A Discourse on Prayer

By Kevin Rolfe

It has been said that to rise up to God, it is best to be upon your knees. This indeed is true. It's certainly not the only way to 'soar upwards', as it were: to commune with "our Father which art in heaven" (Matt.6:9), but it's certainly desirable for a Christian to be prostrate before God, in communion with his Maker.

But what is this act? What do we gain, or hope to gain? What circumstance, desire, need or belief sets us to this exercise? Indeed, who is the real author of the delights that true communion brings? Some and more of these questions I hope to attempt an answer to in this discourse. I believe that after a thorough Biblical search of this subject, the only conclusion that we- as the redeemed in Christ- will be able to come to, is that after the grace shown us on the "cursed tree"- our salvation in Christ Jesus- the next greatest benefit as the bride of Christ (Jn.3:29; Rev.21; 9), is this wonderful and mysterious communion we have with the Godhead, the Almighty Trinity.

Now, I understand that many prostrate themselves to a god of their own making: whether to wood and stone in the farthest reaches of the planet: whether 5 times a day facing Arabia: whether to idols placed on the alter in glorious cathedrals: or the alters in the mind of the imagined gods of the corrupt pantheon of eastern and new age religions. But no sooner do the prayers of these multitudes depart from their lips, but without the Holy Ghost to carry them upwards, they fall and smash to the ground below them.

For "without faith, it is impossible to please God"(Heb.11:6). What faith? Faith in the redeemer. Since the fall, it has always been, (Gen.3:15) He who would come to take away the curse, passed down to us by our first parents, indeed to defeat it. (1Cor.15:55)

To establish prayer as a strictly Christian benefit and only effectual to us is to see what the Holy Ghost declares to us through the Scriptures.

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (Ja.5:16) But who is this righteous man? The one who lives by faith, for, "the just shall live by faith"(Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17; Gal.3:11; Heb.10:38) Faith in the crucified and risen Christ justifies us in the eyes of God (Ac.13:39; Rom.5:1), and in this justification is given to "us wisdom, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and sanctification and redemption"(1Cor.1:30). Christ, being made "sin for us"(2Cor.5:21) in effect, puts on our filthy rags and adorns us with his "robe of righteousness"(Is.61:10; Zech.3:4) (see also 2Cor.5:21, for a glorious picture of this).

So we see who the righteous are: those who live by faith in Christ, and whose prayers "availeth much". As the Holy Ghost declares that "there is none righteous, no not one (Rom.3:10) "none that understandeth, none that seek after God"(v,11) "gone out of the way, become unprofitable, none that doeth good, no, not one (v,12) and so on, to verse 18: and that "all our righteousness are as filthy rags (Is.64:6) and the Scriptures declare that God will not acknowledge the prayer of the wicked (Jn.9:31): the only conclusion is, that only those who are in Christ Jesus ever were, are or will be, the benefactors of prayer to God.

What a glorious thing for a Christian to meditate upon! To be the recipients of this wonderful blessing: of one on one communication with our Creator, who we were once alienated from, by our sin (Eph.4:18; Col.1:21), but are now reconciled to by Christ (2Cor.2:18, 19), only by his grace (Eph.2:8), bespeaks of the unsearchableness of his mercies and goodness towards his people. Likewise, it can only speak to our shame and ingratitude if we do not love, desire and use, this awesome gift from God.

Taking this a step further: is it possible for a Christian- who has been sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise (Eph.1:13) - not to pray? The Scriptures answer a resounding, NO! For the very idea that God, who "hath chosen us in him (Christ) before the foundation of the world"(Eph.1:4) and "sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts"(2Cor.1:22) to testify of Christ (Jn.15:26), would not have constant communion with us is repugnant to the reciprocal nature between the Godhead and the redeemed. For as the Father "hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph.2:6), and given us His Spirit to bear witness (1Jn.4:2; 5:6) we are driven to our knees in praise and thankfulness to cry out "Abba, Father"(Rom.8:15). Indeed, the same Spirit who bears witness of our interest in the redemption we have in Christ, also prays for us (Rom.8:26, 27) and as Christ "ever liveth to make intercession" for us (Heb.7:25), making us "a sweet savor of Christ"(2Cor.2:15) unto God: you see the wonderful Father-Son-Spirit-man-Spirit-Son-Father relationship we have with the blessed Trinity. Ephesians 2:18 sums all of this up beautifully that, "through Him (Christ) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father". Viewing prayer in this way, how can we not be overcome with a desire for this extraordinary gift, indeed, jealous for it, in our lives?

So, as we desire to come to God, to benefit of this wonderful blessing- prayer- the question arises, in fact, has already been asked. How do we pray?

The Lord Jesus Christ, in the Sermon on the Mount, taught us the perfect form of prayer. In fact, you can search the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, and every prayer you will find within, will fall into the scope of 'the Lord's prayer'. Much more learned men than I have exposited on this prayer, so I'll try and keep it short. But as we open up the treasure of 'the Lord's prayer' we find much to sift through. So I seek the Holy Ghost that I might not mar or diminish this bright light of Scripture.

Our Father

Though intimated throughout the Old Testament and perceived only by those who lived by faith (Hab.2:4), this must have seemed a strange thing to the Jews, who despite the declarations of God of the spiritual signification of the Father like relationship with God and his people in the covenant (Is.63:16; Hos.11:1; see also Deut.32:5; 2Sam.7:14; 2Chr.28:6), had set up Abraham jealously, to be their father. For though temporally true, Abraham was also the father of many nations (Rom.4:17; Gen.22:18). But Christ- speaking of the faithful- intimates of the "adoption of sons"(Gal.4:5) by which we cry "Abba, Father"(Gal.4:6). Indeed, that because of his forthcoming death and resurrection, foretold from of old (Gen.3:15; see also Rev.13:18), and we, being "chosen in him before the foundation of the world"(Eph.1:4) are "joint heirs with Christ"(Rom.8:17) indeed, "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"(Gal.3:29). So as the Jews, in their earthly mindset had set God up far from them in the heavens- a standoffish or hard taskmaster, as it were- Christ, the Son, previewing in a way, the veil of the temple being torn in two (Matt.27:51) carries us into the Holy of Holies (Heb.10:19) into the arms of a loving Father, one who loved us so much and desired to be worshipped "in spirit and in truth"(Jn.4:24) that "He sent his only begotten Son"(Jn.3:16), that this would be accomplished (Jer.31:31-34).

Which art in heaven

As "our Father", the first person in the sovereign self existing Trinity, the eternal God is due proper respect, His majesty must always be forefront in our minds when we come to kneel before him. As children with their earthly fathers- whether out of familiarity or the natural corruption of the flesh- will sometimes forget their natural placement in the hierarchy of the family and speak without due respect to the head of the family, so Jesus, knowing the "infirmity of our flesh"(Rom.6:19), stops what might effect us also, in our communion with our heavenly Father, by the consideration of Him "which art in heaven".

For it is He that "created the heavens and the earth"(Gen.1:1), is "from everlasting to everlasting"(Ps.90:2), who preserves also all that he has made (Neh.9:6). He is "God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: and he changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings and setteth up kings"(Dan.2:20, 21). He "causes it to rain upon the earth"(Jb.38:26): His “mercy is great unto the heavens"(Ps.57:10): His "loving-kindness is better than life"(Ps.63:3): He "is good"(Na.1:7): longsuffering (Rom.2:4): all knowing (Jer.17:10): all seeing (Jer.5:3): He is a righteous and just judge (Heb.10:30, 31). He is the most capable to judge for "His eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings"(Jb.34:21). Who can understand this wonderful God? (Is.55:8; 1Cor.2:15). This is the God who created the seraphim- to worship him constantly at his throne- with 6 wings, that they may cover their eyes and feet, to not be overcome by His holiness (Is.6:2,3; Rev.4:8). Jesus recommends these things to our thoughts that we- though free to come into his presence (Heb.4:16; 13:16)- may understand in ourselves that coming to the throne at all, is wonderful in itself, and not to be carried away with our own self-worth in his presence. Let us then, humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift us up (Ja.4:10).

Hallowed be thy Name

As the due consideration of the attributes of God in the foregoing line of 'the Lord's prayer' settle upon our hearts and we begin to be overcome by the sense of our sinfulness in light of the perfection of God, and we can only feel, as Isaiah did, when granted a glimpse of the throne of glory, that we are "undone"(Is.6:5), God, in his mercy and love toward us, reckons to us, by his Spirit, and by considering this love toward us, by Him, that we are reconciled to Him by Jesus Christ (2Cor.5:18,19,21), by his grace alone (Eph.1:6), our hearts are revived. Hence we are able to lift up our voice in praise to our wonderful God, to venerate (for the word, hallowed, in the Greek text 'hagiazo' means venerate, holy) his name, and to sing, as it were, in our heart with David "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth"(Ps.8:9).

Thy Kingdom come

Here we pray for the proclamation of the gospel to the nations, that those chosen in Christ (Eph.1:4), by the hearing of gospel truths (2Thess.2:13, 14), would be brought in to the Kingdom of heaven (Matt.25:34). We pray that the Kingdom of God may come into the hearts of our loved ones, indeed all men (1Tim.2:1), who remain dead in trespasses and sins. For we know not where the Spirit listeth (Jn.3:8). This is why we "train up a child in the way he should go"(Prov.22:6): why we teach them the Scriptures (Deut.6:6-9), that through them the Spirit may work in their hearts for the salvation of their souls. We pray here that our own hearts would be strengthened: that we may "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"(2Pet.3:18).

We are also instructed to pray for the return of Christ, our "blessed hope"(Ti.2:13), indeed, that the very curse for which the incarnation was necessary will be "swallowed up in victory"(1Cor.15:54). "Even so, come Lord Jesus"(Rev.22:20).

Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven

Here we seek God's will in a couple of respects. The first of these being as "a lamp to lighten our darkness"(2Sam.22:29), to teach us (Ps.32:8), to be our guide (Jer.3:4), indeed, we as sheep desire Him to go before us (Jn.10:4), that we may follow in His steps.

But looking into the second meaning of this, in respect to what I have already touched upon: we gain comfort for ourselves in that, we will be led by Him, knowing that we are of Him (Rom.8:14), because He is sovereign. This is the God who commands the angels in heaven, who are mightier than us and who hearken unto his will (Ps.103:20); they are subject unto our very Lord and Savior (1Pet.3:22). This is our God, who commands even the evil angels (Jude 6), indeed, even the very elements of nature answer to His will (Ps 104; 148:8; Matt.8:26; Job 37:6 and many more). If he "be for us, who can be against us"? (Rom.8:31). Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

As our life is but a vapor and each second of it, is possibly our last (Ja.4:13, 14; 1Chr.29:15) we must not take undue heed to those things which pertain to the short existence of it. As God has our very life in his hands (Is.40:7), indeed, our "days are determined"(Jb.14:5), we look to him for our food, clothing and shelter. It is well with this portion of our look at the 'Lord's prayer' to view the words of our infinitely wise Savior who understands like only he can of God to us in the provision of our temporal needs.

(I quote him fully, due to its importance)

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying, What shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thoughts for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matt.6:25-34). Who can add unto these words of our Savior?

Who of us have not been recipients of His temporal gifts? Which of us cannot remember a time, or times, when we were broke or hungry, or lost or hurting and he comforted and cared for us? Oh the riches of God that he so blesses his children with! Let us humbly come to him in thankfulness for what he provides; knowing that it is Him who "giveth and taketh away"(Jb.1:21).

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

Though this passage seems to put a condition upon God, as if he will forgive us because we forgive others: the true sense is that; because God has forgiven us by his grace in Christ (Eph.2:7, 8) we should, and indeed, are commanded to forgive others the wrongs done to us (Matt.5:38-42; Mk.11:25; Col.3:13).

For how can we, who wallowed so long in the filth of sin and were enemies of the cross of Christ (Phi.3:18), and were dealt with so patiently until brought to repentance (Rom.2:4), not forgive the very clay who deal with the same infirmities as us? (Rom: 6:19) Let us therefore have compassion on those who come from the same stock as us (1Cor.15:45; Ac.17:26). Forgiveness can be a hard thing for us, for the first inclination we have when we are wronged is to strike out at the one who has stepped on our pride, stolen our goods, or injured us. So let's, in our prayer, remember to seek the grace of God, that we may be able, indeed willing, to turn the other cheek (Matt.5:39); to "forgive our debtors".

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

How many arrows Satan has in his quiver to fire at our flesh! He walks about "as a roaring lion"(1Pet.5:8); knowing the infirmities of our flesh as well, maybe better, than we do. The stumbling blocks along the narrow way, to the city prepared by God (Heb.11:16) for us, are many; and here we must seek God, the one who is able to deliver us from the "wiles of the devil"(Eph.6:11).

Who of us does not daily groan under the weakness of our flesh (Rom.7:18) and are so easily led astray from our God? Each one of us has that 'one' or several weaknesses which Satan desires to exploit; and yet by the gift of the Holy Spirit in us, we have been given power to overcome (1Cor.10:13). But how easy it is, when, as Peter, we look away from the Lord (Matt.14:30), to sink into the stormy seas of sin around us. Many servants of God, 'giants of the faith' have succumbed to temptation: David commits adultery and murders to cover it up: Moses strikes the rock at Horeb, in anger: Hezekiah proudly displays the riches of the God as his own: Peter denies his Lord 3 times and many more too numerous to mention. Are not we "men of like passions" (Ac.14:15) with these?

For our "flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh"(Gal.5:17), and if we seek not to put on "the whole armor of God"(Eph.6:13); truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit"(Eph.6:14-18), we will fall. Who else but the One "that is able to keep you from falling"(Jude 24) will you seek? "To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever"(Jude 25), that's Who! "Amen".

For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory for ever

Here at the close of our prayer the Lord instructs us again, of Who we are dealing with. It is he who "rideth upon the heavens"(Ps.68:4); who's eyes "run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him"(2Chr.16:9); who directs nature (Job 37); when men conspire against His people, it is He who "directeth his steps"(Prov.16:9). This is "our Father", mighty is He, who made a covenant with His Son, sent him in the likeness of corrupt flesh to die on that cursed tree, to rise again, defeating death, that we, as His very own elect people, may forever enjoy Him. He has the power to perform all of this, and as this is confirmed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we can only sing, as the angels did at the proclamation of the birth of our Savior, and as we will join with them in eternity "glory to God in the highest"(Lk.2:4), for Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory!! Amen.

As we have been blessed by this extraordinary benefit, as the redeemed of God, individually, we also have an entrance into the Holy of Holies as a corporate body, and as individual families.

First, as the Church, "the body of Christ"(1Cor.12:27). We are the adopted sons (and daughters) of God (Gal.4:5, 6), through Christ (v, 7), hence we are of the family of God. Many individual members linked together mystically with our head (the First born), Christ (Eph.1:22; 5:23), indeed, "one body in Christ"(Rom.12:5); "bearing one anothers burdens"(Gal.6:2); "confessing our faults, one to another"(Ja.5:16), we uphold each member in times of trial, temptation, sorrow, despair, sin, repentance, sickness and death; and celebrate each member with joy, togetherness, love, service, praise, instruction and guidance. "Lifting up holy hands"(1Tim.2:8) we seek to our strength, the Lord Jesus Christ; who promised that, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matt.18:20). As the body is dead and performs nothing without the head, this mystical body we call the Church, will only fulfill the duties commanded it (Gal.6:10), if we are linked with our 'Head' in prayer. As the first members of the New Testament church "went up into an upper room", and were, "with one accord in prayer and supplication"(Ac.1:13, 14), we too must be as one. As Christ has been given all things, He will indeed give us all things to the strengthening of His body, to the glory of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit if we shall ask "in one accord".

How much more then, we who desire the salvation, instruction and growth of the souls of our own households, must incorporate, rather be diligent in prayer and the benefits thereof, in our own families? We who have been instructed to "train up a child in the way he should go"(Prov.22:6) must from their earliest days, teach them to pray. If a parent will not bend the knee the knee humbly and submit to God in prayer; if he will not thank God for his food, his house, his clothes and the very members of his own family; showing his children (of whom, the Lord has made to be students under the parents instruction) that God is the giver of all of these things, and more importantly that their very souls and eternal happiness resides in the person of the Son of God, in whom, all prayer must be made, he is no better than those who burnt their children in sacrifice to Molech (Jer.32:35).

Though prayer (or the act of praying) does not save, those who are saved will pray. Prayer shows our children that the visible world is not where the eyes of the soul should be set upon, but as we close our eyes and bow our head we reach up in a fashion, to God, to the throne on high, where we will all stand and give an account (Rom.14:12).

Oh that we would all be diligent on this account, that all the little souls in our families, that the Lord has given to us, would see the importance, the need, to submit themselves to God: bending their knees and seeking Him who is "high above all the earth"(Ps.97:9). Let us pray in the morning, pray at night, and pray before we eat what God has provided, pray in times of joy and of trouble. Set a time of devotion, with reading of the Scriptures, singing of hymns and prayer, that our children may be always praying to the end of their days, and that they may teach their own children also.

The reading of the Scriptures is yet another of the things that we do which should also be accompanied by much prayer. For as the Bible is food for the soul, through prayer, it becomes a most delicious, sweet tasting delight (Ps.119:103). All true Christians confess, indeed know, in their very hearts that the Scriptures are inspired by God (2Tim.3:16), written by men "moved by the Holy Ghost"(2Pet.1:21). As the Holy Ghost is given to all believers as a seal of their faith (Rom.8:9) and leads us into all truth (Jn.14:17; 1Jn.2:27), who better to teach it to us, than He who wrote it?

