Are You Right about Prayer? Joseph L. Williams

To the Christian, we hope that you have been encouraged in your walk with God, that you have been empowered to study further on your own, and that you are more confident in your dialogue with others. Reject the doubt and believe by faith, going forward better equipped to reason with others.

If you are a non-Christian, we hope you have felt you were treated with respect, and that you have reciprocated with a mind and heart open to the possibilities. In eternity, each person will be in one of only two groups: those with God and those away from God. This is the simplest description of the difference between heaven and hell.

God loves you so much that He provided a path to heaven. Here it is, simply explained in Romans 10:9: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The gift of salvation, just like God’s love, is free. We hope you will consider taking this step of faith and believe.

401

Joseph L. Williams

Preface..........................................................................................405

Prayer 101....................................................................................407 The Aaronic Blessing...................................................................409 When You Need a Miracle...........................................................411 A Genuine Motive........................................................................413 Listen for the Whisper..................................................................415 The Spiritual Battle......................................................................417 Get Your Praise On ......................................................................419 When You Need a Good Cleansing..............................................421 I Want Justice—Now!..................................................................423 If It’s Most Important to a King . . . ............................................425 National Repentance....................................................................427 A Deathbed Prayer.......................................................................429 The Prayer of a Pained Man.........................................................431 The Plea of the Cupbearer............................................................433 A Tale of Two Prayers..................................................................435 Mary’s Song.................................................................................437 Hypocrites and Babblers..............................................................439 The Lord’s Prayer ........................................................................441 Give Thanks or Get Eating?.........................................................443 God Has Ears...............................................................................445

Jesus Prays for You......................................................................447 A Battle of Wills...........................................................................449 Pray for Your Enemies.................................................................451 Opposition and Boldness.............................................................453 Encouraging Words......................................................................455 Hands-On Praying........................................................................457 Praying for People Groups...........................................................459 Worship Now, Worship Later.......................................................461 What’s the Right Way to Pray? Part One.....................................463 What’s the Right Way to Pray? Part Two.....................................465

I would venture to say that by adulthood nearly everyone on earth has prayed at least once. Maybe they were taught to pray at dinner or bedtime. Maybe they did it in an hour of desperation even though they weren’t sure anyone was listening.

Many religions involve prayer as a primary activity. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, among others, encourage or require prayer. The nineteenth-century German atheist and philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach even summarized its role this way: “The most intimate essence of religion is revealed by the most simple religious act: prayer.”

This 30-day devotional is written from the perspective of Christianity. We believe, of course, that not only are we praying to the one true God, but that He hears our prayers because He loves us, not because we have finally gotten His attention.

Prayer is invaluable and irreplaceable to the Christian. I truly believe that. I have personally experienced the lows of feeling prayers go unanswered for years and the highs of sensing the unmistakable holy presence of God as I’ve prayed.

This devotional is part of a series that includes Are You Right about Heaven? and Are You Right about God? In addition to being spiritual resources for believers, all three target the skeptic and seeker as well. They focus on the main areas of Christianity about which people often have the most questions or concerns.

It is my sincere hope that you will find this study an effective catalyst for your own journey to a deeper prayer life. A greater intimacy with our great God awaits . . . .

406

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7

Would you agree that everyone on earth, regardless of “religious” belief, is looking for purpose and peace? This is what I love about the two verses above. Paul is telling us that we can achieve purpose and peace “in every situation” when we go to God in prayer.

Perhaps other than a belief in angels, there isn’t an aspect of Christianity that appeals to non-Christians more than prayer. It seems that in an hour of need, just about anyone is willing to give prayer a try. My brother serves as a physician in an emergency department and he offers to pray with every patient. Many say yes, including an atheist friend of mine who greatly appreciated the gesture.

It can seem hard and intimidating to try to have a conversation with someone who is not there in person. This is where faith comes in, believing God is always present, always listening, and responding as and when He sees fit.

Here is the problem: many Christians (and non-Christians) do not fully understand how to pray, when to pray, or what to pray. It’s not a mystery, but many don’t seem willing to take the time to study what God says about it in the Bible. That is the purpose of this 30day journey—to gain biblical knowledge about prayer and put it into practice.

The purpose of this devotional is not to show you how to pray certain prayers and get them answered. Our intention is to understand how various people in the Old and New Testaments prayed, including Jesus. Since Jesus is our perfect example, we will need to take a close look at His prayer life and how He prayed.

408

Each day we will look at someone’s prayer in the Bible and try to extract a few nuggets from each gold mine. There isn’t enough room in this devotional format to detail every facet of each prayer, but we’ll try to accomplish what we can in the space provided. In the process, we will learn how to pray and how to have the right heart and attitude.

So, as we get started on this prayer-learning journey together, now would be a good time to stop and pray that God would use this time to give us further knowledge and a deeper prayer life.

409

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24–26

I think if you polled most parents—even non-Christian ones—they would tell you that they pray for their children. Most of them probably do so on an ongoing basis.

Admittedly, I did this more faithfully when my children were younger. It was easier to do when they were being put to bed. In addition to praying for whatever was going on in their lives at the time, I ended this prayer time by placing my hand on them (often on their forehead) and reciting a blessing. It is one sentence found in three verses in the Old Testament.

In the book of Numbers, God gave a man named Moses some detailed instructions on how the Israelites were to worship and live life. As part of their religious structure, they had priests. The first high priest was a man named Aaron. The prayer for today was the blessing from God Himself for Aaron to pronounce over the Israelites.

By starting each phrase with “the Lord” (this is a translation of God’s personal name in Hebrew; see Exodus 3:14–15), God is putting His name on us (Numbers 6:27). That is powerful! Now, let’s look briefly at the two actions in each of the three verses to grasp the fuller meaning of the prayer:

• The Lord bless you and keep you—God will give His blessing, bestowing His power and productivity. The Hebrew word for “keep” means to guard or protect. • The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you—God will show favor by illuminating Himself, bestowing His joy, and providing comfort and fullness.

410

• The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace—

God will give us His full attention and His peace. Specifically, the word for “peace” here is shalom and denotes bringing wholeness.

With the coming of Christ into the world and the salvation we have by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), God has given us life, peace, and blessing. We must believe it, and this prayer is a vivid reminder to embrace all that God gives us.

Just as the Lord blessed the Israelite people through the priests, I have used this prayer as a conduit for God to continually bless my children. I encourage you to do the same for the loved ones in your life.

411

Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life. 1 Samuel 1:11

The Bible contains stories of several women who were unable to have children. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was barren (Genesis 11:30). So too were Rebekah, Isaac’s wife (Genesis 25:21); Rachel, Jacob’s wife (Genesis 29:31); Samson’s mother (Judges 13:2); Samuel’s mother, Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5–6); and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:7). Today we will look at Hannah.

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah. While polygamy was not part of God’s plan (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:15), it was somewhat common in the culture of the day, especially when the first wife was barren. So, while Hannah could not bear children, Elkanah’s other wife could.

At some point after years of barrenness and during one of their family’s annual pilgrimages for a Jewish festival, Hannah went to the tabernacle to pray over her situation. This was no doubt one prayer in a long line of many lamenting her inability to have children. A priest named Eli witnessed her anguish and heard her reason for praying.

Hannah pledged to give her potential child to the Lord (similar to the Christian practice of child dedication at a church service). Without getting into a long explanation, she made a Nazirite vow for her child (see Numbers 6). Her son would serve the Lord directly as a priest his whole life.

God chose to answer Hannah’s prayer for a miracle. She conceived and later had a son named Samuel. She named him this because it means “heard by God,” which is what God did with her prayer. And once the child was old enough, Hannah brought Samuel

412

to Eli at the tabernacle to begin his lifetime of service to the Lord. She told Eli, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:27–28).

Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1–11, sometimes referred to as the Song of Hannah, is her praise to God and His character. Psalm 113 no doubt also echoes Hannah’s heart after she conceived: “He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord” (verse 9).

Did God answer Hannah’s prayer for a miracle as she wanted? Yes. Does God answer every prayer that is prayed? Of course He does. Does God answer every prayer the way we want? Of course He does not. Does He answer every prayer in the time span we want? Unfortunately (in our opinion), often no.

At some point, we’re all faced with a situation where we’re hoping for a miracle. While we don’t know if God will respond in the miraculous way that we desire, we can take comfort that He does hear the prayers of those who try to live rightly (Proverbs 15:29), and that our prayers are effective when we try to do so (James 5:16).

413

Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. 1 Kings 18:36–37

I have always admired the prayer of the prophet Elijah in this passage from 1 Kings. Let me set the stage first before we look at it further. Ahab was king of Israel and did incredible evil in the sight of the Lord. He married an evil woman—notorious to this day—named Jezebel. They led the people of Israel to worship two false gods, Baal (male) and Asherah (female).

God sent a prolonged drought as a punishment for their actions, and only through Elijah could the drought be lifted. It was time for a showdown between Ahab and Elijah and between their respective gods. What a spectacle it turned out to be.

Elijah faced down a king, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah at a place called Mount Carmel. The people came to see and decide who they were going to follow. Who was the real God? It was agreed that the real God would cause fire to fall from heaven and ignite an altar. It’s worth noting that Baal was the god of lightning.

All day long, the prophets of Baal called and shouted out to their god to start the fire, even to the point of cutting themselves to try and get his attention, but to no avail. It was no surprise to Elijah that nothing happened.

It was now the God of Israel’s turn through Elijah. Just to make the point even more dramatic, Elijah instructed that his wooden altar be drenched in water three times. And then he prayed the simple prayer you read above. Elijah asked that God would allow the

414

people to see Him as real and that He would turn the people’s hearts back to Him.

This prayer is a stark reminder that when my motive for prayer is simply for God to be glorified and to save the lost or those who have fallen away, He can do great things in and through me. This is not for me to boast as a result of what God may choose to do, but to glorify God.

God indeed quickly sent fire from heaven and consumed everything on the altar, including the water. The people fell down in worship of the true God, who soon also sent rain on the drought-parched land. This was a further demonstration of who was real, since Baal was also supposed to be the god of storms.

You can never go wrong when your prayers are directed toward God glorifying Himself and asking Him to show Himself to the lost. We know that, one day, “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God” (Romans 14:11, quoting Isaiah 45:23).

415

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:12

When we read God’s Word, we are also to stop and meditate on it and let the Holy Spirit show us certain details and meanings (Psalm 119:15–16). Similarly, prayer is a two-way street. It involves us talking to God, but also being still and waiting for what He might say to us in our spirit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in all who believe.

In Old Testament times, God would manifest Himself in amazing ways, such as in a pillar of cloud during the day and fire at night (Exodus 13:21), through smoke and fire (Exodus 19:18), and as a storm (Job 38:1). His presence is truly earthshaking. But He can also connect with us in the form of a whisper, as in today’s verse from 1 Kings 19.

Yesterday we looked at Elijah’s prayer during his showdown with the prophets of Baal. Despite the spiritual victory that was achieved that day, he went into hiding because he was being pursued by Queen Jezebel.

Elijah reached a desperation point where he just wanted to die. However, God sent an angel to care for his needs until he was restored. Elijah then traveled to a cave in a place called Horeb where he talked with God. He was still at a point of frustration with his fellow Israelites for forsaking God.

God instructed Elijah to go to the entrance of the cave. A powerful wind blew, followed by an earthquake, and then a fire. After these impressive displays came a gentle whisper. Elijah recognized it as the voice of God. He then received instruction from God on what to do next.

Sometimes we wish God would announce Himself and His will

416

for our lives to the sound of trumpets and as clearly as a highway billboard or neon sign. The reality is, in the day-to-day grind of life, God may seem silent, so He must be continually pursued through personal time with Him.

God later spoke to the Jewish people through the prophet Isaiah. He encouraged them that “whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).

Similarly, Jesus sent His disciples out to witness throughout Israel. He said, “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs” (Matthew 10:27). He will guide us if we are attuned to His Spirit. Make no mistake, this takes diligence and endurance.

Instead of “whisper,” the King James Version famously calls this “a still small voice.” Our lives are often so busy that I’m not sure we would recognize the voice of God even if He were using a loudspeaker! Being still in the midst of prayer takes practice, but it is a worthwhile discipline to develop so that we can hear Him as He hears us.

417

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

Aram was at war with Israel. The prophet Elisha (who succeeded the prophet Elijah) had warned the king of Israel about Aram’s military plans several times during the war. Naturally, this upset the king of Aram, who sent a large contingent of soldiers to capture Elisha. They surrounded the city where he was staying.

Upon learning of this, Elisha’s servant panicked. Elisha’s response is our prayer lesson for the day: “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (2 Kings 6:16). Confronted with this dangerous reality but at peace because of God, Elisha prayed the simple prayer above. He wanted his servant to see the spiritual reality around them. When this happened, the servant saw an army of angels larger than the human army sent for their capture.

There are really two points of emphasis I would like to make regarding this prayer. First, when we are faced with a difficult challenge, we should not panic but pray. Perhaps one of the most well-known passages on prayer (quoted in “Prayer 101,” page 407) should guide us in situations like these. Philippians 4:6–7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Notice the steps here: (1) don’t be anxious, (2) pray about it, and (3) God will give you peace. This doesn’t mean God solves everything to your liking, but He will give you peace regardless of the outcome.

418

Second, this Old Testament story gives us the opportunity to talk about angels in the context of prayer. There is a spiritual battle raging around us that we can’t see (Ephesians 6:12). God will dispatch angels to your care (Psalm 91:11). However, there is no instance in the Bible where we are instructed to pray to angels. They are servants of God “who do his bidding” (Psalm 103:20). Elisha didn’t pray to the angels to show themselves; he prayed to the Lord. Jesus was clear that we pray to “our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9).

There is even a story in the book of Revelation about the Apostle John’s interaction with an angel where John starts to worship the angel as he would God. The angel responds, “Don’t do that . . . Worship God!” (22:9). Our praise, worship, and prayers are for God and God alone.

Like He did for Elisha’s servant, may God give us the eyes to see the spiritual battle around us. And may we also go to Him in prayer during the battles we can see. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

419

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. Psalm 145:21

Psalms is the name given to this book of the Bible by the translators of the Septuagint, the oldest Greek translation of the Old Testament. Its original Hebrew name is Tehillim, meaning “praises.” Actually, there are several different types of psalms within the 150 chapters, including praises or hymns, psalms of thanksgiving, and laments. They are divided into five books: psalms 1–41, 42–72, 73–89, 90–106, and 107–150.

Psalms are songs. They are poetry. They are prayers. And they are rather emotional. Because of this, they help us in our communication with God.

King David wrote around half of them. Other authors include Moses, Asaph, the sons of Korah, and King Solomon. Several authors are unknown, and their work is sometimes referred to as the “orphan” psalms. Today and tomorrow we will look at a praise and a lament from David.

Why should we praise God when we pray and when we sing? Praising God reminds us of all His wonderful traits. It puts the focus on Whom it should be on and takes it away from our problems. Jesus instructs us in the Lord’s Prayer to begin in praise: “Hallowed [holy] is your name” (Matthew 6:9).

One of the psalms of praise is Psalm 145. Although it’s not obvious in English, this psalm is an alphabetic acrostic in the Hebrew language. (Each couplet begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which has 22 consonants. See Psalm 119 for a clearer example.) Perhaps structuring some psalms in this way demonstrates how God is our Everything from the aleph to the taw, or our “A to Z.”

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise” (verse 3). King

420

David is praising the true King and His attributes in this psalm: His majesty, wonderful works, great deeds, goodness, righteousness, graciousness, compassion, love, trustworthiness, faithfulness, and the list goes on.

Stop for a minute and read all of Psalm 145. I encourage you to grab a hard copy of the Bible. I have found there is something more intimate about reading in this way—without an electronic device. Being able to flip through the pages for a cross-reference or to read a footnote is also helpful. And get in whatever room and body position you need to fully focus on these words as you praise the Lord today.

421

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

There is obviously no way to cover all the prayers that are found in the book of Psalms. It is a treasure trove of praise and worship of God. Your personal prayer time would benefit from both reciting them and using them as guidance for how to express your own heart of thanksgiving and reverence for the Lord.

One prayer is worth mentioning because it is incredibly helpful, not for praise and worship, but during a time of remorse over personal sin. Some of you will immediately know which psalm I am referring to: Psalm 51.

King David had committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. To cover for his sin instead of confessing and repenting, he had Uriah shipped off to certain death in a war so that he could have Bathsheba for himself. Unfortunately, David succeeded.

God had to use Nathan the prophet to confront this selfish and sinful king who had shown no remorse for his actions. The words of Psalm 51 are the heart’s cry of David after Nathan helped him see the error of his ways. This is a great reminder that one of the roles believers have is to hold each other accountable.

We can find great comfort in this psalm because if we seek God, ask for forgiveness, ask for His mercy, and ask for His cleansing power to change our heart, He will move.

But it doesn’t stop there. We don’t just need His forgiveness. We don’t just need His restoration of close fellowship with Him. We also need a vibrant joy going forward (verses 8 and 12).

Acting in defiance of God’s standards creates a separation from Him. I can tell you from experience that when I am not walking well with the Lord, I feel a great distance from Him and don’t sense the

422

Holy Spirit guiding me. It is only when I recognize my selfishness and laziness, and come back to the Lord on my spiritual (and sometimes literal!) knees, do I then get restoration.

David had to learn the hard way that God calls us to be remorseful after sin. Our struggle against sin demonstrates that the love of God and the truth of His Word reside in our hearts. He wants this manifested through “a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart” (verse 17). As a result, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Lastly, it is worth mentioning how our past failures can help other believers. We can sound the warning to others not to follow in our footsteps (verse 13). So, take the time today to confess any and all sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart so that you fully embrace God’s forgiveness, turn from the sin, experience God’s joy again, and share this journey with others.

423

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts. Psalm 7:9

Let’s look at one more prayer by David. It is another psalm he wrote that appeals to God for justice. It is believed that he wrote this in the context of being unjustly pursued by King Saul and his men (see 1 Samuel 23–24).

First, let’s acknowledge that there is a lot of injustice in this world. It is certainly not exclusive to our day and age, but has been going on for millennia. Seeing children starving, watching the vulnerable being used as pawns for the agenda of the powerful, enduring political promises that can’t or won’t be kept, witnessing the media push a narrative instead of reporting the news, hearing of someone being senselessly killed, and the list can go on and on and on. It can be disheartening to the point of resignation. In this psalm, David acknowledges that God is his refuge. He also examines his own heart to make sure it is in the right place, asks the Lord to deal with those against him, and ends with praise to God. We can take comfort that God does not sit on His throne and watch injustice with indifference: “God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day” (Psalm 7:11).

At the same time, we are not called to complacency. God expects His people to stand up for the weak and vulnerable. Isaiah 1:17 states: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Proverbs further admonishes us: “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (31:9).

Make no mistake, God will bring full justice (Deuteronomy 32:35)—but not yet. This happens after the Second Coming of Jesus, 424

when every person will be judged. Those who believe in Him will be saved. Those who don’t will reap the fruit of their sins. “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels” (2 Thessalonians 1:6–7).

In the meantime, let us pray for justice, realizing that all will be fairly judged by God in the end. Let us also act in the here and now by advocating for justice for the poor and needy.

425

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours? 1 Kings 3:9

It could be debated whether 1 Kings 3:6–9 is an actual prayer (also found in 2 Chronicles 1). God appeared to Solomon in a dream and the two spoke together. Since prayer is a line of communication with God, I believe it is appropriate to view Solomon’s words in the context of prayer, especially because he is expressing his heart to God.

When I read this passage as a teenager, it deeply impacted me. This was the wisest man of his day. The very next chapter states Solomon had “a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore” (4:29). People from all over the known world came to hear him speak.

He was gifted at writing poetry and song, composing 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs, to be exact. He was also knowledgeable of all manner of plant and animal life. Perhaps his crowning achievement was the construction of the elaborate First Temple in Jerusalem.

In the dream, God told Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon responded by first acknowledging his father David’s good relationship with the Lord and the Lord allowing Solomon to succeed him on the throne.

Most scholars and historians put Solomon somewhere in his twenties when he became king. For whatever reason, perhaps because of his age, he did not feel adequate to succeed his father. The passage states that he was overwhelmed by the number of people under his care. So instead of asking for a long and prosperous life free of war and conflict, he simply asked for wisdom.

In response to this display of humility, maturity, and a pure motive, God chose not only to bless him with the requested knowledge

426

and wisdom, but also to give Solomon what he didn’t ask for: “wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have” (2 Chronicles 1:12). Amazing!

The moral of the story is not that you should pray for wisdom and in turn God will give you that and more, because that is not asking with a pure heart. Rather, we should “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33) according to God’s will. Therefore, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).

