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PART IV: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PRAYER
CHAPTER 21
GOD'S PART AND OUR PART IN PRAYER
Introduction
The Lord has defined our responsibility and his
responsibility in prayer. These responsibilities are spelled out
in the Bible. It is of vital concern that we thoroughly
understand both God's part and our part in prayer.
Our Part
FASTING. When the word "fast" is mentioned, people usually think
of going without food. However, there are at least four
categories of fasting: (1) Food, (2) Sex, (3) Sleep and (4)
Rest/recreation/entertainment.
The purpose of fasting is to set aside time to pray. There
may be some other benefits such as strengthening self-control and
weight loss.
We do not earn anything from God by fasting or by any other
works. And it is certain that we cannot coerce God into doing
anything by going on a "hunger strike" (like the child who holds
his breath until he gets his way).
It is also important not to slip into hypocrisy and
legalism:
And he spake this parable unto certain which
trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and despised others: Two men went
up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even as this publican. I fast twice in the
week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would
not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this
man went down to his house justified rather
than the other: for every one that exalteth
himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14).
JESUS TAUGHT THAT THE PROPER ATTITUDE IN PRAYER IS HUMILITY.
We must humble ourselves by an act of our wills--God cannot do
that for us.
Jesus himself fasted and serves as our prime example:
Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And
when he had fasted forty days and forty
nights, he was afterward an hungred.
(Matthew 4:1-2).
Jesus' disciples also fasted;
Now there were in the church that was at
Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as
Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger,
and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had
been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and
Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and
fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I
have called them. And when they had fasted
and prayed, and laid their hands on them,
they sent them away. (Acts 13:1-3).
Jesus also assumed that we would fast:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the
hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear
unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward. But thou, when thou
fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy
face; That thou appear not unto men to fast,
but unto thy Father which is in secret: and
thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:16-18).
In the military there is a principle: "The commanding officer's
wish is your command." There are times that the Holy Spirit may
lead us to fast, and there are other times that a fast is simply
appropriate. Jesus assumed his disciples would fast.
There are different types of food fasting: (1) total food
and water, (2) total food and (3) partial food (Daniel had a
partial food fast). One should be careful not to fast if he has
diabetes and other physical problems unless he follows his
physician's guidelines. Going without water too long can cause
stroke, etc. We don't glorify God by making ourselves ill.
Generally, the Bible means a food fast when it uses the term
"fast." However, there are other types of fasts.
All unmarried people are expected to abstain from sex until
marriage. The Bible teaches that after marriage, one should only
have sex with his spouse. However, both husband and wife may
agree to "fast" from sex in order to pray:
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every
man have his own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband. Let the husband render
unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise
also the wife unto the husband. The wife
hath not power of her own body, but the
husband: and likewise also the husband hath
not power of his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be
with consent for a time, that ye may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for
your incontinency. (1 Corinthians 7:2-5).
Remember that fasting from having sex does not make one morally
more pure. The purpose for the fast is to pray and seek God for
a specified need. After the need is met, the sex fast should
stop.
Sometimes it is necessary to fast sleep. That is, the need
for prayer is so urgent that one does not sleep for awhile in
order to pray. Jesus prayed all night before he chose the Twelve
Apostles:
And it came to pass in those days, that he
went out into a mountain to pray, and
continued all night in prayer to God. And
when it was day, he called unto him his
disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom
also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also
named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James
and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon
called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of
James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the
traitor. (Luke 6:12-16).
Fasting sleep is not the norm. When the need is met, one should
return to regular sleep.
Fasting rest and recreation (or entertainment) is another
type of fast. Reverend David Wilkerson gave up watching
television late at night in order to pray. From his prayer time,
Teen Challenge was born. Thousands of young people who were on
drugs have been set free from addiction due to the ministry of
Teen Challenge. In fact, the permanent recovery rate of Teen
Challenge has never been matched by any other organization. (See
my freeware booklet, ALCOHOLISM AND ITS CURE).
Bear in mind, people need one day of rest per week and time
during the week for recreation. Jesus said to his disciples,
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves
apart into a desert place, and rest a while:
for there were many coming and going, and
they had no leisure so much as to eat. And
they departed into a desert place by ship
privately. (Mark 6:31-32).
There may be times when we need to skip rest and recreation in
order to pray. However, when the need is met, we should go back
on a balanced schedule. As someone said, we need to "come
apart" before we "come apart." This is especially true for the
stressful time in which we live.
PRAYER. We have been commanded to pray:
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye
therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. (1
Peter 4:7).
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same
with thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2).
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.And the
peace of God, which passeth all under-
standing, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7).
Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints; (Ephesians
6:18).
And he spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to
faint; (Luke 18:1).
Not only have we been commanded to pray, but we have been
commanded to study the scriptures:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth. (2
Timothy 2:15).
But continue thou in the things which thou
hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And
that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of
God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto
all good works. (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in
all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord. (Colossians 3:16).
For the word of God is quick [alive], and
powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
Of his own will begat he us with the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of
God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to
save your souls. But be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving your
own selves. (James 1:18-22).
Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever. For all
flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass. The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away: But the
word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this
is the word which by the gospel is preached
unto you. Wherefore laying aside all malice,
and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies,
all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire
the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that
the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 1:23-2:3).
Since we are commanded to study the scriptures and since the
scriptures include instruction on how to pray, WE ARE THEREFORE
COMMANDED TO LEARN HOW TO PRAY.
God's Part
GOD PROVIDES US HIS WORD. The Holy Spirit inspired specially-
called men to write the Bible. He then guarded the Word of God
in its accurate transmission down through history. At various
times, the Holy Spirit led men to translate accurately the Word
of God into various languages. He insures that we understand the
Word of God as it is read, or spoken to us--he illuminates what
he has revealed.
GOD HELPS US TO PRAY. God is not responsible for our prayer
lives, but he helps us when we pray:
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered. And he that
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession
for the saints according to the will of God.
(Romans 8:26-27).
(I find that when I am willing to pray, the Holy Spirit helps me,
especially when praying in the Spirit).
END