Again, it is good to meditate upon the reciprocal nature of prayer, and as the Trinity and man is bound up in the very acting of, and act of prayer, it will also be edifying to look at the Scriptures in the same light. For as the Trinity, in eternity, covenanted together to enact the very creation of the universe and the history of redemption that would follow the foreknown fall of man, God saw it wise to record this history in a book, our Bible. Not only the beginning of, but the culmination of history. This is the very book of the holy God in which He reveals the fall and most importantly, to us, the recovery of man, through Christ, His eternal Son- the Word (Jn.1:1); very wisdom (Prov.8:30) - written down by prophets, historians and apostles by inspiration of the Holy Ghost. In glorious wisdom, Christ, was revealed, at first slowly in the Old Testament (Ps.40:7; Heb.10:7). Then, in the fullness of time (Gal.4:4) He split history to be revealed in fullness to us. The Holy Spirit, in whom we pray, through Christ (and in His Name) unto the Father, gave all of this to us in the Scriptures that were miraculously preserved and joined together in this glorious word of life, the Bible!

Who cannot see the benefit, indeed the necessity in praying over the Scriptures (it is said of Bernard that he never read his Bible without being on his knees). When we meditate on what the Trinity has done, with regard to the Scriptures and couple that together with the reciprocal nature we have with the Trinity with regards to prayer, our minds cannot help but be overcome with the overwhelming consideration of the mystical connection of it all. Let us fall upon our knees and worship Him who is Holy, Holy, Holy (Is.6:3) who's name endureth forever (Ps.135:13).

Let us quickly look at the postures we assume when in prayer. The Bible is quite clear that we are to pray always (Eph.6:18). Being that we can't always be kneeling when we pray, it goes without saying that there are other acceptable postures we may take in prayer. The Scriptures are full of examples of those who prayed while bowing (Gen.24:26; Ex.4:31; 12:27; 34:8), standing (1K.8:22; Mk.11:25; Lk.18:11), on their faces (Nu.20:6; Jos.5:14; 2Chr.20:18; indeed, Jesus, in the garden Matt.26:39) and kneeling (Ps.95:6; Da.6:10; Ac.7:60; 9:40; 20:36). In regards to posture in prayer and depending where we are at the time, the best advice is to always remember that we come before a holy God, who in all His ways is perfect (Ps.18:30). Meditating often of this fact, if not driving us to the ground under the weight of our own sinfulness, will certainly guard us against carelessness when approaching His throne. "For our God is a consuming fire"(Heb.12:29).

As we come to our God in prayer, let us always be aware also of the condition of our heart. For if we come to God harboring sin, even sin we don't know of, we come to Him who knows the secrets of our heart (Ps.44:21). Indeed we must cry out with David "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting"(Ps.139:23, 24). There are many hindrances to our prayers. Again, David says "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me"(Ps.66:18). This is not the same as coming to God in repentance for sin, for we know that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins"(1Jn.1:9). But to come to God in prayer with unconfessed sin in our heart is as much as throwing a wall up between us and God.

It's as if your child had done something wrong and come to you acting as if he had done nothing wrong, but you knew that he had. All his conversation with you is overshadowed by this one transgression, and until the air is cleared about this, you cannot accept him like you would without this sin hanging over him.

Other hindrances to prayer we can look for in the Scriptures include, a neglect of mercy on our part to others: "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard"(Pr.21:13). If we have been blessed with the temporal means to relieve the suffering of the poor, God commands us to do so: "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof"(Ps.24:1): He gives of it to us, and commands that we use it for His glory. So let us, before we come to God, to the holy throne of grace, search our hearts, confess our sins, be reconciled to our brother (Matt.5:24) and have a clear conscience of our daily dealings with our fellow man, then seek the Lord to reveal to us the sins we know not of (Ps.139:23), that we may have sweet concourse with our God.

Finally, who benefits from prayer? As God already knows our thoughts (Jer.29:11), knows what we have need of (Mt.6:32), works all things for our good (Rom.8:28), the benefits are all ours. God, who is in need of nothing, who freely gives us all things (Rom.8:32), who loved us so much that he even gave his Son for us (Jn.3:16) has, in the tearing of the veil welcomed us into His presence by the death and resurrection of His Son. With all of this in mind (and the doctrine of prayer has only been lighted upon in this discourse) I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul "Be careful for nothing: but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God"(Ph.4:6).

Amen.