Prayer review, Part 4: introduction; John 15:16

Title: Prayer review, Part 4: introduction; John 15:16.

 

j. What legitimate and illegitimate prayer?

 

Prayer for spiritual enlightenment [photizo], EPH 1:18… that you may know 1) hope of His calling, 2) riches of inheritance, 3) incredible power.

 

Prayer for deep insight into the mystery doctrine, EPH 3:14… that 1) He would strengthen the new man, 2) Christ at home in your heart, 3) Comprehend the plan of God, 4) Know the love of Christ, 5) attain SM.

 

Prayer for communicators, EPH 6:19… that 1) no distractions to communication, 2) they may speak with boldness.

 

Prayer for a believer’s love to abound more and more in metabolized doctrine and discernment, Phil 1:9... that 1) value God’s virtues, 2) be genuine in truth, 3) separate from evil, 4) produce divine good.

 

This is not a prayer for someone to have agape love, that would be impossible with prayer, yet:

 

This is a prayer for the one who has agape love, for it to excel more in metabolized doctrine and discernment.

 

In other words the prayer is for the believer to recognize that his love must always improve through doctrine and understanding of its uniqueness as a virtue.

 

Prayer for positive believers to further understand the richness of doctrine, COL 1:9… that 1) realize your election, 2) bear fruit, 3) inner strength, 4) give thanks, 5) receive inheritance.

 

Prayer for application of doctrine when afflicted, 2 Thess 1:11... that 1) realize your election, 2) produce divine good, 3) inner strength.

 

Prayer for missionaries and their protection from evil men, 2 Thess 3:1-2.

 

2 Thess 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;

 

2 Thess 3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.

 

Prayer for health and prosperity from positive volition, 3 John 2.

 

3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

 

God, as the Master of circumstances, can do all kinds of things that we wouldn't even think of to help the one prayed for to understand Paul's insight into the mystery of Christ.

 

The believer is not to pray for someone’s salvation, spiritual promotion, or spiritual maturity as if these things depend upon the request of a particular believer. These requests violate the free-will of believers and even worse, they make the requestor the author of the plan of God.

 

More of these to come. For now we return to our Lord’s example in Matt 6.

 

So, what do we pray for? We must go to the Scriptures for examples.

Matt 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you

 

Matt 6:5 "And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

 

Matt 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

 

Matt 6:7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

 

Matt 6:8 "Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him.

 

Matt 6:9a "Pray, then, in this way [not word for word, but in following this example]:

 

 “in this way:” - ou[twj[houtos] = in this manner. This doesn’t mean to use these exact words, but rather after this pattern.

 

Matt 6:9b 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

 

 “Hallowed” - aorist passive imperative of a`gia,zw[hagiazo] = to be sanctified or set apart as holy. Aorist points to the time that you pray and you set God apart in fellowship and concentration.

 

Matt 6:10 'Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

 

Verse 10 is the only part that we cannot pray for, and by means of the completion of the NT, we determine that.

 

This is an eschatological petition, meaning a request for the kingdom of Christ to be established. If Israel accepts her King then after the cross the Millennium will begin.

 

We cannot pray for the kingdom to come today since it cannot. Because of the rejection of Israel the Rapture must complete the church and then the Tribulation must complete and only then will Christ return to establish His kingdom.

 

Matt 6:11 'Give us this day our daily[this word is found nowhere else in Greek literature - most scholars believe it to mean “for tomorrow” instead of daily] bread.

 

Matt 6:11 Give us today for tomorrow’s bread. [corrected translation]