Prayer - Guest Post

                           

      Dr. Annamma Abraham and (late) Dr. Abraham were veteran doctors in Malaysia (originally from Kerela, India) and also serving the Lord in many capacities.  Those early years were very busy with their working schedule and taking care of their very energetic and lively three sons.  In that very busy schedule of work along with parenthood, they grew stronger in their faith and walk with God.  Today, as Dr. Annamma Abraham delves into the Word in deep study, she shares jewels of wisdom from the Word!

  Prayer

Dr. Annamma Abraham 

            Prayer is a request to God, ask or worship. It is the time we spend in fellowship with God. One of the greatest paradoxes of Christian faith is that God wants us to talk to Him about everything that is going on in our lives, even though He already knows everything. He is omniscient.

So why pray?

1- Because we realise that God wants us to talk to Him. Yes He is all knowing, but He also desires our fellowship. When we seek God's face in prayer we strengthen our relationship with Him. This is the most important reason why we should pray. Our highest privilege is to talk to God.

2- Because we have an enemy (the devil), prayer is God-appointed way to resist him.  Ephesians 6: 12, 13, 18     

12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 - Therefore take up the full armor of God, which you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm.

18 - With all prayer and petition, pray at all times, in spirit and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

3 - Because prayer is God's way for us to obtain what we need from Him.

John 16: 24 - Until now you have asked nothing in My name, ask, and you will receive that your joy maybe made full.                                           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.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            James 4: 2 - You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious; and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

4 -Because prayer is the means God has appointed for us to find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

5 -Because prayer with thanks giving is God's way for us to obtain freedom   from anxiety and to receive peace of God.

Philippians 4 : 6,7 Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer , supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus .   

6 -Besides these Paul is exhorting us to pray without ceasing  

1 Thessalonians 5: 17

Colossians 4: 2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. 

When we go through the bible we see

(A) Different kinds of prayer

1 - Secret prayer   Mathew 6: 6,7, 8 ,9-13; 6-8 When you pray, go into your inner room and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees you in secret will repay you. And when you are praying do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need, before you ask.

Mathew 6: 9-13. Lord's Prayer.

2 - Group prayer - Mathew 18: 2 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.

3 - Family prayer- Acts  10: 1 -2  There was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many arms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually .

4 - Public prayer-1'st Corinthians 14: 14- 17

14 - If I pray in tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

15 - What is the outcome then? I shall pray with my spirit and I shall pray with mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also.

16 - Otherwise if you bless in spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the  “Amen " at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

17 - For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

(B) Prayer consists of

1 -Adoration- Daniel 4: 34, 35

34 - But at the end of that period ,I Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven ,and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever , for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 - And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven .And among the inhabitants of the earth no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, what hast Thou done?

2 - Confession

1 John 1: 9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3 - Supplication

1 Timothy 2: 1-3.

1 - I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanks giving be made on behalf of all men,

2 - for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

3 - This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

4 - Intercession

James 5: 14, 15.

14 - Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15 - And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will also raise him up and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven.

5 - Thanksgiving

Philippian’s 4:6.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer, supplication and thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.

(C)- Requirements for prayer

1- Purity of Heart Psalm 66: 18, 19.

18 - If I regard wickedness in my heart the Lord will not hear.

19 - But certainly God has heard, He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

2 - Believing Mathew 21: 22 And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.

3 - In Christ's name (John 14: 13) And whatever you ask in My name that will l do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

4 - According to God's will (1 John 5: 14) And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us.

5 - Forgiving spirit (Mathew 6: 14) If you forgive men for their transgressions your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

6 - Simplicity  (Mathew 6 : 5-6)   5 - When you pray ,you are not to be as hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 - But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

7 - Humility and Repentance (Luke 18: 10-14)

10 - Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer

11 - The Pharisee stood and was praying to himself, God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers or even like this tax-gatherer.

12 - I fast twice a week; I pay tithe of all that I get.

