It is important to remember the importance of
prayer. Suppose Peter had not been praying at Simon’s house. Apparently Peter
was still so prejudiced that God had to show him a vision three times about
what He has proclaimed as “cleansed”. Had Cornelius not been in prayer, he may
not have heard God either.
It is not surprising that that the
Gentiles were able to be brought into the Christian community as a result of
prayer, since the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2 as a result of
the disciples staying in Jerusalem and praying.
Have you ever noticed the church was born
as a result, not of preaching, singing, fellowship, witnessing, but as a result
of prayer? As they were praying, the Holy Spirit fell down on them and the
church was born. Do you recall what incensed Jesus when the money changers were
in the temple? It was because, as He said, “My house shall be called a house of
prayer.” In Acts chapter four, Peter and John are arrested and beaten and then
released. They didn’t protest; they didn’t file a petition or grievance with
the administrators of the synagogue. They prayed. They didn’t file a lawsuit;
they went to a prayer meeting. They didn’t
cry out for justice, they cried out for boldness to be found faithful.
A key principle for the church from early
on was this instinct to pray. When they were in trouble, they prayed; when
intimidated, they prayed; when persecuted, they prayed. When Ananais was afraid
to go and talk to Saul who persecuted the church, God said, “No behold he is
praying.”
When Timothy is charged to begin a church,
Paul said, “First of all, I want supplications to be lifted up for leaders.”
Later on, he said “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands,” not in charismatic
singing, not in response of powerful preaching, but to lift up holy hands “in
prayer.”
Where did they learn this? Jesus didn’t
just worship in the house of prayer. He was a man of prayer. In Jesus’ life and
teachings, we see ten attributes of prayer that the early church copied and
that we should likewise imitate in our lives. We see the following practices
laid out for us in Jesus’ two major teachings on prayer, found in Luke 11:1-13
and also in Matthew 6.
1) Privately–
“As He was praying” See Luke 11:1; Matt. 6:5-8, “Go into your room (closet)”; Matt.
14:23, “He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray”; Mark 1:35 “He went out
and departed to a solitary place”; Luke 9:18, “He was alone praying”.
2) Personally–“Our
Father” / “Abba, Father” See Luke 11:2-4, Mark 14:36
3) Persistently– “because of his persistence” See Luke
11:5-8, 18:1-8; Matt. 7:7-11; 15:21-28; 26:41-44
4) Powerfully–“Ask, and it will be given” See Luke
11:9-10; Matt. 21:21-22, John 5:4-7; 14:13-14, 16:23
5) Positively– “How much more will your Father give to those who ask” See Luke 11:11-13,
7:1, 8:48; Matt. 8:5-13
6) Penitently–“When
you fast” See Matt. 6:17-18, 17:21
7) Purely– “Do not be like the
hypocrites” See Matt. 6:5, 21:13; 23:14; Luke 6:28
8) Purposefully
(notice in the Lord’s prayer, there are only 59 words) –“vain repetitions” /
“whatever things you ask when you pray” See Matt. 6:7-8; Mark 11:34
9) Publicly–“Father…
because of the people who are standing by I said this” See John 11:41-42; 6:11 “Jesus…said,
10) Passionately–“Jesus rejoiced in the
Spirit” / “ with vehement cries and tears” See Luke 10:21, Heb. 5:7.
There is a lot which is written in the
Bible that encourages us to pray, including and beyond Jesus’ example and
teachings. Throughout church history, much has also been written in the great
Christian classics which beckon us to pray. This short chapter could be filled
a thousand times over if I simply quoted verbatim the writings by those much
more knowledgeable than I am on prayer and much more diligent than I am in prayer.
But there is something more important than learning about prayer, reading about
prayer, studying about prayer, hearing sermons on prayer.
You know what that is?
It’s important to, well, pray.
Now I am not one who likes to get a lot of
compliments about my sermons or what I write (which is actually a good thing,
because I rarely get compliments about my sermons or what I write!). But if you
were to remember anything about this chapter when you finish this book, I want
nothing more to resound in your ears and echo in your hearts as you close the
final chapter and return this book on the shelve (or turn off your personal
device or finish listening to it on audio).
Remember simply this: Pray.
Before you do anything, PRAY.
And when you can’t do anything else, PRAY.
And when you’ve done all that you can do.
Pray. Pray. And then pray again.
