13/05/2021
WHAT IS PRAYER ?
It’s pertinent to note that within the epistles are replete with plethora of instructions to pray.
Paul in his letters said this much.
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
1st Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
Romans 15:30-31 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the
Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; (31) That I may be delivered from
them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of
the saints;
The synoptic gospel of Matthew gives us a lead
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Earlier Jesus emphasised on speaking
Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which
he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Thus fundamentally , the first thing to recognize from Jesus words is that prayer is making known via words our desires to the father. **Prayer therefore will be to verbalize our request, therefore it cannot be
thinking , that would be meditation.
Prayer will be to verbalize words that contain our desires. Therefore it cannot be
thinking , that would be meditation.
Now the phrase “ *when you pray* ” in verse 24 was translated from the Greek word *proseuchomai* . It is a
verb and it implies *to make petitions or come before a higher authority with your requests.* That is, to imply that this is done with reverence.