PRAYER IS NOT FOR SISSIES – PART III (PRAYER AND PREPARATION)

 

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PRAYER IS NOT FOR SISSIES – PART III  (PRAYER AND PREPARATION)

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

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Today, I want us to consider another aspect of the prayer-life that is not for sissies.  By that I mean it isn’t “easy.” It requires time and effort.

Proper prayer requires more of the disciple than just shooting off words from the top of the head. Most consider prayer to be the work of a gunslinger who is told about a need then does a quick-draw, shoots a prayer-bullet then reholsters his gun; rather than a covert military operative who must plan, equip, position, maneuver and wait for the perfect timing to execute and complete a mission. What I am saying is, most prayer where requests are being made of the Father require preparation, especially corporate prayer where others are expected to be in union with the prayer. (There are several forms of prayer which we will discuss later, but we are speaking specifically to prayer that asks things of IAUE.)

I have been in prayer meetings and church services where prayers were being spoken from the congregation; and I absolutely could not agree with them.  In fact, on occasion, I have actually asked the Father to forgive them for what they were praying; because they were praying in conflict with the Scriptures. I would imagine most disciples have experienced this.  Why does this happen?  In a congregation or a bible study or conference, etc., it is because there is no preparation.

John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

People who are familiar with this verse believe they can ask IAUE for anything, so they ask what THEY want or want to happen. This is a single verse in a period of instruction that occupies three entire chapters of the Gospel of John (14-16). Out of context, it would seem this verse would validate the gunslinger; but in context, this verse is entrusted to a believer who loves the brethren, loves IAUE, obeys His commandments and is committed to the performance and execution of His will.  Well, that would bring into action the prayer Messiah offered as an illustration of how to pray; and the first request in that prayer was for our Father’s Kingdom and will to come and be done on earth in such a way as to fulfill His eternal counsel.  Consequently, prayer is not about us. It is not about what we want, unless our desires are in conformity with His desires. Yahushua was not giving his disciples the power to do what they want, act like they want and get what they want. He was training them to carry on his work.  Remember the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28:19-20?  They were ordered to go out and make disciples and to teach people to DO what Messiah had commanded THEM to do. There is no room in that commission for self-gratification and worldly pursuits.

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in IAUE: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

When our delights are IAUE’s delights; when our desires are what He desires, we are ready to be engaged in the warfare of prayer because we have reached the right mindset for prayer. Yahushua was always about his Father’s business.  We must always be keenly focused on facilitating the advancement of the Father’s kingdom and His will. Our own personal needs are already accommodated by Scripture. In Matthew 6:25-33, Messiah told his audience not to take one thought about the cares of their lives because the Father knows their needs.  The disciples’ job was to do the work of the Kingdom. The Father’s job was to insure they were appropriately supplied for the work.

The very next verse King David provided after promising IAUE would give us the desires of our heart shows this vital arrangement between the Father and the disciple.

Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto IAUE; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

So, let’s take a look at this preparation for prayer.  Our opening verse says:

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

Admittedly, we have all heard people pray “If it be thy will,” scores of times, maybe hundreds of times in our life. It is impossible to pray in faith if you do NOT know what you are praying is Father’s will; and without faith it is impossible to please IAUE (Hebrews 11:6); and whatsoever is without faith is sin (Romans 14:23). So, the first step of preparation is to learn what the Father’s will is about the subject for which you want to pray.  You cannot pray in faith without knowing.  How, then can we know the Father’s will?  There are primarily three ways: 1) The Scripture reveals it, 2) We ask for the Father to reveal it, and 3) The Holy Spirit sovereignly reveals it to us.

1) The Scripture reveals it.  King David constantly studied the Scriptures for it revealed the ways and the will of IAUE. The Scripture gave David the confidence to know exactly how IAUE would respond to any given set of circumstances; and he used this wisdom to structure all of his prayers.  In the New Testament we see a brilliant illustration in Acts.

Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to Elohim with one accord, and said, IAUE, thou art Elohim, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Messiah.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Yahushua, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, IAUE, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Yahushua.

Note in v.24, they prayed with one accord. That required discussion among them to know what was going to be prayed so all present could be in agreement with it.  Also, in v. 24, they magnify the Father’s name (the same thing Yahushua instructed them to do first I prayer – “Hallowed be thy name.”)

In v. 25, they quoted Psalm 2:1; and in v. 26, they quoted Psalm 2:2.  This effectively invoked the rest of Psalm 2 which shows IAUE’s reaction to such opposition would be to laugh at their resistance and to take a rod of iron to crush them; then to warn them to get on His Messiah’s good side or suffer the consequences.  What a perfect Scripture this was to invoke in this particular instance; and how appropriate to the need for which they prayed.

In v. 27-28, they told IAUE that the worldly leaders were doing exactly what His Word said they would do with His Son; and that leads to what IAUE’s response to those leaders would be.

Then in v. 29, they finally make their request, having set before IAUE a clear and precise explanation from His own Word what they were dealing with and what He said He would do about it.  They then ask for boldness to continue doing His will; and asked for signs and wonders to confirm His word (which is what Yahushua had said in Mark 16).  This is Scriptural preparation for knowing IAUE’s will BEFORE praying.

2) We ask for the Father to reveal it. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask IAUE who will give it to those who ask in faith (James 1:4-5).  In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he told him that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks was to be made for all men, especially for kings and those in positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).  Here we see four different kinds of prayer.  First, supplications are the gunslinger’s prayers. You immediately pray for what appears to be the obvious need. Secondly, prayers represents seeking insight from IAUE to know more accurately what the need is and to obtain the wisdom to know precisely what and to pray.  This is information gathering from the Father to know more perfectly what His will is in the particular situation.  Once wisdom is received, intercession prays what the Father revealed unto the victory in prayer which is followed by thanksgiving to IAUE.

3) The Holy Spirit sovereignly reveals it to us. Sometimes, the wisdom of IAUE can come to us by someone speaking a word of knowledge or word of wisdom to us (see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12.) equipping us with the knowledge of IAUE’s will or wisdom to understand how to proceed in a matter (essentially, providing the information sought in the “prayer” phase of 1 Timothy 2:1). Sometimes, the Holy Spirit just brings revelation to our own minds.  Frequently, and quite regularly, when one does not know how to pray for a matter, prayer extensively in tongues will cause the wisdom to be dropped into our spirit, and when, in time, that reaches our understanding, we have the revelation of the Father’s will in the matter we desired.

All of this indicates that gunslinger prayer is not what is going to solve the matter of “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” It is going to take those disciples who are willing to take the time to pursue the Father’s direction and His will, and to know the Scriptural basis for the prayer that needs to be prayed. This cannot be effected by selfish prayers uttered simply to discharge one’s duty to pray because they said they would pray; or to compensate for one’s sense of guilt for the disobedience of prayerlessness.