427

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

King Solomon had just finished the temple for the Jewish people. The temple was the center of Jewish religious life and where they offered special prayers to the Lord—because that was the earthly location where His glory resided. Praise the Lord that He now dwells in each believing heart and a temple is not necessary to be with Him!

The king gave an impassioned prayer in the previous chapter of 2 Chronicles. Solomon began his prayer with worship to God. He also asked for the Lord to restore His people whenever He might bring judgment due to their disobedience, whether in the form of a lost war, a lack of rain, famine or plague, or captivity.

After Solomon finished his prayer and God’s glory came over the temple, the people echoed with one voice their praise to God: “He is good; his love endures forever” (2 Chronicles 7:3). Many animal sacrifices were then made to honor God. Aren’t you glad that Jesus was the final and lasting sacrifice of blood that would forgive all our sins?!

Soon thereafter, the Lord appeared to Solomon at night. He told the king that He was honored by the temple and would hear their prayers. However, if they turned from God, He would turn from them and calamity would come. Unfortunately, this is what happened to Israel. They turned away from God, worshiped other gods, and pursued their own selfish desires. The temple was eventually destroyed and so was the nation.

Like Israel, America was dedicated to God. The difference was that God chose Israel, while the US “chose” to dedicate itself to God

428

in its founding documents. As a result, it is reasonable to expect God to have a similar relationship with America as He did with Israel. There is a cause and effect. If our country honors God, He will honor us. If we don’t honor God, judgment will eventually come. However, if judgment does come (such as in the form of a terrorist attack or pandemic) and we humble ourselves and pray, He will bring restoration.

That’s the purpose of this type of corporate prayer on a national level. God’s people must first come together in humility and repent (turn away) from the sins of their land, and He will offer forgiveness and healing. See Daniel 9 for another example of prayer for a nation. May this kind of powerful prayer take place in our country. Until then, let us keep praying that America would return to its spiritual roots.

429

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 2 Kings 20:2–3

Hezekiah was a good king who reigned for nearly 30 years. He “trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (2 Kings 18:5).

About halfway through his reign, Hezekiah became deathly ill. Apparently, he had a boil that became so infected that it threatened his life. This took place during the time when the prophet Isaiah was prominent. Isaiah told Hezekiah to put his house in order because he was going to die. The good news for Hezekiah was that even before Isaiah had left the king’s palace, God conveyed to the prophet that a different outcome would take place.

There seem to be three ways that God can answer a prayer for physical healing. He can heal through an act of His divine power. He can also bring healing through modern medicine. Or He can say no and eventually the person will die if it is a terminal condition (all our bodies are terminal).

In this case, healing came through a known remedy of the day—a paste made of figs applied to the infected area. Three days later, Hezekiah was healed. God chose to answer the king’s prayers favorably. The Lord even performed a supernatural sign to prove He would heal him (2 Kings 20:8–11).

This story of serious illness is a good reminder that death is not the end, but is the beginning of a glorious and perfect eternal existence. When God brings physical death, we will never have a fallen and broken body again. So even physical death brings healing in a manner of speaking.

430

Regardless, no doubt everyone reading this has prayed for someone they cared about who was sick or dying. We have all lost loved ones. And yet, God does hear our prayers. Even if He brings healing for a season, our bodies are all destined to die. The question is whether we know where we are going after death.

So, as you pray for your own healing or someone else’s, know that God hears your prayers and will answer them in His way and in His time. While we know the ultimate outcome for our physical bodies in this life, we don’t know what His plans are for an illness. And so we pray.

431

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:10

The above prayer came to the forefront of American Christian culture after Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book entitled The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to a Blessed Life in 2000. It sold nine million copies in the two years that followed. It was promoted that if you read the prayer daily, God would honor your prayers and respond. More on this at the end.

From this Bible passage we are told that Jabez was an honorable man, more so than his brothers. Apparently, his birth was a tough delivery, so his mother gave him a name that in Hebrew sounds like the word for pain. In biblical times, names held special meaning. They often indicated the kind of person that a child would grow up to be.

Now let’s break down the four parts of this prayer:

• Bless me: This phrase is fairly self-explanatory. Jabez wants God to bless him as He sees fit. • Enlarge my territory: He wants God to give him more to do for God’s glory. Think larger impact, not more land. • Let your hand be with me: Be favorable to Jabez. He can’t fulfill God’s plan without God’s supply or help. • Keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain:

Jabez is rejecting his own name. He doesn’t want to be the giver or receiver of pain.

I will admit to you that I read Bruce Wilkinson’s book and was motivated to recite the prayer daily for a while. God chose to enlarge

432

my ministry territory so much that I stopped praying it! I was overwhelmed and felt too weak to handle what was on my plate. I prayed in faith that God could do it. According to His will and not mine, He chose to enlarge my territory for His glory.

This is NOT a materialistic prayer asking God for financial prosperity and the pain-free life that supposedly goes along with wealth. When we become believers, our lives cease to be our own—at least that is our aim. Therefore, when we pray like Jabez did, we are asking through a spiritual lens. We want God to bless us so we can bless others. We want our territory enlarged so that more lives can be touched by the love of Jesus. We want what God wants. We don’t dictate how, when, or to what degree He answers prayers like these.

433

Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. Nehemiah 1:11

The people of Israel had been exiled for some time. King Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem some 140 years earlier. Previous attempts to rebuild its walls had failed (Ezra 4).

Boundary walls have been an irreplaceable component of villages, towns, and cities throughout the centuries. After all, an area’s inhabitants were basically defenseless from ill-intentioned outsiders without fortification.

An Israelite named Nehemiah was burdened with the state of Jerusalem. He was cupbearer to the king of Persia, Artaxerxes I, in the mid-fifth century BC. This occupation might seem a bit strange—to have one of your main duties be drinking the king’s wine to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. In the custom of the day, however, the cupbearer would have also been the bearer of the king’s signet ring as well as be in charge of finances. It is fair to assume, then, that being in this position meant Nehemiah was an honorable man who was trusted by Artaxerxes.

Still, in order to rebuild the wall, Nehemiah had to ask the very king who had stopped a previous attempt to rebuild it. Nehemiah surely needed to pray about this. His prayer in Nehemiah 1:5–11 is a great precursor to the Lord’s Prayer. Stop and read the six verses of this prayer now.

Notice the progression of topics. It starts with praising God in verse five: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.” Nehemiah then asked that God be attentive

434

to his prayer because he had been constantly praying on behalf of the people of Israel, confessing his own sins, his family’s sins, and the sins of his people. He was well aware of God’s history with His people through their faithful and unfaithful times. He also knew of God’s promise to them that if the people returned to Him and were obedient to His commands, God would bring them back to the land of Israel. The problem was, there wasn’t much to go back to, so the land needed to be rebuilt, starting with the city wall. Otherwise, Jerusalem was defenseless.

