CIRCLE OF LOVE

APRIL 13, 2010

EFFECTIVE PRAYING PART 2

REQUIREMENTS OF EFFECTIVE PRAYING

      Several conditions must be met for our prayers to be effective.

(1) Our prayers will not be answered unless we have a sincere, true faith. Jesus states explicitly: “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mk 11:24).  To the father of a demon-possessed boy, he spoke these words: everything is possible for him who believes” (Mk 9:23). The author of Hebrews urges us to “draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22), and James encourages us, when asking, to believe and not doubt” (Jas. 1:6).

(2) Prayer must be made in Jesus’ name.  Jesus himself expressed this principle when he said: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14: 13-14). Our prayers should be made in harmony with the person, character and will of our Lord. That means that Jesus will answer any prayer that he would hacve prayed himself.

(3) Prayer only if it is made according to God’s perfect will.  This is our confidence we have in      approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14) One of the petitions in Jesus’ model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, confirms this: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). In many instances we know God’s will because he has revealed it to us in the Bible.  We can be sure that any prayer truly based on God’s promises in his Word will indeed be effective.  Elijah was certain that the God of Israel would answer his prayer with fire and later rain because the Lord’s prophetic word had come to him (1 Ki 18:1), and he was fully confident that none of the pagan gods was greater than or even as powerful as the Lord God of Israel (1 Ki 18:21-24). At other times God’s will becomes clear only as we earnestly seek to determine what it is; then one we know his will about any given issue, we can ray with confidence and faith that God will answer.

(4) Not only must we pray according to God’s will, but we must be in God’s will if we expect to hear and answer us. God will give us the things we ask for only if we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. The apostle John unequivocally states that we “receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him (1 John 3:22) Obeying God’s commands, loving him and pleasing him are indispensable conditions for receiving answers to pray. When James wrote that the prayers of the righteous are effective, he meant  a person who has been made righteous through faith in Christ and one who is living a righteous, God fearing and obedient life such as the prophet Elijah (Jas 5:16-18; Ps 34:13-14). Already in the OT this same point is stressed. God made clear that Moses’ prayers on behalf of the Israelites were effective because of his obedient relationship with the Lord and his loyalty to him (see Exodus 33:17.  The psalmists claim that if we cherish sin in our lives, the Lord will not listen to our prayers (PS 66:18; Jas. 4:3). This sort of attitude was the main reason the Lord did not listen to the prayers of the idolatrous and wicked Israelites (Isa 1:15. But if God’s people REPENT and turn from their wicked ways, the Lord promises to again hear them, forgive their sin and heal their land. (2Ch 7:14, 6:36-39; Luke 18:14).

(5) Finally for prayer to be effective we must be persistent. This is the main point of the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-7). Jesus’ instruction to ask…seek…knock (Mt 7:7-8) teaches perseverance in prayer. The apostle Paul also urges us to devote ourselves to prayer (Col 4:2, 1 Th 5:17). OT saints recognized this principle. For example, only as long as Moses persevered in prayer with his hands lifted toward God were the Israelites successful in their battle against the Amelekites. After Elijah received the prophetic word that rain was coming, he still persisted in prayer until the rain came (1 Ki 18:41-45).

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3

The next meeting will be Saturday May 15, at 10:00a.m.and hosted by Stephanie Williams. You may bring appropriate food items for breakfast or early lunch.  Suggestions: Fruit, fruit juices, quiche, muffins, finger sandwiches, cookies, brownies etc. INVITE GUESTS.

We are looking for a home and a hostess to coordinate refreshments for June 8, July 13, and August 10.