You Can’t Do With Out Prayer

Have you ever wondered why is there such an emphasis on prayer in the Scripture?

I see two unavoidable reasons for such instructions. The first reason is that man is basically a dependent being. Physically we depend heavily on the air that we breathe and the food we eat. No one could imagine living physical life without depending on them. Likewise we depend a lot on people around us. Imagine an individual in total isolation. What kind of dress is he going to wear? What kind of food is he going to eat? What kind of house is he going to live in if he was all alone in this world? People around us make our lives so easy and we all depend on the society that we live in.

This is not only true for our physical existence, but also for our mental well being. We need the moral support of people around us to make our lives happy. If there is no moral support from any one around, our lives will become all the more difficult.

Then we all know that man is not merely body and soul. Man has a spirit and that spirit in man craves for the Infinite Spirit who is God. Man can ultimately be satisfied only by totally depending on God for His spiritual survival. Without this dependence on God, man would be left alone and he would be a ‘cave-dweller’ spiritually. So for his spiritual well being, man ought to depend on God in prayer regularly.

Another clear and simple reason as to why men should pray is clearly spelt out in Scripture when it says, “Ask and you shall receive” (Mt.7:7); “…you have not, because you ask not…” (Jas.4:2). From these and other verses it is clear that God does not interfere in our lives without our asking for it as God has given us the right to choose Him or not.

Based on the Scripture we can categorically say that God does not, God will not, yes indeed, God cannot work in our lives without our prayer. That sentence may sound a little harsh; but I strongly believe that it is true. Can God save a person who does not want to repent and call upon His name in faith? No; it is not possible according to the Bible.

So prayer is a must if God must work in our lives.  Read more articles on prayer and experiences in prayer at www.mathewpaul.org

Striving In Prayer

Any one who knows God intimately spends long hours in His presence.  They cherish this experience.  They long for it.  A day in the presence of the Lord is better than a thousand else where.  They enjoy the fellowship with God.  They become spiritual heroes.  This is truly an enviable experience.

Only those who have had this kind of experience in prayer can ever hope to climb the ladder and reach the third level in prayer.  In the third level prayer becomes striving.  In Rom.15:31 Paul exhorts all believers to strive with him in prayer.

Every believer has battles in life.  But many forget that it is in prayer that these battles are fought and won.

Many want to avoid battles somehow.  They are cowards.  They do not see victory in life.  Victory is seen if only battles are fought.

Many fight their battles in the ability of their flesh.  They continue their Christian life without ever tasting victory.

What is this striving in prayer?  Let us look at the life of Jacob.  As he ran away from home, he was all alone and slept on the way side.  He had a dream there.   Almighty God gave Jacob promises that he would bless him.  That was Bethel.  There at Bethel God promised Jacob that He would bless him and bring him back to his place (Gen.28:10-22).  Years later, on his way back home, he was once again all alone at the bank of brook Jabok.  There he met with God face to face.  There he wrestled the whole night.  He had a grip on God and he would not let Him go unless He blessed him.  There his name was changed to Israel.  He now owned the promises which were given to him at Bethel.  That was his experience in Peniel (Gen.32:22-32).

The promises of Bethel were experienced in life only after Peniel.

Striving in prayer is claiming the promises which God has given to us in His Word.  “Lord, you have promised this, and unless you fulfill this promise, I will not let you go” is the prayer of a striving believer.  Thus striving in prayer is taking hold of God to fulfill His Word.  God loves a striving believer because He loves to fulfill His Word.

There are many promises in God’s Word.  These promises are for every believer.  But tragically very few believers only enjoy these in their lives.  As we wait in the presence of God, He gives us His promises through His Word (Jer.23:l8).  But if those promises must be fulfilled in our lives, we too need to have the experience of Peniel in our lives.    Many believers have been up to Bethel.  They know the promises of God.  But they have never been to Peniel.  They never had the experience of striving in prayer.  If those promises must be fulfilled, they need to be strived for.  There is no alternate way.

Unless God’s people strive in prayer, God’s promises will not be fulfilled (Rom.15:30-32).

Prayer As Fellowship With God

Many people think that  prayer is just asking and receiving from God.  The Bible teaches that prayer is much more than that.  Any one who knows prayer at that level, knows only the ABC of prayer.

Many who know prayer only at that level become discouraged very often because all their prayers are not always answered.  God has said clearly in His Word that prayers done in the will of God only can be expected to be answered.  God will never answer prayer against His word and against His nature.

The Bible clearly tells why God created man.  Man is presented in the Bible as the crown of God’s creation.  Man is created in God’s image and likeness (Gen.1:27).  He is created to take care of the created world and to rule over it.  Man is God’s representative on earth (Gen.1:28).  More than that, God wanted to have fellowship with man.  In the cool of the day man used to hear the noise of the feet of God walking in the Garden (Gen.3:8).  God enjoyed the company of man.  Man was created for fellowship with God which He enjoyed.

