“Only a life of prayer and meditation will render a vessel ready for the Master’s use” (George Muller). “Prayer is the distinctive mark of the Lord’s powerful servants. All of them, in spite of considerable differences, offer to us this common trait: They are men who pray much and who pray fervently” (Adolphe Monod). For some of us, sentences like these are encouraging and inspiring. Many of us also find them discouraging and disheartening. We understand the importance of prayer and admire those who devote themselves to it. Yet, we feel incompetent, ill-equipped, and even unable to pray. We wonder how to begin, and once begun, how to continue.
Whether we love to pray or are daunted by the thought, it is important we pray, and pray correctly. God commands us to pray (1 Thess. 5:17, Rom 12:12b, Co. 4:2a). He promises that He will use our prayers to sanctify us and to accomplish His foreordained will (WSC #88, James 5:13-16, 1 John 5:4-15). He also offers sober warnings against praying incorrectly (Is. 1:11-15, Luke 18:9-14). Clearly, it is necessary that we pray and that we pray in the way God prescribed.
Many books, blogs, and articles have been written on how to pray. Some encourage free-form prayer, others offer specific scripts. Some argue prayers are only valid if infused with unshakeable faith that we will get the thing asked. Still others argue that corporate prayer is the only valid form. The plethora of resources and opinions often leave us more confused and disheartened than without. How can we determine which teaching is correct? We go back to Scripture, from which we find three principles for prayer. Using these principles along with insight from church fathers, we can pray more confidently and joyfully.
Principle #1: Understand and Acknowledge Your Own Neediness
When we pray, it is important we begin in the right place. In a well-known parable on prayer, Jesus describes both the right and wrong starting points. Jesus describes how a Pharisee prays, recounting to God his good deeds and thanking God for his superiority over other men. Meanwhile, a tax collector, poignantly aware of his sinful state, beats his breast begging God to be merciful to him. Jesus concludes that it is the tax collector, not the Pharisee who is justified (Luke 18:9-14). What differentiated the prayers of these two men? The tax collector acknowledged his own neediness, and the Pharisee was blind to his need.
A prerequisite to prayer is acknowledging first our own need for forgiveness. When we repent and are saved, God gives us a new heart. Out of this regenerated heart flows a deep sense of our own sinfulness before a holy God, which drives us to consistent, thorough, and heartfelt repentance both for past and present sins (see Ps. 51:1-7, Ps. 6, 32, 38). In short, we see that “supplication for pardon, with humble and ingenuous confession of guilt, forms both the preparation and commencement of right prayer.”[1] When we come into prayer with such a mindset of repentance and confession, we come with a right understanding of ourselves and God. As Calvin writes: “he who comes into the presence of God to pray must divest himself of all vain-glorious thoughts, lay aside all idea of worth; in short, discard all self-confidence, humbly giving God the whole glory, lest by arrogating anything, however little to himself, any pride cause him to turn away his face.”[2]
The Bible teaches that we have nothing God does not give us. Coming to prayer with repentant hearts teaches us to see our utter dependence on God not only for forgiveness but for all our daily needs. Without this understanding, we are unlikely to pray at all—those who don’t think they need, don’t ask. We must feel our need. As Calvin writes: “in asking we must always truly feel our wants, and seriously considering that we need all the things which we ask, accompany the prayer with a sincere, nay, ardent desire of obtaining them.”[3] The persistent widow in Jesus’ parable knew her need and that the judge was the only one able to meet that need. So, she confidently and consistently brought her needs before him (Luke 18:1-8). In sum, a prerequisite to proper prayer is a deep sense of our need which drives us to cry out to God for mercy, help, and necessities. We are unlikely to do any of this if we do not first have a right understanding of the one to whom we cry.
Principle #2: Understand and acknowledge God’s character
A child who does not know his father, is not likely either to talk to him or ask much from him. He doesn’t ask because he doesn’t know whether the father is likely or able to give him what he asks. He doesn’t talk to him because he is a stranger. A son, however, who knows his father well and knows his father loves him deeply, will ask freely for whatever his heart desires, sure that even if his father says no, it is for his own good. Not only that, but he will simply share what is on his heart. Hence, Jesus teaches us to pray “Our Father, who art in heaven” (Matt. 6:9). In so doing, He is teaching us to both acknowledge our close familial connection with God, as well as his infinite superiority over us. Acknowledging the first teaches us to ask with child-like faith. Acknowledging the second, teaches us to ask with confidence that the one of whom we ask can give us what we ask. Therefore, Calvin can write: “that notwithstanding of our being thus abased and truly humbled, we should be animated to pray with the sure hope of succeeding.”[4]
Scripture reveals to us this understand of God. It shows us his character and how he acts out of that character. The more we study Scripture, the more we discover of who God is. This knowledge is animated and made more real through prayer. Therefore, proper prayers must be accompanied by and grounded in Scripture.
Principle #3: Pray from Scripture
When David pleaded with God, he did so based on who God had revealed Himself to be throughout Scripture. (e.g., “Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love” (Ps. 6:4)). The same holds true of Abraham, Moses, Hezekiah. Abraham pleaded with God to spare Nineveh based on his justice (Gen 18: 22-25). Moses, when begging God to spare Israel, reminded God of the glory due His name and of His covenant relationship with the Israelites (Ex. 32: 11-14). Hezekiah, in his time of trouble, asked God to help Him based on His character and witness to the whole earth (2 Kg. 19:15-20). These men all knew what God had revealed about Himself and appealed to what they knew in their prayers. They essentially repeated back to God what God had already told them about Himself.
When we pray like this, we can pray boldly. For we do not ask based on our merits or work, but on God’s character. It takes the focus off us and places it on God. It also frees us to use God’s own Word when we are at a loss for words.
It is well to know that we must approach prayer with an attitude of dependence, arm ourselves with an understanding of God through study of Scripture and use Scripture itself to pray. But how do these principles work themselves out practically?
Model for Prayer
Calvin, Luther, and Augustine all offer invaluable insight on prayer as well as practical tips for how to pray.[5] Much of what they say overlaps and I summarize it below, focusing especially on Luther’s teachings.[6] While none of what follows is the only right way to pray, it is a helpful and biblically based guide.
During our times of prayer (ideally both in the morning and evening), we ought to begin with a meditation on God’s Word. Simply, this means reading a passage or verse and asking of it, “what does this tell me about God, myself, the world?” Based on what we discovered, we thank and praise God. When we do this, we will very quickly see that we do not measure up to His standard. Therefore, we repent of our sins and failings in that area specifically. This naturally leads to a time of supplication, asking God to show us how to apply the truths we’ve discovered in His Word. Luther summarizes this approach well in describing how we can use it (after this first exercise) to pray through the Ten Commandments. “I divide each commandment into four parts, thereby fashioning a garland of four strands. That is, I think of each commandment as, first, instruction, which is really what it is intended to be, and consider what the Lord God demands of me so earnestly. Second, I turn it into a thanksgiving; third, a confession; and fourth, a prayer.”[7] We can apply this same model to the Lord’s Prayer, taking it as a whole or each petition individually. Such structured prayers prepare our hearts and minds to conclude with prayer for those things which more presently weigh on our mind.
Though the prayer strategy outlined above may seem extensive and time-consuming, it need not be. We can adapt it to fit our needs and abilities. Maybe our prayer muscles are weak, and we can only focus for ten minutes. We can start by praying through just a verse or two, one commandment and conclude with a few personal prayer requests. Perhaps, one day we only pray through the Lord’s Prayer. The details are adaptable. But the primary focus must remain the same: God and His Word. Following such a format enables us to keep our hearts and minds directed toward God.
A Final Note
While some religions teach that certain men have access to God, and therefore must intercede for us, the Bible teaches that we have but one intercessor, Jesus (Rom. 8:34). What comfort to know that Jesus not only delights in, but lives to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25). Furthermore, we are all imperfect prayers and sure to pray for the wrong things or wrongly. This should in no way discourage us from trying. For we have three very great assurances on our side. Jesus is our perfect and sympathizing High Priest, the Holy Spirit is constantly helping us in our prayers (even praying when we cannot), and the Father receives our prayers for Jesus’sake (Heb. 4:15-16, Rom. 8:26-27, 1 John 2:1). Therefore, dear Christian, let us pray. As a toddler who is learning to walk, our first steps may be faltering and we may often stumble, but we can be sure the Lord will aid us along the way.
[1]John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids, MI: WM. B. Eerdmans Press, 1997), III.10.9.
[2]Calvin, III.10.8.
[3]Ibid., III.10.6.
[4]Ibid., III.10.11.
[5]See Augustine’s Confessions, Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion , and Luther’s “A Simple Way to Pray.”
[6]I owe much to Timothy Keller’s synopsis of the teachings of these three men. See Timothy Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (New York: Penguin Books, 2014).
[7]Martin Luther, “A Simple Way to Pray,” https://wmpl.org/filed/resources/public/Literature/ASimpleWaytoPray.pdf
Who Am I? 