The Great Doctrines of the Bible Part 27

II. ITS NATURE.

1. AS SEEN IN ITS HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT.

2. SCRIPTURAL TERMS.

III. ITS POSSIBILITY.

1. THE REVELATION OF G.o.d.

2. THE WORK OF THE SON.

3. THE a.s.sISTANCE OF THE SPIRIT.

4. THE PROMISES.

5. CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY.

IV. ITS OBJECTS.

1. G.o.d THE FATHER.

2. CHRIST THE SON.

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT.

V. ITS METHOD.

1. POSTURE.

2. TIME AND PLACE.

VI. HINDEANCES AND HELPS.

1. HINDRANCES.

2. HELPS--ESSENTIALS.

G. PRAYER.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER.

Even a cursory perusal of the Scriptures will reveal the large and important place which the doctrine of Prayer finds therein. The Christian life cannot be sustained without it; it is the Christian's vital breath. Its importance is seen when we recall:

That the neglect of prayer is grievous to the Lord (Isa. 43:21, 22; 64:6, 7, R. V.). That many evils in life are to be attributed to the lack of prayer (Zeph. 1:4-6; Dan. 9:13, 14, cf. Hosea 7:13, 14; 8:13, 14).

That it is a sin to neglect prayer (1 Sam. 12:23).

That to continue in prayer is a positive command (Col. 4:2, R. V.; 1 Thess. 5:17; we are commanded to take leisure or a vacation for prayer: 1 Cor. 7:5).

That it is G.o.d's appointed method of obtaining what He has to bestow (Dan. 9:3; Matt. 7:7-11; 9:24-29; Luke 11:13).

That the lack of the necessary blessings in life comes from failure to pray (James 4:2).

That the apostles regarded prayer as the most important employment that could engage their time or attention (Acts 6:4; Rom. 1:9; Col. 1:9).

II. THE NATURE OF PRAYER.

It is interesting to trace the development of prayer in the Scriptures.

In the life of the patriarch Abraham prayer seems to have taken the form of a dialogue--G.o.d and man drawing near and talking to each other (Gen. 18; 19); developing into intercession (Gen. 17:18; 18:23, 32), and then into personal prayer (Gen. 15:2; 24:12); Jacob, (Gen. 28:20; 32:9-12, 24; Hosea 12:4). The patriarchal blessings are called prayers (Gen 49:1; Deut. 33:11).

During the period of the Law. Not very much prominence is given to formal prayer during this period. Deut. 26:1-15 seems to be the only one definitely recorded. Prayer had not yet found a stated place in the ritual of the law. It seems to have been more of a personal than a formal matter, and so while the Law may not afford much material, yet the life of the lawgiver, Moses, abounds with prayer (Exod. 5:22; 32:11; Num. 11:11-15).

Under Joshua (7:6-9; 10:14), and the judges (c. 6) we are told that the children of Israel "cried unto the Lord."

Under Samuel prayer seems to have a.s.sumed the nature of intercession (1 Sam. 7:5, 12; 8:16-18); personal (1 Sam. 15:11, 35; 16:1).

In Jeremiah (15:1) Moses and Samuel are represented as offering intercessory prayer for Israel.

David seems to regard himself as a prophet and priest, and prays without an intercessor (2 Sam. 7:18-29).

The prophets seem to have been intercessors, e.g., Elijah (1 Kings 18). Yet personal prayers are found among the prophets (Jer. 20--both personal and intercessory; 33:3; 42:4; Amos 7).

In the Psalms prayer takes the form of a pouring out of the heart (42:4; 62:8; 100:2, t.i.tle). The psalmist does not seem to go before G.o.d with fixed and orderly pet.i.tions so much as simply to pour out his feelings and desires, whether sweet or bitter, troubled or peaceful. Consequently the prayers of the psalmist consist of varying moods: complaint, supplication, confession, despondency, praise.

True prayer consists of such elements as adoration, praise, pet.i.tion, pleading, thanksgiving, intercession, communion, waiting. The closet into which the believer enters to pray is not only an oratory --a place of prayer, it is an observatory--a place of vision. Prayer is not "A venture and a voice of mine; but a vision and a voice divine." Isa. 63:7; 64:12, ill.u.s.trates all essential forms of address in prayer.

III. THE POSSIBILITY OF PRAYER.

This possibility consists in five things:

1. THE REVELATION OF G.o.d WHICH CHRIST HAS BROUGHT TO US.

John 1:18--"No man hath seen G.o.d at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

Matt. 11:27--". . . . Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."

Christ reveals G.o.d as a _personal_ G.o.d, as a Being who sees, feels, knows, understands, and acts. Belief in the personality of G.o.d is absolutely necessary to true prayer (Heb. 11:6).

Christ reveals G.o.d as a _sovereign_ G.o.d (Matt. 19:26)--"With G.o.d all things are possible." G.o.d is sovereign over all laws; He can make them subservient to His will, and use them in answering the prayers of His children. He is not bound by any so-called unchangeable laws.

Christ revealed G.o.d as a _Father_ (Luke 11:13). In every instance in the life of Christ whenever He addresses G.o.d in prayer it is always as Father. The fact of the fatherhood of G.o.d makes prayer possible. It would be unnatural for a father not to commune with his child.

2. THE SACRIFICIAL WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.

Heb. 10:19-22, R. V.--"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of G.o.d; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith." It is because of the death of Christ, which removed the barrier that stood between G.o.d and us so that He could not consistently hear and answer our prayers, that He can now hear and answer the pet.i.tions of His children.

3. THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY GHOST.

Rom. 8:26--"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." See also Jude 20. The thought is this: Even though we are a.s.sured that there is a personal G.o.d to hear us, and although we have the confidence that the barrier of sin which stood between us and G.o.d has been removed, so that we now desire to pray, we often are hindered because we either do not know what to say or what to ask for. We may ask too ardently for wrong things, or too languidly for the things we most need. And so we are afraid to pray. The a.s.surance that this verse gives us is that the Holy Spirit will pray within us, and will indict the pet.i.tion, helping us in our prayer life.

4. THE MANY PROMISES OF THE BIBLE.

We are told that there are over 33,000 of them. Each promise is "yea and amen in Jesus Christ"; He is the guarantee and the guarantor of them all. They are not given to mock but to encourage us: "Hath he said and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken and shall he not make it good?" See John 14:13; 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15; Luke 11:9, etc.

5. THE UNIVERSAL CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY.

Christians, by the millions, the world over, can and do testify to the fact that G.o.d both hears and answers prayer. The credibility, character, and intelligence of the vast number of witnesses make their testimony indisputable and incontrovertible.