The Mystery of Prayer 2

 

The Mystery of prayer

You answer our prayers with amazing wonders
and with awe-inspiring displays of power.
You are the righteous God who helps us like a father.
Everyone everywhere looks to you,
for you are the confidence of all the earth,
even to the farthest islands of the sea. Psalms 65:5

Have you ever considered the mystery of prayer? It’s both simple and profound at the same time. Prayer has changed the world and affected human history more that any of us could ever calculate. It’s divine, sacred, glorious mystery that will draw you into His heart. It’s the privilege and the opportunity to lock arms with God and labour together with Him. Its life taken to its highest degree! It takes us into the timelessness of His presence as we speak with God and hear His heart.

Did you know there are over six hundred prayers in the bible? And that doesn’t even count the 150 Psalms, which are prayers set to music. As we pray, we’re partnering with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Only a friend that truly loves you will always be there to hear your cry. Jesus is that friend: He will never leave or fail you. We cry out to Him because our heart is lovesick for the Son of God! We can learn of His kindness through prayer. He loves to hear our cry and loves to spend time with us.

 

We must be those who seek His presence, not just His Presents. The Lord’s prayer begins with “Our Father,” not “Our needs.” Worship, not whining, is the highest form of prayer. As we pray, our friendship with the beloved One deepens as the true needs of our heart are answered by loving Him.

For you are my dove, hidden in the split-open rock.
It was I who took you and hid you up high
in the secret stairway of the sky.
Let me see your radiant face and hear your sweet voice.
How beautiful your eyes of worship
and lovely your voice in prayer. Song of Songs 2:14

Prayer was the priority of Jesus.

Many mornings, Jesus began with prayer in solitude. And Jesus was in prayer when the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism. He received power, wisdom, and strategy by His intimate prayer life with the Father. We see Jesus praying over twenty-five times in the Gospel. During the last hours of His life, He prayed, On the cross, He prayed, everything about His ministry was rooted in prayer. May we have the same longing for time alone with the Father that Jesus did.

As he prayed, his face began to glow until it was a blinding glory streaming from him. His entire body was illuminated with a radiant glory. His brightness became so intense that it made his clothing blinding white, like multiple flashes of lightning. Luke 9:29

This was the transfiguration of Jesus found in three of the four gospels. It is considered one of the highest moments of the life and ministry of Jesus. But what stands out to us are the words “As He prayed.” It is as we pray that God is released within us to unveil who we are in His eyes. The real change we want can be found as we pray.

If it was a priority to the Holy Son of God to live continually in the presence of His Father, so must that be our priority. The very prayer habits of our Lord Jesus will be repeated on earth by those that seek Him above everything else. Jesus is the perfect prayer partner for us.

After the crowds dispersed, Jesus went up into the hills to pray. And as night fell he was there praying alone with God. Matthew 14:23

The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer Mark 1:35

After this, Jesus went up into the high hills to spend the whole night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

Prayer opens our spiritual eyes.

God’s spirit can open blind eyes. We’re all born blind because of sin, but when we are born again, God’s Spirit opens those blind eyes. It’s only by the Holy Spirit that we receive our spiritual eyes to see as we pray.

And true spiritual insight comes with a humble desire to know Jesus. Many things will be shown to you as we pray. Expect your eyes to be open to see into the spiritual realm all around you. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand and even close enough to reach. Sacred secrets will be shared with you as you make Jesus your lifetime prayer partner. Pray and God will open your eyes to see the glory of Christ.

So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” ¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha 2 Kings 6:16-17

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:17-18

This is why the Scriptures say:
Things never discovered or heard of before,
things beyond our ability to imagine —
these are the many things God has in store
for all his lovers.
¹⁰ But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Prayer is a love response to others.

Every true prayer partner with Jesus will learn to carry the concerns of others. When we understand how powerful our prayers are, we will use them to pray for God's best to come to others.

Prayer can lift the burdens of others, just as it lifts ours. When we pray for another person, we’re participating in one of the most loving things we can do. As you grow in love, you’ll grow in your prayer response to the burdens of your friends. Ask the Lord to show you today how to pray for others and watch as miracles come to them.

It’s no wonder I pray with such confidence, since you have a permanent place in my heart! You have remained partners with me in the wonderful grace of God even though I’m here in chains for standing up for the truth of the gospel. Philippians 1:7

Prayer escorts God’s will to the earth.

It is time to pray the power of God out of heaven onto the earth! The ministry of prayer is to bring the will of heaven here. We stand on God’s side, wanting what God wants. It’s as though our prayers paint a “bullseye” for the next place where God’s power will fall. True prayer is discovering God’s heart as we draw near Him. And then as we join Him in intercession, we’ll begin to see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. When you know what’s happening in heaven, you can pray it done on earth.

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

True prayer is Christ in you praying through you to accomplish the Father’s desire for earth. It’s true: Jesus Christ is your prayer partner, and He will pray through you as you pray through Him! It’s by your prayers that God takes charge of things here on earth. The highest privilege of the church is to be the outlet of God’s will. We escort God’s purpose to the earth. We can pull down the future into the present with our prayers of faith.

Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Prayer brings peace, comfort, and joy.

Most of us are carrying burdens that must be given up and laid aside.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer from the heart is like dialing for emergency.

It's God’s system for emergency response. Yes, He knows what you need before you ask, but He wants you to ask. And when you do ask, we’re turning our hearts to our true source of life, comfort, and peace. Nothing soothes the heart like prayer.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms James 5:13

Just as a parent is stirred by the cry of their children, so Abba, our Father, is moved by your sigh.

He is touched by the feeling our weakness and understands you more that you realize.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Hebrews 4:15-16

As we pour out our hearts before Him, we touch the flow of compassion in Abba Father’s heart.

For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem;
You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry;
When He hears it, He will answer you.
²⁰ And though the Lord gives you 

Isaiah 30:19-20

Read Psalms 61 to 63 and underline the references to prayer and see the results of prayer.

Prayer is how we receive what we need.

What would you pray for today if you knew you could have it? Simply stated, we don’t have what we need because we don’t ask for it in line with God’s Word

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures James 4:2-3

Asking and receiving is the dynamic of prayer that relieves the pain of life and releases the substance of heaven. Whatever we need, whenever we need it. Line it up with His words and ask the Father to give it. This cultivates your relationship as His child. Just as earthly fathers delight in caring for and providing for their children, so our heavenly Father knows what we need of and will give it to us when we ask. Jesus once said to blind Bartimaeus, “what do you want me to do for you?” Jesus is still saying this to us every day. Do you have a need? Is there a burden on your heart? Is there something you want that only God can give you. Ask and watch Him perform His word and answer! He's your Father and He loves you!

Prayer is having the proper focus

True prayer must be addressed to our heavenly Father. There are about forty New Testament prayers recorded in the scriptures; all are addressed to God the Father. We have no New Testament prayers directed at the devil. Jesus clearly taught us to pray to the Father.

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20

“When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. Luke 11:2

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13.

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 was directed to the Father. Even in the warfare epistle of Ephesians, the apostle Paul prays to the “Father of glory”

do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:16-18.

The prayer focus of the book of Revelation is to Him who sits on the throne or the Father and the Lamb or the Son (Revelation 4).

True prayer is focused on prayer from the throne room. If we pray from the throne room, our focus will help us to remain free from “preaching Prayers.” These are exhortations and descriptions of events than true petitions to God. Many corporate prayer meetings are stifled by “preaching Prayers” that inform rather than the powerful prayers that exalt the Father, thanking Him and bringing our requests to Him on behalf of the people. Prayer must always be an audience of one to the Father. The more we fill our hearts with the throne room vision of: Ezekiel 1. Revelation 4,5.  John 17, the better and more potent will be our times of prayer! When you pray from the throne room, you will pray from an “open heaven mentality.

We become prophetically alert in the Holy Spirit when we pray from the perspective of being in the throne room instead of the prayer room. We won’t be so concerned about who is praying, how they’re praying, or how long they’re praying. We’re able to discern the “current air” of the Holy Spirit and echo the heart of God through our prayers. For then the higher levels of His glorious presence are released through our united, focused prayer. And true prayer maintains a positive focus. For faith to operate, we must pray with gratitude and confidence. Our times of prayer are spent praying for more of a release of the Holy Spirit, for righteousness to prevail, for grace to empower and mercy to triumph. It’s more important to ask God for the impartation of good instead of having negative focus on removing evil. God overcomes evil. This focus enables us to pray in the love of God for those who are still trapped in darkness. It also provides “shock absorbers” for a prayer meeting when another intercessor prays differently than we do. Grace-centred prayers align with the throne of grace.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:16-17

Paul prays for weak, immature churches and begins his prayers with thankfulness and gratitude for their budding virtues (1 Corinthians 1:1-31).

Many of us do not even realize how negative our praying has become. To praise the Lord in the midst of our problems, glorifies His name. As we pray with this positive focus, we’ll free our hearts to carry the burdens of the Lord.

A sense of false humility will cause you always to dwell on what’s wrong when the Lord commands us to rejoice as we come before eternity’s throne. With a positive focus, we are enabled to hear from the Lord and dwell on His goodness, not the faults of one praying next to us. But if our eyes turn from the Lord, we will invariably become critical of how others are praying, the words they use, the problems in their lives, and so on. Be thankful that they are entering in the best way that they know how. It’s impossible to pray if criticism is in the midst of the prayer meeting. If we discern that something is wrong, turn it into prayer, not criticism. Let us be those who wear “grace glasses” and see one another with eyes washed with love.

He sees everything with pure understanding.
How beautiful his insights—without distortion.
His eyes rest upon the fullness of the river of revelation,
flowing so clean and pure. Song of Songs 5:12

Pray this today:

Lord Jesus, I find such comfort when I come before you. I step out of my pain and pressure and come to you, my precious Lord. My heart is at rest and quieted by Your love. Help me to absorb Your Glory, this atmosphere of heaven, release it here on earth. I pray that my family will love you and know you as the God who answers prayers. I give you my heart today. Amen

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