God’s Prayer Pattern - Lesson 1

God’s Prayer Pattern

The greatest question or debate of all time, is “Does God answer prayer? History is littered with claims that God answers prayer or God does not answer prayer. Both claimants of either theory submit empirical evidence in their favour. Those who claim that God, if He at all exist, does not answer prayer put across convincing arguments of their own life experiences. They point out instances when certain people cried out to God and got no answer, not even an acknowledgement that God had heard the prayer.

On the other hand, those who argue that God does answer prayer also put across convincing arguments of their own life experiences. They also point out instances when certain people cried out to God got irrefutable answers to their prayers were provided for all to see. Examples of people such as Daniel, Shadreck, Misheck and Abednego are often highlighted. Moses’ great prayer at the Red sea is often cited as one example when a very desperate nation cried to God and were granted incontrovertible deliverance.

Interestingly the Bible in fact says that God does answer prayer and also that He may not answer prayer. In the book of James, the Bible reads, “You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3. In this instance the Bible does admit that it is possible to pray and have no answer to that prayer. Contrariwise, in the book of John the same Bible reads, “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14. This then raises the question, what really is the secrete to answered prayer?

In Luke 11:1 and Matthew 6:9-13 the Bible reads, “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

The first thing we learn here is that it is very necessary to learn how to pray. Here we have the pioneers of the Christian church yearning to learn how to pray. These were great man of most powerful church who admitted that it was necessary to learn how to pray. The secret to answered prayer may lie in how one prays. Paul tells us in Romans 8:26-27 that, “…... the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.  And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” James also says in chapter 4:3, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” This alone is clear evidence that there is an unbroken link between answered prayer and knowing how to pray.

Jesus gives an example of two people who went to the same temple at the same time and prayed to the same God but only the one who knew how to pray retuned home with an answer yet the other returned with no answer at all. Learning how to pray is of great importance if we are to have answered prayers. The apostles were taught how to pray and we also must be taught the proper manner of praying so that we will not pray amiss. In my next post I will look at the question of how to pray correctly.