Nehemiah closed his prayer by asking the Lord to hear him and respond favorably through the king’s response “today.” Interestingly, it was four months from when Nehemiah first became burdened by the wall until he asked the king. Perhaps God was making it clear as to the right time to ask. We know the wait was eating at Nehemiah, because his visible distress caused the king to ask what was wrong (2:1–2). Artaxerxes heard Nehemiah’s request and responded favorably. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Jerusalem’s walls were rebuilt in 52 days despite opposition (Nehemiah 6:15), and the people began to return home. God’s will is accomplished in His way and in His time. We just need to be steadfast with our prayers and have faith that He is listening.

435

But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. Jonah 2:6

Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. Jonah 4:3

We’re all familiar with the story of Jonah and the “whale.” Unfortunately, most churches only treat this as a story for kids, just as they do Noah’s ark. It has been reduced to the level of a cartoon or children’s play. As a result, it’s not taken too seriously by adults. That’s a mistake.

Jonah is a great example of the tug-of-war between our carnal (worldly) self and our service to God. The Lord asks us to do things that we try to avoid. Perhaps we eventually obey, but things don’t play out the way we had in mind and we become disillusioned. This is Jonah’s story in a nutshell.

There are two prayers of Jonah that demonstrate this reality. The first prayer is while Jonah is stuck in his fish prison. It is a beautifully poetic description of how God rescues us in our distress when we cry out to Him.

Jonah was stubborn and had not obeyed God’s charge to warn the people of Nineveh that judgment was coming. So, during a storm at sea, Jonah was swallowed up by a giant fish (not necessarily a whale). He spent three nights in its stinky belly thinking over his decision, and ultimately prayed this first prayer (2:2–9).

After the fish finally ejected him onto dry land, Jonah obeyed and warned Nineveh. To Jonah’s apparent disappointment, the king and the people heeded his warning and repented. He found an overlook from which to view God’s impending judgment on the city, but became angry in his prayer because God extended mercy (4:1–4).

436

The hypocrisy is telling: Jonah was grateful for God’s mercy on him while in the fish, but got upset when God extended that same mercy to a city of 120,000 people.

This is just like us. We can be hot toward the Lord one minute and swivel 180 degrees the very next minute. We can be grateful for what God has done for us one day and upset that things don’t go as we expect the next.

There are two quick reminders from the words of Paul and Jesus that would be helpful for our prayers. Even when we are stuck in a hard place like Jonah was in the fish, we must strive “to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). God is in control. Second, as God moves, we need to trust in His wisdom and sovereignty even when we don’t agree with or like how things have turned out. Just as Jesus prayed, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). God is in control.

437

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Luke 1:46–47

We will now transition to the New Testament and look especially at how Jesus prayed. But first, we are going to start with His mother, Mary. After she conceived through the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit, she sang a prayer to the Lord.

God had a plan for Mary. When the angel conveyed the news to her about what was to happen, he twice referred to her as favored (Luke 1:28, 30). The Greek word used here is charis, which means grace or undeserved favor. Neither she nor we deserve God’s salvation or His favor, but He extends it nonetheless.

Mary’s prayer in response is known as the Magnificat because this is the Latin word for “[my soul] glorifies” used in the first phrase of the prayer as shown above. This aptly describes the focus of Mary’s heart: praising God.

It’s worth noting here a similar pattern to Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2. Just as Mary rejoiced and praised God through prayer, Hannah had done so over a millennium earlier. They both proclaimed the holiness and sovereignty of God and the joy of salvation. They acknowledged that God lifts up the humble and feeds the hungry. These are good prayer tips for us.

There are two points in particular I would like to make regarding Mary and her prayer that pertain to us. First, we need to believe that God can do amazing things through us “ordinary” people. Second, we need to praise God in advance for what He is going to do in our lives.

Here was Mary, an unmarried virgin likely from a poor family, chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world. You might be thinking, How could God’s calling for my life compare with how

438

He used Mary? True, it was one job that will never be repeated. But there is still much work the Lord plans to get done by using us.

Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (emphasis added). Jesus also said that “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

God has a plan for you. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). It doesn’t mean there won’t be hard times. It doesn’t mean you won’t stumble. He uses us anyway in amazing ways for His glory, and so He is worthy of our prayers and praise—before, during, and after.

439

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

Now, let’s focus on Jesus and prayer. Matthew chapters 5 through 7 are full of timeless advice for all Christians. This passage of the Bible is known as the Sermon on the Mount. In this familiar message, Jesus covers a myriad of topics from murder to adultery to loving one’s enemies to fasting to worrying to judging people.

What we are of course looking for in this famous sermon are some instructions on prayer. Thankfully, Jesus addresses this very topic. We will look at part of chapter 6 over the next two days, for it contains helpful teachings on prayer.

Tomorrow, we will look at what is known as the Lord’s Prayer, found in verses 9–13. Just prior to this perfect prayer, Jesus briefly admonishes us both on how to pray and how not to pray. This is not an exhaustive description by any means, but these details set the stage for Jesus to teach us more specifically about what to pray for.

• What not to do: Just as Jesus warns about giving publicly at the beginning of this chapter, He encourages us not to pray in front of others to impress them. Both of these improper actions are aimed at gaining attention. • What to do: To help our prayers be honest and sincere, it is good to pray privately. This removes the temptation to impress others and helps us reduce distractions. • What not to do: Don’t pray repetitively, stating the same words over and over again in hopes of earning God’s attention. Some translations phrase this as “babbling like pagans” or “vain repetitions,” and these prayers do not impress God.

440

• What to do: Since God is all-knowing, He is already aware of what we’re going to ask for. What He is looking for are simple, heartfelt prayers that reflect the genuine desires of our heart.

As we transition to the Lord’s Prayer tomorrow, let’s remember that we don’t need to make a spectacle of our prayers. We also don’t need to act as if saying things enough times will earn God’s attention. Think of praying as a conversation with your father—because that’s what it is. The big difference, however, is that instead of talking to an imperfect, sinful father, we have a perfect, loving Father who knows what we’re going to pray before we pray—and our motives for doing so.

441

This, then, is how you should pray: Matthew 6:9

The best known and most recited prayer in the Bible is found in Matthew 6:9–13. In just five verses, Jesus provides a clear pattern on which to model our prayers to God. There are six parts to the prayer: the first three focus on God’s sovereignty and the last three focus on our need for Him. Perhaps the best way to explain each part of the prayer is to list the prayer line by line along with some simple clarification.

• Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name—This clarifies Who we are praying to and where He currently is. Worship should start our prayers. “Hallowed” simply means holy. Praise God for all His wonderful attributes! • Your kingdom come—All of creation belongs to God. All believers eagerly await the day when God will send His

Son to establish His kingdom forever. • Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven—We should acknowledge our desire to see God’s will accomplished in the world, just as it currently is in heaven. We do not seek Him to fulfill our will. • Give us today our daily bread—Just as God provided daily manna in the wilderness for the Israelites (Exodus 16), He will do so for all believers. We don’t need to worry about tomorrow, but only the needs of the day. • And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors—Our sins are like debts before God. We should forgive others because God has offered forgiveness to us.

