Myths and Mysteries - Prayer

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This is the fourth message in a series of sermons discussing some of the common misconceptions Christians hold that are not supported by an accurate understanding of the Scripture. This sermon talks about the "myth" that we can use prayer to manipulate God into doing our wishes if we just make sure we use the correct "formula" for our prayers.

Written Excerpts:

Luke 11:9-10 ^(NKJV) "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Introduction:

(Illustrations Unlimited) When Edward Everett Hale was chaplain of the U.S. Senate, someone asked him, "Do you pray for the senators, Dr. Hale?" He replied, "No, I look at the senators and pray for the country."

There’s a story told about a church in Texas that was praying for the Lord to close the bar next door. One night lightning struck the building and the bar burned down. The bar owner learned about the church members’ prayers and he sued the church for compensation of his loss. The church members denied any responsibility for the fire. The judge presiding over the case stated: “Apparently we have a bar owner that believes in the power of prayer and a whole church full of people that doesn’t.” (Snopes.com says this is not a true story. It still gives a humorous example of how we use prayer.)

Why would I include a sermon on prayer when we talk about Christian myths?

There are a number of professing Christians who talk and act as though prayer is little more than telling God what we want Him to do. For many people, it is much like making out a grocery list of things they need, then repeatedly telling God how desperately they need them.

In addition to that, if we really want results, we must make sure we use the correct “formula” and then God will be obligated to come through for us.

When I worked at NDTC, I remember a few instances when clients would describe how their prayers were not being answered and then they discovered they weren’t “praying the right way.” Now, since they learned the correct way to pray, God is really answering prayers for them.

So, what are some of the “formulas” we are told are needed for correct praying?

·     Pray in Jesus’ name.
·     Believe you receive whatever you ask for.
·     Pray to the right member of the Trinity: God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit. (Varies with individuals.)
·     Kneel/ Stand/ Lift Hands/etc. when you pray.
·     Close eyes, with head bowed / Open eyes, with head raised…
·     “Hail Mary”; “Our Fathers”; Rosary… (I've seen announcements in the newspaper classified section urging readers to do prayers certain ways in order to get what you pray for.)

Now, there is nothing essentially wrong with most of these ideas, but when we treat them like “formulas” it suggests something we actually believe about God.

·     When we conclude that following specific guidelines will produce the right results, we are essentially saying that if we “do it just right” we can “manipulate” God to do what we want.
·     If we emphasize the “correct prayer formula” then we basically treat God as if He was the same as all the pagan gods the heathen worship.
Elijah, on Mount Carmel, taunted the prophets of Baal, telling them they needed to pray louder, longer, etc.

Well, there are plenty of myths out there around us regarding the plan and purpose of prayer.

As a way of refuting the “myths,” I want to speak to you today about what prayer really is. The topic of prayer is greater than we can adequately cover in just one sermon, but today I want to consider the meaning of prayer in three ways.

Prayer is conversation with God.

Prayer is worship
Prayer is spiritual warfare

I.      Prayer is conversation with God.

The word “to pray” or “prayer” carries the idea of making an appeal, a supplication, or petition.

Most theologians and authors that I have read over the years have generally defined prayer as conversation with God when all of its uses in Scripture are considered together.

I read a comment by one author in which he describes the act of prayer like sitting down beside an empty chair, imagining that Jesus is sitting in the other chair, and simply talking to him like you would your best friend. So, what does it involve to think of prayer as conversation with God?

A.    Conversation means you can tell God exactly how you feel and what you think.

We have numerous examples in the Psalms of King David and others “venting” with God. They describe their fears, their disappointments, and their failures. They talk about victories, and happiness.

Psalm 31:9-10 ^(NKJV) Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! ¹⁰ For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.

Conversing with God means telling Him all about the things that burden you down as well as the things that give you hope and joy.

Psalm 51:3 ^(NKJV) For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

Psalm 62:8 ^(NKJV) Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

B.     Conversation means you can make your requests known with full knowledge of His infinite resources.

When we pray we speak to our Friend who has the ability to do the “impossible.” We can ask anything. If you had a close personal friend that was a multi-millionaire who had promised to help with any need in your life, would you be reluctant to ask for something you really needed or even really wanted? Over and over the Bible instructs us to make bring our request to God.

We acknowledge that there are many Scriptures that qualify the promises for getting our requests, such as:

        Asking in Jesus name = according to His nature

        Abiding in the vine; etc.

C.    Conversation means you listen for Him to speak to you.

A conversation must be two-way. It should not be all one-sided. It means getting quiet before the Lord and meditating and listening to His “voice” to give comfort, or guidance, or instruction. However, as we listen for God’s Spirit to speak to us, we must test everything by the Word of God. It is possible for us to have impressions that we think are coming from the Lord that actually may not be.

I’ve known of people who claim that God told them things that are not supported by Scripture at all. So, yes we need to listen for the Lord to speak and not do all the talking ourselves. But, we need to take whatever we “hear from Him” and compare it to the Word.

II.    Prayer is worship.

We have been talking about making petitions and requests to God in prayer as conversation. But prayer is also worship. It is a time to praise Him. It is a time to adore Him and acknowledge all His wonderful attributes. It is a time to meditate and celebrate His perfections in every one of His qualities: Holiness; Mercy; Power; Majesty; Justice; etc. etc.

Psalm 138:1-2 ^(NKJV) I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. ² I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Prayer is a time to give thanks. Far too often our prayer time is taken up with asking for things from God and we neglect to thank Him for all that He has already done and all that He has already provided.

Psalm 100:4-5 ^(NKJV) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

Worship requires the right attitudes:

        Humility – “If my people… humble themselves…”  “Two men went up to the temple to pray…”

        Psalm 10:17 ^(NKJV) LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,

(Today's Best Illustrations) - When we pray, we relinquish in a radical way our so-called sovereignty over the purposes of our lives. We subordinate our plans, schedules and life scenarios to the infinitely wiser and more joyful work of God's hands. — Ben Patterson, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 7, no. 3. 

      Gratitude – proper worship requires sincere gratitude for what God has already provided.

III.   Prayer is spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:12, 18 ^(NKJV) 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. [Put on the whole armor of God] 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

God has invited us to engage with Him and partner with Him in spiritual conflict with the devil and demon spirits.

Requires persistence. For example, Jesus told parable about the widow who kept seeking justice from the judge. (Lk. 18:8)

Conclusion:

We have barely scratched the surface on the issue of prayer.

We’ve talked about the myth that prayer requires some sort of “magic formula” or specific posture.

We’ve talked about the mystery that God would invite us to use prayer as a way to combat evil.

Genuine, effectual prayer doesn’t just happen. It requires the right attitudes as we mentioned earlier, but it also requires desperation.

(Illustrations Unlimited - Mark Link, Breakaway) One day a boy was watching a holy man praying on the banks of a river in India. When the holy man completed his prayer the boy went over and asked him, "Will you teach me to pray?" The holy man studied the boy's face carefully. Then he gripped the boy's head in his hands and plunged it forcefully into the water! The boy struggled frantically, trying to free himself in order to breathe. Finally, the holy man released his hold. When the boy was able to get his breath, he gasped, "What did you do that for?" The holy man said: "I just gave you your first lesson." "What do you mean?" asked the astonished boy. "Well," said the holy man, "when you long to pray as much as you longed to breathe when your head was underwater—only then will I be able to teach you to pray."

Let us conclude the service by singing the old familiar hymn: What a Friend We Have in Jesus