PRAYER

Prayer is a mode of communication between a human being and deity. Prayer is almost a human "instinct," reflecting man's innate need for contact with his Maker (Acts 17:27). It has been said that when one realizes that he is "lost," he cannot help praying. While that may well be true, the Bible promises the power of effectual prayer only under certain conditions. (a) Prayer is an avenue of communication between a child of God and his/her heavenly Father (Mt. 6:9). But one becomes a child of God by means of the "new birth" process (Jn. 3:3-5). Prayer is thus a spiritual privilege for those who are "in Christ" (Jn. 15:7; Eph. 1:3). The Creator does not hear those whose lives are in rebellion (Prov. 28:9; 1 Pet. 3:12). The first rule for prayer is that one must have a proper relationship with the Lord. Saul of Tarsus prayed for three days, but his sins were not washed away until he obeyed the gospel (Acts 9:11; 22:16). (b) One must have confidence in the validity of prayer. The person who prays in doubt receives nothing (Jas. 1:5-8; cf. Mt. 21:22). (c) Prayer must be persistent (1 Thes. 5:17). Men ought always to pray, and not to faint (Lk. 18:1). Thus we must keep on asking, seeking, and knocking (Lk. 11:9), and let God answer in his own time and in his own way (2 Cor. 12:8-9). Paul prayed that he might go to Rome (Rom. 1:10), yet it was some three years before his request was granted (Acts 28). (d) Prayer must be accompanied by a genuinely spiritual life. The Lord's words must abide in you (Jn. 15:7), for it is the prayer of the righteous that avails much (Jas. 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:12; cf. 1 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:7). It is hypocritical to want to talk with God while one is flagrantly living for Satan. (e) Prayer must be offered in harmony with the revealed will of God (1 Jn. 5:14). One cannot pray for God to reduce his age by twenty years, for that would involve a miracle and Heaven is not providing miracles today (1 Cor. 13:8ff). It is not appropriate to pray that Jehovah will save (independent of the divine plan) some hardened rebel who refuses to obey the gospel plan. Proper procedure for prayer must be "learned" (Lk. 11:1). It is up to Christians to research the "rules" of acceptable prayer.