Sermon Transcript
Reader's Version
Living On PrayerSermon by Gene SimcoReader’s Version
In the last section, we talked about food, specifically about breaking bread. This week, we're going to shift focus and talk about prayer. It reminded me of a story—a story about a Sunday school teacher who asked a little boy: “Johnny, tell me the truth. Do you say your prayers before you eat?” Johnny replied, “I don’t have to. My mom is a good cook.”
We find ourselves continuing to look at the early church in Acts. We’ve seen that they focused on four main things. Acts 2:42 says they were dedicated to the apostles' teaching—that is, learning the Word of God—fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. This week, we’re going to focus on prayer.
What is prayer? Prayer is, simply put, a conversation between you and God. What’s interesting to note is that it’s not all about us constantly asking for things. It’s about listening. Good conversation is a two-way street.
It’s about being in constant communion with God. Think of it like self-talk. Many of us may not like to admit this, but if we’re being honest, we talk to ourselves. Now, once we are baptized in Christ, we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that internal conversation shifts. It becomes a dialogue between us and the Holy Spirit. In this way, we are in constant communion with God. First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.”
Prayer, regardless of belief, is something many people engage in—even non-Christians. But it’s important to identify who we are praying to. If we look to both the Old and New Testaments, we see who we are commanded to pray to.
In Psalms 5:2, it says, “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You.” And 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “There is one God and one mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man, Christ Jesus.”
So, praying to the dead, the universe or some vague force is nothing more than a product of someone's imagination or self-talk. It is not biblical or of God. If we go back to the first chapter of this series—“Is There a God?”—we talked about identifying who God is. We saw that Jesus is God in that chapter. Now, as Christians, it seems we need to reset our understanding of prayer. We have to ask ourselves the question: Are we doing it wrong?
So let’s turn to the Bible, the Word of God, to see what it says about prayer.
When you look to the Bible for guidance on prayer, it can seem a bit confusing at first because the Old and New Testaments reflect very different kinds of prayer. In the last chapter, we talked about the new covenant. For example, the old covenant in the Old Testament contains practices that we wouldn’t follow today—like commands to stone someone to death. There was a death penalty for acts such as adultery.
Now, if that happened in our society, we wouldn’t put anyone to death for committing adultery, and we certainly wouldn’t do so in the church. Take, for instance, Jesus’ response in John 8, where He is confronted with a woman caught in adultery. According to the law, she should have been stoned to death, but Jesus famously says, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” We see a major shift here in how the new covenant approaches such situations.
The Old Testament contains only a few examples of individuals praying for their enemies. This concept becomes much more prominent in the New Testament, where Jesus explicitly teaches, “Pray for those who persecute you.” However, even in the Old Testament, we do find instances of forgiveness, intercession, and requests for mercy on behalf of those who wronged others. While direct prayers for enemies are rare, examples of mercy and intercession do exist.
For instance, Moses intercedes for the Israelites on several occasions. In Exodus 32:9–14, he pleads with God on their behalf after the incident of the golden calf. Later, in Numbers 12:1–3, we see Moses praying for Miriam and Aaron after they had spoken against him. Job prays for his friends in Job 42:7–10 after they had wronged him with their misguided counsel. Abraham prays for Abimelech in Genesis 20:7 and 17, after deceiving him by claiming that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife (though she was his half-sister).
David, while not offering explicit prayers for Saul, shows mercy toward him on multiple occasions, particularly when Saul was seeking to kill him. And Elisha prays for the Syrian army in 2 Kings 6:18–23, asking God to open their eyes rather than seeking their destruction – but he was the one who prayed for them to be blind in the first place.
When it comes to the Psalms, we don’t find many examples of David praying for his enemies in the way Jesus commands. I searched the Psalms trying to find prayers for enemies, but it’s difficult. Often, the Psalms reflect a mixture of calling for protection, judgment, or mercy, but not always the kind of prayer Jesus calls us to. I stumbled upon Psalm 109:4, thinking I had found one. It says, “I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations, even as I am praying for them.” But upon further examination, I found that in the original language, it’s more like “In return for my love, they accuse me, though I have pleaded for innocence.” So the plea is not for the enemies—it’s for David himself.
Most of the time, Old Testament prayers focus on protection, deliverance from enemies, and sometimes mercy or forgiveness, but they often lean toward asking for vengeance. For example, in Psalm 35, David reflects on how he mourned and fasted for his enemies when they were sick, showing a heart of compassion. Psalm 79 is a plea for God to save His people in the midst of suffering – but then (Asaph) prays for vengeance against his enemies!
While the Old Testament does contain examples of individuals praying for mercy on those who have wronged them, most prayers tend to focus on justice and protection. But we must remember the size of the Old Testament—it’s much larger than the New Testament, with 39 books compared to 27. And despite its length, we find relatively few examples of prayers for enemies, whereas in the New Testament, Jesus makes it clear that we are to pray for our enemies consistently.
Here’s an example of that contrast. In the Old Testament, we see King Joash repay Jehoiada, the priest who saved him, by killing his son. After Jehoiada's death, Zechariah, the priest, took over.
The leaders of Judah came, bowed before King Joash, and persuaded him to follow their advice. Joash decided to abandon the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and instead, they worshiped Asherah poles and various idols. Because of this sin, divine anger fell on the kingdom of Judah. Yet, the Lord, in His mercy, sent prophets to bring them back, but Joash still wouldn’t listen.
