PRAYER
Prayer is not some complicated
religious ritual that is relegated to priests it is simply talking
to God. The difficulty is that God isn’t going to listen to
just anyone. In order for God to respond positively to our prayers,
we must be seeking a right relationship with Him. Of course, the first
step in achieving a right relationship is accepting Jesus as our Savior.
Also, as we have seen, part of getting into a right relationship with
God is to spend time in His Word. This daily reading of God’s
Word gives us opportunity to hear from God and become more like Jesus,
but God also wants us to communicate with Him. This same Jesus that
paid for our sins on a blood stained cross also provided us with an
open channel with God the Almighty. In fact, when Jesus arose from
the grave and ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of God
Almighty, we gained access to God the Father. “For through Him
we both have access (admission into His presence) by one Spirit unto
the Father.” Eph. 2:18. Paul further says in Eph. 3:11-12, “according
to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of
Him.” We not only have access to God Almighty, God the Father,
the All Knowing One, but we can come into His presence with boldness
and great confidence. This is all because of what Jesus has done for
us. Wow, what a great opportunity!
If we are to come into the very presence of the holy, all powerful
God, we surely want to know something about doing it. First, prayer
can be said to be asking and receiving. We might wonder why prayer
is both asking and receiving. Typically, prayer is considered to be
the asking and God’s answer would be the receiving. This is
in part correct, but it is also true that prayer is both the asking
and the receiving. Prayer is a two way channel with God Almighty.
Paul commanded the Philippians, “Be careful (anxious) for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7. It is with thanksgiving
Paul says to ask God because God has already known what we would ask
for. God already knows what it is we need and that which we need has
already been appropriated. This means that what we need is already
prepared for us by God and waits to be delivered. Delivery is activated
by believing prayer offered with thanksgiving. Paul says that when
we ask with thanksgiving as though having already received it, that
the “peace of God” will rest upon us. We not only gain
that which we ask for in faith, but we also gain God’s peace.
Jesus also talks about this in Matt. 7:7-8 where He says, “Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
Why is it we refuse to accept what God’s Word tells us? How
simple, ask – receive, and it is one single action for God has
already appropriated our needs; He just waits to activate delivery.
Delivery activation comes with some requirements, though. God’s
Word gives us some clear conditions for receiving. Matt. 21:22 says,
“And all things, whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye
shall receive.” Believing is a necessary part, but this is already
a given for it takes faith to give thanks for the answer to our prayer
as we ask for it. A failure to have faith is a problem. James 1:6-7
reads, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord.” So a failure to believe that God can and will answer
our prayer is a block to the request, for God wants us to have faith
in Him. We cannot ask and then declare when done praying, “He’ll
never give it to me, anyway!” God is not in the business of
blessing doubters. At the same time, God does not require a ton of
faith. Jesus said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and
it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
Matt. 17:20. The mustard seed referred to is the smallest of seeds
and if we but have the smallest of faith God will indeed answer.
