Prayer and the praying believer (3)

Prayer is not a finished work of Christ, every believer ought to pray, not to pray is to shun the word – it will be to rest wholeheartedly on the arm of flesh.

In prayer, we cause situations to change, we wield our authority and exercise the power at work in us.

We don’t pray to gain fellowship, we have fellowship with the father with or without prayer.

1 John 1:3;
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

But when we pray, we are walking in the reality of that fellowship, we put to practice the very fellowship we always had.

1 Corinthians 14:2
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

When we pray, it’s not God who helps us grow, we pray to know what we have; to see ourselves as he sees us in him and that’s how we grow, we grow in insight.

2 Peter 3:18
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

The growing is in the knowing. God doesn’t do that for anyone, it has to be deliberate on the part of the believer to receive from the ministry gifts and grow in insight.

We also don’t pray to KNOW the will of God, God has given us his word, there is nothing in his will that is outside of the word. To look for his will outside the written word is to sideline the sacred.

The scripture is clear on God’s will, at least we know

1Timothy 2:3-4;
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

In studying prayer, we must know that God hears all men, whether believer or unbelievers, answered prayers is not an exclusive ‘package’ for the believer. Hence, if unbelievers can pray and get answers, it shows that the essence and focus of our prayer won’t be for things. Of course, we can pray to get things but that’s a minor of what the epistles focus on as regards prayer.

Now, how do we pray?

We pray in the spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:15
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Ephesians 6:18
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Jude 1:20
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Praying in the spirit simply put is praying in tongues, but much more there is a way we ought to still pray in the spirit and that’s CONSISTENTLY! We must be consistent in prayer, not lazy or lax.

Philippians 1:4
ALWAYS in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

Colossians 4:2 ;
CONTINUE in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1 Thessalonians 5:17;
Pray WITHOUT CEASING

Colossians 1:3;
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying ALWAYS for you,

Hence to pray in the spirit is to be diligent and consistent in the same, the apostles emphasized “we will give ourselves CONTINUALLY to the ministry of the word and the prayer”.

Prayer in the spirit is continual.

Who and what do we pray for?

– For all saints (Ephesians 6:18)
– Door of utterances for ministers (Colossians 4:3)
– The word to have free course and the ministers protected (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3)
– Wisdom (James 1:5)
– Revelational knowledge (Ephesians 1:18-19)
– For unsaved men and for those in authority (1 Tim 2:1-2)

Clearly, not praying would mean that these things would not suffice, they won’t happen. It is the believer that makes these things happen as he makes power available in the place of prayer.

It seems as though nothing will change until we pray. We must not be caught resting on the arm of flesh.

Prayer to the believer is no guess work, it is power at work and the believer must be found giving himself continually to the art.

Prayer should have an unrestricted access to our lives.

Always remember,

No study, earnestness, learning and gift can supply the lack of prayer.

Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Gen. 24-25

TEACHING OF THE WEEK
https://www.ghcmedia.org/how-to-have-a-fruitful-year/