2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” 21 Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. 22 That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!”
Now, if we look to the New Testament for a similar example of someone being stoned to death, we see the story of Stephen. Stephen, one of the deacons chosen to serve, was also filled with the Spirit and known as a powerful speaker. In his final sermon, he gives a summary of the Old Testament and accuses the Jewish leaders of denying Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This accusation insulted the leaders, and they reacted with fury, shaking their fists at him.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. He told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” At this, they covered their ears, began shouting, and rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him to death.
His accusers laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul—who would later become Paul, marking a significant moment before his conversion. Acts 7:59 says this:
Acts 7:59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
So you see, in both instances where an individual is stoned to death in the Old Testament, the prayer is essentially, "May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death." However, in Acts, the Christian response, after Jesus flips the script, is, "Lord, don’t charge them with this sin," and with that, he died.
We need to define imprecatory prayer. To implicate means to invoke evil upon or curse one’s enemies. King David, the psalmist, is most associated with these prayers, such as Psalm 59, Psalm 69, and Psalm 109, which often include phrases like, "May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them," as seen in Psalm 35. Another striking example is, "Oh God, break their teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions" (Psalm 58).
Psalms 7, 35, 58, 69, 109, and 139 were written by David to ask God to bring judgment upon his enemies. You also find other Psalms, like 79 and 37, written by Asaph and an unknown psalmist, who similarly sought judgment against their foes.
But Jesus instructed us to pray for our enemies. Many don’t realize that Jesus has brought us a new covenant and a new understanding of prayer. The best commentary on the Old Testament is the New Testament; we are under a new covenant.
Today, we want to look at the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters five through seven. This is the greatest sermon of all time. It is crucial, as we have seen in the past, to read this sermon in its entirety. Stopping at a certain point, for example, at the end of chapter five, is akin to walking out on Jesus's sermon—it is not a good thing. We must read all the way to the end. You will see that Jesus constantly clarifies points, as in Matthew 5, where he states, "You are the light of the world." Some interpret this to mean they should showcase their good deeds; however, he greatly clarifies this in chapter six, emphasizing that we should not seek to be seen.
It’s important to grasp the clarification from one chapter to the next regarding what Jesus is conveying. He is preaching to a Jewish audience, and you can sense that he is intentionally flipping the script. He knows he is saying things that will surprise them.
For instance, in Matthew 5:11, Jesus states, "God blesses you when people mock and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers." Be happy about it. Be very glad, for a great reward awaits you in Heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
Then, he continues with a disclaimer, reminding us that he has fulfilled the law. In Matthew 5:17, he says, "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” The New Living Translation renders it rightly because Jesus achieved its purpose through His death on the cross. What was the purpose of the Law of Moses then? Romans 3 and Galatians 3 tell us:
Galatians 3:19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised.
In this sermon, Jesus is speaking to a Jewish audience, and the law is still in full effect. Some twist this and deny Jesus's fulfillment and flipping of the script, but those individuals really need to keep reading. If they did, they would see how Jesus clearly points to a flip of the script or a change.
In Matthew 5:38, he says, "You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek." If we continue, we see that in Matthew 5:43, he states, "You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Here, he is referencing specific laws that existed in the Law of Moses. He says, "But I say to you," creating a pattern that repeats throughout his teaching. If you remember, in the past, we talked about the heart of stone versus the heart of flesh when we addressed the Ten Commandments. The law was written on stone tablets, but now he gives us a loving heart of flesh. We are now controlled by the Holy Spirit, who brings us forgiveness.
Again, he states, "You have heard the law that says, ‘Hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love them and pray for them." Then, in chapter six, if we take the time to turn the page, Jesus teaches us how to pray. We can use Matthew 6 as a guideline, a model for prayer.
There is a pattern applied to giving and fasting as well. First, regarding giving, he says, "Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose your reward in heaven." This pattern applies to each aspect. You will lose your reward in heaven if you are showing off; this is not a good thing.
When he addresses prayer in Matthew 6:5, he says, "When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get." But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
He emphasizes that we should not pray to be seen. Interestingly, when we look at prayers in the New Testament compared to the Old Testament, there are many public prayers from Solomon to David. However, you don’t see the same kind of grandiose prayers when you get to Acts and examine the sermons of Peter, Paul, or Stephen. Aside from that brief request to forgive his enemies, grand public prayers are notably absent in the New Testament.
What does this mean? It likely suggests that, while it’s acceptable to pray in public, the apostles took Jesus's command seriously: "Don’t pray to show off; otherwise, you will lose your reward in heaven." This is something we should consider in the church as well. Should our prayers be for show? Should we pray in lofty ways all the time? It would be wise to proceed with caution, just as they did.
In church, we have sometimes seen people manipulate prayer to push their own agendas. It would be nearly impossible to stop someone from praying in church. Some individuals recognize this, and I have witnessed people praying to refute a pastor's sermon. Worship leaders have stood up, disagreed with the pastor’s message, and begun praying, subtly undermining what was said. If they believe they are talking to God or that it is coming from God, who is going to stop them?
I have seen people pray to advance their own agendas within the church, even to disagree with others without hesitation. There is a tendency for manipulative prayer to emerge in church settings. We must be careful about how we use prayer and how we present it before others.
Perhaps you’ve heard this in church: nonsensical prayers that seem to go on and on. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:7, "When you pray, don’t babble on and on like the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered by merely repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need, even before you ask Him."
Do you see that point reiterated? God knows what you need. Yet, regardless of this stern warning, how many babbling prayers do we encounter in church? Do we witness people going on and on in prayer, heedless of Jesus's warning? Yes, we often do.
Then we reach Jesus's model for prayer. He does not merely tell us how not to pray; he instructs us on how to pray.
Matthew 6:9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.[Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,]10 May your Kingdom come soon.May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.[your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.]11 Give us today the food we need,[Give us today our daily bread.]12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.[12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.]13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.[13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’]
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
So, after shutting the door behind you and praying where Jesus says, we’re to pray in God’s will, not ours.
Now, we've looked at this in the past; you can refer to a message in the Twisted Scripture series: God is not a Genie in a Bottle, but in Christianity, you have the prosperity gospel. This is the name-it-and-claim-it gospel, which promotes the belief that you’re always to be healthy and wealthy. Well, that’s not at all what the Bible says. The Bible actually promises suffering as a Christian through persecution, and many faithful fathers of the Church were sick and poor. Paul, when writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, states that we should be content with what we have, if we have food and clothing. Remarkable. That’s the ideal. Jesus was a homeless wanderer. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor,” and then told us to focus on heavenly things. Paul prayed for Timothy, who was sick with frequent stomach illnesses. Paul never said that Timothy lacked faith or gave that as a reason. Instead, Paul said he had a thorn in his side and prayed, asking God to let it go. But because he was prideful—or perhaps could become prideful—God said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12).
So, what we need to do is ask for what we need in God’s will—no more. That’s what this daily bread is all about. So remember communion, as we talked about manna. Relying on God’s provision is what it’s all about; we’re only to ask for what we need.
In Luke, we get clarity about what we should be asking for. In Luke 11, we see kind of a shorter version of the Lord’s Prayer at a different time. Then we see persistence in prayer. But then Jesus clarifies:
Luke 11:11 “You fathers, if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not. So if you sinful people 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?”
So here we see that the Holy Spirit is what we need; that is what we should be asking for. Remember, Jesus is that daily bread.
We see that in the Lord’s Prayer: give us what we need – the Holy Spirit, we need no more than that. Then Jesus talks about temptation, delivering us from temptation.
Temptation from sin could include greed. On the topic of asking for things or praying with greed, we need to look to Colossians 3, starting at verse 2.
Colossians 3:2: “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking in you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of the world.
So we see here clearly that the Bible teaches us not to pray for greedy or worldly things. It’s sinful.
Now, if we go to the book of James, it echoes Jesus’s teachings. It’s kind of like a montage of Jesus’s teachings. If you go to that fellowship chapter, we saw this in Mr. Brawler, James 4:1: “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it, and when you do ask, you don’t get it, because your motives are all wrong. You only want what will give you pleasure.”
Now, if we go back to the beginning of James, we see this in James 1:5: “If you need wisdom, ask your generous God for it, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver. For a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world. They are unstable in everything they do.”
There’s a theme in the New Testament, and those of you who know the New Testament are very aware of this: the world is evil. The Bible tells us that the world is evil; Satan is the ruler of this world. We see this mixed in with pleasure; the things of the world aren’t exactly good—they're things that greedy people go after.
So if we pick up after Mr. Brawler, what’s causing the fights among you? Jealousy, greed. It says this in James 4:4: “You adulteresses, don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously, as the Scriptures say: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.”
Note that God opposes the proud. This is an important theme: again, the theme of the things of the world being opposed to God, and the things of God. Also, the devil can bless you too. He is the ruler of this world (see 2 Cor. 4:4). We can think of the temptations of Jesus. Jesus retorted with Scripture, but he didn’t deny that the devil could give him those things.
1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
When we pray, we have to think about who we are really praying to. Are these things really blessings when we get them, or are they distractions from the Word?
If we continue toward the end of James, we see this in James 5:13: “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. And when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain, and the earth began to yield crops.”
So we see here that God listens to the righteous, which is very interesting. The prayer of a righteous man will accomplish much.
Yet praying in sin and disobedience won’t be honored. Your prayers can be hindered. Remember what it said in Matthew 6? If you pray to be seen selfishly, babbling on, you will lose your reward.
So we see this theme, both in the New and Old Testaments. It’s not just Jesus warning about it; we see that behavior can affect our prayers and that they must be done in faith and in righteousness.
Again, in Jesus’ model for prayer, the command to forgive can determine whether our prayers are answered of not—that’s the real ending. If you don’t forgive and are praying without a lack of forgiveness, well, God won’t forgive you either. That kind of negates the whole point of prayer. It’s not the only place we see this; Jesus frequently gives this warning. We see this in Mark 11 and Matthew 18. Over and over, Jesus warns that if you don’t forgive your enemies, your Father won’t forgive you.
In 1 Peter, we see this. These are Christians who are suffering, and we see in context that 1 Peter 3 is talking about relationships, like, for example, between husbands and wives. Again, in the previous chapter, we see the admonition to love and honor our authorities.
Then we see the honor given to husbands and wives. Following the instructions to the wives, 1 Peter 3 states:
“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so that your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)
Peter continues, encouraging unity among believers:
“Finally, all of you should be of one mind, sympathize with each other, love each other as brothers and sisters, be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
He emphasizes the importance of righteous living:
“For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good; search for peace and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.’” (1 Peter 3:10-12)
Here, Peter reiterates the concept of honoring your wife, warning that failure to do so may hinder your prayers. This is a clear message: honor your spouse, act righteously, or God will not listen.
Peter’s message echoes James's teachings, affirming the importance of living a biblically grounded life. As we analyze these Scriptures, we recognize that some truths carry over into our time, while others are context-specific. It is vital to note that, contrary to consumer Christianity, there are times when God may not be listening. The Word of God teaches that our behavior can hinder our prayers, a theme illustrated throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the experiences of Judah and Israel, who faced consequences for their lack of faithfulness and righteousness.
Isaiah 1:15 states, “When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look; though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.”
Similarly, Isaiah 59:1-2 declares, “Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear your call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
In Jeremiah 11:14, God instructs, “Pray no more for these people. Do not weep for them or pray for them, for I will not listen when they cry out to me in distress.”
These verses illustrate a context where God’s people faced the consequences of their actions. As Peter noted in the New Testament, using Psalm 34:12-16, these principles are general truths about how God responds to sin and disobedience. Simply put, if we are not praying in faith and righteousness, God is not listening.
This concept is reiterated by Jesus, particularly surrounding a verse that is often taken out of context. In John 14:13, He states:
“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
If we stop reading here, which many do, we risk misunderstanding Jesus’s intent, potentially leading us toward a prosperity gospel mindset. However, consider the implications of the verse: Would Jesus give harmful things to His followers? For instance, would He give alcohol to an alcoholic, drugs to an addict, or more worldly possessions to a greedy person?
To clarify, we must continue reading. In John 14:15, Jesus emphasizes:
John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
Note the formula there: If you love me, obey my commandments – and [then] I will ask the Father …” He then explains that He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in truth:
“He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him, but you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17)
Jesus reassures His disciples:
“No, I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you soon.” (John 14:18)
He states that those who love Him are the ones who obey Him, and because of their love, the Father will love them. He will reveal Himself to those who are obedient:
“Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. Remember, my words are not my own. What I’m telling you is from the Father who sent me.” (John 14:24)
This passage reiterates the importance of obedience. Jesus is preparing a home for those who are obedient to Him; those who obey will receive, while those who do not will not. This straightforward message, contrary to consumer Christianity, aligns precisely with Jesus’s teachings.
So, how do we pray?
I previously mentioned Paul's approach to prayer. In Ephesians, we gain insight into how he prays, even though it's not always in real time or in a public setting. His written prayers provide a model for our private prayer lives. The context of Ephesians centers on unity—specifically, unity between Jews and Gentiles. This message resonates deeply in our culture today, which often grapples with racism and division. There should be no division in the church.
Paul begins the letter by giving thanks to God, saying:
“Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I’ve never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly.” (Ephesians 1:15-16)
Here, we see Paul’s constant prayer for the church, similar to his exhortation in 1 Thessalonians. He asks God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant spiritual wisdom and insight so that they may grow in their knowledge of God.
Then we encounter Paul’s first prayer in Ephesians:
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people, who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in him.” (Ephesians 1:18-19)
Paul prays for the eyes of their hearts to be opened, emphasizing the importance of understanding this hope and knowledge.
As we move to chapter two, a theme of oneness in the body of Christ emerges. Paul reminds them that they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In chapter three, he reflects:
“When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles…” (Ephesians 3:1)
He pauses to discuss his role as a Jewish person who has been used to promote unity among Jews and Gentiles. Continuing, Paul states:
“When I think of this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources, he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:14-16)
He prays that Christ will dwell in their hearts, that their roots may grow down into God’s love, and that they may have the power to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep His love is. Paul emphasizes:
“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand, then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
He concludes this prayer with a doxology:
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Here, like in Luke, the focus is on empowerment through the Holy Spirit. Chapter four elaborates on unity, gifts, and edification, and in chapter five, it continues with more on unity, living by the Spirit's power, and relationships. This theme extends into chapter six, where Paul discusses children, employers, employees, and the armor of God.
He instructs:
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)
Paul asks for prayer for himself as well, saying:
“Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the good news is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Notice that he does not ask anyone to pray for his release from prison. Instead, he seeks prayer to be an effective instrument of the gospel, regardless of his circumstances. This aligns with what we've seen in Philippians—Paul is not praying for trivial things or personal convenience. His focus is entirely on the gospel and the empowerment through the Holy Spirit that enables us to be slaves of Christ.
This is how we pray. We should engage in constant communion with God. Effective prayer means being in fellowship and relationship with Him. This brings together many of the points we’ve discussed regarding the church. We must pray in God’s will, not our own.
In John 17, we see Jesus praying for His disciples. After discussing the Holy Spirit, His impending death, and His return to the Father, Jesus turns to prayer.
John 17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Again, Jesus reiterates that we do not belong to the world; we are citizens of heaven, looking forward to the home He has prepared for us. While we wait in joyful anticipation, we have the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through all our trials and afflictions—be they personal, physical, or financial. This truth offers us immense encouragement.
Additionally, Jesus prays for us, interceding on our behalf:
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” (John. 17:20-21)
As we close this section, let’s pray the way Jesus taught us to:
Matthew 6: 9 “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,10 your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV)
©️ Copyright 2024 Gene SimcoMost Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.Scriptures in brackets reflect the original Biblical languages.
In the last section, we talked about food, specifically about breaking bread. This week, we're going to shift focus and talk about prayer. It reminded me of a story—a story about a Sunday school teacher who asked a little boy: “Johnny, tell me the truth. Do you say your prayers before you eat?” Johnny replied, “I don’t have to. My mom is a good cook.”
We find ourselves continuing to look at the early church in Acts. We’ve seen that they focused on four main things. Acts 2:42 says they were dedicated to the apostles' teaching—that is, learning the Word of God—fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. This week, we’re going to focus on prayer.
What is prayer? Prayer is, simply put, a conversation between you and God. What’s interesting to note is that it’s not all about us constantly asking for things. It’s about listening. Good conversation is a two-way street.
It’s about being in constant communion with God. Think of it like self-talk. Many of us may not like to admit this, but if we’re being honest, we talk to ourselves. Now, once we are baptized in Christ, we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that internal conversation shifts. It becomes a dialogue between us and the Holy Spirit. In this way, we are in constant communion with God. First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.”
Prayer, regardless of belief, is something many people engage in—even non-Christians. But it’s important to identify who we are praying to. If we look to both the Old and New Testaments, we see who we are commanded to pray to.
In Psalms 5:2, it says, “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You.” And 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “There is one God and one mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man, Christ Jesus.”
So, praying to the dead, the universe or some vague force is nothing more than a product of someone's imagination or self-talk. It is not biblical or of God. If we go back to the first chapter of this series—“Is There a God?”—we talked about identifying who God is. We saw that Jesus is God in that chapter. Now, as Christians, it seems we need to reset our understanding of prayer. We have to ask ourselves the question: Are we doing it wrong?
So let’s turn to the Bible, the Word of God, to see what it says about prayer.
When you look to the Bible for guidance on prayer, it can seem a bit confusing at first because the Old and New Testaments reflect very different kinds of prayer. In the last chapter, we talked about the new covenant. For example, the old covenant in the Old Testament contains practices that we wouldn’t follow today—like commands to stone someone to death. There was a death penalty for acts such as adultery.
Now, if that happened in our society, we wouldn’t put anyone to death for committing adultery, and we certainly wouldn’t do so in the church. Take, for instance, Jesus’ response in John 8, where He is confronted with a woman caught in adultery. According to the law, she should have been stoned to death, but Jesus famously says, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” We see a major shift here in how the new covenant approaches such situations.
The Old Testament contains only a few examples of individuals praying for their enemies. This concept becomes much more prominent in the New Testament, where Jesus explicitly teaches, “Pray for those who persecute you.” However, even in the Old Testament, we do find instances of forgiveness, intercession, and requests for mercy on behalf of those who wronged others. While direct prayers for enemies are rare, examples of mercy and intercession do exist.
For instance, Moses intercedes for the Israelites on several occasions. In Exodus 32:9–14, he pleads with God on their behalf after the incident of the golden calf. Later, in Numbers 12:1–3, we see Moses praying for Miriam and Aaron after they had spoken against him. Job prays for his friends in Job 42:7–10 after they had wronged him with their misguided counsel. Abraham prays for Abimelech in Genesis 20:7 and 17, after deceiving him by claiming that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife (though she was his half-sister).
David, while not offering explicit prayers for Saul, shows mercy toward him on multiple occasions, particularly when Saul was seeking to kill him. And Elisha prays for the Syrian army in 2 Kings 6:18–23, asking God to open their eyes rather than seeking their destruction – but he was the one who prayed for them to be blind in the first place.
When it comes to the Psalms, we don’t find many examples of David praying for his enemies in the way Jesus commands. I searched the Psalms trying to find prayers for enemies, but it’s difficult. Often, the Psalms reflect a mixture of calling for protection, judgment, or mercy, but not always the kind of prayer Jesus calls us to. I stumbled upon Psalm 109:4, thinking I had found one. It says, “I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations, even as I am praying for them.” But upon further examination, I found that in the original language, it’s more like “In return for my love, they accuse me, though I have pleaded for innocence.” So the plea is not for the enemies—it’s for David himself.
Most of the time, Old Testament prayers focus on protection, deliverance from enemies, and sometimes mercy or forgiveness, but they often lean toward asking for vengeance. For example, in Psalm 35, David reflects on how he mourned and fasted for his enemies when they were sick, showing a heart of compassion. Psalm 79 is a plea for God to save His people in the midst of suffering – but then (Asaph) prays for vengeance against his enemies!
While the Old Testament does contain examples of individuals praying for mercy on those who have wronged them, most prayers tend to focus on justice and protection. But we must remember the size of the Old Testament—it’s much larger than the New Testament, with 39 books compared to 27. And despite its length, we find relatively few examples of prayers for enemies, whereas in the New Testament, Jesus makes it clear that we are to pray for our enemies consistently.
Here’s an example of that contrast. In the Old Testament, we see King Joash repay Jehoiada, the priest who saved him, by killing his son. After Jehoiada's death, Zechariah, the priest, took over.
The leaders of Judah came, bowed before King Joash, and persuaded him to follow their advice. Joash decided to abandon the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and instead, they worshiped Asherah poles and various idols. Because of this sin, divine anger fell on the kingdom of Judah. Yet, the Lord, in His mercy, sent prophets to bring them back, but Joash still wouldn’t listen.
2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” 21 Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. 22 That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!”
Now, if we look to the New Testament for a similar example of someone being stoned to death, we see the story of Stephen. Stephen, one of the deacons chosen to serve, was also filled with the Spirit and known as a powerful speaker. In his final sermon, he gives a summary of the Old Testament and accuses the Jewish leaders of denying Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This accusation insulted the leaders, and they reacted with fury, shaking their fists at him.
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. He told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” At this, they covered their ears, began shouting, and rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him to death.
His accusers laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul—who would later become Paul, marking a significant moment before his conversion. Acts 7:59 says this:
Acts 7:59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
So you see, in both instances where an individual is stoned to death in the Old Testament, the prayer is essentially, "May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death." However, in Acts, the Christian response, after Jesus flips the script, is, "Lord, don’t charge them with this sin," and with that, he died.
We need to define imprecatory prayer. To implicate means to invoke evil upon or curse one’s enemies. King David, the psalmist, is most associated with these prayers, such as Psalm 59, Psalm 69, and Psalm 109, which often include phrases like, "May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them," as seen in Psalm 35. Another striking example is, "Oh God, break their teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions" (Psalm 58).
Psalms 7, 35, 58, 69, 109, and 139 were written by David to ask God to bring judgment upon his enemies. You also find other Psalms, like 79 and 37, written by Asaph and an unknown psalmist, who similarly sought judgment against their foes.
But Jesus instructed us to pray for our enemies. Many don’t realize that Jesus has brought us a new covenant and a new understanding of prayer. The best commentary on the Old Testament is the New Testament; we are under a new covenant.
Today, we want to look at the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters five through seven. This is the greatest sermon of all time. It is crucial, as we have seen in the past, to read this sermon in its entirety. Stopping at a certain point, for example, at the end of chapter five, is akin to walking out on Jesus's sermon—it is not a good thing. We must read all the way to the end. You will see that Jesus constantly clarifies points, as in Matthew 5, where he states, "You are the light of the world." Some interpret this to mean they should showcase their good deeds; however, he greatly clarifies this in chapter six, emphasizing that we should not seek to be seen.
It’s important to grasp the clarification from one chapter to the next regarding what Jesus is conveying. He is preaching to a Jewish audience, and you can sense that he is intentionally flipping the script. He knows he is saying things that will surprise them.
For instance, in Matthew 5:11, Jesus states, "God blesses you when people mock and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers." Be happy about it. Be very glad, for a great reward awaits you in Heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
Then, he continues with a disclaimer, reminding us that he has fulfilled the law. In Matthew 5:17, he says, "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” The New Living Translation renders it rightly because Jesus achieved its purpose through His death on the cross. What was the purpose of the Law of Moses then? Romans 3 and Galatians 3 tell us:
Galatians 3:19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised.
In this sermon, Jesus is speaking to a Jewish audience, and the law is still in full effect. Some twist this and deny Jesus's fulfillment and flipping of the script, but those individuals really need to keep reading. If they did, they would see how Jesus clearly points to a flip of the script or a change.
In Matthew 5:38, he says, "You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek." If we continue, we see that in Matthew 5:43, he states, "You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Here, he is referencing specific laws that existed in the Law of Moses. He says, "But I say to you," creating a pattern that repeats throughout his teaching. If you remember, in the past, we talked about the heart of stone versus the heart of flesh when we addressed the Ten Commandments. The law was written on stone tablets, but now he gives us a loving heart of flesh. We are now controlled by the Holy Spirit, who brings us forgiveness.
Again, he states, "You have heard the law that says, ‘Hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love them and pray for them." Then, in chapter six, if we take the time to turn the page, Jesus teaches us how to pray. We can use Matthew 6 as a guideline, a model for prayer.
There is a pattern applied to giving and fasting as well. First, regarding giving, he says, "Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose your reward in heaven." This pattern applies to each aspect. You will lose your reward in heaven if you are showing off; this is not a good thing.
When he addresses prayer in Matthew 6:5, he says, "When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get." But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
He emphasizes that we should not pray to be seen. Interestingly, when we look at prayers in the New Testament compared to the Old Testament, there are many public prayers from Solomon to David. However, you don’t see the same kind of grandiose prayers when you get to Acts and examine the sermons of Peter, Paul, or Stephen. Aside from that brief request to forgive his enemies, grand public prayers are notably absent in the New Testament.
What does this mean? It likely suggests that, while it’s acceptable to pray in public, the apostles took Jesus's command seriously: "Don’t pray to show off; otherwise, you will lose your reward in heaven." This is something we should consider in the church as well. Should our prayers be for show? Should we pray in lofty ways all the time? It would be wise to proceed with caution, just as they did.
In church, we have sometimes seen people manipulate prayer to push their own agendas. It would be nearly impossible to stop someone from praying in church. Some individuals recognize this, and I have witnessed people praying to refute a pastor's sermon. Worship leaders have stood up, disagreed with the pastor’s message, and begun praying, subtly undermining what was said. If they believe they are talking to God or that it is coming from God, who is going to stop them?
I have seen people pray to advance their own agendas within the church, even to disagree with others without hesitation. There is a tendency for manipulative prayer to emerge in church settings. We must be careful about how we use prayer and how we present it before others.
Perhaps you’ve heard this in church: nonsensical prayers that seem to go on and on. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:7, "When you pray, don’t babble on and on like the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered by merely repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need, even before you ask Him."
Do you see that point reiterated? God knows what you need. Yet, regardless of this stern warning, how many babbling prayers do we encounter in church? Do we witness people going on and on in prayer, heedless of Jesus's warning? Yes, we often do.
Then we reach Jesus's model for prayer. He does not merely tell us how not to pray; he instructs us on how to pray.
Matthew 6:9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.[Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,]10 May your Kingdom come soon.May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.[your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.]11 Give us today the food we need,[Give us today our daily bread.]12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.[12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.]13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.[13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’]
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
So, after shutting the door behind you and praying where Jesus says, we’re to pray in God’s will, not ours.
Now, we've looked at this in the past; you can refer to a message in the Twisted Scripture series: God is not a Genie in a Bottle, but in Christianity, you have the prosperity gospel. This is the name-it-and-claim-it gospel, which promotes the belief that you’re always to be healthy and wealthy. Well, that’s not at all what the Bible says. The Bible actually promises suffering as a Christian through persecution, and many faithful fathers of the Church were sick and poor. Paul, when writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, states that we should be content with what we have, if we have food and clothing. Remarkable. That’s the ideal. Jesus was a homeless wanderer. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor,” and then told us to focus on heavenly things. Paul prayed for Timothy, who was sick with frequent stomach illnesses. Paul never said that Timothy lacked faith or gave that as a reason. Instead, Paul said he had a thorn in his side and prayed, asking God to let it go. But because he was prideful—or perhaps could become prideful—God said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12).
So, what we need to do is ask for what we need in God’s will—no more. That’s what this daily bread is all about. So remember communion, as we talked about manna. Relying on God’s provision is what it’s all about; we’re only to ask for what we need.
In Luke, we get clarity about what we should be asking for. In Luke 11, we see kind of a shorter version of the Lord’s Prayer at a different time. Then we see persistence in prayer. But then Jesus clarifies:
Luke 11:11 “You fathers, if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not. So if you sinful people 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?”
So here we see that the Holy Spirit is what we need; that is what we should be asking for. Remember, Jesus is that daily bread.
We see that in the Lord’s Prayer: give us what we need – the Holy Spirit, we need no more than that. Then Jesus talks about temptation, delivering us from temptation.
Temptation from sin could include greed. On the topic of asking for things or praying with greed, we need to look to Colossians 3, starting at verse 2.
Colossians 3:2: “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking in you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of the world.
So we see here clearly that the Bible teaches us not to pray for greedy or worldly things. It’s sinful.
Now, if we go to the book of James, it echoes Jesus’s teachings. It’s kind of like a montage of Jesus’s teachings. If you go to that fellowship chapter, we saw this in Mr. Brawler, James 4:1: “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it, and when you do ask, you don’t get it, because your motives are all wrong. You only want what will give you pleasure.”
Now, if we go back to the beginning of James, we see this in James 1:5: “If you need wisdom, ask your generous God for it, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver. For a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world. They are unstable in everything they do.”
There’s a theme in the New Testament, and those of you who know the New Testament are very aware of this: the world is evil. The Bible tells us that the world is evil; Satan is the ruler of this world. We see this mixed in with pleasure; the things of the world aren’t exactly good—they're things that greedy people go after.
So if we pick up after Mr. Brawler, what’s causing the fights among you? Jealousy, greed. It says this in James 4:4: “You adulteresses, don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously, as the Scriptures say: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.”
Note that God opposes the proud. This is an important theme: again, the theme of the things of the world being opposed to God, and the things of God. Also, the devil can bless you too. He is the ruler of this world (see 2 Cor. 4:4). We can think of the temptations of Jesus. Jesus retorted with Scripture, but he didn’t deny that the devil could give him those things.
1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
When we pray, we have to think about who we are really praying to. Are these things really blessings when we get them, or are they distractions from the Word?
If we continue toward the end of James, we see this in James 5:13: “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. And when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain, and the earth began to yield crops.”
So we see here that God listens to the righteous, which is very interesting. The prayer of a righteous man will accomplish much.
Yet praying in sin and disobedience won’t be honored. Your prayers can be hindered. Remember what it said in Matthew 6? If you pray to be seen selfishly, babbling on, you will lose your reward.
So we see this theme, both in the New and Old Testaments. It’s not just Jesus warning about it; we see that behavior can affect our prayers and that they must be done in faith and in righteousness.
Again, in Jesus’ model for prayer, the command to forgive can determine whether our prayers are answered of not—that’s the real ending. If you don’t forgive and are praying without a lack of forgiveness, well, God won’t forgive you either. That kind of negates the whole point of prayer. It’s not the only place we see this; Jesus frequently gives this warning. We see this in Mark 11 and Matthew 18. Over and over, Jesus warns that if you don’t forgive your enemies, your Father won’t forgive you.
In 1 Peter, we see this. These are Christians who are suffering, and we see in context that 1 Peter 3 is talking about relationships, like, for example, between husbands and wives. Again, in the previous chapter, we see the admonition to love and honor our authorities.
Then we see the honor given to husbands and wives. Following the instructions to the wives, 1 Peter 3 states:
“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so that your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)
Peter continues, encouraging unity among believers:
“Finally, all of you should be of one mind, sympathize with each other, love each other as brothers and sisters, be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
He emphasizes the importance of righteous living:
“For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good; search for peace and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.’” (1 Peter 3:10-12)
Here, Peter reiterates the concept of honoring your wife, warning that failure to do so may hinder your prayers. This is a clear message: honor your spouse, act righteously, or God will not listen.
Peter’s message echoes James's teachings, affirming the importance of living a biblically grounded life. As we analyze these Scriptures, we recognize that some truths carry over into our time, while others are context-specific. It is vital to note that, contrary to consumer Christianity, there are times when God may not be listening. The Word of God teaches that our behavior can hinder our prayers, a theme illustrated throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the experiences of Judah and Israel, who faced consequences for their lack of faithfulness and righteousness.
Isaiah 1:15 states, “When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look; though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.”
Similarly, Isaiah 59:1-2 declares, “Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear your call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
In Jeremiah 11:14, God instructs, “Pray no more for these people. Do not weep for them or pray for them, for I will not listen when they cry out to me in distress.”
These verses illustrate a context where God’s people faced the consequences of their actions. As Peter noted in the New Testament, using Psalm 34:12-16, these principles are general truths about how God responds to sin and disobedience. Simply put, if we are not praying in faith and righteousness, God is not listening.
This concept is reiterated by Jesus, particularly surrounding a verse that is often taken out of context. In John 14:13, He states:
“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
If we stop reading here, which many do, we risk misunderstanding Jesus’s intent, potentially leading us toward a prosperity gospel mindset. However, consider the implications of the verse: Would Jesus give harmful things to His followers? For instance, would He give alcohol to an alcoholic, drugs to an addict, or more worldly possessions to a greedy person?
To clarify, we must continue reading. In John 14:15, Jesus emphasizes:
John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
Note the formula there: If you love me, obey my commandments – and [then] I will ask the Father …” He then explains that He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in truth:
“He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him, but you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17)
Jesus reassures His disciples:
“No, I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you soon.” (John 14:18)
He states that those who love Him are the ones who obey Him, and because of their love, the Father will love them. He will reveal Himself to those who are obedient:
“Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. Remember, my words are not my own. What I’m telling you is from the Father who sent me.” (John 14:24)
This passage reiterates the importance of obedience. Jesus is preparing a home for those who are obedient to Him; those who obey will receive, while those who do not will not. This straightforward message, contrary to consumer Christianity, aligns precisely with Jesus’s teachings.
So, how do we pray?
I previously mentioned Paul's approach to prayer. In Ephesians, we gain insight into how he prays, even though it's not always in real time or in a public setting. His written prayers provide a model for our private prayer lives. The context of Ephesians centers on unity—specifically, unity between Jews and Gentiles. This message resonates deeply in our culture today, which often grapples with racism and division. There should be no division in the church.
Paul begins the letter by giving thanks to God, saying:
“Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I’ve never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly.” (Ephesians 1:15-16)
Here, we see Paul’s constant prayer for the church, similar to his exhortation in 1 Thessalonians. He asks God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant spiritual wisdom and insight so that they may grow in their knowledge of God.
Then we encounter Paul’s first prayer in Ephesians:
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people, who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in him.” (Ephesians 1:18-19)
Paul prays for the eyes of their hearts to be opened, emphasizing the importance of understanding this hope and knowledge.
As we move to chapter two, a theme of oneness in the body of Christ emerges. Paul reminds them that they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In chapter three, he reflects:
“When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles…” (Ephesians 3:1)
He pauses to discuss his role as a Jewish person who has been used to promote unity among Jews and Gentiles. Continuing, Paul states:
“When I think of this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources, he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:14-16)
He prays that Christ will dwell in their hearts, that their roots may grow down into God’s love, and that they may have the power to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep His love is. Paul emphasizes:
“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand, then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
He concludes this prayer with a doxology:
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Here, like in Luke, the focus is on empowerment through the Holy Spirit. Chapter four elaborates on unity, gifts, and edification, and in chapter five, it continues with more on unity, living by the Spirit's power, and relationships. This theme extends into chapter six, where Paul discusses children, employers, employees, and the armor of God.
He instructs:
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)
Paul asks for prayer for himself as well, saying:
“Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the good news is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Notice that he does not ask anyone to pray for his release from prison. Instead, he seeks prayer to be an effective instrument of the gospel, regardless of his circumstances. This aligns with what we've seen in Philippians—Paul is not praying for trivial things or personal convenience. His focus is entirely on the gospel and the empowerment through the Holy Spirit that enables us to be slaves of Christ.
This is how we pray. We should engage in constant communion with God. Effective prayer means being in fellowship and relationship with Him. This brings together many of the points we’ve discussed regarding the church. We must pray in God’s will, not our own.
In John 17, we see Jesus praying for His disciples. After discussing the Holy Spirit, His impending death, and His return to the Father, Jesus turns to prayer.
John 17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Again, Jesus reiterates that we do not belong to the world; we are citizens of heaven, looking forward to the home He has prepared for us. While we wait in joyful anticipation, we have the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us through all our trials and afflictions—be they personal, physical, or financial. This truth offers us immense encouragement.
Additionally, Jesus prays for us, interceding on our behalf:
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” (John. 17:20-21)
As we close this section, let’s pray the way Jesus taught us to:
Matthew 6: 9 “This, then, is how you should pray:“‘Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,10 your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV)
©️ Copyright 2024 Gene SimcoMost Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.Scriptures in brackets reflect the original Biblical languages.