Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 26

Thoughts on Prayer

Prayer is the worship of our Almighty God. Totally depraved men are given the privilege of access, not by their righteousness, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

It is a privilege given only to the redeemed of God, to those whom Christ has purchased by His once-for-all completed work on the cross at Calvary.

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Jesus Christ is our great high priest.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Though we often know not how to or what we should pray for, the Holy Spirit indwelling believers would help us in our prayers. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).

Prayer is a practical manifestation of true faith. A praying man is a living soul. He is spiritually alive. For Ananias said this of the Apostle Paul, “Behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). It is evidence of a man’s salvation.

Prayer is an exercise of the spiritual life of a Christian and therefore he is to be constantly in prayer. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In so doing, the Christian is attuned to the will of God. The Christian is, therefore, to persevere in prayer. It is like breathing. A man dies when he stops breathing. A man dies spiritually when he stops praying.

Prayer is a means of grace. In the face of trials and temptations in life, prayer is the means whereby the Christian find rest.

Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Apostle Peter reiterated, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Prayer is communicating with God, seeking and calling out to Him for help and succour in times of need. The psalmist David wrote, “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me” (Psalm 7:1).

Matthew recorded Jesus’ teaching on how God the Father will respond to every seeking heart.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him” (Matthew 7:7-11).

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).

Prayer is however not a blank cheque for one to ask anything in the name of Christ. What we ask for in our prayers have to be in agreement with the will of God as written in His Word.

James warns us against praying with the wrong or evil motives especially for worldly, self-centered objectives in James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

The Bible also explicitly teaches that if there is unconfessed sin in our hearts, it will hinder our prayer life. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee