We read books on prayer, we talk about it, we ask for prayer from
time to time, but somehow, the church today is anything but a praying church. We may have
a few real prayer warriors, but the VISION AND DISCIPLINE of biblical praying as committed
disciples of the Lord Jesus has somehow escaped the body of Christ. We talk of its necessity,
but too often we fail to accomplish its reality.

The disciples had this same experience. They too fell short in their prayer life and they felt it
deeply. In this lesson we want to look at Luke 11:1 and the request of the unnamed disciple
who was probably asking on behalf of the entire group. Here is a very important passage for
learning some of the key issues of prayer that are so crucial to our walk with the Lord and
the fulfillment of His purposes.
The Plea of the Disciple
(11:1)

Luke 11:1 it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished,
one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his
disciples.”
THE MOTIVATION FOR THE QUESTION
The disciples had obviously heard that John had taught His disciples on prayer and they too
wanted instruction (11:1). But was there not something more, something much deeper that
provoked this request? It was Howard Hendricks who, several years ago in a message at a
pastor‟s conference, called our attention to the fact that if we were to open our Bibles and
read starting with Matthew and were to read through John we would never find an instance
where the disciples asked, “Lord teach us how to witness,” or “teach us how to perform
miracles,” or “teach us how to teach.” But in this passage, we do find one of the disciples
asking, “Lord, teach us to pray . . .” Wow! How significant!

This was a very wise question, a very needed question, and from these disciples who were
sometimes so slow about spiritual values, this question becomes extremely significant. What
was the motivation behind this question, and why is this so important?

Again, I am reminded of something Professor Howard Hendricks once said. Can you imagine
what life with Jesus Christ was like during His ministry on earth? One amazing experience
after another! He was forever a source of joy and bewilderment, and I am sure people were
constantly trying to explain Him to their own satisfaction with their own kinds of answers.
(Cf. Mark 4:41).
For a long time I can imagine they tried to explain Christ with typical human explanations—
training, IQ, natural abilities, or whatever. At least at first. They regularly saw

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demonstrations of His power. They both heard His wise words and saw His wonderful works.
They saw the lame walk, the blind see, the sick healed, the deaf hear, and the demon
possessed dispossessed. Furthermore, they had all experienced the emptiness of the religion
of their day and so, through all of this, you know they were watching the Lord and seeking
answers to the miracle of His life.

As they studied His life one of their conclusions was that He was God incarnate (John 1:14).
But is that conclusion what evoked this question? I don‟t believe so. It was something else
they constantly saw in the man Jesus that they began to suspect was part of the answer to
His life. What was it? Our immediate response is of course, “It was prayer.” Right? Not
exactly! It was not just prayer.
The Pharisees prayed and so did the disciples. It wasn‟t just prayer; it was the way He
prayed in relation to all that He was and all that He did in His life on earth. It was His manner
and attitude in prayer that saturated His total being and living, His every step and action, and
that manifested the intimacy of His relationship with and dependence on the Father. Prayer
was never just a religious responsibility nor exercise Christ engaged in because He was
obligated to do so.

Then what? Prayer for our Lord proceeded out of a basic attitude of deep dependence that
resulted in a very intimate fellowship that He always had with the Father because, from the
standpoint of His humanity, He was totally convinced He could do nothing of own resources.
It is this that undoubtedly brought deep conviction and longing in the lives of the disciples.
They came to recognize that, while they could be believers in the Lord, they could not be
true disciples who became like their teacher (Luke 6:40) unless they learned to pray to the
Father like the Lord Jesus in the intimacy and dependency that He constantly demonstrated.
CHRIST‟S ATTITUDE IN PRAYER
This incorporates one of the basic principles that governed the life of the Savior. In John
5:19Christ said, “the Son can do nothing of Himself.” Then, in John 8:28-29 and 14:10 He
repeated the principle. The principle should be obvious for us. For Jesus Christ, prayer was a
way of life, an absolute necessity: it was a means of communion with the Father and the
means of bringing the power of God the Father to bear on the humanity of Jesus Christ
moment by moment. We see this in Matthew 12:18 and 28.
Note that for the most part, it appears the Lord performed His works and spoke His words by
the power of God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit whom the Father had given
Him. Though God of very God Himself, Jesus generally did not perform His works
independently of the Father nor the Spirit‟s leading (Acts 2:22). It was the Father working
through Jesus, the man.
As we study the life of Christ in the gospels, we note a consistent pattern:

(1) In the midst of a busy schedule, when men were clamoring in their need for His
attention, Christ retired to pray and to draw upon the resources of God the Father for He
knew that “the Son can do nothing of Himself” (Mark 1:32-37).
(2) When it was time to choose the disciples we don't find Christ reviewing the qualifications
of each of the disciples. Rather we find Him retiring to pray. This is clear in Mark

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3:13 and Luke 6:12-13. Why? Because “the Son can do nothing of Himself.” He needed the
direction and provision of the Father.
(3) When Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus He raised His eyes heavenward in dependence
and thanksgiving for what the Father was about to do (John 11:40-42). The actual prayer of
Christ is not given, only the fact of His dependence, thanksgiving, and confidence that His
prayer had been heard. The words of verses 41 and 42 imply, however, that not only did He
pray to the Father, but that He wanted all those standing around to know it as well that they
might learn the secret of dependence. This teaches us that when performing miracles,
though not always heard by men, Jesus the man was praying in dependence upon the Father
from the standpoint of His humanity.
(4) When He fed the five thousand. The words “and looking up toward heaven” demonstrate
the Lord‟s prayerful dependence (Mark 6:41). Also, “He blessed the food” which shows He
thanked God the Father for it and for what He, the Father, was about to do through Jesus,
the man, a God-dependent, God-approved man.
Think of Jesus Christ. He was the Son of God, God incarnate, the perfect man and the
absolute Creator God who also as the God-man adequately and continuously fulfilled every
expectation of God for man. He was the constant delight and joy of the Father‟s heart. He
always pleased the Father. Now, thinking of Him as such, ask yourself this question. How
much did He personally, as man, contribute to His mighty works, deeds, and ministry?
NOTHING! Christ Himself gives us the answer, “. . . the father abiding in me does His works”
(John 14:10). And how did that come about? Through prayerful dependence on the Father!
When we work, we work. When we pray, the Father works. So out of this conscious and
constant sense of need, there arose a continuing attitude of prayer: a continual expectation
in the Lord Jesus that if anything was to be done, the Father must do it both by way of
initiative, and wisdom, and power. Now if this was true of Jesus Christ, how much more
shouldn‟t this also be true for us? Indeed, prayer according to the pattern of the Lord Jesus
is to be a vital goal of true disciples.

The disciples saw in Christ‟s life, not only prayer, but a prayer life which demonstrated a
dependency upon and intimacy with the Father unlike anything else they had ever seen and
they wanted to know the secret of this.

What was the request posed by the unnamed disciple? It was, “teach us to pray.” Not just
how to pray, the MECHANICS, but how in the sense of the MOTIVATION. The how aspect is
included by Christ in His answer in Luke 11:2-13.
(1) Prayer should demonstrate a total consciousness of our need, a sense of our complete
inadequacy along with a sense of God‟s complete adequacy and willingness.

2 Corinthians 2:16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life
to life. And who is adequate for these things?
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from
ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
(2) Prayer is not overcoming God‟s reluctance, but laying hold of God‟s ever present
willingness.

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(3) Prayer is not for emergency use only, when we get in a pinch and need someone to bail
us out.

(4) Prayer is not an “Aladdin‟s Lamp” or a trip to the wishing well for our wants.

(5) By contrast, prayer is a means of intimate communion, fellowship, and dependence upon
God the Father who has promised to work in and through us through His Son, just as God
worked through Him.

(6) Prayer is for everyday living, moment by moment.

(7) Prayer is a means of claiming God‟s promises and knowing and becoming abandoned to
God‟s will.

In John 14:10-14, note the relationship to prayer mentioned in verses 13-14 and the works
we, as disciples, are to do in verse 12.
John 14:10-14 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The
words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me
does His works. “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe
on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to
the Father. “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
There is no activity in the life of a believer which does not require a prayerful attitude—a
prayerful dependence on and an expectation that God is at work and will work according to
His purposes and leading. In ourselves we can do nothing. Christianity is living by faith in the
Creator God who dwells in us, and prayer is God‟s means for us to draw upon Christ‟s
miraculous life. Christianity is as Paul expressed it in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified
with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live,
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.” Faith for a
committed believer is expressed in intimate, prayerful living.
In practical terms what exactly does this means?

o The phone call we are about to make, we can‟t really handle, at least not in Christ‟s power
and life, apart from prayer.
o The lesson we are preparing to teach, we can‟t do effectively without prayerful dependence.
o It means that while we usually recognize our need of God‟s enablement in things like
witnessing, we nevertheless tend to take God for granted and operate in our own abilities in
other areas because we think something doesn‟t seem too difficult or it is within our area
expertise.
As an illustration let‟s look at the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:5-11. What was Peter
thinking in this passage? Probably something like, “Lord, you‟re a great teacher, you‟re the
Son of God and Messiah, but we can handle this ourselves; we are expert fishermen. We
have been fishing these waters for years. Besides, Lord, we fished these waters all night and
we know the fish are simply not biting now.” But you see, biblical Christianity is living by faith

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and prayerful dependence upon God and under the power and authority of the Lord Jesus
Christ regardless of how things appear to us.
Biblical Christianity is never a matter of living by who and what we are—our insight, our
background, our experience, our training, our giftedness, etc. Rather it is a matter of living
by faith in God‟s Word, biblical insight, and by faith in Jesus Christ, the Creator God and His
availability to work through us as we are available and submissive to Him. But such only
happens when we live by intimate prayerful dependence upon the Father through a life of
prayer, a life of praying without ceasing, and a life devoted to special times of prayer alone
with the Father and His Son in the power of the Spirit.

The Pattern for Prayer

(11:2-4)

Luke 11:2-4 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: „Father, hallowed be You name.
Your kingdom come. 3 „Give us each day our daily bread. 4 „And forgive us our sins, For we
ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.‟”
We have observed something of the prayer life of our Lord which undoubtedly was a large
part of the motivation behind the request of the unnamed disciple in verse one, “Lord, teach
us to pray.” For our Lord, prayer was the most natural and necessary aspect of His existence.
In answer to this request of Luke 11:1, our Lord gave what is popularly known as the Lord‟s
Prayer. In reality, it was the disciples‟ prayer and provides us with a model or pattern for
biblical and effective prayer.
This is an excellent passage in teaching new believers about prayer because it covers a
number of categories which are important to prayer.

Two things this prayer is not:

(1) It is not and was never intended to be a ritual prayer to be formally and liturgically
recited. It was a model designed by our Lord to show the nature of prayer and what prayer
should consist of by way of content. There is nothing wrong, of course, with reading or
reciting it together as we would any passage of Scripture for a certain focus or emphasis or
as a reminder of truth. I am convinced, however, it was never meant to be simply recited as
a prayer to God in place of personal prayer poured out to God from the heart. Compare the
translation of the Living Bible: Luke 11:1b reads, “Lord, teach us a prayer to recite just as
John taught one of his disciples.” In a footnote to this verse the translator has added the
word, “Implied.” But is it really implied, or is this translation a product of religious tradition
that does not have its roots in what this passage was intended to teach?
(2) It was certainly never intended to be used as an amulet or special words to protect
someone when in danger. Perhaps you have seen films where people were in some kind of
danger and they prayed the Lord‟s Prayer in this fashion.

The prayer divides into two sections marked out by the pronouns, “your,” and “us.”

o The “your” section points us to God and concerns our relationship with Him regarding His
person, character, being, purposes, and activity on earth.

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o The “us” section deals with our needs as they are related to God and His activity and
purposes in our lives here on earth.
This is no accident. First, we start with God and then we go to ourselves. Here is an
important principle in all worship of which prayer is but one mode and means. In prayer, as
in everything, our Lord teaches us to put God first. Why? Because this puts everything in the
right perspective, it gives us the right viewpoint about life, one that sees beyond our own
very limited scope. This is important so that we might genuinely focus our hearts and minds
on the who and what of God, that we might seek first the rule and righteousness of God, and
that we might walk with Him in obedience and under His enablement, direction, and
protection.

As a tear magnifies sorrow and as laughter magnifies joy, so prayer (a form of worship
wherein we count on the worth of God) must first magnify the Lord if our prayers are to have
the proper result in our lives—confidence, faith, and direction into the will of God.

Prayer is a means of entering into the joy and confidence of God‟s love, provision, direction,
and presence. It is a way to focus on the Who and What of God—God’s person, plan,
principles, promises, and purposes. This kind of praying glorifies the Lord and
demonstrates our desire for relationship with God, along with obedience. It is comforting to
our hearts because it brings God into our vision along with His purposes.
This first emphasis by our Lord exposes what is often a fatal weakness in our own prayers.
We tend to begin with “us” rather than with “Your.” We rush into God‟s presence pleading for
“our” petitions, “our” needs, “our” problems and, as a result, we become problem oriented
and frantic rather than God oriented and relaxed in His sovereignty (cf. Ps. 46:10, “Be still
[cease striving] and know that I am God”).
We need to focus on the Lord first to get the perspective of Jeremiah 32:27. Concerning the
fulfillment of God‟s covenant promises to Israel and to keep the Prophet‟s eyes on the Lord,
we find this word to the Prophet: “the Word of the LORD came to Jeremiah saying, „Behold, I
am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is anything to difficult for Me?‟” (Jer. 32:27).
We need the praise and focus of God in Psalm 100 before the petitions of Psalm 102.
WHEN WE PRAY: THE TIME ELEMENT (V. 2A)
“When you pray say.”
It is significant, I believe, that no commands are given as to time or how often. Why?
Because prayer is more than a mere religious routine we go through as it is in some religions
in which worshippers recite certain words and bow in a certain direction specified times of
the day. Scheduled prayer is certainly scriptural and a godly pattern to have as with Daniel
(Dan. 6:10), and David (Ps. 55:16-21), but, as with both David and Daniel, it should always
be the response of a heart which desires communion with God and depends on Him in the
same way man naturally takes in oxygen through the process of breathing. This is seen in
the cry of the psalmist, “As the deer pants (heavy breathing) for the water brooks, So my
soul pants for Thee, O God” (Ps. 42.1)
Two things about this cry of the psalmist: First, his entreaty expresses our need. We need
the Lord and we need to drink from His fountain of life through the Word and prayer—our
means of hearing Him and responding to Him. But second, his entreaty also expresses what
should be a recognized reality in each of us. As the psalmist, we should long to communicate
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with our God. Prayer is to be an expression of our longing for intimacy with God and to enter
into His strength and will.

WHY WE PRAY: THE NATURE OF PRAYER (V. 2A)

“When you pray say.”
“Pray” is the Greek word proseucomai from pros, stressing direction, closeness,
and eucomai, “to ask, request.” The basic meaning of this word (along with its uses) looks at
prayer as an avenue of drawing near to God in worship and dependence because we see Him
as the all-sufficient one and ourselves as insufficient. Prayer becomes one of the means by
which we draw near to the Lord and His sufficiency and submit to Him.
“Say” is the Greek word, “legw.” It gives prominence to the thought processes in choosing
the words spoken because of their meaning. Originally, it meant “to pick and choose” and
this is precisely what we generally do in speech unless we are talking
gibberish. Legw reminds us of our need to carefully choose our words as opposed to praying
as mere religious rote without careful thought. It should remind us of the conversational
nature of our prayer or communication with God.

“Say” is what we call in Greek grammar, a present iterative imperative. As an iterative

present it describes an event which is, as a command, to occur repeatedly, over and over
again. The idea is when you pray, consistently pray in the following manner or example, but
not repetitiously by rote, reciting these words as a mere repeated ritual, the problem Jesus
addressed earlier in Matthew 6:7.
Reasons why it does not refer to a prayer to be merely recited.

(1) Matthew 6:5-7 is a specific warning against praying in a repetitious manner and the
warning there is followed by this teaching which gives us a model for prayer. To view this as
a prayer to be repetitiously repeated would be in conflict with the previous command.
(2) The parallel passage of Matthew 6:9 adds the words, “in this way.” This is the
Greek $outwswhich could very will be rendered, “in this manner” or “after this manner.” In
other words, what follows is to be taken as a model for prayer, not as a prayer to be
memorized and merely recited.
(3) In the epistles of the New Testament, this prayer is never repeated though its pattern or
principles are basically followed in one way or another.

(4) This understanding fits with the warning of Isaiah 29:13 which the Lord quoted against
the religious externalism of the Israelites of His day.
Prayer is the thoughtful exercise of the heart and the mind through which we seek to draw
near to God in worship and dependence on Him because of who He is as our sovereign God
and support.

HOW TO PRAY (VV. 2B-4)

PRAY AS A CHILD

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This command demonstrates the need of the new birth or spiritual regeneration. Scripture
teaches us that prayer, other than the call to know God or for salvation, is really only
applicable to believers in Jesus Christ who are brought into a relationship with God as His
children through faith in Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by the new birth, the regenerating
work of the Spirit of God (cf. John 1:12; 3:3-7; 14:6).
Our prayer is to be addressed to God using the term, “Father.” The basic plan of prayer for
the New Testament saint is not to Jesus, but to the Father. He is the one to whom we are to
pray, THE GIVER, through the name of the Son, THE ACCESS into God‟s presence, and in the
power of the Holy Spirit, THE MEANS (cf. John 14:6; 16:23-24; Eph. 2:18; 3:14; 1:17;
6:18; Jude 20; Col. 1:13; Heb. 7:25).
“Father” is a term of honor or reverence and relationship. Coming to God in prayer as
“Father” is designed to demonstrate: (a) our attitude toward God as one of honor, respect,
and trust, and (b) our understanding of the relationship we have with Him as a child; God is
a father kind of God who cares for us as only a parent can care for a child.
How should this affect our prayer life?

(1) When we pray as New Testament believers, we are to talk with God as our Father, not
simply about God in a theological monologue of high sounding and pious phrases and tones.
True, we should exalt the Lord in our prayers through praise, adoration, and thanksgiving for
His person, His essence, and His works in creation, history, and salvation. Our need,
however, is to come to God as a child and talk with Him as our Father (Ps. 103:13).
(2) It means we are to talk with Him as a Father who loves and cares for us as His children.
We will praise Him for His divine essence and being, and for His wonderful and mighty works,
but ultimately it means praying with the frankness of a child while counting and resting in
God as a Father who has a father‟s heart, love, understanding, wisdom, and strength. To
pray to God as our Father means recognizing that He is a person who is intimately concerned
about us more than we could possibly be concerned about ourselves. He is not a blind or
impersonal force.

(3) Calling God our Father means believing Him to be so. Such a relationship and conviction
could never really be expressed if we were to address God as simply, “Almighty God, the
great and terrible one,” or “Dreadful Creator and Ground of all Being.” This kind of approach
to God would actually betray one‟s ignorance of the nature and relationship of God to us in
Christ, or one‟s unbelief in Him as a loving heavenly Father.

How easy would it be to pray or how confident would we be if we could only approach God
as an impersonal “ground of all being” or as “the great and terrible one?” The word “Father”
draws our attention to the nature of our relationship with God as a result of the new birth
and our access to God through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus it
emphasizes the ease and willingness with which we should come into His presence, boldly,
with the confidence of a child who knows he or she is loved with an unconditional love (Heb.
4:16). By ease, however, I do not mean disrespectfully and without regard to His holiness
and majesty or without concern about sin in our lives. We dare not ignore our responsibility
to deal with our sin by confession (Ps. 66:18). Rather, by ease, I mean an awareness of this

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fatherly kind of care, the love of God, and our provision and access through the finished work
of Christ.
PRAY TO HONOR GOD’S NAME

In Scripture, much more so than today, names represent who people are and what they
represent—their reputation. This clause means, “may your person be hallowed.” “Hallowed”
is the verb $agiazw “to set apart, make holy, venerate, or treat as holy.” But how can we do
this? As God‟s children we bear his name and represent him before the world. How we act
affects His name and reputation before others.
Paul reminded the Jews of this very concept in Romans 2:23-24, “You who boast in the Law,
through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For „the name of God is blasphemed
among the Gentiles because of you,‟ just as it is written.‟” This is saying “let the whole of my
life honor, venerate and be a source of delight to you and all that you are.”
To hallow God‟s name or sanctify it means to turn my life over to Him for sanctification. This
means opening up my life and all its closets to His work of making me like His Son. Surely
this is to be a prayer of surrender or commitment for God‟s name is never going to be
hallowed (at least by us) as long as we are walking in rebellion and self dependence.

Ephesians 3:16-21 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; 17 so that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, and that you,
being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is
the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which
surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. 20 Now to Him who
is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power
that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all
generations forever and ever. Amen.
This also expresses a desire and a request for the veneration of God‟s person in general
throughout society.

PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL ON EARTH

This is a prayer for God‟s reign on earth, that soon the kingdom of this world will become the
kingdom of our LORD. It demonstrates a belief and recognition that this world is a fallen
world that has rejected its Creator (Rom. 1:18f), that this world is not God‟s ultimate goal,
and that a new and glorious world is coming (cf. 1 Pet. 1:3-8, 13-17; Rev. 11:15).
Praying for God‟s kingdom also shows a longing and a hope for the return of Christ to earth
and the fullness of our inheritance. It means living in view of the blessed hope as sojourners
who love and pray for His kingdom (Titus 2:13; I Pet. 1:17; 2:11).
It is also a prayer for the reign of God within us so that God‟s will can be done now in and
through our lives. It is a desire to fit into His plan no matter how small and in accord with
what he is doing through the various trials, defeats, successes, provisions, and circumstances
He brings. I am reminded of a line in a poem by Cowper which reads, “Deep in unfathomable
mines of never failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs and works His sovereign will.”

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In the parallel passage, Matthew 6:10, “Thy will be done” is added. This teaches us to pray
as our Lord did when facing the cross. “Thy will be done” means help me to surrender my life
to that which will further your kingdom, your will on earth, and your purpose for me. I am to
prayerfully accept the truth that “out of darkness God calls forth light; out of despair, hope.
From death comes resurrection.” It is often “by means of defeat the kingdom of God is born
in human hearts.”1
PRAY FOR DAILY, PHYSICAL NEEDS

In verse 4 the Lord deals with forgiveness and thus, the needs of the immaterial man, the
soul and spirit. If you or I were giving these instructions we would probably have inverted
the order to spiritual needs first and then we would turn to physical needs. So, why this
order?

The Lord created our bodies—the body is important to the function of men. The body is not
evil; it is a vehicle of service and of good. In another place he says in relation to the physical
needs of the body, “seek ye first the kingdom of God . . .” There He shows that the spiritual
man is a priority and does take precedence over the physical. But this does not mean the
physical man or the needs of the body are unimportant, that they are to be neglected, or
that it is spiritual and more holy to neglect the body and to treat it carelessly. The Lord may
have used this order to deal a blow against some of the pagan ideas of his day and to some
of the imbalances believers can so easily slip into—and always have.

