Reading: Questions About Prayer (Dr.

Roels)
Introduction
In the first lesson, we read many passages that teach us that:
(1) God invites us to pray
(2) God encourages us to pray
(3) God hears us when we pray
(4) God graciously answers us when we pray.
In this lesson we will see that God is ABLE to answer our prayers because He knows all things and
controls all things. If God were not truly in control of all things, there would be little reason for us to
pray. Why should we pray to someone who is not able to help us or answer us? And why should we
pray to someone who doesn't really know what is best for us? God not only knows what is best for us,
but He is constantly working out all things for our spiritual and eternal good (Romans 8:28).
But even though we know and believe all this, we might still have some important
questions about prayer. For example, we might ask: If God already knows everything
about us, why do we have to tell Him about our needs and concerns? Doesn't He already
know them? And if He truly has the whole world under His control, why do we have to ask
Him to help us? Won't He automatically help His children--whether they ask for His help or
not? And if He is a sovereign God who has a divine plan for the world, will He really change
that plan just because we pray?
In this lesson we will take a careful look at what the Bible says regarding these questions. We will also
look at what the Bible says about some other very practical questions as to when and where and how
we should pray.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT THE GOD TO WHOM WE PRAY?
The Bible makes it clear that God knows everything about every person and every thing that exists in
this world. He has not only created the world but He continues to uphold the world and all that is in it.
The Bible also teaches that God is able to do whatever He chooses to do or desires to do. There is no
person or power or spirit or force that can keep God from doing exactly what He wants to do. Further,
He is a sovereign God who has an eternal plan for this world and for everyone in it. Moment by
moment He controls all that takes place in the world so that His appointed purposes will ultimately be
fulfilled.

God's Creation and Control of the World Through His Son Jesus Christ
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
"For by him (Christ Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for
him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”Colossians 1:16-17
"[Christ Jesus is] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And (God) put all things under his
(Jesus') feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.”Ephesians 1:21-22
God's Knowledge of All Things
"And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to
whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13
"The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned
he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and
observes all their deeds.” Psalm 33:13-15
"O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are
acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it
altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4

God's Power to Do Whatever He Wills

"Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Psalm 115:3
"Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” Psalm
135:6
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

God's Plan for Individuals and for the World

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of
him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Ephesians 1:11
[Joseph said to his brothers]: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to
bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THESE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD

God has made these things known to us for our comfort and encouragement. Since He knows
everything about everyone, nothing can take Him by surprise. Since He has all power to do what He
chooses, nothing can keep Him from answering our prayers, and nothing will be able to prevent Him
from bringing His eternal plan to completion.
Because we know that God is gracious, loving, and just, we know that His plans for His
children will always be gracious and loving and just. We can pray to Him with the complete
confidence that nothing will take place in our lives or in the world which will be able to
undermine His plans and purposes for us.
This does not mean, of course, that we will always fully understand the ways of God. Many times we
won't. The apostle Paul acknowledged that, too. But Paul could still write with complete confidence
and assurance in Romans 8:28: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

ANSWERS TO OTHER QUESTIONS

Why should we tell God about our needs if He already knows them?
First, by bringing our needs and concerns to God in prayer, we recognize and acknowledge that He is
the source of every blessing we enjoy. We confess that nothing ultimately comes to us because we
earn it or deserve it. And we know that nothing happens by chance.
Every blessing we receive, every ability or talent we have, every pleasure we enjoy, and
even every breath we take is ours only because of the mercy and grace of God. When we
pray to God and tell Him our needs and ask for His blessing, we confess and acknowledge
that He is the ultimate source of every good thing. And we remind ourselves of that as
well!
Second, in His wisdom and providence, God has graciously determined to grant us many things simply
because we ask for them. He has also determined not to give us some things because we do not ask for
them! Or, in the words of a very familiar hymn,
"O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

God takes our prayers very seriously-so seriously that we sometimes may miss out on a blessing that
He is ready and willing to give us but we do not receive it simply because we neglect to pray!
In summary: When we humbly and sincerely bring our needs and desires and concerns to God in
prayer,
(1) we acknowledge that we are totally dependent on Him,
(2) we recognize that we receive all our blessings from Him, and
(3) we sincerely give all praise and honor to Him.

Is it true that we will not receive anything from God unless we ask for it?
No. Most of the blessings we receive from the Lord come without our asking for them. Each moment
that we are able to see or hear or speak is a blessing from the Lord. When our bodies function normally
and we are able to eat and drink and walk and talk and work and play--these are all blessings of the
Lord. However, we sometimes forget about that until these blessings are taken away from us or until
we see people who do not have them.
People who don't have a home in which to live may earnestly pray for shelter, while we who have a
pleasant home may take our home for granted. The same is true with the blessings of clean water,
good food, adequate clothing, and a multitude of other things we have enjoyed for so long that we just
assume they will always be there.
Do not neglect to give God thanks for the blessings you haven't even asked for!