When man lost this privilege through sin, the Son of God took upon Himself the form of man that this fellowship can be restored.  To day God offers forgiveness to man free of cost based on Christ’s work on Calvary.  To day God is calling man back to fellowship with God through Christ (I Cor.1:9).  Now our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son (l Jn.1:3).

When is man able to enjoy this fellowship to which he is called?  Fellowship involves a lot of things.  But the foremost element in fellowship is being together.

Being together in the company of God is the way to enjoy fellowship with God.  This is what the Lord Jesus did while He was here on earth.  In Lk.6:12 we read that He went alone into a mountain and spent a whole night in prayer to God.  What was He asking God during that night of prayer? It was not merely an asking and receiving kind of prayer that He prayed that night.

The Lord Jesus, on the other hand, was enjoying fellowship with God the Father during that night.  He was kind of lost himself in the presence of the Father.  Imagine two friends meeting after the gap of a few years, spending time talking to one another.  They do not know how time flies.  They talk the whole night.  But if you ask them as to what they were talking about, they have nothing to say.  They did not talk philosophy or politics.  In the joy of meeting an intimate friend after a long time, each one is taken up and hours become minutes in the process.

Prayer in the second level is exactly this kind of an experience.  It is being lost in the presence of God.  It is cultivating intimacy with God.  It is enjoying fellowship with God.

Many believers do not even spend a single hour in God’s presence.  How can they think about a whole night in prayer? They do not know what they are missing.  Only a believer who has climbed up to reach this kind of prayer, is a grown up believer.  They who have this experience will sacrifice every thing else for this sublime experience.  If one is not able to forego a meal or a sleep for prayer, it means that one has not reached this level of prayer in life.

God wants, indeed He longs for the fellowship of His Children.  God has called us in Christ for that only.  If any believer does not have a habit of spending a whole day or night in the presence of God, a decision has to be made to this effect.  At least once in a month one must set apart a whole night in prayer.  If nights are far too impossible, spend a day alone in the presence of God.  You will see that your spiritual life is enriched and blessed.  You will grow spiritually.  The Lord will share His secrets with you.  You will begin to discern the will of God.  You will find fulfillment in your life and God’s name will be glorified in your life.  Through these words you are invited to this level of praye

Prayer Is Asking And Receiving From God

If you have never prayed before, try doing it now.  Concentrate your mind and call upon God through Christ.  God has promised that He would answer such a call.  Try this.  This is very practical.  Say to God,  “O God, I come to you through Christ Your Son.   I ask that you forgive me and make me your child”.   If  those words came out of your heart and not merely from your lips,  surely heaven will respond to your call.   I guarantee that a hot line will be created between you and God.

The very first and most important thing which God offers to man through Christ is forgiveness of sins.  Just for the asking in true repentance and faith, any one can get God’s forgiveness to day. God does this based on the work of Christ on Calvary’s cross. There the sinless Son of God paid the penalty of the sins of the whole world.  Millions around the world have experienced this forgiveness which is offered through Christ to day (Rom.3:22-27).  Here is the opportunity.  Do not ever miss this chance to become a child of God.  Do not miss this opportunity to get in to contact with God.  Do not miss this chance to enter into life in its fullest potential.

The Bible is guide to effective praying.  Any one who wants to continue in this relation ship with God, must read, understand and practice what the Bible teaches (Pro.28:8).   Some one who wants to have regular answers to prayer must be regular in the habits of reading, meditating and obeying the Word of God every day in every walk of life.

The Bible is like a letter sent to you by God in person.  If you want to send a reply to that letter, you need to read and understand it.  Many people do not know what to pray or how to pray, simply because they do not know what is written in the Bible. So in order to become effective in prayer, read, study, meditate, and practice the Bible daily.  As you eat your daily food to nourish your body, so to nourish your spirit take in God’s Word on a very regular basis.

One of the plain teachings of the Bible is that one needs to ask to get anything from God. “Ask and you shall receive”(Mt.7:7). “You have not…because you ask not”(Js.4:2).  The Bible has many promises pertaining to this life and about life to come.  But one can enjoy these promises in one’s life as one asks God to fulfill those promises.

Christians are supposed to believe in Christ.  They believe that He is the Son of God.  They believe that He died for the whole world and is a risen savior etc. But if we ask many of them whether they have eternal life, they are not very sure.  The Bible says that he who believes in the Son has eternal life.  Now, what is the problem?  The Bible says that their faith is dead faith (Js.2:l9).  Only when they call upon Him in faith, their faith will be able to save them.  The Bible says, “They that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom.10:13).  Thus faith and prayer are two sides of the same coin.  Just as prayer without faith is useless, faith without prayer is useless as well.  Thus some one’s prayer life is a reflection of the genuine faith one has.

The Bible says that salvation is a free gift from God (Eph.2:8).  But only those who ask for it in faith alone will receive it.  Likewise all God’s promises will remain promises, unless they are claimed by believing prayer.  Without believing prayer promises will never reach its fulfillment.

Prayer is asking and receiving from God.  Prayer is asking God to fulfill His promises.  Many in the world to day have experienced prayer at this level.  God of the Bible is a prayer answering God.  He delights to answer prayers promised in His revealed will which is the Bible.  Every praying believer knows it.  Praise be to His Holy Name

Prayer Is The Means Of Contact With God

Man has a body, a soul and a spirit.  I Thes. 5:23. With the body man relates himself to the physical world.  With the soul, man relates himself with the living world of creatures.  But with the spirit, man can relate himself to God who is the Ultimate Spirit (Jn.4:24).

In order to maintain his body, man has to breathe, eat and drink regularly.  No one can live with out these.  Every one has to do it moment by moment and day by day.  That is how God made man.

Same thing with the soul.  Mind is the organ of the soul.  In order to develop his soul, man has to train his mind day by day.  One goes to school and trains oneself to become a doctor or an advocate.  It takes years of regular and hard work to achieve this mental capability.  People need to train their minds before they can enjoy a novel or a poem or a game of cricket.  By regular training of mind man achieves such heights and man is able to enjoy life better in this way.

The one who trains up his mind enjoys life better than the one who failed to do so. Not only that, the one who trains the mind enjoys life at a higher level.   That is why some are able to forego a prepared chicken meal to watch a cricket match.  The one who only knows the taste of chicken cannot imagine what he or she is missing in cricket.  But the one who enjoys cricket enjoys life at two levels.

Human life is not over with chicken and cricket.  Man craves for something deeper.  He feels an emptiness within himself even after he enjoys the very best at these two levels of human existence.  The reason for this is that man has a higher level of existence than these two levels.  Man has a spirit.  The spirit of man is the God-element in man.  The spirit of man longs for the Eternal Spirit who is God.  Only when man’s spirit is able to get in touch with God who is Spirit, is man able to find fulfillment in his life.  He is then able to enjoy life at its best.  With Christ in life, man enjoys life much better than he enjoys it with just chicken and cricket!

The Bible says that through Christ, who is God in human form, any one to day can enter into contact with the Eternal Spirit.  As we approach God through Christ, prayer is the means of that contact.  By praying through Christ who is the mediator between man and God (l Tim.2:5) any one can get into a living contact with God.  In fact, such a person can become a child of God through Christ (Jn.l:12).  Thus man can enter into the fullness of his being.  Man can enjoy life at its very best.

Anyone who does not have this divine contact is living like the rest of the animal kingdom.  Such people know only two levels of their existence.  They are missing the very best that life can offer.  If the reader is one of those, you are invited to the third level of human existence through Christ.  Man without Christ is described in the Bible as one who is dead in spirit (Eph. 2:1).  It means that such a person is separated from God and thus living a life merely in the flesh.

Silence of God

Have you ever wondered about the silence of God? Did it bother you any time when God seemed to be absolutely silent and heaven was like an impenetrable brazen vault above the earth? How can we understand the silence of God?

The first thing to remember is that God is silent towards anyone who is silent towards Him. There are billions in the world today who have never had the privilege to know and experience God in their lives. God is Omnipotent and loving. But tragically they do not know Him. God is Omnipresent and also knows all the human plights. But He seems to be unconcerned. He seems to remain far from all human predicaments. When a tragedy occurs, people shout: “Where is God?”, “Is there a God out there?”, “If God is there, what is He doing?” The Bible tells us that God intervenes in human lives only when man calls upon Him. If a person ignores God, God will ignore him. If some one rejects Him, He will be rejected by God (Hos.4:6). If any one calls upon God, God will answer him. “God is near to all who call upon Him; who call upon Him in truth”(Ps. 145:18). “Ask and receive; ask not, receive not” is the Biblical conditioning (Mt.7:7; Js.4:2). God never forces His way into the life of any one. If any one reading these lines has not had an opportunity to know and experience God, may be that person has never called upon God in sincerity and in truth. Such a person is advised to pause for a minute kneel down and call upon God through Christ our Lord for pardon and for peace, and it will work like magic; a flow of God’s grace will flood into such a life bringing pardon and peace. These are available just for the asking. Avail it and give glory to God to whom alone belongs all glory and honour. Amen

PRAYERLESSNESS - Bible Insight

Did you know that prayerlessness is sin according to the Bible?  Read more in www.mathewpaul.org  and begin to pray.