Prayer: Communion With the Lord of Glory

Prayer: Communion With the Lord of Glory

Prayer is the cart that brings our praises and petitions to God. Faith is the horse that draws it, whose rider is Christ.

“With respect to God, prayer is but a sensible acknowledgment of our dependence on him to his glory”- Jonathan Edwards

“The purpose of all legitimate prayer is not to fulfill the felt-needs or material desires of the one praying, but to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and to magnify his glory”- John MacArthur

“Because God is a living God, he can hear; because he is a loving God, he will hear; because he is our covenant God, he has bound himself to hear”- Charles Spurgeon

“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God”- John Bunyan

     Prayer. What is it? Why do we take it for granted? Christians can enter into the very throne room of the Almighty. We can commune with the Lord of the universe! We can talk to God. We have his ear.

Christians ought to pray. Jesus expected believers to pray (Matt. 6:5-9; Lk. 11:9, 18:1). The scriptures take it for granted that believers will pray (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1Thess. 5:17). It's what we do.

Why pray?

     But why? Why do we pray? There are numerous reasons. Prayer draws the believer into the presence of God and enhances communion with him (Ps. 116:1-2; Jer. 33:2-3). Scripture commands the believer to pray (Lk. 18:1; 1Tim. 2:1). Christ and the saints in the Bible prayed (Mk. 1:35; Num. 11:2; 1Kin. 18:36-37). Prayer empowers the Christian life (Jn. 15:5; Acts 4:31; Eph. 3:16; Col. 4:2-4). Prayer develops the believer's knowledge and understanding of God (Ps. 37:3-6, 63:1-8; Eph. 1:16-19).

     There are even more reasons to pray. Prayer invites joy and peace from God (Jn. 16:23-24; Phil. 4:6-7). Prayer is used by God to accomplish his purpose for the life of the believer (Col. 1:9-11). Prayer changes the attitudes and affections of believers (2Cor. 12:7-9). Prayer is a must. It shows complete and utter dependence on the Lord, exercises faith, teaches discipline, glorifies God, comes to the aid of others, humbles self, exalts Christ, honors the Spirit, and aligns the will of man with the will of God.

Suggestions for praying

     Here are practical suggestions for praying. Choose the best time for you to pray. Believers ought to pray throughout the day, but they should also have a set time to read Scripture and pray. Choose a good place to pray. This place ought to be quit and free of distractions. Turn your phone off! Be consistent. Prayer is a discipline. This means that it takes effort and time. So, work at it.

Meditate on the word of God and the God of the word. Focus on God and a passage of Scripture. Be humble, contrite, repentant, and broken before God. Pour out your heart to God, beg him for mercy and forgiveness, and praise him because he is worthy. Persevere in prayer, do not give up, keep praying. Beg God to work, to change hearts, to convert the lost, etc. Be thankful, reverent, sincere, and joyful. Prayer is worship. It is not a burden.

     Be watchful, bold, and particular. Intercede for others, ask God specific requests, and then expect him to answer. He always answers; it may just not be what we wanted or expected. Remember that prayer is communion and fellowship with God. It is worshipful. Also, remember that our God is Triune. Pray to each member of the Trinity.

What to pray for

Pray...

That the name of God be exalted (Matt. 6:9)

That God's kingdom will grow (Matt. 6:10)

For the fullness of the Spirit (Lk. 11:13; Eph. 3:19)

That God would save unbelievers (Rom. 10:1)

For healing (Jms. 5:13-15)

For wisdom (Col. 1:9; Jms. 1:5)

For unity (Jn. 17:20-21; Phil. 2:2)

For spiritual knowledge (Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:10)

For comprehension of the love of Christ (Eph. 3:14-18)

For hope and assurance (Rom. 15:13; Eph. 1:16-18)

For strength and endurance (Eph. 3:16; Col. 1:11)

For preservation (2Cor. 1:24; Phil. 1:25)

For leading away from temptation (Matt. 6:13)

For completion of good works (Col. 1:10; 2Thess. 1:11)

For forgiveness (Matt. 6:12)

For protection from Satan (Matt. 6:13)

     These are merely suggestions. And this list is by no means exhaustive. So many other things could be mentioned. Pray for missionaries, your pastor, your church, needs that you know of, your family, our country, and your community. Pray that God glorify himself, make his name known, bring revival, convict of sin, grant repentance, give grace to live Christlike lives, give you ears to hear his word, the ability to apply his word, and the desire to pray. Pray that God sanctify you, grow you, teach you, humble you, and use you.

     I could go on and on. You get the idea. There is always something or someone to pray for. Always! We should never run out of things to bring to God's throne. So, Christian pray. Speak to God. Commune with your Savior. Fellowship with the Spirit. Pray long prayers. Pray short prayers. Pray prayers of praise. Pray prayers of petition. Pray prayers of intercession. And pray prayers of joyful exultation. Just pray!