The Greeks regarded the body as evil and believed pure spirit was of greater value. Many
rejected the idea of the resurrection because they believed all matter to be evil. They taught
it didn‟t matter what you did with the body. They either tortured it in various forms of
asceticism, or misused it in licentiousness. This is why some of the Greeks at Corinth did not
want to believe in the resurrection and part of the reason why Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15.
Concerning their attitude about the body and resurrection, Ryrie writes:
In general they believed in the immortality of the soul, but not the resurrection of the body.
To them, the body was the source of man‟s weakness and sin; death, therefore, was the
welcomed means by which the soul was liberated from the body.2
Even today many Christians take their bodies for granted. We over-feed them, under-
exercise them, often fail to give them enough rest, and in general, many times fail to take
care of the body‟s daily needs. In Philippians 3:21, the translation of the KJV could leave a
wrong impression about the body. It reads:
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself. (KJV)
The translation, “vile body,” can suggest the body is evil, but literally, the Greek text means
“body of humility,” i.e., a non-glorified body. This body is mortal and subject to age, disease,
death and decay—so it needs special care if we are to maintain it as a useful tool of God.

1 Timothy 4:8 puts this into the right perspective. It reminds us that bodily discipline is
profitable for a little while. It keeps the old machinery in good working order as long as it is

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being exercised and cared for properly on a daily basis. But of course, godliness is profitable
both for now and for eternity.
1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all
things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Man is a unity of body, soul and spirit. What affects one part affects the other. Neglect the
body and it can affect the spiritual life. Neglect the spiritual life and it definitely will affect the
body. So our Lord here teaches us balance—to care for both, to pray for both body and soul.
The prayer for daily bread represents the whole concept of the needs of the body—food,
clothing, shelter and whatever the human body needs to function effectively for the Lord.
Our bodies belong to Him; He has bought them with the price of His Son.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
Note that He teaches us “give us each day our daily bread.”
This is a prayer for daily supply to be made available to us for our physical needs. This is to
be prayed daily. We should never take the Lord for granted. (Cf. Paul‟s emphasis in the
following passage.)

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is
received with gratitude;
This also teaches us that our primary concern is to be our daily needs—day by day living as
sojourners rather than storehouse living like the rich fool.

Luke 12:16-21 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a certain rich man was very
productive. 17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, „What shall I do, since I have no
place to store my crops?‟ 18 “And he said, „This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns
and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 „And I will say to
my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat,
drink and be merry.”‟ 20 “But God said to him, „You fool! This very night your soul is required
of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?‟ 21 “So is the man who lays up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix
their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to
enjoy.
The purpose of this request is to get us to consciously place our security and our trust in the
Lord‟s hands on a daily basis as a protection against: (a) false security, and (b) the wrong
pursuits for life, i.e., living life with a view to one day at a time can help us maintain the right
goals or purposes (cf. 1 Tim. 6:8-19; Matt. 6:19-34).
The prayer is designed to help us realize that the daily supply of the physical needs of life
come from the Lord regardless of our resources or reserves, or how wisely we think we have
planned for the future. Planning for the future has its place, but only as we keep such plans
in proper perspective.

It is also designed to remind us that though God is the transcendent and sovereign God of
the universe, He is also our personal and immanent heavenly Father who is concerned for

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and the Provider of even our daily physical needs. But wait a minute, didn‟t Jesus Christ also
say, “your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask Him”? (Matt. 6:8, 32).
If He knows, why ask daily?

(1) Prayer is obviously not something by which we inform an omniscient God of our needs.
Prayer is for us, to influence us and to keep us depending on Him.

(2) The principle of prayer is not that God needs to be told, but that we need to tell Him
because of what true prayer does to us. It is a means by which we submit to God‟s will and
learn to wait upon God as we delight our hearts in Him (Ps. 37:4-6).
(3) Prayer is a means by which we draw close to God so that He may draw close to us to
bless us, not just with our needs as we may conceive them, which may not at all be what we
need, but with the awareness of God Himself (James 4:8). What happens when we fail to
praise and thank God and fail to bring our needs to the Lord? We begin to pull away from
Him, to take Him for granted, and eventually we succumb to the delusion that we can handle
life alone.
God is influenced by biblical steadfast praying, not because we have informed Him of
something or because we have influenced God to change His mind, but because it has
affected our lives, demonstrated our faith, obedience and submission to Him (Ps. 33:13-22;
34:4-9). God answers and honors trust.
PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL NEEDS

(1) Regarding personal sin— “and forgive us our sins,” (11:4a)

First of all this verse deals with the subject of the forgiveness of the child of God, not the
forgiveness of the unbeliever. The unbeliever is not forgiven by praying this prayer or by
confessing his sins as though that would win his forgiveness. Instead, the Bible reveals that
he must acknowledge his sinfulness, that he is a sinner separated from God, helpless in
himself, and in need of the saving grace of God through faith in the person and finished work
of Jesus Christ.

The passage is addressed to disciples, to believers who can call God their Father as the
regenerated children of God through faith in Christ. Judicially, for those who have trusted in
Christ the penalty of sin has been settled by the cross (Rom. 3:21-24; 5:1-2; Col. 1:14), but
as we see in John 13, we all face the problem of personal sins that we incur as we walk
down the defiled streets of this world. Known sin hinders our fellowship with God, it
quenches His power and control of our lives, and it hinders our ability to grow and be truly
changed by the grace of God. Therefore, in this model prayer, the Lord shows us that we
must deal with the problem of personal sin.
We must remember that this prayer gives us a pattern for prayer in its general content. Here,
it deals with the subject of forgiveness as a very important part of our prayers if they are to
be answered and significant in our lives and our walk with God. This passage does not give
us an explanation of the mechanics or details by which the believer is to handle sin and
experience forgiveness. For this, God expects us to turn to the rest of the Word for
instruction and insight. Rather, this model of prayer reminds us of our sinfulness, shows us

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our need of cleansing for fellowship with God, and demonstrates our responsibility to deal
with the problem of personal sin in all its many categories as:

o Mental attitude sins—resentment, envy, jealousy

o Sins of the tongue—lying, gossip, criticism, abusive language
o Overt sins of every kind—stealing, fornication, adultery, murder, substance abuse, fraud, etc.
o Root sins—failure to appropriate God‟s grace and live dependently on Him, false values, false
motives, and false patterns of thinking and dealing with life. This involves the defense and
escape mechanisms and the independent strategies of self protection or self management
that we all tend to use to control our lives and protect ourselves rather than trusting in the
Lord.
Let‟s look for a moment at Luke 11:4a “And forgive us our sins.” The verb, “forgive,” as it is
first used in this verse, is a construction in the Greek text (an aorist imperative) which adds a
note of urgency—undoubtedly because of the consequences of sin. The Lord spoke here of
specific sins. The word sins has the article and is in the plural. In light of the analogy of
Scripture, the Lord is talking about specific personal sins that we are responsible to
acknowledge as sin because of what it does to our fellowship with the Lord and our capacity
as believers to love and minister to others.
This means we are not to take this request, “forgive us our sins,” as just a broad all inclusive
and sweeping prayer for forgiveness of sin in general, i.e., “Lord, forgive me of all my sins.”
That would avoid specific conviction and acknowledgment of specific sin, and leave us with
non-convicting generalities. Such a prayer would simply sweep sin under the rug. It would
clean up the outside of the cup but ignore the filth on the inside.

Matthew 12:34-35 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For
the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 “The good man out of his good
treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what
is evil.
Matthew 23:25-26 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside
of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 “You
blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may
become clean also.
The verb is afihmi and means literally, “to send away, let go.” It comes from a preposition,
“from” and a verb, “to be.” It had, however, a legal use and meant “to cancel, remit, or
pardon.” It was used of a loan or debt and also of the guilt or debt of sin which, as a result
of forgiveness, removed the penalty or consequences of sin. The consequence in view here is
broken fellowship which is restored by honest confession. (See Appendix 5 for an overview of
the key issues in forgiveness for the believer.)

(2) Regarding relationships with others—“For we ourselves also forgive everyone . . .”

(v. 4b)
Here and in Matthew 6:12b this is stated in the form of a principle rather than a request, but
it deals with a subject which certainly needs to be a matter of prayer. It is an area we each
need to turn over to the Lord for management. God holds us responsible for our relationships

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with others and the focus here is when we think we have been mistreated and would tend,
then, to hold grudges and seek revenge.
In relation to forgiving others, there are always two dimensions involved:
the Godward or vertical element, and the manward or horizontal element.
In relation to God: All sin against others is first of all a sin against God because it is a
transgression against the law of God to love one another. Therefore, when we sin against
another human being, we must first confess the sin to God.
In relation to men: In the horizontal relationship, we have a dual set of obligations: those
of the offended party (the one sinned against), and those of the offending party (the one
sinning against another).
THE OFFENDING PARTY THE OFFENDED PARTY

Vertical responsibility—Confess to God the

Responsibility—Forgive the offending party
sin against the other party

Horizontal responsibility—Ask forgiveness

Responsibility—If necessary for unity,
and seek reconciliation with the person
healing, restoration, etc., go to the offending
offended. This can include making
party to seek reconciliation and restoration.
restitution.

The offended party, as a forgiven person in Christ, has a two-fold obligation. First, he or she
is to show the same unqualified forgiveness they received from Christ. This is the point of the
parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-35. Second, if the offending party does
nothing, then in obedience to Scripture and for the purpose of unity, restoration, and healing,
the one offended should go to the offending party to correct the problem even if it means
rebuke (Luke 17:3-4). If the offending party does not repent, then the offended party may
need to follow the procedures of Matthew 18. This, however, never means the right to
harbor resentment or anger.
If God by His grace and mercy has forgiven us such an enormous debt, one we could never
pay because of our own sinfulness, how much more shouldn‟t we forgive others the debts or
sins against us as mere fellow-servants regardless of how much we have been hurt. What we
suffer cannot compare to what Christ suffered for us. But forgiving others is never to be
viewed as a work by which we seek forgiveness for our own sins because our debt is too
great for any of us to pay by what we do.

On the part of the offending party the obligation is also twofold: First, to deal with the wrong
done by repentance or confession before God. This reestablishes the vertical relationship.
Then go to the offended party and correct the problem by asking their forgiveness and by
doing the right thing as called for by the circumstances. Compare the following passages on
forgiveness: (Cf. also 18:21-35; Luke 17:3-4; and 1 Peter 3:7.
Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put
away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

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Matthew 5:23-26 “If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before
the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present
your offering. 25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on
the way, in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the
officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you shall not come out of
there, until you have paid up the last cent.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your
transgressions.
Principles to keep in mind:

o Failure to forgive demonstrates our unwillingness to treat others on the same basis of grace
that God has treated us. We must be willing to extend forgiveness as freely to others as God
has freely extended it to us (Matt. 18:21-35; Eph 4:32).
o Failure to forgive others stems from our failure to turn the matter over to the Lord and trust
in His sovereign purposes and control. The Lord who rested totally in the Father‟s love and
plan is our perfect example in this (1 Pet. 2:21-25).
o Failure to forgive others keeps the Lord from forgiving us, not because our act of
unforgiveness becomes the basis for our own forgiveness, but because unforgiveness, like
any known sin, stands as a barrier to fellowship. The basis for our forgiveness is always the
cross and Christ‟s presence before the Father as our advocate (1 John 1:9-2:2). It is
important for us to understand, however, that failure to forgive others is not only sin, but a
sin which is a contradiction to the heart of the gospel message (cf. Matt. 5:23-24; 1 Pet.
3:7; Ps. 66:18).
o Failure of people to forgive one another results in a sick church—one without the power and
blessing of God on it‟s ministry and life.
(3) Pray Regarding Personal Temptation— “and lead us not into temptation . . .” (v. 4c)
This particular request has troubled many. Exactly what does this mean? One thing for sure,
it is not a request out of fear that God might lead us into some form of temptation. James
1:13specifically reminds us that God tempts no man. Temptation to sin always comes from
sources other than the Lord. This request stems from recognizing certain principles and
spiritual realities. It reminds and warns us of:
o The principle of our own inherent weakness and our inability to always recognize temptation
or to be able to handle certain temptations due to our particular spiritual state or phase of
maturity.
o The principle of our three enemies, the real sources of our temptation—(a) the sinful nature
or indwelling sin, (b) the world around us, and (c) Satan against us. Satan and the world
have many snares and traps to which we are susceptible because of our own desires and
proneness to turn to the many tempting offers made by these sources for significance and
happiness.
o The principle of our desperate need of the protection and guidance of the Lord—our only
strength against temptation (cf. Eph. 6:10f).