13 - But the tax-gatherer standing some distance away , was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven , but was beating his breast , saying , God be merciful to me , the sinner.

14 - I tell you this man went down to his house , justified rather than the other ,  for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled , but he who humbles himself shall be exalted .

8 - Unity of believers (Matthew 18: 19-20)

19 - Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father, who is in heaven

20 - For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst

9 - Tenacity (Holding Fast) (Luke 18: 1-8)

Because this widow bothers the judge, he is giving her legal protection from her opponent, lest by continually coming she weary him out.

                        God shall bring justice for the elect who cry out day and night to Him, and He will not delay long over them. He will bring about Justice for them speedily.

10 - Importunity (persistent pressing) (Luke 11:5-8) 

5 - Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him "Friend lend me three loaves

6 - for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey and I have nothing to set before him.

7 - and from inside he shall answer and say , do not bother me , the door has been already shut and my children and I are in bed , I cannot get up and give you anything  .

8 - I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

11 - Intensity (encouragement to pray) (Matthew 7: 7-11)

7 - Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.

8 - For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks find, him who knocks it shall be opened.

9 - Or what man is there among you when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will he give him stone, will he?

10 - Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

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 .

12 - Confident expectation (Mark 11: 24)

Therefore I say to you, all things which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted to you.

13 - Without many words (Matthew 6: 7)

When you are praying do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 

14 - Unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Pray without ceasing.

(D)- Answers refused, because of

1- Sin (psalm 66: 18)

If I regard wickedness in my heart, then the Lord will not hear.

2 - Selfishness (James 4: 3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

3 - Doubt (James 5: 5-7) 5 - If any one of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 - But let him ask in faith without any doubting for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7 - For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. 

4 - Disobedience (Proverbs 28: 9) He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

5 - Inhumanity (Proverbs 21:13) He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.

6 - Pride (Luke 18: 11, 12, 14) Parable of the Pharisee and the tax- gatherer.

(E)- While praying any posture can be adopted .When we go through the bible we see people praying in different postures.

1 - Standing  ( Nehemiah 9: 5 )  Then the Levites, Jeshua , Kadmiel , Bani , Hashabneiah , Sherebiah , Hodiah , Shebaniah and Pethahiah said "Arise bless the Lord your God forever and ever!  O may Thy glorious name be blessed and exalted above all the blessing and praise ."

2 - Kneeling  ( Ezra 9 : 5 )   But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation , even with my garment and my robe torn ,and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God .

3 - Sitting (1 Chronicles 17: 16) Then David the king went and sat before the Lord and said " Who am I , O Lord God , and what is my house that Thou hast brought me this far ?

4 - Bowing (Exodus 34: 8) And Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.

5 - Hands up lifted ( 1 Timothy 2 : 8 ) Therefore I want the men in every place to pray ,  lifting up holy hands , without wrath and dissension .

F - For praying any place can be selected. In the Bible, we see people prayed in different places.

1 - Upper Room (Acts 1:13-14)

13 - And when they had entered ,they went up to the upper room where they were staying , that is Peter , John ,James and Andrews , Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew , Mathew , James the son of Alpheus and Simon the zealot and Judas the son of James .

14 - These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers

2 - In House (Acts 12: 5- 17)

12 - Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying

3 - By a river (Acts 16: 13)

And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a river side, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to women who has assembled.

4 - On a beach (Acts 21: 5)

Paul sails from Miletus .The people who escorted Paul, after kneeling down on beach and praying, they said farewell to one another.

                                              Prayer of Christ

A - Their nature

1 - Adoration (Mathew 11: 25-27)

At that time Jesus answered and said “I praise Thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.

2 - Intercession (John17: 1-26)

Christ pray for himself and His disciples.

3 - Thanks giving (John 11:41-42)

Lazarus is brought to life

41 - And so they removed the stone and Jesus raised his eyes and said "Father I thank Thee that you have heard Me ,

42 - And I know that you hear Me always, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that you sent Me.”

B - Their great occasions

1 - At His baptism (Luke 3: 21-22)

21 - Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying heaven was opened.

22 - And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven "Thou art my beloved son, in Thee I am well pleased.”

2 - Before selecting the apostles (Luke 6:12-13)

12 - He went of to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

13 - And when the day came, He called His disciples to Him, and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles.

3 - At His transfiguration. (Luke 9:28-29)

He took along Peter, John and James and went to the mountain to pray .And while He was praying, the appearance of his face was different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

4 - In Gethsemane (Mathew 26: 36-42)

36 - Jesus came with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples "sit here, while I go over there and pray.

37 - And he took with Him peter and two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed.

38 - Then He said to them "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death, remain here and keep watch with Me”

39 - And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed saying "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

40 - And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter "so you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?

41 - Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

42 - He went away a second time and prayed saying "My Father if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done."

C - Their time and places

Early morning (Mark 1:35) And in the early morning, while it was still dark He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there.

In secret (Luke 5: 16) But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness to pray. (Luke 9: 18)- And it came about that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him and He questioned them saying “who do the multitude say that I am.

With others (Luke 11: 1) And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of the disciples said to Him "Lord teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples”

Then Lord Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer Mathew 6: 9- 13

On mountain (Mathew 14: 23) And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went to the mountain by Himself to pray and it was evening, He was there alone.

The work of prayer

 Mathew 26: 39 - Jesus went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed.

            We have to admit that prayer is strenuous, boring and confusing at times. Occasionally it is difficult to sustain the grip. Real prayer can be tough and hard business.

            We often think prayer as the preparation for the battle, but Christ showed us that it is the battle itself. Prayer was the heart of his work .Jesus' sweat was like drops of blood, not in Pilate's hall, nor on His way to Golgotha. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane .There He offered up prayers and supplication with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death (Hebrews 5: 7).       

We may think “why couldn’t He approach this ordeal with the calm confidence of His three sleeping friends. Yet when the test came, Jesus walked to the cross with courage and His three friends fell apart and ran away. 

            Have we misunderstood the importance of prayer? Instead of prayer being just a request for help to God, prayer is the work itself                           .

            No need is too trivial, we have the full freedom, to come to the throne of grace at any time or any place.

Psalm 103: 13  As the father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.

Isaiah 49 :15  Can a woman forget her nursing child , and have no compassion on the son of her womb ? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

            This time a story comes to my mind. Several mothers of small children were sharing encouraging answers to prayers .One woman admitted that she felt selfish when she troubled God with her personal needs; compared with huge global needs God faces. She explained "my circumstances must seem trivial to Him."

            Moments later, her little son pinched his fingers in a door and ran screaming to his mother. She didn’t say "how selfish you are to bother me with your throbbing fingers when I am busy. " No, she showed him great compassion and tenderness.

Isaiah 49:16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; Your walls are continually before Me "

            As that child with throbbing fingers ran freely to his mother, so may we run to God with our daily problems

            The Almighty God never has to neglect others to respond to your concerns. He has limitless time and love for each of his children. No need is too trivial for Him.

            You will accomplish far more by focusing on your abilities instead of your limitations.

One lady, Lorraine Fusco, was completely paralyzed because of cancer affecting the base of the brain and down her spine. When death finally claimed her, she left a powerful testimony. Lorraine lived joyfully for God despite her trials. She saw her suffering as part of God's will. She used all her energy what was left to serve Him. She could do nothing but pray and live joyously, and that was enough. The ones for whom she interceded felt the touch of God.

            We all have limitations. But if we can focus on what we can do, we will make an impact for His kingdom. There may be nothing you can do but pray. You will accomplish far more by focusing on your abilities instead of your limitations. 

            Prayer doesn’t necessarily change things for you, but it changes you for things. Prayer is God's most gracious plan, whereby He links Himself with man. Let us note, His own, more often say to one another," Let us pray ". Our highest privilege is to talk to God.

Colossians 4: 2- Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.