Will God change His sovereign plans simply because we ask Him to?
There are several important things we must remember in this regard. First, we must believe that God is
sincere when He invites us to pray and when He promises to answer our prayers.
We do not have to figure out exactly how everything fits together in God's eternal plan before we can
pray sincerely.
We simply have to trust what He promises and obey what He commands. If God tells us that He will
answer our prayers, we can be confident that He will!
Second, both the Bible and history demonstrate over and over again that things do change when
people pray. God provides healing, rain, victory, wisdom, guidance, peace, protection, security, food
and so much more because people pray.
Third, we may be confident that God has answers to our questions even though we do not. He is an
eternal, infinite, all-knowing God. We are only finite creatures with very limited knowledge and
understanding.
Rather than being overly concerned about mysteries that we cannot fully understand, we can
rejoice in knowing that our Almighty God graciously makes room in His sovereign plan for our
humble and sincere prayers.
By His own intention and design, our prayers do make a significant difference in what happens in this
world. Because of that, we may continue to pray in the confidence and expectation that God will
definitely hear and answer us when we pray.
As we consider all these things, we may be comforted and encouraged by the words of Isaiah 55:8: "For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.”

How should we pray?

We should always pray humbly, honestly, and sincerely--whether we pray privately or in public. And we
should also always pray in the name of Jesus. [We will discuss this point at greater length later in the
course.]
When we pray we do not need to use special words or a special tone of voice. And we certainly should
not pray in a way that seeks to "impress” other people. When we pray, we are speaking to our Father
in heaven--not to anyone else. We may be praying for other people, but we are not praying to them.
Jesus said: "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and
pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to
you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and
pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And
when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be
heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you
ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8

Is our bodily posture important when we pray?

The Bible does not give us specific directions about what we should do with our bodies when we pray.
However, our physical actions often reflect the sincerity of our prayers and the attitude of our hearts.
Many people choose to close their eyes when they pray. This helps them focus more directly on God
and keeps them from being distracted by things around them. Others fold their hands for the same
reason. Folded or clasped hands also reflect an attitude of "asking” or beseeching God for His favor.
When we bow our heads or get on our knees before God in prayer, we express our humility and
unworthiness in His presence. We acknowledge that He is a holy, glorious, and awesome God
while we are simple, sinful, and finite creatures.
Some people may bow or kneel before God in prayer simply because of tradition. However, when we
bow before Him thoughtfully and sincerely, it is a very appropriate way to approach our great and
exalted God.
When we lie prostrate before the Lord in prayer, we demonstrate the intensity of our desires or the
greatness of our needs. People who lie with their face to the ground before the Lord in prayer usually
do so with the very deep feelings--feelings of unworthiness, repentance, sorrow, or need.
Lifting our hands in prayer helps us focus on our glorious and merciful Father as we reach out to
the One who is high and exalted and worthy of all our thanksgiving and praise.
What we do with our bodies when we pray may not be the most important dimension of our prayers.
However, those who are careless with their bodies when they pray, fumbling with their hands, roving
with their eyes, or slouching with their bodies, show disrespect for God and a lack of reverence,
sincerity, and humility before Him.

When should we pray?

At the time the Bible was written, there were specified times when God's people were expected to
come together for prayer. (See, for example, Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:30.) Hours were set aside for prayer
at the Temple both in the morning and later in the afternoon.
Most people also prayed at other times.
Some chose to pray by themselves in the morning.
"O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and
watch.” Psalm 5:3
Some set aside time at noon for prayer.
"The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the
housetop about the sixth hour to pray.” Acts 10:9
Some focused on praying in the evening.
"Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice!” Psalm 141:2
Some spent time each morning, afternoon and evening in prayer.
"Daniel . . . went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward
Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his
God, as he had done previously.” Daniel 6:10
Already in the Old Testament there were situations and times when people meditated or prayed
or cried out to the Lord day and night.
"I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with
my weeping.” Psalm 6:6
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water . . . when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:1, 6
The same situation was true in the New Testament.
 "We pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is
lacking in your faith.” 1 Thessalonians 3:10
"[Anna] did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and
day.” Luke 2:37
"She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on
God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.” 1 Timothy 5:5
Jesus Himself often prayed early in the morning and also, at times, throughout the night.
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a
desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
"In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to
God.” Luke 6:12

Where should we pray?

In Old Testament times and in the early years of the New Testament, the Temple in Jerusalem was
known as a "house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7 and Matthew 21:13). God specifically designated the Temple
as the central place where sacrifices were to be brought and where prayers were to be offered (1 Kings
8:29-30).
However, in both the Old and New Testaments, believers also prayed wherever they
happened to be. There were no limits whatsoever as to where people could pray. They
prayed in their homes, they prayed on the battlefield, they prayed in their fields, they
prayed along the way, they prayed on the rooftop, they prayed in their "closet,” they
prayed in prison . . . and they prayed whenever their hearts moved them to seek the Lord
or bring Him praise.

The people of Israel were surely encouraged by the words of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 4:7: "For
what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call
upon him?”
One of the special blessings we have as believers is that our God is ready and willing to
hear our prayers at any time, in any place, in any situation, about any subject, and under
any circumstances. Neither time nor place nor posture is ultimately of major significance.
The Lord is both willing and eager to hear the earnest and fervent prayer of every one who
earnestly and humbly seeks Him.