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This prayer request is a matter of recognizing these principles that we might turn to the Lord
and lean on Him to protect us and to keep us from temptation, especially the unrecognizable
forms.

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE NEED OF OTHERS

Here is where prayer has its origin. Prayer is designed to fill the needs of needy man (Heb.
4:16). But the parable illustrates praying for the needs of others, not just for our own needs.
Friend B was making requests for his friend who came to him at midnight, hungry and
without bread. Here also is where the church seems to have lost its vision in the ministry of
intercession. Remember there are basically two kinds of prayer requests: (a) prayer for our
own needs (petition) and (b) prayer for the needs of others (intercession).
As believers, we are all priests of God (1 Pet. 2:5). To us has been given the ministry of
intercession through which we can bring untold power and blessing into the lives of others by
praying for the lost, for laborers to be sent out, open doors for the Word, and the basic
needs of fellow believers (cf. 3 John 2; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2-4, 12). To pray properly is to
become sensitive and open to the needs of others. It is to care for others rather than be
occupied with ourselves.
When on the cross, our Lord prayed for his own deliverance, but he never forgot those
around Him. From the meaning of the Greek text, which uses the imperfect tense of
continual action in past time, we know the Lord repeatedly prayed, “Father forgive them . . .”
during those hours on the cross.

Closely related to the above is our next point found in this passage.

THE PRINCIPLE OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE

It was Andrew Murray who pointed out in With Christ in the School of Prayer, that
intercessory prayer is part of God‟s training school (p. 49). Here our sonship, fellowship and
friendship with God is tested as well as our love for others. Our prayer life is a good
barometer of the true condition of our spiritual life and our maturity and fellowship with
Jesus Christ.
What happened in this parable? A man took the weary traveler and friend into his home at
midnight. He did not excuse himself with “I‟ve had a hard day, have no food—go elsewhere.”
He sacrificed his night‟s rest and went out in the darkness to find the needed bread. “Love
seeks not its own,” love gives of itself, its time, its comfort for the needs of others.

This kind of love in word and deed is not natural to any of us. It requires supernatural
capacity or ability and motivation. It requires the mind of Christ (the Word of God in the soul
and the control of the Spirit controlling and motivating the life). John 15:5,7-8 and Ephesians
6:18 remind us that genuine fellowship with the Lord is vital to our prayer life just as prayer
is vital to our fellowship. In a way, each feeds the other. Without the vertical focus, prayer
becomes self-centered and based on wrong motives (James 4:2). So, in a very real sense,
intercessory prayer is a test of our love, of our fellowship with God and our friendship with
others. What kind of friend am I?
THE PRINCIPLE OF OUR IMPOTENCE

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The man we have called friend B said, “I have nothing to set before him.” People often speak
of the power of love, of what love can and does do for others. But it is important for us to
realize another truth. In ourselves we are extremely limited. We may want to help another,
but because of our puniness as man we are unable or at least very limited in our ability to
help. In ourselves we are nothing.

No matter how much we may want to lead a person to Christ, you and I can‟t open their
eyes, we can‟t force them to see the light. Only the Spirit of God can do that (Acts 16:14).
Evangelism, then, if it is going to be effective must be preceded by prayer. The same
principle applies to building people up in the Word. Consistently, the Apostle Paul prayed for
the spiritual enlightenment of the people to whom he ministered (Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-20; Col.
1:9-14; Phil. 1:9-11). Doctors may do all they can for someone who is ill, and still not
alleviate the problem, but God can.
The principle is that we are inadequate and weak, but God is the omnipotent, omniscient and
omnipresent One who is able to do above all that we can ask or even think. In His wisdom
He knows what is best, in His love He always cares, and in His power He is able to do
anything. So the more we come to see and sense our impotence and need, the more
indispensable and irresistible prayer should become to all of us.

THE PERSUASION REGARDING THE

FRIEND WHO CAN AND WILL SUPPLY
Though this man cannot supply the need himself, he knows there is another who can and will
supply this need. He has a super rich friend nearby who will be both able and willing to
supply.

The following are important principles concerning faith:

o Faith must have the right object,

o The object must be available,
o The object must be able, and
o The object must be willing.
Knowledge of these truths is a great incentive to prayer (cf. Neh. 1).

Faith and knowledge made this person leave his home at midnight to go to the house of his
friend to get bread for the weary traveler who had come from the long journey and was tired
and in need of food. As mentioned above, prayer is a test of our friendship with God, of how
well we really know Him and so of how confident we are that eventually God will answer and
supply. Such faith leads to prayer: knowing God and His promises and our access to Him in
Jesus Christ, we can be confident in His supply—that he won‟t turn us away, that He feels
and cares for our needs and the needs of others.

This illustrates and teaches us the simple truth that our loving heavenly Father and “Friend”
will give what is needed if we ask. When a need really exists, there can be no mistake, our
God will supply! Why? Because our God who cannot lie, who is immutable, who is loving and

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faithful, has given us promise after promise to that effect. Compare also Matt. 21:22; 18:19-
21; and Luke 11:9-10.
Psalm 9:10 And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; For Thou, O LORD,
hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.
Psalm 10:17-18 O LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble; Thou wilt strengthen
their heart, Thou wilt incline Thine ear 18 To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, That
man who is of the earth may cause terror no more.
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 145:18-19 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in
truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will
save them.
Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
How well do we know our God? How many of the principles and promises dealing with prayer
do we know?

We hear people say, “but sometimes God‟s answer is NO.” Yes, that is true and 2 Corinthians
12:7f is an example. But the point I believe we must see is this; too often this kind of
attitude is a cop out on intercessory prayer or on personal petition and real praying. Too
often people give up before they have prayed according to the prescription of persistent
prayer.
THE PERPLEXING ANSWER (V. 7)
In the parable the man who could meet the need is reluctant to do so. What is the point of
this part of the parable? The God who has told us to pray, who cares for us, and who has
promised to supply and answer, often holds back the answer and the gift. Sometimes we
meet with what appears to be His refusal. Why? What is involved here? What is Christ
teaching us about intercessory prayer? That we must keep knocking on God‟s door as the
reluctant friend until He can stand it no more and finally gives in? NO!
What about those times when we are sure of God‟s will, when there truly is a genuine need
and we ask in faith, believing, and yet we seem to meet with silence or an apparent NO?
What then? Let‟s look at the next principles for our answer.

THE PERSISTENCE WHICH TAKES NO REFUSAL

In our passage friend B met with a refusal— “don‟t bother me,” but he wouldn‟t take no for
an answer and he shamelessly persisted until he got what he asked for. Was he wrong in
this? Should he have simply said, “Well it must not be God‟s will, brother. Sorry, I just can‟t
help you.”? Obviously not because Christ followed up this parable with verse 9, “ask and you
shall receive, seek and you shall find, . . .” a very definite and firm promise.

Persistent intercessory prayer is part of God‟s training school. Here again, as Murray reminds
us, it is a test of our friendship with God, of how well we know Him as our heavenly Friend
and Father, and of how committed we are to knowing the Lord and finding His will. Note that
the passage emphasizes the need of persistence in prayer, and that, as Luke 18:1 teaches,
we should never give up.

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Steadfast prayer like this requires faith and knowledge of what God wants to accomplish—
knowing God and His plan. Steadfast and continuous prayer is to become a time of testing
and training, a time of searching and discovery as we will see below.

PERSISTENT PRAYING IS SELF-REVEALING

Persistent prayer demonstrates our knowledge and confidence in our Friend and heavenly
Father. It greatly glorifies God because it shows we are resting in His wisdom and love. The
lack of an immediate answer does not turn us away in disgust or cause fear or doubt and
frustration. Why? Because we know our heavenly Friend and Father. Do we understand all
that God is doing? No, not really. Is it easy ? No.

Persistent prayer demonstrates the maturity of our faith or the lack of it and so also our need
of understanding God, His plan, principles, promises, and purposes. It demonstrates our
need of faith, of wisdom and biblical values and priorities along with patience and an eternal
perspective. A mature or growing faith sees and believes the promises of God, embracing
them with persistence even though the answer is not immediately forthcoming (Heb. 11:13,
39). Mature faith knows that God will answer in a better time and in a better way.
This is no place better illustrated than in the prayers of our Lord both before and on the
cross. Had the Father taken the cup of the cross from Him or called ten thousand angels to
deliver Him from the cross, we would still be in our sins. God answered His Son, but in a
better time and in a better way.

PERSISTENT PRAYING BECOMES A TIME OF DISCOVERY REGARDING GOD’S WILL

Persistent prayer is often needed to bring our prayers into the will of God, i.e., to correct and
make them such that they will glorify God and become a greater blessing to us (cf. Luke
18:38-41).
This story of the blind man in Luke 18:35-41 shows that the blind man was crying out for
mercy, a very general request which he repeated, believing and knowing that Jesus Christ
could and would heal him. But what did Christ do? Did He heal him immediately? No. Instead
He said “what do you want me to do for you?” Of course Christ knew the man was blind just
as our heavenly Father knows our needs before we ask them (Matt. 6:8). So why the
question?
The Lord‟s question to the blind man teaches us that God wants us to pray specific requests
by which we bring God‟s person, promises, principles, and purposes directly to bear on the
details of our lives and the lives of others. This kind of praying fits with the basic concept we
have seen about prayer. It is not just a religious exercise or ritual divorced from our mind,
emotions and will, and the specifics of our lives. Why? Because prayer is a means of
fellowship and growth by which we are to seek and discover more about the Lord and His
will.

Through true persistent prayer we are forced to investigate the needs and requests as to
their nature and motive and as to God‟s purpose in the situation. This demands time,
thought, soul searching, and fellowship with God. It demands that I ask and think about
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some crucial questions that help me to discover what God is seeking to teach me, questions
like: What are my motives? What are the real needs? What does God want me to do? What
does God want to accomplish? God, how do you want me to pray?

Persistent praying and searching in prayer causes us to see our own needs and inadequacies
or those of others more pointedly. It helps to bring the real issues to the surface which cause
us to more fully depend on the Lord in specifics. So we don‟t just say “Lord, help me, or help
Bill today.” But “Lord, strengthen me in this area, or in this specific problem or weakness.”

Persistent prayer that forces us to search out and investigate the specific needs aids our
personal walk with God and our growth in faith and obedience. When we get specific we are
forced to deal with specific areas and root problems in our lives or in the lives of others. We
don‟t just pray, “Lord, deliver me from sin,” but “Lord, enable me to deal with my temper, or
my lack of love, or my fear regarding taking a stand, etc.” It forces us to face what we really
are and how God is sufficient for our specific needs.

What then are some of the provisions of persistent praying?

THE PROVISIONS OF PERSISTENT PRAYING

Remember we are talking about times of delay in God‟s answer and what persevering prayer
provides in believers through the process of searching and discovery.

(1) It develops our relationship with the Lord. Through the search/discovery process, our
understanding of God, our faith, our confidence, our joy and peace (Phil. 4:1f), and our
strength and courage to go on in the joy and strength of the Lord in the face of continued
pain or persecution are all enhanced (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-10; 4:16-18).
(2) It provides specific answers from God, but in His timing. And, as we look back, we can
often see the hand of God working out His wise purposes through which we can praise Him
for in specific answers (2 Cor. 9:11-12). Being specific enables us to wait for specific answers
and to more clearly identify them when they come so we can praise and thank God for the
answers.
The main principle of the parable is this: If the unfriendliness of a selfish earthly friend can
be overcome by persistence—how much more will not persistent praying bring an answer
and reward from our heavenly Friend who is also our heavenly Father?

