What is Prayer? Part 1 - Full service
Theology of Prayer • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 48:43
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What is prayer in your own words?
Here is the definition of Prayer:
"Prayer is an attitude of total dependence in which we express to God, our desire to submit to His will; which is only possible through the ministry of Jesus Christ as we walk in the Spirit" (Dr. Andrew Hudson).
Notice the definition: Prayer is an attitude, yes it is. But it is NOT just an attitude, but an attitude of total dependence on God!
Don't you think that it is a wonderful means of expressing our reliance on God through prayer?
Why Pray?
Why Pray?
Excellent question. Why pray at all?
There are a few solid reasons for this:
God Commands Us to Pray!
Jesus Sets An Example!
We are given freedom/access to God
Now, let us look at some Scriptures for evidence.
God Commands Us to Pray!
God Commands Us to Pray!
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Notice that the Scripture gives us a strong instruction or an imperative NOT to be anxious, but PRAY, and let our requests be made known to God.
This is an imperative, that is, it is a COMMAND. So here we have the evidence from the Scripture that we MUST pray!
Anxiety can be good or bad. Paul says in Phil. 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
However, “The anxiety Paul warns against is the kind that unhinges, paralyzes, and incapacitates one—“anxious, harassing care” (Lightfoot, 160).
Paul is not calling for them to be indifferent toward life. The root idea of the verb “to be anxious” (merimnaō, GK 3534) is “to be pulled apart.”
David E. Garland, “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians–Philemon (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 253.
The Philippians: “They are to ‘present [their] requests to God,’ not because God is unaware of their needs and needs to be informed, but because it is a way to acknowledge their total dependence on God.”
“When requests are accompanied with thanksgiving, they will be prepared “to surrender themselves to his will whatever the circumstances” (Peter T. O’Brien, “Divine Provision for Our Needs: Assurances from Philippians 4,” RTR 50 [1991]: 24).
Michael, 197, writes, “The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.”
David E. Garland, “Philippians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians–Philemon (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 253.
Jesus even warned against worrying – Matthew 6:25-34. Why? Because it demonstrates a lack of faith.
Jesus Sets An Example!
Jesus Sets An Example!
Mark 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight - The Greek construction of this sentence is awkward (meaning, not clear, but it is emphatic).
“The purpose of such an emphatic note of time may be to indicate that even after a demanding day Jesus did not take a deserved rest, or it may be to explain how he was able to get out of the town without drawing a crowd.” (R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark)
R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, NIGTC; Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 111. accord://read/NIGTC#20811
Notice in this verse that Jesus Himself PRAYED! He went early to a place, early in the morning, and prayed!
When JESUS Himself prayed, why should we not? How can we say we LOVE JESUS when we do not follow Him or the examples He set forth?
Freedom/access to God
Freedom/access to God
Hebrews 10:19-22 -
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
God gave us access so that we can pour our hearts to Him.
Because God made it possible, why should we worry about taking our requests to Him?
In fact, God delights in our dependance upon Him!
Would you depend on God with all your heart?