We may still have some lingering questions about the subject of prayer, but none of those questions
should ever keep us from coming into the glorious presence of our gracious God in sincere and humble
faith that He will hear and answer us when we pray.

Reading: Praying and Doing (Dr. Feddes)

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard. (Nehemiah 4:9)

Ever hear the story of the woman who got caught in a flood? Water was flowing all around Carol's
house and into it, so Carol raced upstairs. The water kept rising, so she climbed out onto the roof. Before
long the flood would sweep her away. Carol prayed: "Please, Lord, help me! I'm young. I've got a
family. It's too soon for me to die. Please, help me!”
Just then Carol saw a log floating toward her rooftop. Her neighbor was holding on to the log.
"Quick,” the neighbor gasped. "Grab this log, and I think we can make it.” But Carol said, "No, thanks.
I've prayed and asked God to rescue me, and I have faith that he will.” The neighbor and the log floated
past, and the water continued to rise.
A few minutes later, Carol heard the sound of a motor. She turned and saw a speedboat racing
toward her. The driver pulled up close and shouted, "Hurry and get in. You don't have much longer.” But
Carol smiled and said, "No, thanks. I've prayed and asked God to rescue me, and I have faith that he
will.” The speedboat driver shook his head and then sped off to see if he could help anyone else. The
water continued to rise.
A bit later a helicopter came along and hovered above Carol. Someone dangled a ladder down to
her. But Carol waved the copter away. "Don't worry about me,” she shouted. "I've prayed and asked God
to rescue me, and I have faith that he will.” The helicopter hovered for another minute, then flew away.
The water continued to rise.
Finally, Carol was swept away and drowned in the flood. She woke up in heaven, feeling puzzled.
She said to God, "Lord, this is a good place to be, and I don't want to complain, but why didn't you
answer my prayer? I felt so full of faith. I just knew you were going save me. So why didn't you?”
The Lord replied, "Carol, I sent a log. I sent a boat. I sent a helicopter. What else did you want?”

Both/And, Not Either/Or

Have you ever used prayer as an excuse to do nothing? Have you ever had the sense that it might
even show a lack of faith if you did more than just pray? Some people think that if you accept medical
treatment from a doctor, you're showing a lack of faith in God's power to heal. And even if you don't
believe that, even if you believe that prayer and action go together when it comes to physical health, you
might think that prayer alone should be enough when it comes to mental and emotional health.
I've talked with more than one person struggling with depression who thinks that prayer should be
all it takes to recover. They feel that if only they have enough faith in God, they should be able to stop
taking medication and forget about counseling. I've met alcoholics who say that if they pray and rely on
God to stay sober, they really shouldn't need a support group or any other kind of help.
Maybe you've heard people who say that if you seek help from a therapist or support group, you're
forgetting the sufficiency of Christ. Maybe you've been told that every mental or emotional issue is
actually a spiritual issue, and all it takes to get better is to get closer to God, pray harder, and have more
faith. Jesus should be enough. You shouldn't need anything else.
Here's a question. Should we take that approach to eating? In the Bible there are cases where people
were fed by miracles with almost no action on their part. So should we count on direct miracles and
nothing else to feed us? When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread,” should we sit down in front
of an empty table and wait for food to appear from thin air? Should we expect the food to rise from the
table to our mouth without us lifting a finger? Of course not. If we want food, we try to earn enough
money to buy it. We get groceries. We cook a meal and put it on the table. Then we use our hands to put
the food into our mouths. In all of this, we should count on God and thank him for each meal, but we
also take action to get the meal.
It's okay for a flood victim to pray and then jump into the first boat that comes along. It's okay for
someone who needs food to pray and then do what it takes to provide a meal. It's okay for a heart patient
to pray and then submit to bypass surgery. And it's okay for someone with mental and emotional
struggles to pray and then go to a professional therapist or support group. God sometimes liberates
people from illness or depression or addiction suddenly and miraculously in response to prayer, but more
often he answers prayer through ordinary means. Praying and doing belong together.
It's a big mistake to be all prayer and no action, and it's an even bigger mistake to be all action and
no prayer, to depend totally on human methods without turning to God at all. Some of you may be
praying much and doing too little, but probably more of you are doing much and praying too little--or
not all. You rely on your own efforts, and if you do need help, you rely only on the technology and
techniques of experts. God is just an afterthought. But praying belongs together with doing. It's not
either or but both/and. It's not either praying or doing, but both praying and doing.
The Bible says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe”
(Proverbs 18:10). That's what makes prayer so marvelous: we can run to God, and call on his strong
name, and find safety in him. Prayer is marvelous, but it's not an excuse to do nothing. In many
situations, even as we pray, we also need to take action, using our God-given common sense and the
God-given resources that are available to us.

