1290. How Can We Pray?

How Can We Pray?

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jdg_1:20).

We have come to what is perhaps the most important part of this message on prayer. We do not marvel that the disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luk_11:1).

The prayer life is fought by the devil most strenuously. He certainly knows the power of the Christian in prayer. Some one has said:

"Satan trembles, when he sees,

The weakest Christian on his knees."

There are so many things to hinder our prayer life. We are living in an age of rush. The busy business man and the busy housewife with the multiplied obligations due to twentieth century methods of quickened activities, and of social ethics, find many obstacles to prayer.

The busy pastor is in danger of being engulfed with "many cares" and of forgetting to learn how to pray.

Let us now plead with one and all to follow these simple Scriptural suggestions as to "how to pray."

1. As to the attitude of praying, something may be said:

1. (1) We may pray standing (see 1Ki_8:22).

2. (2) We may pray kneeling (see Psa_95:6).

3. (3) We may pray with uplifted hands (see 1Ti_2:8).

4. (4) We may pray upon our beds (see Psa_63:6).

2. As to the "how" of power in prayer, the real need of our prayer life, something may also be said:

(1) We should pray in the Holy Ghost (see Jdg_1:20). We certainly know not how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Ghost will teach us, and He will help us, because of our infirmities, and He will fellowship with us in our prayers. (Study Rom_8:26, Rom_8:27.)

(2) We should pray in Christ's name (see Joh_14:14; Joh_16:24). In approaching the Father we not only have access through Christ unto the Father, but our very prayers should plead the name of the Lord. The people who know Christ's name will put their trust in Him. It is a blessed thing to plead before God the Jehovah titles. If we need righteousness, plead Jehovah-tsidkenu; if we need our wants supplied, plead Jehovah-jireh; if we need rest, plead Jehovah-shammah; if we need a leader in the conflict, plead Jehovah-nissi; if we need healing for the body, plead Jehovah-ropheka, etc.

A prayer which is not builded upon Christ's name, and which cannot have the signature of Christ's name cannot meet acceptance with the Father. Let us pray pleading the name of our Lord.

(3) We should pray without anxiety but with supplication and thanksgiving (see Php_4:6).

There are two things here worthy of note. First, prayer must be made apart from anxieties which are the offspring of doubt and distrust, and secondly, prayer must be made with supplications accompanied with praise. As we make requests we should thank God for having given what we are about to receive. This, of course, can only be a reckoning of faith and a praise based on such a reckoning.

Much more might be said. The theme, How to Pray, is a big one. May God lead one and all into the place of power in prayer.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR