For us as children of God, prayer is of immense importance because in our prayer we practise in a special way fellowship with God, our heavenly Father. Prayer must have its imprint on and determine our daily life for in prayer we have "unbelievable" possibilities to fill our Christian walk with life.
As children of God who have received holy spirit as a gift at the time of the new birth, we have now available to us what had not been available since Adam and until the accomplishment of the work of redemption by Christ: We now can worship God in spirit and in truth!
John 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Here we see expressed what God is – God is Spirit. Those who want to worship God, must "worship him in spirit and in truth." Worship is certainly one of the most important things of all which God desires from man. This worship of God "in spirit and in truth" is now possible for all born again Christians.
I got the idea for this study a short time ago when I was explaining to a little girl something about water being the vital element for fish to live in. I had just begun to change the water in a small tank with two goldfish. I was telling her that we first needed to fill a small contained with enough water to put the two fish in while we were going to change the water in the tank because fish absolutely need water to be able to live. She had suggested to just put those two fish on the kitchen counter while we take the water out and clean the tank, and was quite surprised when I explained to her that fish cannot live like that and that they need to be in water. If we were to follow her suggestion, the two fish would be dead by the time we cleaned the tank and put some new water in it. They have a certain element in which they live – water! Water is absolutely vital, without it they could not survive for very long.
We, as human beings, absolutely need air with oxygen as our vital element to live. Without additional equipment, we would certainly not do very well over a longer period of time staying under water. We also have certain things we need in life in order to stay alive and which we are absolutely bound to. We need air, or after even a relatively short period of time nothing goes anymore. These considerations caused me to think about prayer in a similar way. Prayer is also, in a certain way, something like a vital element which we as children of God absolutely need. Without prayer to our heavenly Father we cannot get very far.
The gospels contain a number of records about Jesus Christ and how he prayed. He, the only begotten son of God, took the time to turn to God in prayer and to have fellowship with his Father. His life was characterized by prayer to God, and our lives should be the same.
In Romans 12 we learn something about prayer. We are taught about a very important aspect of praying.
Romans 12,12:
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
"Continuing instant in prayer" – continuing, persevering. Prayer demands perseverance. We do not pray once for ten seconds, and then forget about it for the next ten hours. We are to be continuing in prayer, not just once in a while throw up a short prayer to heaven when the water is climbing above our neck. Prayer is characterized by perseverance, by continuance and being instant in it, by a steady awareness and conviction in all situations that God is willing and able to hear our prayers. We should not allow ourselves to be distracted from praying. We are encouraged to continue in prayer to our heavenly Father.
In Colossians 4 we find more important information regarding being persevering in prayer.
Colossians 4:2-4:
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Verse 2 has the same encouragement we already read in Romans 12 as well: "Continue in prayer!" In both places the same Greek word proskartereo is used for "continue"; it means to "be devoted to, be engaged in, adhere to, persist in, hold fast to, persevere in".1. Prayer is a matter which we devote ourselves to with persistence, perseverance and in which we continue.
The second part of the verse describes this perseverance with the words "watch in the same with thanksgiving". We watch, we remain steadfast in that which we have brought before God in our prayer. We thank Him for that which He has promised and that He is willing and able to hear and answer our prayers and to supply all our need.
Besides the continuation in prayer there are some other terms used which also show us the more encompassing character of prayer.
Philippians 4:6:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
"In every thing" – this also fits very nicely with the picture of the vital element which we as children of God need in our life. We utilize prayer in all things. There is really no situation where we could not make our requests known unto God. Here, it is even emphasized that we can already make known our requests unto God with thanksgiving. We can already say, "Thank You!" ahead of time for all which God has promised to us in His Word and which we now can claim for us in our prayers.
A small passage in 1 Thessalonians 5 describes in a slightly different way how we can speak of prayer as a vital element of our life.
1 Thessalonians 5:16– 18:
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Here we read, "Pray without ceasing." This again describes perseverance, continuation and remaining in prayer. Of course, we cannot pray for 24 hours, or at least a longer period of time, without a break. A time will come where our physical body simply will quit and remind us of its limits, and we will need to grant it some sleep. While we sleep, we do not pray. "Pray without ceasing" therefore cannot mean a "continuous, uninterrupted, all the time" praying.
What this speaks of is prayer again and again as the opportunity and need is there. At a different place, Paul mentions that he prays for the believers each time he is reminded or thinks of them.2 Why not pray for someone and thank God for that person when we think of our bothers and sisters in the church? Such is definitely included in "praying without ceasing". Furthermore the perseverance is expressed, such as a widow had in a parable which Jesus taught when the widow did not stop praying until the result was achieved.3 We do not give up before the time, but we remain steadfast, pray without ceasing, are persevering in our prayers, watch with thanksgiving until the result is seen, until the prayer is heard.
For us as children of God what we read in the beginning from John 4 is now possible. We now can worship God in spirit and in truth. Romans 8 contains some great verses which make clear to us what type of relationship we now have with God and in which way we now can bring our prayers unto Him.
Romans 8:14 and 15:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; …
The spirit which we have received from God is not a "spirit of bondage", i.e. it is not a spirit which would make us to be slaves, so that we still would need to be afraid of and fear God. No — this spirit accomplishes something quite different!
Romans 8:15:
…but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
What we have received is "a spirit of adoption [spirit of sonship]". Also, the word for "but" indicates a stark contrast. The spirit which we have received from God is "a spirit of sonship" by which we become the sons or children of God. Our relationship to God is a relationship of children, or more accurately, that of sons who have full rights as sons and heirs in God's family.
Our prayer life is therefore characterized by the "Abba, Father!" We do not turn to God in an impersonal way as "great master and lord", but rather with a "Abba, Father!" Of course, we do not forget that our dear Father is the creator of the heavens and the earth, that he is the almighty God, that he stands above all creature as the creator. What characterizes our relationship with Him in such a special way is this wonderful truth that we now can call God with "Abba, Father!" and that we as His beloved children can now come to Him.
Galatians 4:4–7:
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
For us as children of God, prayer is of immense importance and has such great weight! Prayer is how we can keep fellowship with God in a very special way. In our prayer we approach Him, enter into His presence, stand before Him. We have by means of the holy spirit, by which we've become sons of God, now the possibility to come before our heavenly Father and to turn to Him with "Abba, Father!"
We now should live our lives as God's children. Such a more intimate prayer is a vital and integral part of our life. We approach God when we pray, we come close to Him, we enter into His throne room for we have free access to God and we are encouraged to bring the requests which we as His children may have to Him. This should characterize our life, this is our life!
There are many opportunities to pray throughout the course of a day. We can pray in the morning, at noon, in the evening, during the night. This too expresses perseverance in prayer and praying without ceasing.
Already during the times of the Old Testament we read of people who lifted up their voices in prayer to God at any time, whenever it was possible for them to do so. Several examples from the Book of Psalms show us how prayer was a vital element of all those who believe God. What they did persistently and without ceasing was to pray.
Psalm 5:3:
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
If God was to hear his voice in the morning, then he will need to lift up his voice in the morning. One of the times mentioned for prayers is the morning. Two more passages from Psalms show us the same truths.
Psalm 88:13:
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
Psalm 119:147:
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
The Psalmist was seeking God in the morning in his prayer, he turned early to God. It was among the first things of the morning. What an opportunity we have to start out the day together with God, to give thanks to Him, to seek counsel of Him, to ask for His protection and blessing in those things which will come our way during that day. Jesus Christ as well took time to pray early in the morning, even after an eventful day before.
Mark 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Jesus Christ used the quiet time of the early morning for prayer in order to seek fellowship with God and pray to Him. Jesus needed prayer as a vital element for his life as well, so that he was able to devote himself completely to what God had prepared for him to do.
But not only in the morning people have prayed; noon is a time of prayer as well as the example of Peter shows.
Acts 10:9
On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
The "sixth hour" of the day is noon time. When the sun is at its highest point, it is the sixth hour. Peter went up to the housetop for to pray. In biblical times there were certain hours of prayer observed when people took time to pray. Everything else stopped and attention was given to prayer. Here we see the apostle Peter as he went up to the housetop at about the sixth hour of the day for prayer.
Evening was a time of prayer as well, as we can see from a scripture in Psalm 4.
Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
The Psalmist directed his thoughts in the evening before he went to sleep to the LORD. He made an effort to think of and remember that the LORD had been gracious to him and had made him to dwell in safety .
In Psalm 55 we find another statement in which different times of the day are mentioned as times of prayer.
Psalm 55:16-17
As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
"Will I pray, and cry aloud" may sound a little unfamiliar, yet it does refer to his prayer. It was his earnest prayer, he did not just repeat something without thinking about it, but instead he turned to the LORD in his time of need and he poured out his heart before Him. He prayed in the evening, in the morning and at noon. Throughout the day he devoted various times to prayer.
The night was not excluded, as we can see from Psalm Psalm 42.
Psalm 42:8
Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
What a great verse of Scripture! During the daytime we let God command his lovingkindness, and in the night we will give thanks to Him, we will sing praises to Him and pray to Him.
In Psalm 119,55 prayer is not directly mentioned, but it speaks of remembering God.
Psalm 119:55
I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.
The night was a time of remembrance, of meditation, or prayer. Prayer is of course far more than talking to God all the time and filling his ears up with our talk, prayer is quite often more a hearing, listening. A conversation does not only consist of our own talking, it is necessary that we be quiet so we can hear something from the other one. Quite a great part of prayer should ne that we have opened our ears and that we find quietness to listen to what God has to say. In the morning, at noon, in the evening and in the night – this encompasses the whole day. Prayer does concern us at all times of the day.
In Luke 6 we can see how Jesus spent a whole night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12-13
And it came to pass in those days, that he [Jesus Christ] went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
The reason why Jesus Christ was seeking a quiet place and remained all night in prayer was a very important and difficult decision which he needed to make. From among the apostles, he needed to chose twelve and call them to be his apostles.
This is a great example that prayer is more than just talking. This is expressed here in a very special way because it was not so much a matter of telling God much but it was a matter of hearing what God wanted done. What would be the right decision? Who was to be chosen for the office of apostle? Jesus Christ took the whole night to pray.
Prayer is to us, who are now children of God, who have received holy spirit and who can therefore pray to God not only with our understanding but also with the spirit a vital element in our life. We, as children of God, can now come unto God and have fellowship with Him and have access into His presence. Prayer is for us so to say what the water is to the fish, what the air is to our natural life. We need prayer to God for our life. Without prayer we cannot really move forward much.
Someone once said, "You do not move forward any faster than how you move on your knees." The knees stand as a figure of speech for prayer. We will move as fast as we pray. We should think of these things and from that perspective take them to heart. That way we can have and receive in a greater way the great benefit in our lives – when we continue in prayer and are persevering in it as we read earlier in Romans, Colossians and Thessalonians. Our heavenly Father is ready, His ears are always open to us. He is ready to provide answers. But we must be ready to hear Him and to listen and to have fellowship with Him.
We want to make all our requests known before Him with thanksgiving. May our hearts be directed toward Him at all times and may we seek Him continuously in our prayer. He surely will care for us!
(1) Bauer, Walter, Gingrich, F. Wilbur, and Danker, Frederick W., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press) 1979.
(2) Cp. Philippians 1:3.
(3) Cp. Luke 18:1–8.