Prayer and Faith

 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  I want to share the following by E. M. Bounds concerning faith and prayer.  “Faith is not an abstract belief in the Word of God, nor a mere mental conviction, nor a simple agreement of the understanding and will.  Faith is an operation of God, a divine illumination, a holy energy implanted by the Word of God and the Spirit in the human soul.  It is a spiritual, divine principal that takes of the supernatural and makes it a thing capable of being understood by the faculties of time and sense.”  Faith enables us to see things afar off, to be persuaded of them, and to embrace them.  When we doubt fear enters into our hearts and soon we stop praying as we should because an answer has not arrived.  We need faith in our prayer life to live each day, one minute at a time, one hour at a time, one situation at a time.  I cannot neglect starting this study on prayer without the emphasis on faith.  Lord help us to practice prayer by our faith for that which you have for us each day.

Prayer/Faith/Waiting

 

When we practice faith in our praying often this faith is called upon to wait.   In John 11:1-46 the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is recorded.  “When he had heard therefore that he was sick(Lazarus), he(Christ) abode two days still in the same place where he was” (John. 11:6).   Without any known reason Christ delayed going to see his sick friend whom he loved.  Then he makes a statement that on the surface seems harsh and unloving, “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him” (John 11:15).  In some instances delay is an essential part of our prayer life.  Why did Christ delay going to see Lazarus?  “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone…And when he had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth” (John 11:39,43).  Without this delay resurrection power would not have been experienced.  Who among us today would desire to not experience such an occasion because we did not wait on the Lord to answer our prayers?  Our prayers are answered by the Lord but in accordance with His divine will for our life.

Prayer

This is the first in a long series of short daily Bible studies on the topic of prayer.  All those who read this site are encouraged to apply these lessons and join together as individuals that speak to God on a regular basis through prayer.

Prayer is essential from the very start of our spiritual walk and for guidance and strength to continue in this life.  A very basic definition found in many commentaries is, “a request to God in the name of Christ by the Spirit’s help.”  At the foundation of our prayer life must be found one practice and one practice only, that of faith.  “Therefore I say unto you, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24).  Our faith is under constant attack from Satan and these attacks require each of us by faith to pray for the Lord’s help.   “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 11:31).  It has been said that at the root of a fruitless Christian life is prayerlessness.  This topic is so vital that without it we will experience defeat and suffer from not praying on a regular basis each day.  The only way to keep our faith alive and operating for the glory of Christ is found in our prayer life.  My prayer in this series is that each of us will examine our prayer life and dedicate more time daily to praying.

The Word Perfect

 

The word perfect has four translations in the Bible.  Telaios the adjective includes the ideas of “full-growth, maturity, workability, soundness, and completeness.”  The verb teleioo is the process of bringing the person or thing to any of these conditions.  When applied to a Christian it is a person that is spiritually mature, complete, well rounded in Christian character (Mt. 5:48, Lk. 1:45, I Cor. 2:6).  The word katartizo means, “to repair, to restore to a former good condition, to fit out, to equip”(Eph. 4:11,12).  Akribes, meaning “exactly, accurately, diligently,” is translated by the word perfect in Acts 18:26, 23:15, 20, 24:22. In contrasting the words we could say, “teleios refers to Christian experience, katartizo to Christian service, teleios to maturity and completeness of Christian character, katartizo to equipment for service.”   “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement” (I Cor. 1:10).

The Word Access

 

What is the meaning of the word “access” in the Bible?  “By whom also we have access (prosagoge) by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).  It is a Greek word made up of the verb ago meaning “to go”, and the preposition pros which means “toward, facing.”  It is a picture of the approach of a ship to a haven or harbor where it could land.  From this word God has given us a picture of our souls having a permanent haven in Him.   The word prosago, the base of the word “access” means in the intransitive use, “approach, a drawing near.”  The word mean’s “to bring into the presence of” thus to present, to introduce.”  It is Christ that brings believing sinners into the presents of a Holy God and introduces them to Him.  The verb prosago in I Peter 3:18 in translation could read, “that He might provide for you an entrée into the presence of God.”  This is all made possible by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary as He brings all that will accept Him as personal savior into the unlimited favor and infinite grace of God.

The Word Quicken

 

The word quicken in scripture has two meanings.  It is not the act of energizing something or someone that is already alive.  “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).  The Greek word zoopoieo is made up of zoe, which refers to the life principal in contradistinction to bios which means “to make.”    Energo means “to be operative, to be at work, to put forth power.”  It is the ability of individuals to accomplish certain things that come from the source of the power that energizes.  It is God that energizes the saved (Phil 2:13) and demonic powers that energize the unsaved (Eph. 2:2).   It is God through the working of the Holy Spirit and Word of God that quickens each individual who surrenders their life daily for His service.  It is never by our power or might but by His working within us when we allow this quickening to take place.  This is not something we do in our energy or efforts but that which takes place when we yield ourselves to God (Rom. 12:1-2).  It is God putting forth His power through us.