The passage is not saying that God holds back answers because He is unfriendly or doesn‟t
want to be bothered. As we will see from the context, He is the all wise heavenly Father and
holds back answers in His perfect wisdom and goodness because He cannot give us anything
but what is best for all concerned.

The Prescription for Persistent Praying (11:9)

Luke 11:9 “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened to you.

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The Greek text employs the continuous present with each of the commands (“ask, seek,
knock”). But as you can tell by what has already been said, by persistent praying Scripture is
not telling us to just keep on asking or repeating the same request. There is a great deal
more to it than that.

“And I say” in verse 9 is kagw (kai + egw) and legw which means “and I, I say.” Or “now I, I
say.” This was used as a kind of special formula to introduce a point of truth or doctrine
which needs to be gleaned from the parable. It is like saying, “here is the point.” This is
followed by three commands, which, in the context give us the following principles.
KEEP ON ASKING
This is a command to keep on bringing our request, keep on coming to the Lord with the
need and the issue. Don‟t give up or faint. Don‟t throw in the towel. We are to persevere
before the Lord in our requests. But how?

KEEP ON SEEKING
Some see this as just another way of saying the same thing, but I believe this is a call for
searching and discovery in the midst of continuing to pray. I believe this means more than
just asking or seeking for the thing requested. This means, in our prayers and through the
prayerful reading and study of the Word, we are to search for God‟s will and the lessons He
want us to learn. Pray for spiritual wisdom and understanding and for that which God is
doing in the situation (James 1:5). We need to ask questions like: What is God seeking to
teach me or us? Is the Lord wanting to take us in another direction or is the timing just all
wrong for now? Is He wanting to develop our patience, trust, change our values, or reveal
the wrong sources of happiness or sources of self-trust and self-management?
KEEP ON KNOCKING
This is a call for expectant waiting in our prayers. Don‟t give up and go away. Don‟t stop.
Stay, wait and rest the matter in the Lord‟s hands and timing. We have here the principle of
waiting on the Lord, of the faith-rest life—resting patiently by faith in God‟s wisdom and love.
The answer and revelation of what God is doing will come. Just trust in the goodness and
wisdom of God.

With that in mind, the Lord quickly focuses our attention on the nature of God and our
relationship with Him as our heavenly Father as believers in Christ. Why? To encourage us to
keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. God is a faithful father kind of God.

The Promise of God’s Sure Answer (11:10)

Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who
knocks, it shall be opened.
This verse simply states that those who keep on asking, seeking, and knocking, who persist
in prayer, will receive answers from the Lord. They will receive, they will find, and God will
open the door.

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It is helpful to note that the present tense is used with each of these verbs regarding God‟s
sure answer (“receives, finds, knocks”). In verse 9, the future was used, but not here, at
least not with the first two. There is a manuscript problem with the third and it is difficult to
determine from the evidence if this should be the present or the future. Probably the present
as with the first two verbs.

The present tense stresses the actuality of God‟s sure answer even more emphatically. This
may be what we call the future present which denotes an event that has not occurred, but
which is regarded as so certain that in thought it may be viewed as a present reality. Or, it
may be the gnomic present of what is a general, timeless principle. The Lord consistently
gives to those who persist in prayer. It‟s God‟s pattern. The Lord is emphatically assuring us
of God‟s concern and involvement in our lives to direct us, transform us, and answer our
prayers.

Now to strengthen our faith and to demonstrate why we can be assured of God‟s answer and
concern, the Savior focuses our thoughts on God‟s MUCH MORE GRACE by calling our
attention to God‟s infinite and holy love as our heavenly Father.
The Principle of God’s Much More Grace (11:11-13)

Luke 11:11-13 “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not
give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give
him a scorpion, will he? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him?”
THE COMPARISON TO HUMAN FATHERS (VV. 11-12)
God is our heavenly Father who can do no less for his children than would our earthly father.

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from
the wrath of God through Him.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He
not also with Him freely give us all things?
The rather extreme examples given in these verses 11-12 represent the norm, the general
pattern among men. When societies degenerate and morally go bottom up, child abuse
follows, but in general, fathers do not break with these principles. They do not give harmful
gifts or gifts that mock their children‟s requests. They will often be unwise in their gifts, but
they generally do what they think is best.

These examples reinforce the point that God, because of who he is as a holy and infinitely
wise God, can only respond in perfect kindness and love.

THE CONTRAST TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER (V. 13)

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Because God is perfect and infinite in all aspects of His character and being, He can do
nothing less than the most and the best. He will do much more than our earthly fathers who,
though they generally seek to give good gifts, are also sinful and finite in their wisdom.
In this verse we see a contrast of nature and a contrast of gifts. In contrast to the limited
and material gifts of earthly fathers, our heavenly Father gives the highest and greatest gift,
one that involves and is important to every other spiritual gift—He gives the Holy Spirit.

But what about asking for the Holy Spirit? Can this prayer be legitimately prayed today? NO!
Either one of two things apply:

(1) In the Old Testament, the gift that God had promised His people was the Holy Spirit
(cf. Ezek. 36:25-27; Joel 2:28-29). So the Lord was here telling the disciples that during this
interim period, before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as promised in the Old Testament, if
they would ask in persistent prayer, they could then have been indwelt and empowered by
the Spirit.
(2) Or, our Lord was saying that what the Father had promised would one day be realized
once Israel turned and repented. At that time Christ was being rejected, so the promise
would have to be postponed. Christ was saying they should not give up hope, but should
continue praying and wait for the gift that would come after His glorification or death and
resurrection (cf. John 7:37-39). In the upper room, this is precisely what the disciples did
(Acts 1:14).
I personally prefer view number one above.

Conclusion and Application

Because of our lack of wisdom and finite human condition, and because of our sinfulness, if
God answered all our prayers just as we ask them we would receive that which would be
equivalent to either a stone, a serpent, or a scorpion. But God as our heavenly Father
through Jesus Christ (as the one who knows best, who knows all the facts, and who can give
only what is best) waits until, through persistent asking, searching, and knocking, our
prayers are changed into the will of God (if against it) or until we have learned the lesson(s)
He is seeking to teach us through the training ground of persistent intercessory prayer.

The capacity to have this kind of faith in God is dependent upon our knowledge of Him and
our confidence in His will. Until God‟s will is known and sensed on a request, prayer will have
to fall into two categories:

(1) The prayer of confident expectation and faith knowing that God will answer in His own
time and according to His wisdom.

(2) The prayer of submission and trust as the Lord prayed, “Nevertheless Father, not my will
but Thine.”

One aspect of our prayer should involve asking the Father to help us know His will about the
issues for which we are praying. Another aspect involves giving thanks to the Father for

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answering according to His will. In the meantime, our prayer should be that God would
enable us rest in Him and to grow and learn from what He is doing.

1. One of the greatest blessings enjoyed by Christians in this life is the privilege of PRAYER,
by which we can approach God
a. Through prayer, the Christian can find FORGIVENESS for sins - 1Jn 1:9
b. Through prayer, the Christian can find PEACE to replace anxiety - Php 4:6-7
c. Through prayer, the Christian can receive STRENGTH from God through His Spirit - Ep
3:14-16
2. For such reasons, Paul frequently exhorted Christians to be diligent in their prayers...
a. "praying always with all prayer and supplication..." - Ep 6:18
b. "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanks-giving" - Col 4:2
c. "Pray without ceasing" - 1Th 5:17
3. Yet Jesus knew that people would tend to become slack in their prayers Lk 18:1
a. It is out of a similar concern that prompts two lessons devoted specifically to "PRAYER"
b. It is hoped that you will be encouraged to be more diligent in prayer as we examine:
1) Basic PRINCIPLES of prayer taught in God's Word
2) Suggestions concerning the PRACTICE of prayer in our daily lives
[In this lesson, then, PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER, beginning with...]

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCEPTABLE PRAYER

A. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN FAITH"...
1. "And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." - Mt 21:22
2. We must have faith in God, and in His ability to answer- He 11:6
3. Otherwise, prayer will not be answered - cf. Jm 1:5-8
4. Is our faith weak? Then increase it with the help of God's Word - Ro 10:17
B. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY"...
1. Notice the example of the Pharisee and the publican - Lk 18:9-14
2. Remember, "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have
a contrite spirit" - Ps 34:18
3. As quoted by James: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" - Jm 4:6
C. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S WILL"...
1. God answers prayer that is offered "according to His will"
- 1Jn 5:14
2. Jesus provided the example for us in His prayers at Gethsemane
- Lk 22:42
3. Too often, prayers are unanswered because they are more con-
cerned with OUR will, rather than GOD'S will! - cf. Jm 4:3

D. IT MUST BE OFFERED "BY THOSE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD"...

1. "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears
are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against
those who do evil" - 1Pe 3:12
2. The prayers of the righteous person are effective
- Jm 5:16-18

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3. But those continuing in sin He will not hear! - Pr 28:9;

Is 59:1-2
4. To be righteous before God...
a. Requires that we submit to the "righteousness of God"
offered in Christ - cf. Ro 10:1-4
b. I.e., respond to the gospel of Christ - Ro 1:16-17

E. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING"...

1. "giving thanks always for all things to God" - Ep 5:20
2. "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving"
- Php 4:6
3. "...prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving" - Col 4:2
4. "pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks"
- 1Th 5:17-18
-- Do we think God will help us with our PRESENT BURDENS if we
don't take the time to thank Him for PAST BLESSINGS?

F. IT MUST BE OFFERED "WITH PERSISTENCE"...

1. Jesus illustrated this aspect of prayer through two parables
a. The parable of the persistent friend - Lk 11:5-10
b. The parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:1-8
2. The virtue of persistence is demonstrated in the prayers of:
a. Jesus at Gethsemane - Mt 26:44
b. Paul, pertaining to his "thorn in the flesh" - 2Co 12:7-8
c. The early church - Ac 2:42

G. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE NAME OF JESUS"...

1. "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ" - Ep 5:20
2. This means much more than simply adding a little phrase "in
Jesus' name" at the end of our prayers!
a. We must realize that Jesus is the only way by which we can
approach God - Jn 14:6
b. We must view Him as our "high priest" who intercedes for us
- He 7:24-25; Jn 14:13
3. Appealing to God in the name of His Son can give us great
confidence that God will give us what we need! - He 4:14-16
[Such are the conditions that make prayer acceptable to God. But it might be helpful to also
notice a few...]

II. OBSTACLES TO PRAYER

A. UNCONFESSED SIN...
1. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear"
- Ps 66:18
2. The BASIS for prayer rests upon our being in fellowship with

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Him; such fellowship is broken if we do not confess our sins to Him!

B. IMPROPER TREATMENT OF OTHERS...
1. How we treat others has a bearing upon whether God will hear
our prayers!
a. E.g., how we treat the poor - Ps 41:1-3
b. E.g., how one treats his friend - Mt 5:23-24
c. E.g., how a husband treats his wife - 1Pe 3:7
2. We must correct our relationships with others (if possible)
before we can expect God to hear our prayers!
3. Especially if we desire to receive forgiveness for our sins!
- Mt 6:14-15; 18:21-23
[Finally, it is important to bear in mind that God answers prayer in various ways...]

III. ANSWERS TO PRAYERS

A. "REQUEST GRANTED"...
1. God may answer "YES" , and grant the petitions we ask of Him
2. Such will be the case the more we try to do His Will in our
lives - 1Jn 3:22

B. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT YET"...

