Habits Of Faith #7 - Prayer

The Habit of Prayer is absolutely essential.  If you study Jesus’ life you will see that prayer was one of His highest priorities.  He spoke about prayer And He set an example of prayer.  He never taught His disciples how to preach – but He taught them to pray.

J. Oswald Chambers – “Prayer does not fit us for greater works; prayer is the greater work.”

No matter what a privilege prayer is, we will not grow unless we plan to pray.  We don’t naturally drift into disciplined prayer.  There are so many roadblocks and distractions from prayer that if were not intentional about prayer, we may never pray.  Payer is a habit that must be contended for.  Satan will do all that he can to hinder prayer. 

“The devil is aware that one hour of close fellowship, of hearty converse with God in prayer, is able to pull down what he hath been contriving and building many a year.” – John Flavel

The habit of prayer is one of the surest marks of a true Christian.  George Herbert called prayer, “the souls’ blood absolutely necessary for life”.

When a baby is born, the first thing they look for is for the baby to breathe.  That is the first sign of life.  The fist act of men and women, when they are born again should be praying.  It should naturally flow.  Richard Baxter said, “Prayer is the breath of the new creature.”

Prayer is first and foremost about a relationship with God.

Paul’s First Statement of Prayer – Relationship

(Ephesians 1:15-21)

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

His prayer for the people of Ephesus is that they would know God better; that they would have a greater revelation of God than they have ever had before.  At this time, the people are facing persecution and oppression.  They’re separated from family members because of their declaration of faith.  Paul’s prayer isn’t for a new government or a solution to their problems, but instead a deeper revelation of their relationship with God. So, the key isn’t to pray to escape whatever hardship you’re facing, but to know God better in the hardship.

It is a greater revelation of God that leads us into a deeper relationship with Him.

(Ephesians 1:17). 

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

It’s knowing God, learning something about God; that He sent Jesus to die for you.  Prayer is simply a communication in response to that revelation.  If you find out that He loves you, that He died for you, then don’t you want to communicate with Him that you want that love and forgiveness in your life?  That, simply, is prayer.  It is communication in response to revelation to Him.

God wants a relationship with us. Think about what that means.  He wants you to know Him.  To pour your heart out to Him; to share your deepest thoughts. 

If you have a relationship with another person and aren’t willing to be vulnerable and open with them that isn’t a very deep relationship, is it?  God wants that deep kind of relationship with us. 

He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin, in order to restore the relationship broken by our sin; to purchase us back and deliver us from the bondage of sin and fear.

(Romans 8:15)

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

We are no longer slaves to the fear, we’re children of God.  It is the highest privilege and honor that we can speak to our creator.  We can cry out to Him AND He will hear it!    

“To see the law by Christ fulfilled and hear His pardoning voice transforms a slave into a child and duty into choice.”  - William Cowper

Prayer is not some dreadful duty, it is the highest privilege we can choose.  When you understand that prayer is the greatest means of establishing and building a relationship with God you should be inspired to pray.  When prayer becomes a duty it’s because revelation is lacking.

“Prayer is not like carpentry or cookery; it is the active exercise of a personal relationship, a kind of friendship, with the living God and His Son Jesus Christ…” – D.A. Carson

 

Paul’s Closing Statement of Prayer - Warfare

 (Ephesians 1:19-21)

and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Paul is beginning to transition from talking about prayer in the context of our relationship with God.  He is beginning to talk about that relationship in the context of God’s absolute dominion.  Our relationship is with the most powerful being in the universe.  He wants us to know that God isn’t a small God.  That we don’t pray hoping God CAN help us, but he wants us to know that we are in a relationship with the most powerful being in the universe.

When you pray, you’re not just speaking to a company president, or a political leader, or even the most powerful man in the world.  All of these people have limited power.  When you pray you’re speaking with the most powerful person in the universe – AND HE HEARS YOU AND RESPONDS!

Leader Feedback:  Have you ever cried out to God for something impossible and God responded?

We are connected though prayer to POWER!

At the end of the book of Ephesians Paul begins to bring a revelation of prayer as warfare.  

(Ephesians 6:10-20)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

According to Paul, here, the whole universe is a spiritual battleground. 

He says,”

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We don’t always have to contend with attacks from other people, we also have to contend with attacks from spiritual forces that are fighting against God and we, who represent Him.  We all know from experience that there is an active power of evil in this world.

As he’s writing this letter to the Ephesians, Paul is chained to a Roman soldier.  As he’s contemplating this spiritual battle, he sees the soldier and his armor and sees an illustration of what he’s been thinking.  He sees the armor that this soldier is wearing and thinks we have armor too.  Only our armor is spiritual.

The Belt of Truth – We can hang our sword that and it gives us freedom of movement.  We have freedom in truth

The Breastplate of Righteousness – The soldiers breastplate protects from attacks on the heart.  When we are clothed in righteousness, we are impregnable (too strong to be penetrated.).  Someone once said, “Words are no defense against accusations, but a good life is.”

Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace – When you put on shoes you are prepared to go out to battle.  Ready to bring it wherever God wants to go, ready to do whatever God is asking us to do.

The Shield of Faith – Roman soldiers had a two-part shield a hardwood overlaid with a soft wood.  When fiery darts (arrows) hit the shield, they would immediately be quenched. We have the shield of faith that can deal with the fiery darts of temptation.  When we walk close to Christ, we are safe from temptation.

The Helmet of Salvation –Salvation is the forgiveness that He gives us for the sins of the past and strength to conquer sin in the future.  The devil attacks us with doubts of our salvation, and condemnation.  He wants to drag our focus to the here and now, rather than our eternal salvation.  When you are fully confident that Jesus has saved you, and not that it was something you did, then your mind is protected with a helmet of salvation.

The Sword of the Spirit Which is the Word of God – A sword is both a defensive weapon and an offensive one.  It not only protects us from sin and temptation, but it can be used to attack the sins of the world. One man said, “We can never win God’s battle without God’s book.”

Prayer brings the entire armor of God together.  Prayer is the thing that holds the armor together and the thing that holds life together. 

(Ephesians 6:18)

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

We need to learn to pray at all times.

David gives us a good example:

Psalms 3: David prays when he’s in danger.  (Psalm 3:1-4)

Psalm 4: David prays before he goes to bed. (Psalm 4:7-8)

Psalm 5:  David prays at the beginning of the day. (Psalm 5:3)

Psalm 6:  David prays for mercy because he’s guilt of something. (Psalm 6:1)

Psalm 7:  David prays because he’s being attacked. (Psalm 7:1)

Psalm 8:  David prays because he’s so impressed with creation. (Psalm8:1)

Psalm 9:  David prays because he’s so full of joy. (Psalm 9:1-2)

Psalm 10:  David prays because God seems so far away.

Pray at all times on all occasions we need to be praying.  Usually, we treat God like we treat our doctor we don’t go to see him unless something is wrong; when we need something. But we need to see something and that is that we need God every second of every day.  So, if we only go to Him when we need Him, we should find ourselves in prayer on every occasion.