442

• And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one—The original Greek word peirasmos, translated

“temptation,” means testing. It is understood as asking

God to help us not sin when we are tested. It is also a reminder that the devil is real and working against us. • (Some later manuscripts of this passage end with “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”)

So, the Lord’s Prayer could be summarized in six steps. These can provide the framework to guide your prayers:

1. Acknowledge God and worship Him 2. Pray that He establishes His kingdom 3. Pray for His will to be done 4. Ask for your basic needs to be met 5. Confess your sins 6. Ask for help to resist future sin

443

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11

Do believers need to pray before every meal? For many Christian families, it is easy to do because of our gratitude toward God, but it can also just become a habit that requires little thought. Unfortunately, I’ve found that I can be very good at flippant prayers.

As is the norm for followers of Christ, our best bet is to mimic Jesus’ words and actions. Today, we’ll look at the specific topic of “giving thanks” at mealtime, but we’ll also look at the bigger picture.

There are some specific instances when Jesus prayed before food was consumed. Two of these occurred after He preached to very large gatherings of people. Most people are aware of the story “The Feeding of the Five Thousand” found in all four Gospels, but perhaps you’re not aware of “The Feeding of the Four Thousand” found in Matthew and Mark. On both occasions, Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks before distributing the food.

Perhaps the most important meal mentioned in the New Testament is the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples before His betrayal and death. On that fateful night, Jesus prayed before sharing the bread and wine after the Passover meal.

There is another instance where it is recorded that Jesus prayed before eating. It was after the resurrection when He met two disciples on the road to Emmaus and later shared a meal with them. When they sat down to eat, according to Luke 24:30, Jesus “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.” (Paul also prayed before eating in Acts 27:35).

So, it seems to be an open and shut case that we should give

444

thanks before eating. It’s a reminder that God is our Provider and food in particular should not be taken for granted.

However, our gratitude to the Lord should encompass all areas. King David declares in 1 Chronicles 16:34 and at the beginning of multiple psalms, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” According to Paul, we should “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

As I begin each day with a brief time of prayer, I always start with the same expression of thanks. I tell the Lord, “Thank you for this day. Every day is a gift from You.” This prayer, although repetitive, has not become a stale habit because every time I say it, I try to embrace the true gift that life really is and convey my desire to make that day count for God’s glory.

So, I encourage you to pray before every meal and give thanks to God. Make sure, though, that your gratitude to God is expressed throughout the day as well.

445

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” John 11:41–42

One of my favorite movies growing up was The Princess Bride. Without going into the details, at one point the hero is seemingly dead. However, a character named Miracle Max declares he is merely “mostly dead.”

This humorous scene stands in stark contrast to the sorrow surrounding the death of a friend of Jesus named Lazarus. I guess you could say that Lazarus was not mostly dead, but temporarily dead. There is a wonderful nugget of truth to be found in John’s account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

As you know if you’ve read the story, Lazarus was the brother of Martha and of Mary, the latter being the one who poured expensive perfume on Jesus as a foreshadowing of His death and burial. The sisters got word to Jesus that Lazarus was ill, but Jesus tarried where He was, presumably for ministry purposes.

In the meantime, Jesus stated to the disciples and later to the sisters that Lazarus would not stay dead from the illness he had (John 11:4, 11, 23). And yet, by the time of Jesus’ arrival to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb for four days. In a display of love and compassion, Jesus wept with the family in the midst of their grief.

Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus prayed a very simple prayer that contains the important truth about prayer for today. He said to God, “I thank you that you have heard me.” Now, it’s one thing to believe that God hears Jesus’ prayers, but does He hear ours as well?

446

It is important to know that the Bible supports itself without contradiction. It stands to reason, then, that there would be other Scripture that affirms the truth that God hears our prayers. Indeed, that is the case. Proverbs 15:29 clearly declares, “He hears the prayer of the righteous.” First Peter 3:12 similarly states of the Lord that “his ears are attentive” to the prayers of the righteous. What peace we can have knowing that the one true God hears the prayers of mere mortals!

First John 5:14–15 spells it out even more clearly: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.And if we know that he hears us— whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” We’ll cover this second verse in a couple of days. Until then, find great peace in the fact that God loves you and He hears you.

447

My prayer is not for [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. John 17:20–21

There is perhaps very little I find more comforting than the fact that Jesus prayed for you and me on the night He was betrayed. Think about that reality for a minute. He was about to die on the cross for your sins and mine. In His humanness, He was greatly troubled by what was about to take place. But Jesus was also concerned about us.

John chapter 17 records a long prayer by Jesus. It is divided into three sections in modern Bibles. In the first five verses He prays that God would be glorified through His life. In the next 14 verses He prays for His disciples that God would continue to purify them and protect them from Satan as they journey forward without him.

In the final seven verses, Jesus prays for all believers beyond the original disciples—that would be us. Let’s briefly look at what He prays for us, and then consider whether we are doing our part to honor His prayer. Stop and read the prayer now.

There are two main points to Jesus’ prayer for us. First, He prays that we would be one (verse 21). Even more explicitly, He wants all believers to be in “complete unity” (verse 23). The result of achieving this is that the world will believe in God’s love and His offer of salvation.

Now ask yourself honestly, Is there even remotely any unity in the Body of Christ in America or the world? I’m not sure there could be any more discord. From the constant creation and splitting of denominations to vehement disagreements on basic tenets of the faith, it is a truly disheartening scene. We have not demonstrated being one body.

Let’s pray harder for unity and then seek to build bridges with

448

other believers in our communities and beyond. The change has to start with each one of us.

Second, Jesus wants us to see His glory and receive His love and guidance. Jesus longs to be reunited with us in person. Until then, He desires that we experientially know God’s love and sense His guidance through the Holy Spirit. What great comfort can be found in this desire of Jesus for us. The question is, Has this prayer come true in your life?

Let’s diligently pray that we would see God’s presence strongly manifested in and through us. Let’s also find great peace and joy in the fact that Jesus prayed for us and continues to do so. Ever since His ascension to heaven, He has been with God the Father “interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). Hallelujah!

449

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36

On that same fateful evening when Jesus prayed for us, there is something else that He prayed. In a desperate period of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His betrayal, trial, torture, and crucifixion, Jesus asked God to remove this incredible burden. I mean, really, who would naturally embrace such a future? And yet, Jesus knew that His Father should be trusted at all costs, not just in the general sense, but with this specific prayer request. And yet, not my will, but God’s will be done.

If we’re honest with ourselves, a lot of our prayers tend to be what we would like to see happen. A loved one is sick and we want healing. A friend lost his job and we want him to get another job that has opened up. A high school student doesn’t get accepted into her college of choice. We battle against God’s will when it doesn’t match our own.

Do you know why God doesn’t answer based on our will? It’s because He is the one and only God. Only He sees the big picture. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9–10). Why would He trust the will of finite humans over His?

So, let’s revisit 1 John 5:14–15, because this passage recalls Jesus’ prayer in John 17. In verse 15 it says that God hears our prayers and grants our requests. The problem is, many Christians are guilty of leaving out verse 14 and only quote verse 15 as if God is a genie required to answer favorably any prayer. The reality is that He indeed does hear the prayer.

The distinction, however, is that only if it is according to His will, will He answer with a yes. So, pray with confidence knowing that God hears the prayers of the people who seek Him, and trust that His will is perfect.

450

What we don’t realize or perhaps appreciate is that God has a plan. Yes, He hears our prayers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean our requests are congruent with His will. Maybe our sick loved one will have a greater ministry to others who are sick. Maybe our friend needs to say no to the prospective job because it’s settling for something good instead of God’s best. Perhaps God has a different path for the high school graduate.

Jesus had to die for the sins of the world. It was God’s will. Now, like Jesus, we must be willing to die to our desires and wishes and submit to the God who loves us and hears our prayers. It’s all about submission and obedience. I want what He wants for me. I hope the same is true for you.

451

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:59–60

As the early church grew, seven men were appointed to take care of the widows. One of them was Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5).

The number of Christians grew even more, and so did the opposition. Persecution broke out. Stephen was brought before the Jewish religious leaders, where he gave an impassioned account of their history from Abraham to Jesus. By the end of Stephen’s speech, however, the leaders rejected his words as blasphemy and proceeded to drag him out of the city for stoning (the punishment for blasphemy).

It was in this fleeting moment and with his final breaths that Stephen spoke a simple prayer with two parts. Stephen asked the Lord to welcome him into His presence and to forgive the very ones who were killing Him. It is this second part that we will focus on today.

Stephen had every right to be angry at his murderers. He had every right to desire God’s justice and for his life to be spared. Maybe he had these feelings—we don’t know. What we do know is what came out of his mouth, and that was a prayer to God that He would have mercy on them. Amazing!

Surely, we do not have the ability to pray such a prayer by our own resolve. Only the Holy Spirit can give us the boldness to do so. Remember that Jesus directed us to pray this way in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts [or sins], as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Even on the cross, enduring incredible agony, Jesus still asked that His enemies be forgiven: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

452

God expects us to show mercy to others just as He has shown mercy to us. Jesus shared a parable in Matthew chapter 18 about how we must forgive “seventy-seven times” (verse 22), or as many times as it takes. The only way to achieve this spirit of forgiveness is through the power of the Holy Spirit and by praying for it.

Jesus directs us to take things one step further. We don’t just pray for our enemies. We don’t just have mercy on our enemies. We should also love them. Talk about flying in the face of our self-centered human logic! And yet that is what He directs us to do: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Likewise, Paul says in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Do you have the courage and the heart to pray such a prayer?

453

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. Acts 4:29–30

Jesus had ascended to heaven. Judas the betrayer was replaced. A massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit had just occurred at Pentecost. Peter addressed the amazed onlookers and told them about Jesus.

On a day not long after, Peter and John were in the temple and healed a lame beggar. This created another public commotion, so Peter spoke to the growing crowd about Jesus. The religious leaders were distressed by what was being said, so they had Peter and John put in prison. The two apostles stood before the leaders the next day and proclaimed the Gospel once again. Since the healed man was in their midst, they couldn’t refute the miracle, yet they admonished Peter and John to keep quiet.

When these two disciples were reunited with the other believers, they prayed and thanked God for the experience. What they specifically prayed about is the point for today. Once again, they started with praise and worship of God. They then recounted how everyone conspired against Jesus and crucified Him. They closed with the prayer request shown above. In other words, they prayed for boldness in the midst of opposition, in the face of persecution. This is another example of loving your enemies.

As recorded in the very next chapter of Acts, the disciples continued to boldly proclaim the message about salvation through Jesus Christ. The religious leaders didn’t like it and had them arrested once again, this time with flogging. How did they respond? Did they want to be spared? Did they abandon their faith? No! They left “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering

454

disgrace for the Name” (5:41). God gave them boldness and peace.

When Jesus prayed for the disciples on the night He was betrayed, He didn’t pray for their escape from hard times. Instead, He prayed this: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (John 17:15). We know that more opposition and persecution did indeed come for the early believers. Eventually, all but one of the twelve disciples would be martyred for their faith. So often, God doesn’t deliver us from pain, but instead helps us through it. Do you remember the bold stand that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego took against King Nebuchadnezzar? As a result of their boldness, they were to be thrown into a blazing furnace. They were fully prepared to die for their faith, but they also knew that God could deliver them if He so chose. Read Daniel chapter 3 to see how it turned out!

Through prayer, may we display this measure of boldness and peace in the midst of any future opposition that may come against our faith.

455

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17

Around half of the New Testament was written or dictated by Paul. He wrote to specific believers and to communities in places like Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica. These were (or are) all located in what is now Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

Previously, Paul had made missionary journeys to these locations and more, and was now writing letters of encouragement to the believers as well as addressing some of the issues troubling the church at each place.

What we would like to focus on today is the fact that in these letters he would also often share with his recipients how he had been specifically praying for them. His prayers are a great example of how we can pray for other believers. We are to lift each other up when we are together, and we are to lift each other up when we are apart. Two of the main ways we can do that are prayer and sending encouraging messages.

At this point, I think it is important to list several of Paul’s prayers so that you can read them on your own. This is not nearly an exhaustive list, but the ones I would like to highlight today are:

• Romans 15:5–6, 13 • Ephesians 1:15–23; 3:14–21 • Philippians 1:3–6, 9–11 • Colossians 1:3–14 • 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13 • 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12

456

In these selected passages, Paul prays that the Christians in Rome would have unity, joy, peace, and hope. He prays for the Ephesians to gain wisdom, revelation, and power. For the church in Philippi, he prays for love and righteousness. Paul prays much for the Colossians, that they would gain knowledge, be fruitful, endure, and have patience. For Thessalonian believers, he prays for spiritual fruit such as faith and strength.

Let me encourage us to pray as Paul did. Pray for other believers. Pray for their strengths. Pray for their weaknesses. Pray that they may grow in their faith and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22–23.

One helpful practice that works with several of Paul’s prayers is to insert into them the name of the person you’re praying for. Praying Scripture over someone is a powerful experience that can have an incredible impact, so it should be an integral part of your prayer life.

457

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2–3

Today, we’re going to look at the laying on of hands while praying for someone. This is not the same as holding hands while praying, which might be done as you’re giving thanks before a meal or having some prayer time with others. These are traditions, not something we are directed to do by Scripture. Certainly, holding hands while praying can be a genuine expression of love and unity.

There are several instances in the Bible of laying hands on someone during prayer because they were being commissioned or sent out in ministry. In the Old Testament, there are two instances of note. The Lord instructed Moses to have the Israelites lay hands on the priests as they began their service (Numbers 8:9–11). He also instructed Moses to lay hands on Joshua as his successor (27:18–21).

The disciples and church leaders in Jerusalem prayed over and laid hands on the seven men chosen to look after the widows (Acts 6:1–6). The leaders of the church at Antioch did the same with Paul and Barnabas as they left on a missionary journey (Acts 13:1–3). Church elders also laid their hands on Timothy (1 Timothy 4:14).

Jesus and the disciples laid hands on the sick to heal them. There are also instances when Peter and John, and later Paul, placed their hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14–17; 19:1–7). And everyone is fond of the well-known account of Jesus laying His hands on the little children and blessing them (Matthew 19:13–15).