1. God may grant our request, but in time and according to His
purpose for our lives
2. "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose
under heaven" - Ec 3:1
3. So we may think God is saying "NO", when He is really saying
"YES, BUT WAIT"
C. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT"...
1. Sometimes God says "YES", but answers it in way differently
than we anticipated
2. Remember, God's thoughts and methods are often much different
than ours - Is 55:8,9
3. Like asking God for strength and perseverance...
a. He may give us trials to bear
b. Which in turn develops the virtues we prayed for!
4. We should be careful and not dictate to God HOW to answer our
prayers...
a. Limit the "HOW" and we might be limiting the "RESULT"
b. For example, the way some pray for the sick, they limit God
as to how He might restore them

D. "REQUEST DENIED"...
1. Often God says "NO"
2. But we must trust that God, who knows all and what is best,
would do so only if granting our request might not be for our

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good - cf. He 12:5-11

3. We may not fully understand, but we can still fully trust Him!
- cf. Hab 3:17-19
4. Especially in light of the promise in 1Co 10:13

CONCLUSION

1. The ability to pray to God and receive answers in our lives is truly
one of the greatest blessings we can have as children of God!

2. Hopefully, understanding and applying the principles discussed in

this lesson will assure greater success in having our prayers
answered

1. In our previous lesson, we discussed Principles Of Prayer, such as:

a. Characteristics of acceptable prayer
b. Obstacles to prayer
c. Answers to prayer

2. With a desire to encourage disciples of Jesus to more diligent

praying, this lesson will offer suggestions as to The Practice Of
Prayer...

I. WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?

A. HAVING "SET TIMES" TO PRAY CAN HELP TO CREATE THE HABIT OF

PRAYING...
1. For example, consider the practice of:
a. David, whom God described as "a man after My own heart"
- Ps 55:17
b. Daniel, whom the angel of God described as "O man greatly
beloved" - Dan 6:10
2. These great men of God made it a habit to pray at set times
throughout the day; we would do well to imitate their example
3. At the very least...
a. Find some time each day to be alone with God in prayer
1) Early morning may be best for some
2) Others might find it easier to be alone late at night
b. Make it a special time to be alone with your Heavenly
Father!

B. YET PRAYERS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO "SET TIMES"...

1. Special needs call for special times of praying
2. Consider the examples of:
a. Jesus, praying on important occasions - Lk 6:12-13

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b. Paul, praying in trying circumstances - Ac 16:25

c. Nehemiah - praying on the spur of the moment - Neh 2:4-5

C. THE GOAL IS TO "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING" - 1Th 5:17

1. Having "set times" will help develop the experience in praying
2. Praying "spontaneously" as needs arise will develop the
disposition to pray in every circumstance (i.e., "without
ceasing")

II. WITH WHOM SHOULD WE PRAY?

A. JESUS EXHORTED US TO PRAY "IN SECRET" - Mt 6:5-6

1. Private prayer should occupy the largest portion of our total
life of prayer
2. Consider the value of "secret prayer":
a. It forms a close union, communion and fellowship with God
(it is just you and Him!)
b. It is a true test of your sincerity and devotion
1) You certainly are not doing it to please men (they can't
see you)
2) You can't be trying to falsely impress God (He will see
right through you)
c. Your Father will reward you "openly" - Mt 6:6
-- Therefore, "private prayer" should be a priority!

B. JESUS ALSO SPOKE OF PRAYING WITH "TWO OR THREE" - Mt 18:19-20

1. The early Christians prayed together often...
a. In times of trouble - Ac 4:23-24; 12:5,12; 16:25
b. In times of departure - Ac 20:36; 21:5
2. A sweetness of fellowship and sense of strength comes when
God's people pray together
-- Therefore, "praying with others" should be done as often as
possible

III. HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

A. JESUS TAUGHT HOW TO PRAY - Lk 11:1-4

1. The "Lord's Prayer", as it is commonly called, is a model, a
guide for learning how to pray
2. A careful examination of this prayer reveals that proper prayer
includes:
a. To "whom" we should pray ("Our Father in heaven")
b. Praising God ("Hallowed be Your Name")
c. Supplication
1) For God's purposes ("Your kingdom come. Your will be

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done...")
2) For our physical needs ("Give us this day our daily
bread")
3) For our spiritual needs ("Forgive us our sins...")
4) For spiritual needs of others ("For we also forgive
everyone who is indebted to us")
3. He also stressed the importance of simplicity in our prayers
- Mt 6:7-8
B. A HELPFUL ACROSTIC IN LEARNING TO PRAY IS "A-C-T-S"
1. A = ADORATION
a. I.e., praising God
b. A good example of this is found in 1Ch 29:10-13
c. Spending time in sincere praise of God's greatness will help
put us in the proper spirit of humility
2. C = CONFESSION
a. I.e., acknowledging our sins before God
b. When we understand how sin can break the fellowship we have
with God, we naturally desire its quick remission
c. Fortunately, as Christians we can be cleansed by the blood
of Jesus as we confess our sins - 1Jn 1:9
3. T = THANKSGIVING
a. An important part of prayer, even those in which we are
making requests - Php 4:6
b. The benefits of giving thanks are many:
1) Causes us to acknowledge God's existence, love, and care
2) Reminds us of His goodness
3) Helps to shift our focus from what we don't have to what
we do have
c. The kind of things to be thankful for:
1) Things we can see in our lives...
a) Health
b) Family and friends
c) God's guidance, answers to previous prayers
2) Things we may not be able to see...
a) Our adoption as His children
b) The forgiveness of sins
c) The hope of eternal life
d) The assurance of His continued presence
d. God's people have every reason to be thankful, and to be
known for "abounding in thanksgiving" - Col 1:12; 2:7; 3:15;
4:2
4. S = SUPPLICATION
a. I.e., making requests of God - Php 4:6
b. If we are faithful in including the first three (adoration,
confession, thanksgiving), this last will prevent prayer

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from being simply a spiritual "shopping list"

c. When we broaden our requests to include others, we enter
into one of the most noble realms of prayer: intercession
1) Something which God wants us to do - 1Ti 2:1
2) Examples of whom we can pray for are given in the next
section...

IV. FOR WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY?

A. IN THE SCRIPTURES, GOD INDICATES THAT HE WISHES US TO PRAY FOR:

1. Self
a. For physical daily needs - Mt 6:11
b. For personal growth in Christlikeness and devotion to God
- Col 1:9-12
2. Family
a. For spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.
b. For their nurture and growth in the teaching of the Lord
- Ep 6:4
3. Community
a. For peace to prevail
b. E.g., Jer 29:7
4. Church
a. For love and unity to prevail - Jn 13:35; 17:20-21
b. For the spiritual growth of each member - Php 1:9-11
c. For the gospel to have free course - 2Th 3:1
5. Nation
a. For national repentance and consciousness of who God is
- Psa 33:12; Pr 14:34
b. For leaders to rule wisely - 1Ti 2:2
6. Nonbelievers
a. For their salvation - Ro 10:1
b. For the effort of those involved in teaching them - Ep
6:18-20
7. The sick
a. For their restoration to health - Jm 5:14-15
b. For spiritual strength and peace of mind - Jm 5:16
8. The poor and oppressed
a. Such as the homeless, fatherless, unborn children - Pr 29:7
b. Those in other nations oppressed by their own rulers or
outside influences

B. IT MIGHT HELP TO HAVE A "PRAYER STRATEGY"...

1. On Monday - Family
a. Pray for both immediate and extended family members
b. For both their physical and spiritual well-being

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2. On Tuesday - Church
a. For members in the local congregation
b. For Christians and congregations throughout the world
3. On Wednesday - Community
a. For community leaders
b. For your neighbors
4. On Thursday - Nation
a. For elected officials
b. For efforts to bring peace and righteousness
5. On Friday - World
a. For world peace
b. For nations that are "closed" to the gospel
6. On Saturday - Afflicted
a. For the poor, homeless, jobless
b. For those in prison
c. For those who are sick
d. For widows, single mothers, fatherless children

CONCLUSION

1. These are simply suggestions, to help us see that there is much we

can be praying for; other suggestions could include:
a. A "daily prayer strategy" (morning-family; noon-church; evening-community)
b. When praying for the nation and the world, pray about the events described in the
newspaper
c. Keeping a "list" or "journal" of those for whom you are praying
2. The important thing is to PRAY, and to do so:
a. "always"
b. "in everything"
c. "earnestly"
d. "being vigilant"
e. "without ceasing"
3. I hope these last two lessons will encourage us to be more diligent in utilizing this
wonderful privilege of prayer!
SOME QUESTIONS TO STIMULATE YOUR THINKING...
1. Do you spend time each day in prayer to God?
2. Do you find prayer an easy or difficult activity?
3. Do you pray with other people at times other than before meals, in Bible classes, or in the
assembly?
4. Do your prayers include the needs of others, or just your own concerns?

PRINCIPLES OF ANSWERED PRAYER.

Principles means:- (a) Laid down rules. (b) The true foundation. (c) The truth about
something.

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Prayer is :- (1) a communication act between two parties. (2) Asking and receiving. Please, it
is not begging. (3) It is a means of intervention. (4) It is not a religious act. (5) It is a
weapon to resist an opponent. (6) It is a key to unlock every closed door. (7) It is not an
emotional release. (8) It is an act of faith.

:- (1) a communication act between two parties. (2) Asking and receiving. Please, it is not
begging. (3) It is a means of intervention. (4) It is not a religious act. (5) It is a weapon to
resist an opponent. (6) It is a key to unlock every closed door. (7) It is not an emotional
release. (8) It is an act of faith.

References:- Matt. 7:7-9; Mark 11:23-24; Matt. 21:21;Ps. 65:2; Heb. 11:6; I Thess. 5:17; I
John 5:14-15; John 14:13-14; 15:7.

:- Matt. 7:7-9; Mark 11:23-24; Matt. 21:21;Ps. 65:2; Heb. 11:6; I Thess. 5:17; I John 5:14-
15; John 14:13-14; 15:7.

Why do we pray?

It is because God commanded it in the Bible :- (a) Lk. 18:1 ( Men ought to pray and not to
faint). (b) I Thess. 5:17 (Pray without season). (c) Phil. 4:6 (Let your request be made
known to God). (d) Matt. 26:41 (Watch and pray).

Prayer is God‟s way for Christians to have fullness of joy. James 4:2; Matt. 21:21; Jn. 14:13-
14.

Prayer is God‟s appointed ways for Christian to get things.

Prayer is the only avenue to get out of troubles; the cure for all worry and anxious care. Phil.
4:6-7; Ps.55:22; I Peter 5:7.

Prayer is the only way to have the power of Holy spirit for God‟s work. Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 6:19-
20; Lk. 11:13; II Cor. 7:14.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom. 10:13; Lk.23:39-43.

It is because God commanded it in the Bible :- (a) Lk. 18:1 ( Men ought to pray and not to
faint). (b) I Thess. 5:17 (Pray without season). (c) Phil. 4:6 (Let your request be made
known to God). (d) Matt. 26:41 (Watch and pray).

Prayer is God‟s way for Christians to have fullness of joy. James 4:2; Matt. 21:21; Jn. 14:13-
14.

Prayer is God‟s appointed ways for Christian to get things.

Prayer is the only avenue to get out of troubles; the cure for all worry and anxious care. Phil.
4:6-7; Ps.55:22; I Peter 5:7.

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Prayer is the only way to have the power of Holy spirit for God‟s work. Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 6:19-
20; Lk. 11:13; II Cor. 7:14.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom. 10:13; Lk.23:39-43.

Prayer and Faith: - Prayer is asking and receiving; is communication; is not

thanksgiving, worship, adoration, praise etc.

: - Prayer is asking and receiving; is communication; is not thanksgiving, worship, adoration,

praise etc. Faith is trusting; believes. (References:- Mk.11:12-24). Have faith in God. Mk.11:
22. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Heb.11:6 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Rom.14:23. If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed Matt.17: 20.

The great importance of faith:- You cannot please God without faith Heb.11:6 Faith is
plainly commanded as a duty John 20:27; Heb.3:7-12&19 Unbelief is a sin. Heb. 3:19; 12:1.
Faith can get anything in the universe Matt. 17:20; Mk. 9:23; James 5:15; III John 1:2-4.
Prayer without faith is sin. Rom. 14:23.

Exercising faith in prayer (Rom. 10:17)

Every Christian should set out to develop, grow and act on confidence faith in God in every
detail of life. The ways to exercise faith in prayer are:-

Learn the word of God Ps. 1:2-3; Joshua 1:8; Rom.10:17. If you want to have faith in God,
you must know His word. You will not know what God has promised you unless you learn His
word.

Full surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. John 3:20-22; I John 5:13-15 (Real faith is
exercised only in the will of God found in His word. Gal. 6:17)

Act on the faith you have. Heb. 11:6 (Take God at His word, risk Him, depend upon Him and
your faith will grow. Faith is acting Heb. 11). Faith comes by asking for it. Rom.12:3; I
Cor.12:9; Matt.7:11; Lk.;17:5; Mk.9:21-24 Ask for it, thirst and hunger and receive it by
faith. Note:- Faith helps mightily in prayer. Rom. 14:2

Knowing the Will of God in prayer:-

Text or References:- Matt. 26:39 & 42; I John 5: 14 - 15; John 14: 13 -14..If you want your
prayers answered, seek to pray in the „Will‟ of God, not contrary to His „Will‟ . Seek to pray
for things that can please Him.

Example of Jesus in Gethsemane. Matt.26:39 & 42; John 11:42. The Will of God can be
found in God‟s word. Joshua 1:8; Ps. 1:2-3Assurance in prayer. I John . 5:14-15; Ps. 37:4.
Asking in Jesus name. John 14: 13-14; Jn. 16:34. Praying in Jesus name is the authority
before the father. Faith comes when praying in the Will of God. Mark 9:23; Mk.11:23-24;
Rom. 10:17.

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STUDY TEXT:- The Apostles of Jesus Christ. Acts 4:23-31, compare with Ps. 2:1-3 & 4-12.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ. Acts 4:23-31, compare with Ps. 2:1-3 & 4-12.

STEPS IN PRAYER:-

A. Identify the needs or necessity for prayer. This comes from worry, pain, affliction,
needs, troubles, opposition and so on. Ps. 34:4&10; 17,19.
 Vs. 4 - Fear, the righteous man sought the Lord
 Vs.10- Lack the righteous man seeks the Lord
 Vs.17-Trouble, the righteous man cried to the Lord
 Vs.19-Affliction, The Lord delivered him.
B. Be definite in Prayer. This means that what exactly do you needs. ( of ascertain what
you need).Matt.6:11; Mk.11:24; Lk.11:5
C. Ask what you need. Matt.7:7-9; Matt.21:22; Jer.29:12-13; Lk.11:9-10 Prayer is asking
and receiving. God expects His people to ask.
D. Believe. God expects us to believe Him in respective of our needs. Matt.21:22;
Mk.11:24; Gen.15:6; Ex.4:31.
E. Exercise strong Faith in receiving what you pray for. James 1:6
F. Avoid doubt in your heart and unbelief. James 1:7-8; Heb. 3:19.
G. Praise God for answered prayer. By this, you show the sense of gratitude.

Three Responses of God:-

 I have heard you and give you what you ask for.
 I have heard you, but be patience
 No, but I have something better to it, or for you.

Vs. 4 - Fear, the righteous man sought the Lord. Vs.10- Lack the righteous man seeks the
Lord. Vs.17-Trouble, the righteous man cried to the Lord. Vs.19-Affliction, The Lord delivered
him.

Hindrance to prayer:-

Text:- I Peter 3:7; Isa. 59:2; Psa. 66:18; Ephe. 5:22-29

1. Wrong relationship between husband and wife. I Peter 3:7; Ephe. 5:22-29. E.g. Achan‟s
family (Joshua 7:21-26); King Saul, King Hezekiah. Therefore, husband has to love his wife,
honour her and dwell with her according to knowledge. Likewise wife has to reverence her
husband.

2. Prayer is hindered by wrongdoing, debts unpaid, offended brother un-reconciled. Matt.

5:23-24. 3. Unforgiving heart. Matt. 6:9-15. . Un-confessed sin. Isa. 59:2

TYPES OF PRAYER

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Prayer of Agreement (Matt. 18:18-19, Amos 3:3) . RULES:- (a) Be in agreement . Amos
3:3. (b) Have a specific things in mind .Mark 11:14. (c) Be in line with the God‟s will .I John
5:14. (d) Believe and have faith Matt. 24:22. (e) Refuse to doubt .James 1:2 (f) Give thanks.
Heb. 13:15.

Prayer of Petition:- It means an earnest request to God from the heart. RULES:- (a) You
desire for what you need. (b) Search or locate the scripture to use the word of God to back
up your prayer. (c) Pray in faith. (d) Doubt not. (e) Give thanks.

:- It means an earnest request to God from the heart. RULES:- (a) You desire for what you
need. (b) Search or locate the scripture to use the word of God to back up your prayer. (c)
Pray in faith. (d) Doubt not. (e) Give thanks.

Prayer of Unity: - It means people more than five in number to seek God‟s face for a
specific thing.

: - It means people more than five in number to seek God‟s face for a specific thing. (Matt.
18:18-19, Amos 3:3) . RULES:- (a) Be in agreement . Amos 3:3. (b) Have a specific things in
mind .Mark 11:14. (c) Be in line with the God‟s will .I John 5:14. (d) Believe and have faith
Matt. 24:22. (e) Refuse to doubt .James 1:2 (f) Give thanks. Heb. 13:15.

Prayer of Petition:- It means an earnest request to God from the heart. RULES:- (a) You
desire for what you need. (b) Search or locate the scripture to use the word of God to back
up your prayer. (c) Pray in faith. (d) Doubt not. (e) Give thanks.

:- It means an earnest request to God from the heart. RULES:- (a) You desire for what you
need. (b) Search or locate the scripture to use the word of God to back up your prayer. (c)
Pray in faith. (d) Doubt not. (e) Give thanks.

Prayer of Unity: - It means people more than five in number to seek God‟s face for a
specific thing.

: - It means people more than five in number to seek God‟s face for a specific thing.

Prayer is asking and receiving. God expects everyone to pray. God answers the prayers of
young and old, men and women, poor and rich, white and dark people.

Part B:-

4 PRAYER OF AGREEMENT:- Matt. 18:18-20. This prayer involves two to five people. If it is
more than five, it becomes prayer of unity. Biblical examples are:- Abraham, Gen. 18:16-33.

Rules: -

It involves two to five people of the same faith. (b) There must be something to pray for. (c)
Pray according to God‟s will. (d) Refuse to doubt. James 1:6. (e) Give thanks. I Thess. 5:18.

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PRAYER OF INTERCESSION:- Eph. 6:18-19. This prayer involves individual or groups. It is

a means of standing to request concerning any matter, situation or circumstances. We can
pray for loved ones, enemies, family members, church, Nations and leaders.

:- Eph. 6:18-19. This prayer involves individual or groups. It is a means of standing to

request concerning any matter, situation or circumstances. We can pray for loved ones,
enemies, family members, church, Nations and leaders.

PRAYER FOR IMPORTUNITY:- LK. 11:1-13. This prayer involves individual or group to
tarry in prayer. Someone may spend more hours, weeks, months, even years in seeking the
face of the Lord. Biblical examples are:- (a) Daniel. Dan.10:12-13. The answer to prayer took
twenty-one days (21). (b) Hannah. I Sam. 1:7-20. She spent years. The Bible says „year after
year‟.

:- LK. 11:1-13. This prayer involves individual or group to tarry in prayer. Someone may
spend more hours, weeks, months, even years in seeking the face of the Lord. Biblical
examples are:- (a) Daniel. Dan.10:12-13. The answer to prayer took twenty-one days (21).
(b) Hannah. I Sam. 1:7-20. She spent years. The Bible says „year after year‟.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

It involves two to five people of the same faith. (b) There must be something to pray for. (c)
Pray according to God‟s will. (d) Refuse to doubt. James 1:6. (e) Give thanks. I Thess. 5:18.

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION:- Eph. 6:18-19. This prayer involves individual or groups. It is

a means of standing to request concerning any matter, situation or circumstances. We can
pray for loved ones, enemies, family members, church, Nations and leaders.

:- Eph. 6:18-19. This prayer involves individual or groups. It is a means of standing to

request concerning any matter, situation or circumstances. We can pray for loved ones,
enemies, family members, church, Nations and leaders.

PRAYER FOR IMPORTUNITY:- LK. 11:1-13. This prayer involves individual or group to
tarry in prayer. Someone may spend more hours, weeks, months, even years in seeking the
face of the Lord. Biblical examples are:- (a) Daniel. Dan.10:12-13. The answer to prayer took
twenty-one days (21). (b) Hannah. I Sam. 1:7-20. She spent years. The Bible says „year after
year‟.

:- LK. 11:1-13. This prayer involves individual or group to tarry in prayer. Someone may
spend more hours, weeks, months, even years in seeking the face of the Lord. Biblical
examples are:- (a) Daniel. Dan.10:12-13. The answer to prayer took twenty-one days (21).
(b) Hannah. I Sam. 1:7-20. She spent years. The Bible says „year after year‟.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

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This prayer involves individual or group. It involves confession of sins, confession of faith etc.
Dan.9:1-11; Psalm 27:1-14; Rom. 10:9-10 „…. With thy heart we believe unto righteousness
with our mouth confession is made unto salvation‟.

PRAYER ALTAR

Altar is the place of meeting between God and man. Altar is a place of sacrifice, denial and a
place of fire. Gen.8:20; 22:9; Matt. 16:24; Heb. 12:29. In the old testament, prayer altar is
physical and visible. In the new testament, the prayer altar is spiritual. It is located in the
heart of man. Jn. 4:20-24.

APPROACH TO PRAYER ALTAR.

Obedience. Isa. 59:2; Pro. 28:9; Jn. 9:31.

Trust. Ephe.3:20; Pro. 3:5-6

Forgiveness. Unforgiving heart is a great barrier. Mk. 11:25; Matt. 6:14.

Meekness. Psalm 25:9.

Humility. Lk. 18:10-14; James 4:6.

It is not the matter of efforts but the way is being done is matter. The Lord search the heart.

I Sam. 16:7.

PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS.

Jesus always sought God early in the morning. He maintained constant fellowship with God.
Lk. 9:18; Matt. 14:23.

He always prayed before he took a major decision. He prayed all night before he chose his
disciples. Lk. 6:12-16.

He prayed so as not to fall into temptation. Lk.22:40; 42,43.

He prayed in order to seek the Will of His Father. Lk. 9:28; Lk. 11:1.

Jesus always sought God early in the morning. He maintained constant fellowship with God.
Lk. 9:18; Matt. 14:23.

He always prayed before he took a major decision. He prayed all night before he chose his
disciples. Lk. 6:12-16.

He prayed so as not to fall into temptation. Lk.22:40; 42,43.

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He prayed in order to seek the Will of His Father. Lk. 9:28; Lk. 11:1.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

TEXT:- Matt. 6:5-15; LUKE 11:1-13.

This is a pattern of prayer. It is a model. It is wrong to recite it on our service days. It is also
wrong to take it as a doctrine. The Lord‟s prayer is a principle for God‟s established kingdom.

PATTERN:-

"Our Father". This is Father-Son relationship. This is voice of one who has been genuinely
born of God. Who has received salvation and his sins has been forgiven.

"Hallowed be thy name". This is an act of reverence. You see God as supreme; Almighty
and Omni. God‟s name has to be reverent.

"Thy Kingdom come". This is kingdom subjects relationship. Titus 2:13; Rev.22:20. We
should pray for Christ‟s return. At this point, we pray for the salvation of souls of these
sinners around us.

"Give us this day". God expects us to be daily conscious. Matt. 6:25-34. This pattern of
prayer forbid us of worries and anxieties.

"Our daily bread". This is daily necessity. God‟s children have the right to pray for daily
needs. Foods, clothes, shelter, jobs, physical necessities are included in God‟s will for a
Christian. Christian‟s do not always get what they want, but Christians ought to get what
they need. James 1:17.

Seven Principles of Prayer

The first act in prayer is to establish relationship

Jesus told us that, when we pray, we should address God as Father. This is how he himself
prayed. To address God as Father is to bring ourselves into a very personal relationship with
God, who dwells in our hearts through his Spirit. We speak to him personally as a child to his
father, who is responsible for and cares for his children, and so we approach him in love,
knowing that he loves us.
True prayer is based on this intimate and close relationship. Straight away we will see that
some forms of pseudo prayer are immediately excluded, such as transcendental meditation
which is mindless repetition of words. It is not prayer at all because prayer is relationship and
Christian prayer is relationship to God as Father. Nor is prayer which is addressed to the
saints or to the blessed virgin Mary Christian prayer, because we are not related to the saints
nor to the virgin Mary, but we are related to our heavenly Father through the Spirit. We do
not have the spirit of the saints, or of the virgin Mary, but we do have the Spirit of the Father

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given to us in our heart and it is through this eternal Spirit that we offer our prayers.
Relationship is the first principle of prayer.

The second is recognition of the One to whom we pray

God is a great God; he is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, yet he invites us to
come before him with our prayers. In the prayers of the Bible, the most frequent form of
recognition of God is the recognition of his power in creation. When the early Christians
approached God in prayer (Acts 4:24) they began, “O Lord, you who made the heaven and
the earth and the sea and all that in them is”. They recognized the sovereign power of God.
God the Creator was the One to whom they were bringing their petitions.
Similarly in the Old Testament, when David prayed to God at the dedication of the gifts for
the temple (1 Chron 29:10-11), he addressed God as “yours, Lord, is the greatness and the
power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heaven and the
earth is yours, yours is the kingdom, Lord, and you are exalted as head above all”. In the
prayer at the reading of the law, in Nehemiah 9:5-6, God is addressed “you are the Lord,
even you alone, you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth
and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all”.
The God to whom we come in prayer is a great God, the Creator God, the sovereign God
over all things. Our prayers must recognize to whom it is we pray. Our Lord himself set the
example in this. In Matthew 11 he began his prayer, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth”. In this opening phrase he established the relationship—“Father”—and he
recognized and adored God‟s power in the phrase “Lord of heaven and earth”.
Adoration and praise is an essential part of our prayer and it arises naturally as we reflect on
the greatness of the One who invites us to come into his presence with our prayers. When
our Lord spent the night in Gethsemane agonising in prayer he addressed God as “Father”
and he recognized God‟s character by that wonderful, short, very telling phrase, “nothing is
too hard for you”. This prayer is recorded in Mark 14:36where we read “and he said, Abba,
Father, all things are possible to you, remove this cup from me. However, not what I will but
what you will”.
„Abba‟, the Aramaic word for „my father‟, was the word that Jesus learned in his own home as
a child. It was how he addressed his parents, and it is also how he addressed God. We have,
in this wonderful phrase „Abba, Father‟, a double underlining of the fact that we are related
to God to whom we bring our prayers, as a child related to a loving father. Then our Lord
went on to recognize the power of the One to whom he brought his petition, “all things are
possible to you”, said our Lord. He was bringing this petition, which he felt so deeply, to the
One who was able to hear and to answer, if that were his wise will.
Another form of opening recognition found in the Scripture is that God is the covenant God.
He keeps his promises (e.g. Dan 9:4 and II Chron 6:14). In the Lord‟s Prayer we have a very
short phrase recognizing God‟s character—“Father in heaven”. In these three words we
acknowledge our relationship with the One to whom we pray and we recognize his status. He
is our Father in heaven, the heavenly, supreme God. It will be seen that mysticism and so-
called wordless prayer is not prayer at all, for in this form of mental activity there is no
relationship acknowledged, nor is there recognition as to the character of the One to whom
we bring our prayers.

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There is a third principle which controls the character of true prayer and this is
request
Prayer means request and consists of requests. In the Lord‟s Prayer, which Jesus gave his
disciples as a pattern as to how to pray, after the opening statement of relationship and
recognition the prayer consists entirely of requests—seven in all. “Hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done” are the opening three requests. They are concerned
with God‟s affairs and are followed by four requests with regard to ourselves; “give us”,
“forgive us”, “lead us”, “deliver us”. Then the prayer ends.
Prayer consists of requests. We are constantly invited to bring our petitions to God. “Let your
requests be made known to God”, said St Paul, and James said “You have not because you
ask not”. But, of course, our requests must be in accordance with the character of God if
they are to honour God, if they are to be part of true worship and if they are to receive an
answer in the way that we would wish. What we ask for is an indication of what we value.
The Lord‟s Prayer begins asking that God‟s name may be hallowed. Is this the sort of prayer
that comes naturally to our lips when we have the opportunity of asking for something which
we want? The Lord‟s Prayer goes on to ask that God‟s kingdom might be inaugurated and
that his will might be done. If we are so taken up with the things of this world that we
bypass God and his kingdom, our prayers will show that we have not got our priorities right.
After all, there is nothing more desirable than that men and women everywhere should
acknowledge God as he really is, that is, should hallow his name. What a change it would
make to our world! This should be the first prayer on our lips, for it should be the constant
longing of our heart. So, too, when God‟s kingdom comes and his judgement vindicates the
righteous, what a glorious prospect that will be. And when all men do his will, heaven will
have come to earth. These are God‟s purposes and will be fulfilled. We should identify with
them; they should be uppermost in our mind and should spring readily to our lips in prayer.
Then the Lord‟s Prayer turns to our own needs, our daily sustenance and the need of
forgiveness. Confession of sins and prayer for forgiveness will always be a true part of
Christian prayer. Confession and seeking forgiveness, along with praise and adoration (with
which we begin our prayer), is part of that recognition of God and his character by which we
honour God in prayer. Requests also honour God for they are the exercise of faith toward his
loving promises. Voiceless prayer is not Christian prayer because it has no place for requests,
of which Christian prayer (as taught by our Lord) consists.

The fourth element in prayer is repetition

Jesus emphasised that we should persevere in prayer. Our prayers should spring from our
deepest longings and desires, and we should not hesitate to bring these constantly before
God in prayer. In Luke 18, Jesus said “Men ought always to pray and not to give up” and he
told the story of the unjust judge who could not care less about providing justice for a poor
widow who, nevertheless, succeeded in obtaining justice simply by constantly asking the
judge to give her the justice she was asking for. So our Lord said we should importune God
with similar perseverance, not that God is a reluctant judge, nevertheless the example of
even the unjust judge giving in at last to the constant prayer of his petitioner was a lesson to
Christians to persevere in prayer.
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 GOOD SHEPHERD DISCIPLESHIP AND THEOLOGY {GOSHEDITH SCHOOLS}
DISCIPLING CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLE-BASED,CHRIST-CENTERED & HOLYGHOST POWERED MINISTRY

So, persevering in prayer is an essential characteristic of prayer. It shows, not only that we
really desire what we are asking for, but that we also believe that God will answer. Our Lord
himself gave us an example. He was greatly grieved in soul, as he told his disciples, on the
eve of the crucifixion and he prayed in Gethsemane with perseverance and intensity. Three
times he prayed saying the same words, because those words were simple, direct and
carried the meaning of what he wanted; “Father, if it is possible may this cup pass from me”.
Three times he prayed that prayer. He did not, of course, receive the answer that he had
hoped for, but he received the answer that it was God‟s will that he should drink the cup. He
drank it with full faith and he received the strength to drink it to God‟s honour and to our
salvation. His prayer was answered in line with his real need.
The Apostle Paul is another example of persevering in prayer. He was troubled by what he
called a “thorn in the flesh”, a messenger from Satan; something, presumably, not only
unpleasant but a hindrance to his ministry. He prayed three times that it might be taken
away—not once, not twice but three times. In the end he received the answer that it was
better for him and for his ministry if the thorn stayed and so he gladly received that answer
and glorified God through the very thing which he had hoped might be removed.
We are to persevere in prayer; repetition is one of the characteristics of true Christian
prayer—not mindless repetition but repetition because the prayer springs from the bottom of
our heart, reflecting our deepest longing and offered to the God who sympathizes with us in
all our needs and trials and situations. We should persevere in prayer, repeat our prayers
until God gives us the answer and makes clear to us what his mind is in the matter. Then we
gladly accept that.

This brings me to the fifth principle of prayer—resignation

When we pray we should pray with the attitude of gladly accepting God‟s will in every
situation, whatever that will may be. It is through perseverance in prayer that we learn what
God‟s will is. Our resignation is not a resignation to a blind unthinking fate, to blind
impersonal forces which take no interest in us or in our situation. Rather, it is the glad
acceptance of the will of the heavenly Father with whom we are related. Thus Jesus, in his
prayer at Gethsemane, said “Father, may this cup pass form me, yet not my will but yours be
done” and when, at the end of that session of prayer, it was plain to him that the Father‟s
will was that he should drink that cup, he said to his disciples, “Shall I not drink the cup
which my Father has given me”.
Our resignation is the acceptance of the perfect will of One whom we love and trust and
know. Indeed, it is the will of One whose will we know to be perfect and whose will we wish
to be accomplished on earth as in heaven; because if that will is done then all things will be
well. Our Lord, after he had experienced the rebuffs of the Galilean communities, rested in
God‟s will. He said, “I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden
these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for it
was well pleasing in your sight”. We, too, are to have the same confident trust and
acceptance of God‟s perfect will, even when our prayers and our hopes are not fulfilled in the
way we had at first desired.

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 GOOD SHEPHERD DISCIPLESHIP AND THEOLOGY {GOSHEDITH SCHOOLS}
DISCIPLING CHRISTIANS FOR BIBLE-BASED,CHRIST-CENTERED & HOLYGHOST POWERED MINISTRY

The sixth principle of true Christian prayer is rejoicing in the will of God
We are to pray with thanksgiving. “In all things making our requests to God with
thanksgiving”, said St Paul. So, too, Jesus prayed with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an
essential characteristic of recognition of the true God, for God is a very gracious God in
creation and particularly in redemption, and our hearts should be always filled with
thanksgiving.
He fills our life with joy and gladness and we should recognize the source from which this
comes. As we enjoy the good things of life we should be thankful to God who gave them
and, even when we are in adverse circumstances, we should be rejoicing in our sufferings
while we pray that those sufferings may be alleviated and pass away. Jesus himself taught us
to pray that we should not enter into temptation (i.e. testing) but pray to be delivered; yet
always rejoicing in what God has allowed to take place. Not that we appreciate or enjoy the
suffering, but we rejoice in God in the midst of our suffering, knowing that it is our heavenly
Father‟s will for us. He who controls all things, invites us to bring our requests to him that he
might answer them according to what is wise and good so that we, accepting his gifts and
his answers, may rejoice in him with thanksgiving for all his goodness.
The greatest of all his goodness in the present life is the privilege of standing in his presence
through his Spirit and offering to him our petitions in prayer. It is his love in providing us
salvation in Jesus Christ that enables us to do this and so all our prayers are offered in the
name of Christ through the salvation which he has brought us.

This is the last principle of prayer—

—the realisation or acknowledgement of the only ground on which we can offer prayer to
“the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy”. It is only through Christ‟s
righteousness that we stand in God‟s presence. It is only in Christ that we have been adopted
by our heavenly Father as his sons and daughters into his family. If our prayers are to be
offered in the area of truth, they must be offered in the realisation and acknowledgement
that it is only through our Lord Jesus Christ that we have access to the heavenly throne of
grace.

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