Life Walk Lesson 117: Effective Prayers
Luke 18:9-1-14
9 He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men:
10 Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers—or even like this tax collector here.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.
13 But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!
14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Hebrews 4:16
16 “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].”
1John 5:14-15
14 “And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.”
Here is the Hope of answered prayer when we don’t even know how to pray:
Romans 8::26-29
26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.
28 We are assured and know that God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”
And here I remind you of God’s original intent for humanity. In Genesis 1:26-27 God says:
26 “…Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
It was God’s custom, according to Genesis 3:8, to walk with Adam and Eve “in the cool of the day” to talk with them.
The Hebrew word for “in the cool of the day” — “ruach”, is sometimes translated “in the spirit,” or “breath”, however, here in Genesis 3:8 is translated “the breeze of the day, when a cooler breeze blows” [Blue Letter Bible, Strong’s Concordance #H7303]
Since God’s view of time is explained in Genesis 1, as “evening and morning” were the first day, etc., we find God beginning His walk with His children even before they go to bed at night. What a comfort to know God is always with us.
God loves to walk and talk with His children, and prayer is meant to be a conversation with our Heavenly Father.
And so the Apostle Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:6
6 “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.”
It is clear that we can prayer general prayers, without being specific, however, God wants to know the desire of our heart, the petitions we ask, and to know that we are grateful for His faithful lovingkindness.
Jesus teaches us this uncommon faith:
Mark 11:24
24 “For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].”
James 5:16b
“…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”
Encouragement:
Because we have been created in the image of God, and in His likeness, and we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have been promised a place in Christ, and in the Family Kingdom of God.
We are seated in heavenly places, with Him, and we can have confidence that we can walk with Him, not just in the cool of the day, but in unlimited conversations with God because His Holy Spirit lives in us, and knows not only what we need, but God’s will for us, which is even better than we know to ask.
Jesus promised those who walk with Him, and love Him and stay in Him:
John 15:7-8
7 “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.”
Galatians 5:22-23
22 “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law that can bring a charge].”
Be blessed to be a blessing.