I used to lay my hands on my children when I would pray the Aaronic blessing over them at bedtime. Our extended family has laid

458

hands on the grandkids when they left for college. We just prayed over the first grandchild entering the workforce after completing college. I, too, had leaders lay hands on me and pray for me when I was ordained.

Hopefully, you are a member of a church that practices laying on of hands and praying for those entering ministry, going on mission trips, dedicating children to the Lord, etc. If you have children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, I hope you will also bless them as you pray for them just as Jesus did.

459

And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:10

Let’s talk a little about race and culture and then tie this into prayer. The Bible clearly states that we are one race, the human race. Everyone is descended from Adam and Eve (Acts 17:26) and is made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Differing skin colors are merely differences in the amount and type of melanin produced by specialized cells in the skin.

Ever since the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), man has been divided into language and culture groups. However, in Christ, we are all one. His love bridges all differences.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus lists many signs that will precede His Second Coming. They are somewhat vague, and many a Christian has tried to apply them to their situation and era. However, there is one sign that does have specificity, and it can be found in verse 14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

The Greek word used here for “nations” is ethnos, and Jesus is saying that when His lifesaving message has been preached to all ethnic or people groups, then He will return. Mission organizations like the Joshua Project and Finishing the Task are attempting to track the progress of reaching each people group, but only God knows exactly when this feat will be accomplished.

The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of the future reality of all ethnic groups worshiping God in person around His throne in chapter 7: “There . . . was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (verse 9). This is a direct fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. Can you just imagine this assembly—and the fact that you will be an active part in it? Here we

460

worship God in prayer. One day, we will worship Him in person! We will look at this tomorrow.

Until then, we need to pray that the Lord would return soon (“Your kingdom come” in the Lord’s Prayer). Near the very end of the book of Revelation, John prays, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20).

We also need to pray for those who have not heard about Jesus. The primary way they hear is by Christians going out into all the world and sharing about Him. We must pray that believers would be obedient to this call: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38).

I hope you are looking forward to worshiping God one day in His presence. Until then, let’s worship Him in prayer. Let’s also take the time to pray for unreached ethnic groups and for Christians to go into the world to share the good news of salvation. In so doing, it will hasten the Lord’s return.

461

Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen! Revelation 7:12

There’s a lot we don’t know about heaven (for more about what we do know, revisit Are You Right about Heaven? beginning on page 269). One of the things we know is that we will be worshiping God for all eternity (Psalm 30:12; 44:8; 86:12; 145:2; and many more).

We are given several glimpses in the book of Revelation of the worship taking place in heaven both now and in eternity. Angels, elders, strange creatures, and people from every ethnic group are among the worshipers. So, it makes sense to embrace worship as part of our prayer life in the here and now. By embracing worship, it demonstrates that we not only understand who God truly is, but that we need to make worship of Him integral to our spiritual walk.

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 to the devil: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Luke 4:8). Later during His ministry, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 to the religious leaders. They asked Him what the greatest commandment was, and He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This sure sounds like a call to worship to me.

The writer of Hebrews also admonishes us to worship God. One day, the new heavens and earth will be established. In light of this future reality, and “since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (12:28).

Our worship can be done in private or in public. It can be done through singing or in prayer. It can be done alone or with others. It can be demonstrative (such as raising your hands) or in absolute stillness. It can be verbal or in your mind. It can be done in joy or through tears.

462

I will say that in my experience (which may not be yours), I have found that the more I am caught up in worship, the less I am aware of my surroundings and the more demonstrative I am. It is hard to contain yourself with total reservedness when you fully grasp the awesomeness of our God!

Let us be unashamed of our love and devotion toward God. So, as we pray, let us make sure we continually worship the Creator and Ruler of everything.

463

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. Acts 20:36

It is intriguing to study how various people prayed in the Bible. I am referring specifically to body position. Does a specific pattern or template emerge? Does Jesus prescribe a certain position? In short, the answer is no. Here are body positions for prayer mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments:

• Standing: Hannah told Eli the priest, “I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:26). Jesus told the disciples, “And when you stand praying . . .” (Mark 11:25). • Reclining: As was the custom of the day, Jesus and the disciples reclined at the table to eat the Last Supper, which included praying for the bread and wine (Luke 22:17, 19). • Bowing: Abraham’s servant bowed to worship God (Genesis 24:26), as did the Israelites (Exodus 12:27), Gideon (Judges 7:15), and the Magi, or wise men (Matthew 2:11). • Kneeling: Both Daniel (6:10) and Ezra (9:5) knelt to pray.

Solomon knelt before all of Israel (1 Kings 8:54). Peter knelt and prayed that Tabitha would be raised from the dead (Acts 9:40). Paul knelt with the elders of the Ephesian church (Acts 20:36), the disciples in Tyre (Acts 21:5), and when he was praying for others (Ephesians 3:14). • Prostrate: “Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell

464

down in worship before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:18). Jesus also prayed with His face to the ground in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).

What about our head? Should it be raised or bowed down? Jesus looked up to heaven as He prayed at the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:19) and at the healing of Lazarus (John 11:41–42). Conversely, the tax collector wouldn’t lift his head when he prayed (Luke 18:13).

What about our eyes? Perhaps the most visible sign that someone is praying is that their eyes are closed. Interestingly, there is no clear mention of anyone doing this in the Bible as they pray, nor is there a directive from Jesus to do so. It seems anyone who prayed looking to heaven had their eyes open.

Similarly, what about our hands? Should they be raised? Should they be flat against each other as many children are taught? Or should our fingers be interlocked with our hands together? Ezra prayed with his hands “spread out to the Lord” (Ezra 9:5). Likewise, Solomon “spread out his hands toward heaven” (1 Kings 8:22).

It seems that there is no clearly favored body position for prayer. Instead, it seems to depend on the situation we’re praying about and on the specific circumstances.

465

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Matthew 6:6

So far, there doesn’t seem to be a primary prayer position for the body in general or for the head, eyes, and hands in particular. What about location? Where should you pray—in private or in public? In community worship settings throughout the Bible, God’s people openly prayed together.

God’s people also prayed in private. Daniel went into an upstairs room of his house (Daniel 6:10). As Jesus stated in the verse at the top, we should often go into a private room and close the door. He doesn’t mean it is the only place to pray, and He doesn’t say what position our body should be in.

What about the question of how often we should pray? Daniel chose to pray three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Paul instructs believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually.” He casts an even wider net in Ephesians 6:18, encouraging us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

What is my point for all of this? Why do you think there is not a clear position or place in which to pray? I believe it is because God is more concerned with the place and position of your heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 26:2). So, pray in a way that helps you to best shut out distractions and focus on God. And do it often.

The Lord deserves your full attention, so put yourself in the best position, literally and figuratively, to achieve this. But most of all, live a life of prayer. It will result in a fuller life lived for God’s glory.

Remember that the purpose of prayer is not to give you a way to rub the side of the magic lamp and get God in genie form to grant your every wish. The formula for prayer is not:

466