Pray to God, Post a Guard

The Bible tells about Nehemiah. He became governor of God's people at a time when they were
returning to Jerusalem after many years in exile. As governor, Nehemiah faced an overwhelming task.
He had to rebuild the walls of a city that had been completely demolished. He had to build up the morale
of a people who had been completely demoralized. And he had to deal with enemies who wanted to ruin
everything.
So how did Nehemiah begin? With prayer! He appealed to God's power and love, he admitted his
own sins and the sins of his people, and then he asked God for forgiveness and help.
When Nehemiah finished his prayer, did he sit around doing nothing, waiting for something to
happen? No, Nehemiah swung into action. He used tact and diplomacy to get the approval and support
of the ruler of the Persian empire. He arranged for lumber and other materials. Then Nehemiah traveled
to the ruins of Jerusalem. He shared his plans and dreams for rebuilding the city with some leading
officials of the people and enlisted their support. Soon almost all the people were behind him and
supported him as their governor. Nehemiah then assigned different parts of the project to different
groups of people. If you read the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, you find all sorts of administrative
and practical details.
Nehemiah is proof that it's possible to be deeply spiritual and at the same time very practical, to be a
person of prayer and at the same time a skilled organizer, to depend on God and at the same time do
what needs doing.
One episode really brings this into sharp focus. Nehemiah's rebuilding project was starting to move
full steam ahead when it was threatened by some nasty enemies. These men tried to use propaganda and
nasty jokes to discourage the Israelite people and make them feel like giving up. So how did Nehemiah
respond? He prayed that God would deal with his opponents, and he had the people keep right on
working. The enemy got even more upset. They started plotting vandalism and violence. "But,” says
Nehemiah, "we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” (4:9). They
didn't just pray, and they didn't just arrange for tighter security. They did both. They prayed to
God and posted a guard.
Nehemiah encouraged his people to keep combining faith with action. He said, "Don't be afraid of
them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your
daughters, your wives and your homes” (4:14). In other words, pray in faith, knowing that everything
depends on God, and then fight as though everything depends on you.
What happened as a result? According to Nehemiah, "When our enemies heard that we were aware
of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work” (4:15).
Nehemiah planned hard and acted decisively, but he gave God the credit for frustrating the enemy and
moving the rebuilding project forward. Nehemiah knew very well that his own abilities, the improved
security measures, and the renewed courage of the people, were the means God was using to answer
prayer. He knew that praying and doing go together. Nehemiah was dealing with practical details of
politics and construction and security, and all the while he was praying.
We need to learn from Nehemiah. In almost any area of life, it's a big mistake to pit prayer against
action. Sometimes prayer without action is based on the notion that there's no connection between
normal processes and divine activity. According to this line of thinking, something isn't really a work of
God unless it is sudden, supernatural and miraculous.
But that's not what the Bible teaches. Scripture says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). God doesn't just work through the startling events we call
miracles. It's wonderful when he does, but that's not his only way of working, or even his usual way.
God is constantly active in the physical and the natural and the non-miraculous aspects of this world.
The whole earth is his, along with the things and people and inventions in it, and so we can look for
God's hand in the ordinary events and opportunities that come our way.
We often think of Jesus as a worker of miracles, and that's true. But Christ is also the one through
whom all things were made, the one in whom all things hold together. So an important part of depending
on Jesus is to make good use of the things around us, even as we pray and trust in Christ as their source.
There are some situations where we need to pray for nothing less than a miracle, but in a great many
situations, we should pray for God's help and blessing and then look for practical ways he's provided in
this world of his to make that blessing a reality. Nehemiah prayed and then posted a guard, and that's
often the way to do it. Pray for protection against crime; then keep your doors locked and be careful
where you go at night. Pray for help to do well in school; then do your homework and ask your teacher
for extra help if you need it. Pray for a new job; then get out there and look for one. Pray for a better
society; then look for a person that needs help and or a policy that needs changing. Pray for healing from
an illness; then find a good doctor. Pray to be free from alcoholism; then find a group that's actually
helping people stay sober. Pray to escape your depression; then find someone who knows how to help
depressed people. Pray for a better marriage; then find a good pastor or marriage counselor.
If you tend to pray a lot and believe in miracles, that's good. Now be sure to look for God in
everyday things and go to work making the most of every opportunity he sends you.

Why Pray at All?

At this point some of you may be thinking, "Okay, okay! It's obvious we need to do what's
necessary and use whatever help is available. That's just common sense. But what's the point in praying
about it? Why not just go ahead and take action, if that's what you're going to end up doing anyway?
Take better safety precautions, study harder, look for a job, go to a doctor, visit a therapist, do whatever
your situation demands--that's all perfectly sensible, but why pray? You can do any of those things
without praying at all. People do it all the time.”
Well, let's look at another story from the Bible, the story of King Asa. Asa reached a point in his life
where he decided to go with a practical approach instead of a prayerful one. Asa faced a serious political
problem, and he didn't pray. He just made a quick alliance to deal with the situation. Later Asa had a
serious health problem, and he didn't pray. He went straight to the doctor and didn't bother going to God
at all.
However, Asa wasn't always that way. He was a man with a genuine heart for God (1 Kings 15:14),
and for much of his life, he combined prayer and action in much the same way Nehemiah did. Earlier in
his career, Asa set in motion a plan to fortify the nation of Judah and strengthen its national defense. But
he didn't separate this action from his faith. Instead, Asa said, "The land is still ours because we have
sought the Lord our God; we sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” Asa saw that his
nation's military strength was just the human side of living under protection that ultimately came from
God.
Asa had an army of half a million men, well-equipped and brave. But then a vast army from the
south, even larger and better equipped than Asa's, came to invade Judah. It had the latest in chariots and
killing equipment. What did Asa do? The Bible says, "Then Asa called on the Lord his God and said,
'Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we
rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let
man prevail against you” (2 Chronicles 14:11). Then God helped Asa and his troops to fight so
effectively that they won a stunning victory despite the impossible odds.
A number of years later, though, Asa began to take a different approach. He faced a military
blockade by a country whose military wasn't nearly as overwhelming as the earlier threat. But this time
Asa just decided to do what seemed practical, without praying to God or asking what was right. He
decided to deal with the enemy by enlisting the support of a third country. According to the Bible, "Asa
then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord's temple and his own palace” and used it to
buy the support of one of the most vicious and corrupt kings in the region. This king promptly attacked
Asa's enemies, and the problem was eliminated.
Asa's plan worked--or did it? The blockade was over, and that had been his goal, but now Asa found
himself tangled up with a corrupt regime, and the Lord was no longer eager to bless him. God sent a
prophet to scold Asa for his foolishness. But instead of repenting, Asa got so angry that he threw the
prophet into prison and brutally oppressed other citizens of Judah who didn't support his policies.
Then "Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe,” says the Bible,
"even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians” (2 Chronicles
16:12). Ironically, the name Asa means "God heals,” but Asa wouldn't go to God for healing. He didn't
want to pray. He would deal with his disease as he thought best and get help from the doctors but not
from God. Two years later Asa was dead.
Now, let's ask again, "Why pray at all? Why not just go ahead and do what we think needs to be
done?” For one thing, we need to pray because sometimes we find that all our actions and resources are
not enough. Asa had a strong army, but when he faced an army that was even stronger, he prayed and
prayed. We tend to pray when we're desperate. There aren't many atheists in foxholes. As someone once
joked, there will be prayer in public schools as long as there are math tests. When nothing short of divine
intervention can save the day, it makes sense to pray.
But again, that's not the only reason to pray, or even the main reason. We've seen that even when
Asa wasn't in deep trouble, even when he was in his prime and his country was at its strongest, he gave
God the credit for the whole situation. He didn't think of God only when his situation was hopeless.
You see, prayer is much more than just another way to get what we want when nothing else will
work. Prayer isn't just a magic charm to improve our luck. Prayer is a relationship. Prayer is living each
moment, and facing each challenge, with a sense of God's presence. If it seems I have the resources to
handle a situation on my own, that's no reason to ignore God. "The earth is the Lord's and everything in
it.” I don't have a single resource that God hasn't given me, and I don't want to do anything unless Christ
is doing it with me and through me. I want all my actions to be prayerful actions, because I want
everything I do to flow out of my relationship with the Lord.
Prayer isn't just about getting a successful outcome--as important as that may be--but about being in
tune with God. Don't just pray, "Lord, give me what I want,” but, "Lord, show me what you want.” The
most important thing in any situation isn't how it turns out but whether God is with you in it.
When you don't pray and you just do things your way, you might succeed in achieving what you
want, but it turns sour. Asa's plan to buy his way into an alliance using money from God's temple
actually worked. But because Asa acted without praying first, because he did his own thing without
asking God, he ended up not doing God's will, and even his successes no longer had a sense of God's
blessing.
Has that ever happened to you? You make your own plans, you don't bother praying, and your plans
seem to work out just about the way you'd hoped. And yet it leaves a bad taste in your mouth--maybe
because you did something you shouldn't have done, or simply because your achievement feels empty
without God. When we pray before we take action, God helps us to sense what course of action is
pleasing to him, and what isn't. This helps us make better choices, and it helps us enjoy the fact that
we're taking each action and living each moment in God's presence.
When we stop praying and rely only on ourselves and on human methods, it's a sign that something
is amiss in our relationship to God. Why did Asa go to the doctors but not to God? Because he was
angry at God and at the way God's prophet had rebuked him. Asa didn't want to admit his sin, and that
kept him from praying even when his life depended on it. He was too proud to admit he'd been wrong,
and he was too proud to ask God's forgiveness and healing.
Don't make the same mistake. The longer you go on without admitting your sin, the harder it is to
pray. After a while, you just try to look out for yourself. When you need help, you turn to the experts,
but you stay away from God. You and God aren't getting along. My friend, if you think you can get
along just fine without praying, you've got a serious problem, and the only way to solve it is this: Turn
back to God. Ask his forgiveness for Jesus' sake. Then look to the Lord as your boss and helper, and
unite prayer with action in every part of your life.

Reading: Warrior Prayer

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind,
be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

Napoleon once said, "An army marches on its stomach.” He didn't mean that soldiers
always crawl on their bellies. He meant that troops need good meals in their stomachs in order
to march to victory. No matter how brilliant the generals, no matter how brave the soldiers, they
can't win battles if they are starving or freezing. Troops need food and other supplies.
Napoleon knew this, but a shortage of supplies still turned out to be his downfall. In 1812,
he invaded Russia with a huge army, larger than anyone had ever seen. As Napoleon
advanced, the Russians did little to stop him. Rather than fight a head-on battle, the Russians
kept retreating. As they retreated, they left nothing behind for the invading army to use as
supplies. The farther Napoleon advanced into Russia, the longer the supply lines became.
Small groups of Russians kept attacking the supply lines at various points.
Eventually the supply lines were so long and so unreliable that Napoleon's army faced
devastating shortages. There was a shortage of food, and many of the soldiers suffered from
lack of nourishment. There was a shortage of medical supplies and bandages, and many
perished from lack of proper treatment. There was a shortage of clothing and fuel for fires and
heating, and when the terrible Russian winter struck, many of Napoleon's men shivered and
died of hypothermia and cold-related diseases. For every man who died in battle, five died of
other causes, mostly due to shortages of supplies. Napoleon had to leave Russia, his army in
tatters.
In 1941, another dictator decided to invade Russia. Adolph Hitler had easily conquered
most of Europe already, and his army seemed unbeatable. Hitler invaded Russia with an army
even larger than Napoleon's had been--more than three million soldiers, with thousands of
tanks, artillery, and aircraft. Hitler's forces advanced swiftly, and the Russians retreated,
leaving little the Germans could use for food and supplies. The farther the German army
moved into Russia, the longer the supply lines became. Winter came. Russian snipers kept
attacking the German lines of supply and communication. Hitler's troops lacked food, fuel, and
winter clothing. Finally, after terrible losses on both sides, the Russian forces defeated the
weakened German troops and drove them back.
"An army marches on its stomach.” Military campaigns depend on supplies. That's true in
spiritual warfare as well: you need a constant flow of supplies. When you're fighting Satan, you
need to be strong, brave, and well equipped with God's armor and weapons, but you also need
nourishment to keep up your energy. You need good supply lines.

Supply Line
What's your spiritual supply line? What connects you with headquarters? Prayer. Prayer is
the line between you and God. It is through prayer that God supplies your daily needs. It is
through prayer that you get refreshed and reenergized for serving Jesus and battling Satan.
In Ephesians 6, the Bible calls God's people to combat and presents various pieces of
spiritual armor and weaponry. But it doesn't stop there. Ephesians 6:18 goes on to say, "And
pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be
alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Prayer is the way to get fresh supplies,
inner nourishment, and everything necessary for a soldier of Jesus to stay healthy and strong
in spirit.
When we pray, we are getting supplies from divine headquarters. God has no shortage of
resources to draw from. Earlier in Ephesians, the apostle Paul says that God "is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). There is no need too great
for God to meet, no prayer too big for God to answer. God never runs out of resources. The
Bible says, "God is able to make all grace to abound to you, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). If I suffer a
spiritual shortage, the problem is not that headquarters has no more supplies to send me. The
problem is that the supply lines are interrupted by failure of prayer.
Satan will do all he can to hinder your prayers. He doesn't have to defeat you in direct
combat if he can manage to starve your soul by cutting off any prayer connection with God.
Satan can use a method similar to what the Russians did against Napoleon. Russian fighters
were often busier interrupting the supply lines than trying to take on the main army. Likewise,
Satan may find it more effective not to confront you directly with a huge temptation or a terrible
tragedy. He may simply attack your supply line and keep you from prayer. If he succeeds in
doing that, your defeat will be only a matter of time.
Maybe you have no interest in prayer. In that case, you have no relationship with God, and
you're not in his army at all. You're not a soldier for Christ; you're in the realm controlled by
Satan. The devil already has you where he wants you, and if you never start praying, you'll
remain far from God and under Satan's domination. One of the first signs of salvation, one of
the first marks of spiritual life, is prayer, real communication with God. The apostle Paul was
once a murderer and an enemy of Jesus. When Jesus transformed Paul, the Lord sent another
Christian to help Paul. What did Jesus tell this person to indicate that Paul was a new person,
no longer enslaved by Satan? Jesus said, "Behold, he is praying” (Acts 9:11).
Spiritual life begins in prayer, and it is sustained through prayer. To be a Christian is to
have God's life in your inner being. The more the Holy Spirit fills you with life and power, the
more energy you have to defend yourself against Satan, march forward against him, and
rescue others from his wicked reign. Prayer nourishes and strengthens the Spirit-life within
you. This inner nourishment, this filling by the Holy Spirit, is not automatic. It comes in answer
to prayer. God is a loving Father, willing and able to keep filling your inner being with more and
more of his life, but this won't happen without prayer. To those who are suffering from spiritual
shortages, the Bible says, "You do not have, because you do not ask God” (James 4:2). Jesus
says, "Your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13).
Prayer is your supply line. It's the way to receive God's resources. You can't battle Satan if
your inner self is empty and starving. Wherever you go, whatever you do, maintain the supply
lines. "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians
6:18). "Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Prayer is the way spiritual warriors get supplies from heavenly headquarters. Racing into
new situations without prayer is like launching a military invasion without any supply lines. You
can try lots of things, pour your effort and energy into them, and end up feeling weak and
empty inside. This is true of any warrior who fails to pray, and it's especially true for leaders. If
you're a pastor, an elder, or a teacher, you may be very skilled and have some excellent ideas.
You may be like an elite soldier with superb training, the finest protection, the latest weaponry,
and the most brilliant strategy. But how many victories can you win if you're starving?
Without prayer, your inner being becomes emptier, weaker and more famished, and you
end up in defeat. Some church leaders fall into scandal. Others don't do anything awful; they
just quit the ministry in discouragement and despair. When do leaders become most vulnerable
to scandalous behavior? Often it's after they've poured their energy into all sorts of people and
projects without taking the time to renew their own souls through prayer and communion with
God. What causes some leaders to burn out, give up, and quit their calling? Often it's not a
lack of talent or training or accomplishment but because they neglect their own spirit for too
long and don't maintain their supply line with God's Holy Spirit. Long before Satan attacks with
a particular scandalous temptation or an overwhelming feeling of despair, he may first be busy
attacking supply lines, keeping you from connecting with God through prayer.
Keep the supply line open. "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions.” Stay in touch with God. Let
his Spirit nourish your spirit. Then you will be able to resist temptation and discouragement,
and you can help those around you. As the Bible says, "I can do all things through Him who
strengthens me... And my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NASB). When you have that kind of supply line, you can feast
on God's goodness and rejoice in him. This is the nourishment you need to stay strong against
Satan.

Line of Communication
Prayer is our supply line. It's also our line of communication. Communication is vital to any
relationship, and especially for our relationship with God. In prayer we converse with God as
our Father and Friend, but here I want to emphasize warrior prayer: communicating with the
Lord as our supreme commander.
A military force needs excellent communication and coordination in order to win battles.
Soldiers must know what their commanders want. Generals must know where attacks are
coming from, where reinforcements are needed, and how each unit is progressing. In spiritual
warfare, prayer is the way we stay in touch with headquarters and coordinate our own efforts
with the Lord's battle plan.
If you are a soldier for Jesus, he doesn't want you racing around, fighting here and there,
without knowing your orders. You need your commander's direction so that you serve his
strategy. In other words, you need his wisdom. How can you get it? The Bible says, "If any of
you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it
will be given to him” (James 1:5). To get God's wisdom and guidance, just ask! Pray! Your
commander won't scold you for asking. He'll guide you and direct you where he wants you to
be. He provides basic training and overall guidance through the Bible, and when you need
special guidance for a particular situation, his Spirit will impress on your spirit the wisest course
of action. But this isn't automatic. You must ask. You must "pray in the Spirit on all occasions.”
The more you communicate with God, the more he will communicate with you and let you
know what he wants you to do next.
You can communicate with headquarters to find out what God wants, and you can also
pray to tell God what you need. This gives you a huge advantage in spiritual warfare.
Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed by Satan's forces. You feel surrounded with no way
out. But you can still pray. You can call headquarters for an air strike. Soldiers who are backed
by superior air power aren't necessarily defeated just because their unit is outgunned and
outmaneuvered on the ground. They can radio for extra help, and within minutes, fighter jets or
attack helicopters swoop in to deal with the enemy. Even if you're a lowly foot soldier in God's
army, air support is only a prayer away. God can send extra angels to your defense, and he
can direct his own vast power against the evil forces that have you pinned down.
In Exodus 17, the Bible describes a battle between God's people, the Israelites, and their
mortal enemies, the Amalekites. The Israelite soldiers under Joshua marched against the
enemy, while Moses went to the top of a hill to pray. "As long as Moses held up his hands [in
prayer], the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were
winning” (Exodus 17:12). The soldiers on the ground could win only with air support from
heaven. When Moses got too tired to hold up his hands, two other men supported him. "Aaron
and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained
steady till sunset” (17:13). That enabled God's people to defeat their enemies.
Victory depends on prayer. Why? Because victory depends on God. Jesus tells us,
"Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The apostle Paul, who wrote Ephesians 6 and
knew so much about spiritual warfare, knew that on his own, he didn't have what it took to
carry out his mission. Paul said, "Our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV).
A man once asked Jesus' disciples to drive a demon out of his son. The disciples had
already succeeded in driving out some other demons, but they were not able to drive this one
out. Then Jesus came on the scene, and he succeeded in making the demon leave. Later, his
disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?” Jesus replied, "This kind can
come out only by prayer” (Mark 9:28-29).
That's true of many enemies we face and of many problems we have: this kind can be
dealt with only by prayer. There may be some things we can deal with simply by using strength
God has already given us, but some enemies are so strong that we need more power than
we've received thus far. The way to get that power is prayer. When the enemy is too much for
you, use your line of communication to call headquarters for more air support.

Praying for All the Saints

Prayer is the line of supply and communication for each individual soldier of Christ, and
remember: you're not the only soldier in the struggle. If you're a Christian, you're part of an
army. You should care not just about yourself but about your fellow warriors in the struggle
against Satan. What happens to any part of the church affects the whole church (1 Corinthians
12:26). If you succeed against Satan, it helps your fellow soldiers; if they succeed, it helps you.
If you fail, it hurts their position; if they fail, it hurts you. The apostle Paul says, "Who is weak,
and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2 Corinthians 11:29).
In the Lord's army, it's all for one, and one for all. So when you pray, don't just pray for
yourself. Pray for all who are fighting for the Lord along with you. "Always keep on praying for
all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18) Don't just pray for your own congregation or denomination.
Pray for the church of Jesus all around the world.
Sometimes, when someone is going through a time of terrible stress or suffering, they find
it hard to pray. Their mind is spinning, their spirit is exhausted, and they've already prayed so
much they feel prayed out. But even if they're so overwhelmed they can hardly pray, you can
pray for them. A number of Christians who have gone through hard times have told me what a
comfort it was to know that even when they couldn't pray, others were praying for them, and
God was hearing those prayers. Part of spiritual warfare is being alert not only to Satan's
attacks on you but his attacks on others, and praying not only for yourself but for those who are
facing the fiercest attacks.
When you pray for others, it's good for them, and it's good for you. One of the worst
problems for many of us today is just plain self-centeredness. It's possible to be so focused
on my health, my success, my looks, my reputation, my spiritual standing that it makes me sick
in spirit. If all I think about is me, me, me, and if all I pray about is me, me, me, it makes me
spiritually unhealthy. Many individuals and churches could get beyond petty problems if only
they would recognize the huge threat of Satan, trust the power of God, and pray for each other
and for all the saints and for the advance of God's kingdom, rather than centering on
themselves.
Pray for all the saints. Pray for young Christians who are surrounded by more temptations
than any generation of youth in history. Pray for Christian parents who aren't sure they're up to
the challenge of bringing up children. Pray for single Christians who struggle with loneliness.
Pray for middle-aged Christians who wonder if their life counts for much. Pray for elderly
Christians who are in failing health and may face cruel demonic attacks of doubt and fear as
death comes closer.
Pray for all the saints. Pray for Christian teachers who mentor children. Pray for Christians
in business who struggle to be honest. Pray for Christian farmers and factory workers,
Christian lawyers, doctors, and other professionals, who struggle to apply their faith to their
profession. Pray for all Christians everywhere who must shine for Christ while fighting off
Satan's attacks.
Pray for all the saints, especially for those who are persecuted or in prison. The Bible says,
"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated
as if you yourselves were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3). Many persecuted Christians say that this
is what they want most: to be remembered, to be prayed for, to know that they are not
abandoned by God or forgotten by fellow believers.

Praying for Church Leaders

Please pray also for pastors and missionaries. When Paul told the Ephesians to pray for all
the saints, he added, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given
me that I may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador
in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (6:19-20). If this mighty man of God
asked people to pray for him, then surely your pastor needs your prayers. Other Christian
leaders need your prayers. A preacher's effectiveness doesn't depend just on his talent or even
on his own prayers but on the prayers of his people. Someone once asked British preacher
Charles Spurgeon the secret of his success in winning so many thousands to Christ. Spurgeon
replied, "My people pray for me.”
What should you pray for? What should you ask God to do for preachers and leaders?
Pray that God will give them a message and the boldness to speak that message clearly.
That's what Paul wanted. He was in prison, but he didn't ask the Ephesians to pray for his
freedom. He was in poor health, but he didn't ask them to pray that he would thrive and
prosper. Paul asked them to pray that he would be able to proclaim Christ fearlessly.
I always feel encouraged when someone says, "I pray for you.” Like Paul, I especially
appreciate prayers that God will give me words and make me fearless. Do you know how hard
it can be for a preacher to prepare a message and to come up with the right words? Do you
know how hard it is to be bold? I'm timid by nature. Boldness doesn't come naturally to me. I
like to get along with people. I don't like to offend anyone. And yet if I speak God's message,
some will be offended. I need prayers that I will be free from worry about human opinion and
simply speak God's message boldly, whatever the reaction might be.
For some pastors, it's more dangerous to be bold than it is for me. Some may have their
freedom and life endangered if government officials oppose their message. Others may have
their income and position endangered if a wealthy member of their congregation is offended
and wants the pastor out and withholds money. Other pastors may just get so worn down in
spirit that they run out of lively words and have no energy left to be bold. When they get up and
preach, it's because they have to say something, not because they have something to say.
They need words from God and boldness from God. Their own prayer life may get dangerously
weak, but if fellow believers stand with them and pray for them, the Lord can make them strong
and bold again.
The church desperately needs pastors and leaders who preach God's Word plainly and
send his battle signal loud and clear. "If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get
ready for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8). So pray for preachers. Pray that they will have boldness
to sound God's trumpet! Pray that they will speak the truth as they should: fearlessly, truthfully,
lovingly, and effectively.
We're in a war. Satan and his evil forces are trying to destroy us. So be strong in the Lord
and in the power of his might. Put on the full armor of God. Use the ultimate weapon against
Satan, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. And don't neglect your lines of supply and
communication. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions.