A Productive Prayer Life - Wenstrom Bible Ministries

A Productive Prayer Life William E. Wenstrom, Jr.

Table of Contents 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Introduction Part One: God’s Provision for a Productive Prayer Life 1 The Need for Prayer 2 The Intermediary for Prayer 3 The Will of God Part Two: The Path to a Productive Prayer Life 4 The Prerequisite for a Productive Prayer Life 5 Faith in Prayer 6 The Protocol for Prayer Part Three: The Manifestation of a Productive Prayer Life 7 Characteristics of Productive Prayer 8 Length, Time, and Place for Prayer 9 Seven Essential Parts of a Prayer Part Four: The Do’s and Don’ts of a Productive Prayer Life 10 General and Specific Prayer 11 Objectives of Prayer 12 Hindrances to Prayer Part Five: You, God, and a Productive Prayer Life 13 Knowing God 14 Listening and Talking to God 15 Fellowship, Love, and Abiding in Christ Part Six: Dealing with the Details of Life through Prayer 16 The Believer’s Position in Christ 17 Prayer as a Problem Solver 18 Three Sources of Prayer Part Seven: A Productive Prayer Life in Relation to Mankind 19 Corporate Prayer 20 The Love of God and Intercessory Prayer 21 Prayer as a Spiritual Weapon Part Eight: Examples of a Productive Prayer Life 22 The Productive Prayer Lives of Old Testament Believers 23 The Productive Prayer Life of the Lord Jesus Christ 24 The Productive Prayer Life of the First Century Apostolic Church Conclusion Endnotes

Introduction 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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To write a book on prayer is a daunting and intimidating task. I am, by no means, an expert on the subject, though I do have a certain amount of knowledge and experience that I know will enable me to minister to you. Since even I, a pastor-teacher, have not yet arrived and attained the status of a great prayer warrior, I am approaching this book as a fellow Christian, one in the process of learning and growing his own productive prayer life. Thus, I hope to share with you my insights on prayer, which the Word of God and the Holy Spirit have been so gracious in blessing me with over the years. Prayer can be pleasurable and rewarding, but also mentally exhausting and difficult, a test of one’s faith. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that we as Christians are to be habitually involved in the task of prayer, since prayer is used to benefit us and, more importantly, to accomplish the Father’s will. We need only to look at the life of our Lord and Savior to understand the importance of prayer. Even He, as the incarnate Son of God, was devoted to prayer. How much more should we, who are saved by the grace of God, routinely pray, day and night? Allow me to share this with you. I was ordained in December of 1998. For a long time, I prayed to God to use me, to give me my own congregation and allow me to execute my gift of pastor-teacher. Nearly three years later, in August 2001, I was offered the pastorate of a church in Iowa. Several families in eastern Iowa wanted to start a church that would be Bible-based, without the “dog and pony show,” and without the manipulation that, unfortunately, is so prevalent in Christianity today. I accepted the job! Little did I realize that by accepting this pastorate, I was effectively challenging my prayer life. The demands and responsibilities of pastoring the flock of God are extremely difficult. Simply put, I immediately discovered, upon arriving in Iowa, that I would have to be entirely devoted to prayer. I knew I would not be capable of fulfilling my responsibilities as pastor-teacher without a constant dialogue with the Father. I was, therefore, forced to learn and apply 1 Peter 5:7 and “cast all [my] anxieties upon the Lord because He cares for [me].” I have read and heard too often that men with the gift of pastor-teacher have quit ministering and become discouraged with the work involved in pastoring. I wonder if this is due to a failure on their part to recognize their need for prayer. Have they simply not prayed or become slothful students of prayer? Only the Lord knows if this is the case. Thus, I approach the writing of this book, recognizing my own need for prayer and understanding how great an impact prayer has had on my life and the lives of others. I have seen firsthand that prayer offered in faith, according to the will of the Father, does succeed and does move mountains. My prayer to the Father is that this book not only instructs you but challenges and encourages you to a more productive prayer life. -Bill Wenstrom Norway, Iowa

2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Part One: God’s Provision for a Productive Prayer Life

Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.1 1 The Need for Prayer As Christians, not only are we blessed with an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator, but also fortunate to have an affectionate God, who cares for us with the heart of a father. He, unlike earthly fathers, is infinite in His fatherly wisdom, love, and care. As a result, God grants us the provision of prayer, so that we may have a personal relationship with Him. With this provision available to us, we need only ask, and God promises to answer us. Nevertheless, in order to ask properly, we need to study prayer and understand the impact it can have on our lives. As we will note in this chapter, prayer is designed to accomplish four primary goals: to combat and defend, to glorify, to make the impossible possible, and to bear fruit. Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” The provision of prayer makes divine resources available, resources that we, as believers, require to execute the Father’s will for our lives. God designed perfect provisions, through the person and work of each member of the Trinity, to allow us access into His presence and offer us the very resources of His grace, wisdom, and power. Prayer is a Weapon for Combat and Defense God provided the provision of prayer so that believers may combat the sin nature (Rom 5:12-19; 7), resist the devil, and exist in a world controlled and dominated by the kingdom of darkness (Eph 6:10-19). Prayer is needed to prepare and protect us for battles with demonic powers in the earth’s atmosphere (Eph 6:10-19). Prayer, therefore, is an offensive weapon in spiritual combat and is needed to employ our spiritual armor and experience God’s super-abundant power against the enemy (Dan 10:1). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Prayers is a Means of Glorification Prayer allows us to approach the Father and entirely depend on His sufficiency to meet our every need. When the believer offers up praise, thanksgiving, petitions, and intercessions to the Father, he is demonstrating an absolute dependence upon Him, whether spiritual or material, and thus worshipping Him. Prayer glorifies God because it demonstrates the believer’s total dependency upon God. It demonstrates the believer’s humility before God. We, by praying, acknowledge our insufficiency and reaffirm His all-sufficiency, fatherly care, and gracious provision. Prayer Makes Things Possible Prayer is needed to compensate for the great gap between our inadequacy and God’s sufficiency. His sufficiency makes all things possible. With man many things are impossible, but with God nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37; 18:27; 19:26; Mark 9:23; 10:27; 14:36). 2 Corinthians 2:16b, “And who is adequate for these things?” 2 Corinthians 3:4, “And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Prayer is a Provision to Bear Fruit Prayer is needed for fruit bearing. Without the Lord, we can accomplish nothing. Prayer, therefore, is one way we bring the power of Christ upon our ministries and Christian service. Whether a believer realizes it or not, prayer is needed for even his most general needs. Properly dealing with the details of life makes man entirely dependent upon God. The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains belongs to Him; everything we receive comes from Him (Psalm 23:1; 24:1; 50:10; 89:11; Acts 14:17). The believer who leads a productive prayer life realizes this spiritual truth. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 Timothy 6:17, “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” God provides all the logistics of life. Everything comes from Him—food, clothing, housing, travel; the list goes on and on. He opens doors for the Word and prepares hearts to receive the Gospel. God touches and encompasses every aspect of life—the spiritual, the physical, emotional, and mental (Eph 6:18; Luke 10:1). Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” 2 The Intermediary for Prayer Now that we understand the reasons for prayer, it is important to recognize that the provision of prayer is made possible solely through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. The Lord’s Session, or present position at the right hand of the Father, provides the believer with a Great High Priest, interceding on his behalf (Heb 7:25). Christ Jesus, therefore, serves as the believer’s advocate and intermediary. As a result, the believer is commanded to pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ because, only through Christ, may the believer boldly approach the throne of God and offer prayers to Him. Hebrews 4:14, “Therefore, since we have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Through the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving work on the cross, the believer is blessed with free access to God the Father. Ephesians 2:18 states, “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Hebrews 10:10, “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:19, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” The throne of judgment was transformed to a throne of grace because the Lord Jesus Christ propitiated God the Father with His substitutionary spiritual death on the cross. Hebrews 2:17, “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” 1 John 2:1, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 4:10, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” The righteous demands of God’s holiness—namely, that the sins of the entire world be judged—were satisfied through the merits of the voluntary, substitutionary spiritual death of the impeccable humanity of the Son of God on the cross, thus, opening the airwaves and allowing access to God the Father. Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. 26 This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” “Propitiation,” in verse 25, is the word hilasterion, meaning, “the place of propitiation, the mercy seat” (Heb 9:5), and references the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. The lid of the Ark of the Covenant—in the Old Testament—was sprinkled with blood on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:14). This represented the righteous sentence of the law having been executed and, therefore, having changed a place of judgment into a place of mercy (Heb 9:11-15; “throne of grace,” Heb 4:14-16; “place of communion,” Exo 25:21-22). Both the book of Exodus, 25:21-22, and the book of Hebrews, 4:14-16 and 9:11-15, emphasizes the place where we are to meet with God. The only way we can “draw near to God” (Heb 4:14-16) and “meet” with God (Exo 25:21-22) in prayer is through the person of Jesus Christ, who is our mercy seat. Hilasterion is used as a technical term referring to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. It speaks of the place or site where we can meet with God and have communion with Him—namely, only through the person of His Son Jesus Christ. The animal blood on the mercy seat speaks of the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross, which satisfied the righteous demands of God’s holiness that our sins be judged. Therefore, Christ serves as not only our mercy seat, but also as the sacrifice needed to satisfy the righteous demands of a holy God. Our Lord’s propitiatory sacrifice changed the hilasterion, “mercy seat,” from a place of judgment to a “throne of grace,” a place where mercy may be extended to man. The Lord Jesus, therefore, commands the believer to pray in His name to the Father, consciously aware that the merits of His impeccable character and of His impeccable work on the cross made it possible. John 16:26, “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” The Holy Spirit is another who, as the Spirit of grace and supplication (Zec 12:10), assures us of our relationship with God, guides us in our prayer life, intercedes for us, and enables us to pray.


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Romans 8:26, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Therefore, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who makes prayer possible, and, as we will see in the next chapter, the Holy Spirit that guides us in praying properly, particularly in praying in accordance with the will of God. 3 The Will of God God provides the believer the provision of prayer in order that he might execute His will, which is twofold— to glorify and to grow. God wants us to grow to spiritual maturity and become like His Son Jesus Christ, all the while glorifying Him in our spiritual walk. It is impossible to execute the Father’s will without the provision of prayer. Thus, a productive prayer life is necessary to execute the will of God. 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know without a doubt that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know without a doubt that we have the requests, which we have asked from Him.” The will of God, in common usage, refers to what God desires of an individual or group in a particular situation. Answered prayer is based upon cognizance of the will of God (1 Jo 5:14); unanswered prayer is a result of ignorance or disobedience to the will of God. God—in eternity past—decreed that angels and human beings would have volition and be allowed to make decisions contrary to His sovereign will and justice. The divine decrees are the eternal plans by which God renders certain all the events of the universe, including both angelic and human history—past, present, and future. The decree of God is the chosen and adopted plan of all God’s works. It is His eternal purpose, according to His will; whereby, for His own glory, He foreordains whatever comes to pass. It is the sovereign choice of His divine will and His omniscience, by which all things are brought into being and controlled, made subject to His pleasure, and made to produce His glorification. Thus, the divine decrees originated with God, long before any creature of any kind existed, and are objectively designed for His own glory and pleasure. Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” If the will of God for our lives is to become like Christ, and it is, then our prayers should be directed toward this specific objective as well. This is illustrated by the prayers of the Apostle Paul recorded in his epistles. Ephesians 1:11, “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation -- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. 15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” “Knowledge” is the noun epignosis and, in the context of Ephesians 1:17, refers to an “experiential knowledge” of the Lord Jesus Christ. To experience means, “to personally encounter, observe, or undergo something through a process.” Thus, Paul prayed that the Ephesian believers personally encounter the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit reveals Him in the pages of Scripture, through the process of experiential sanctification and fellowship with God. To experience also means, “to have knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone.” Thus, Paul’s prayer also requested that the Ephesian believers acquire knowledge or practical wisdom from observing and encountering the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit reveals Him in the Word of God. Experience implies being affected by what or whom one meets. Therefore, Paul prayed that the Ephesians be affected by the Holy Spirit’s revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the pages of Scripture. Being affected by the Holy Spirit should have motivated the Ephesians to conform to the image of Christ, and thus fulfill the Father’s will for their lives. We fulfill the Father’s will by attaining Christ-likeness experientially. This occurs when we are affected by the Spirit’s revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Word of God, and it changes our lives by shaping our character to the image of Christ.


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Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” The Apostle Paul further prayed that the believers in Colosse be filled with the epignosis knowledge of God’s will for their lives, which again is to become like Christ. His prayer is recorded in the book of Colossians. Colossians 1:9, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” “Knowledge” is the noun epignosis and, in the context of Colossians 1:9, refers to an “experiential knowledge” of the Father’s will. Paul prayed that the Colossians personally encounter the will of the Father, as the Holy Spirit—through the process of experiential sanctification—reveals it in the pages of Scripture. He prayed that the Colossians gain knowledge or practical wisdom from observing and encountering the will of the Father. To become like the Lord, we must deny ourselves of our worldly wants and, instead, desire what God wants. True prayer is not asking God for what we want, but for what He wills. This attitude is illustrated in our 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Father’s will was for the Lord Jesus Christ to voluntarily die and be judged for the sins of the entire world. This meant that our Lord’s human nature would lose fellowship with the Father during those last three hours on the cross. This loss of fellowship, although temporary, was abhorrent to our Lord because it separated Him from His Father. Yet, our Lord obediently and voluntarily executed His Father’s will. John 4:34, “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.’” Matthew 10:37, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” The answer to our Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane was not what His human nature craved; nevertheless, through prayers and tears, He chose His Father’s will, and it proved to be good, pleasing, and perfect. Luke 22:41, “He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’” The will of God manifested itself to the humanity of Christ while He intensely prayed in the garden. Discovering the Father’s will, through prayer, is not always easy; in fact, the truth is often difficult to bear. Christ’s experience in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us that prayer is not necessarily ignored when it is not answered exactly as we would wish. Hebrews 5:7 records that our Lord’s prayers, indeed, were answered. Hebrews 5:7, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.” In our own experiences, often times it is only through tears and heartbreak that we reach a place where we can declare with all our hearts, “Yet, not as I will, but as You will” (Mat 26:39). God the Father wants to conform us into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we might adopt our Lord’s attitude towards implementing the Father’s will—no matter how uncomfortable that may be for us.


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Hebrews 10:5-7, “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. THEN I SAID, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’” The great purpose of redemption is to allow us the freedom to accomplish the will of God, and not to be in bondage to the power of sin. In His life on earth, Christ demonstrated what it means to live only for the will of God. Through His death and resurrection, Christ won for us the power to live according to the will of God. In Gethsemane, the Lord’s sacrifice, made of His own will, reached its height; what took place was a perfect expression of obedience to His Father’s will. The fact that mankind has a freewill, which is capable of disobeying God, is not sin. It becomes sin when man remains independent from God’s plan and clings to his own will, when it is contrary to the will of the Creator. As a human being, the Lord Jesus had a human will and all the natural, though not sinful, desires that belong to a human nature. In His humanity, Christ was deprived of knowing beforehand what the will of God was. He had to be patient and be taught by God. Nonetheless, when He began to recognize the will of His Father, He was prepared to give up His own human will and accomplish the Father’s plan. Therefore, the Lord’s obedience constituted the perfection and value of His self-sacrifice. He, once and for all, surrendered Himself as a man to live only in and for the will of God. John 12:27, “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came out of heaven: ‘I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.’” Part Two: The Path to a Productive Prayer Life

Our prayers lay the track down, which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, His power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.2 4 The Prerequisite for a Productive Prayer Life


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The Bible teaches that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and adoptive sons of God the Father can live a productive prayer life. This is the only prerequisite that must be met before one may begin to establish an intimate relationship with God. Because God the Father will not hear or answer the prayers of an unbeliever, it is essential that one have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ before approaching the Father in prayer. A person must become a child of God, through faith alone in Christ alone, to have the Father listen to his prayers. John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’” Proverbs 15:29, “The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.” Every Christian obtains the place of a child and the right to be called a son the moment he believes in Jesus Christ for salvation (Gal 4:6). Upon believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, a Christian receives a new nature. This gift is called Regeneration. 1 John 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Regeneration is a sealing ministry performed by the Holy Spirit—on behalf of a believer the moment he believes in Jesus Christ as his Savior—where He creates a human spirit for the believer so that he receives the imputation of eternal life. Titus 3:5, “He [God the Holy Spirit] saved us, not on the basis of deeds [human works] which we have done in [human] righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of Regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”


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Regeneration makes a believer a new spiritual species and produces in him a new nature—a new Christlike nature that can never sin. This new nature is often described in Scripture with phrases such as, new self, new man, newness of life, and new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new spiritual species; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” The Holy Spirit testifies that, through Regeneration, we are, indeed, children of God and heirs of God. The believer’s heirship means that the believer has an inheritance (Eph 1:18; Col 1:18), which confers upon the believer the responsibility to grow to spiritual maturity in order to receive his full inheritance. Romans 8:16, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Ephesians 1:13, “In whom [the Person of Christ] you have confidently placed your trust after hearing the word of truth, namely, the Gospel of your salvation, in the Person of whom [Christ], in fact, when you had trusted, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit who is the Promise 14 who [the Holy Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance until the deliverance of the purchased possession [the Church] for the praise of His glory.” At the moment of our salvation, we are adopted into the royal family of God. Through our adoption, we receive a position as sons of God. Ephesians 1:5, “By means of divine love He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption for Himself according to grace purpose of His will.” “Adoption” is the noun huiothesia, which means, “placing as a son.” The moment we are saved, through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Church-Age believer is adopted Roman style into the royal family of God, thus making him an heir of God and spiritual aristocracy. Roman adoption is the process by which a person is transferred from his natural father’s power into the custody of his adoptive father. Adoption, Roman style, involved the custom of selection, where certain individuals were selected to fulfill or take over the family estates and guarantee the family’s future. Under Roman law, adopted sons held equal status and privileges as biological sons. Therefore, while the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s real son, we, as adopted sons and daughters, are blessed with equal privileges and equal opportunities in our Father’s eternal inheritance. Roman adoption, therefore, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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served a useful purpose—socially and politically—because a childless individual could ensure the continuation of the family name and rank by adopting an heir and bequeathing all assets to him. Politically, adoption had a tremendous advantage because it legally allowed individuals of low rank, such as Plebeians—the commoners of Ancient Rome—to crossover into a higher class and become, for instance, a member of the Patricians—the noble families of the Roman Republic. A fine example of the power in Roman adoption is illustrated in history, when Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., by his last will and testament, adopted his nephew, Octavius, and bestowed upon him the full name of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. As the adopted son of Gaius Julius Caesar, Octavius received name and property, as well as all other social considerations for being Caesar’s adopted son. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, employed the analogy of Roman adoption to communicate, throughout the Roman Empire, what it meant to be a member of the royal family of God and have a personal relationship with God the Father. Paul contributed this illustration to the New Testament Scriptures so that Church-Age believers may know the extent of God’s grace policy, in delivering unregenerate, i.e. unsaved, man from the cosmic system and placing him as an adult son in the royal family. Colossians 1:13, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” One purpose for the incarnation of the Son of God is so we may be adopted as sons. Adoption not only makes a believer spiritual aristocracy, but it makes him intimately related to all three members of the Trinity. Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons 6 because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” While the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit guarantees the believer’s adoption (Gal 4:6), the Filling of the Holy Spirit enables the believer to experience his adoption. Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” The full manifestation of the believer’s adoption awaits the Resurrection of the Church, or the Rapture, with the “redemption of the body,” (Rom 8:23; 1 Th 4:14-17) otherwise known as the “redemption of God’s own 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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possession” (1 John 3:2). The Church is God’s possession, since the Lord Jesus Christ purchased it out of the slave market of sin with His spiritual death on the cross. Ephesians 1:13, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.” It is essential, therefore, to believe and be saved first before attempting to cry out to God in prayer. 5 Faith in Prayer Effective prayer demands that a believer exercise faith when he prays to the Father. There are three systems of human perception: (1) rationalism: trusting in intellect to govern one’s life, (2) empiricism: trusting in experiences to govern one’s life, and (3) faith: trusting in the authority of another to govern one’s life. The Lord Jesus Christ taught this principle to His disciples in Matthew 21:22. Only by demonstrating faith could they receive answers to their prayers. Matthew 21:22, “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’” Hebrews 11 defines faith and describes its nature—how it works and what it does. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Faith insists we trust in God’s Word and act on it, despite the circumstances or consequences. The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences frightening, but we obey God’s Word just the same, and believe Him to do what is right and what is best. Faith expresses a positive response to God’s commands and a willingness to act according to His will. Unbelief, however, indicates doubt and disobedience. Only through faith, did the men of old gain approval, obtain righteous testimony, and receive their inheritance. Their faith in the promises of God led them on the proper path toward the extraordinary blessings God prepared for them. We will study this further in a later chapter. Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness, which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place, which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” The Lord Jesus Christ must be the object of the sinner’s faith in order for him to receive the gift of eternal salvation. After salvation, the object of faith becomes the Word of God, which is the mind of Christ. Faith, therefore, for the believer, is trusting in the authority of the Scriptures to govern his life. The opposite of faith is doubt, and Hebrews 3:12-19 cautions against doubt, since it is a manifestation of an unbelieving heart. Hebrews 3:12, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, 15 while it is said, ‘TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.’ 16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” Answered prayer requires faith, because faith is an expression of confidence in God’s ability to meet one’s needs (Mat 8:10; 9:22; 9:29; 17:20; 21:22; Luke 7:9; 8:48; 17:5; Mark 5:34; 9:29; 11:24; 1 John 3:21-22; James 1:5-8; 5:15). The prophet Elijah is an Old Testament example of a believer who exercised great faith in the Lord. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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James 5:16b, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” Elijah’s name, in Hebrew, means, “Yahweh is God “or “my God is Yahweh.” Nothing is known of Elijah’s family or birth; God does not deem that information necessary. What is known of Elijah is that he came from Gilead, a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, near a community called Tishbe. Gilead, meaning, “hill of testimony” or “mound of witness,” was very much known for the outdoors. The people of Gilead lived a rugged life and were often described as being tan and muscular from hard outdoor labor. According to the Bible, Elijah was a strong, courageous, honest, and simple man, who normally traveled alone, and who was devoted to serving the Lord, but who, at times, became involved with self-pity. Elijah came on the scene during a time of great apostasy in Israel. For well over a hundred years, the Israelites lived under the reign of three kings—Saul, David, and Solomon. These three rulers were famous for many things and infamous for others. Though kings, not one was without sin and failure. At the end of King Solomon’s life, a civil war broke out in the kingdom, a kingdom that had previously been united under God’s anointed leadership. As the civil strife increased, the nation became divided into a northern kingdom, most often called Israel, and a southern kingdom, usually referred to as Judah. The nation remained divided until both kingdoms were destroyed under the fifth cycle of discipline, and the Jews were led into captivity. Grace always precedes judgment, however, and—before succumbing to the fifth cycle of discipline—the nation of Israel received, from the Lord, various prophets to call the Jews out of apostasy and into a life of repentance and faithfulness to God. Elijah was one prophet sent by the Lord. Elijah prophesied during the reign of Ahab, and his son Ahaziah, in the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Ki 17; 2 Ki 1). Many of the miraculous events in Elijah’s life were direct assaults against Baal worship. Baal was the storm god of the Canaanites who allegedly held power over the rain, wind, and clouds, and who controlled the seasons, the crops, and the land. Not only did Elijah appear at the lowest point in Israel’s history, he was sent to perhaps the worst ruler the nation had seen, Ahab, whose wife was the infamous Jezebel (1 Ki 16:30-32). To make matters worse, Elijah delivered dire news to the king. The Lord sends him to declare that there would be no rain on the earth until the Lord gave Elijah the okay. 1 Kings 17:1 set the stage for Elijah’s answered prayer, which is recorded in 1 Kings 18. For in 1 Kings 17:1, God made Elijah a promise, which Elijah claimed in 1 Kings 18 when praying for rain. 1 Kings 17:1, “Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.’” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Elijah believed in God’s promise that He would bring rain at the appropriate time. By praying in faith and claiming God’s promise as truth, Elijah operated in accordance to the will of God. 1 Kings 18:1, “Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, ‘Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.’ 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.” 1 Kings 18:36, “At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.’ 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.’” 1 Kings 18 teaches many principles. First, it teaches that a believer is invincible when he is confident in the will of God. Second, single-minded devotion to the Lord brings victory and positively influences society. Third, a prayer from faith is our most effective tool; and lastly, a life dedicated to God can change the course of a nation’s history. 1 Kings 18:41, “Now Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.’ 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look toward the sea.’ So he went up and looked and said, ‘There is nothing.’ And he said, ‘Go back’ seven times. 44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, ‘Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea.’ And he said, ‘Go up, say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ 45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The five components to Elijah’s prayer are as follows: Elijah was… (1) Alone: “Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel,” (1 Ki 18:42). It is important to be alone with God in order to hear His voice. The Lord Jesus Christ habitually went off alone to pray to the Father (Mark 1:35). (2) Humble: “he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees,” (1 Ki 18:42b). Humility in prayer is recognizing God’s all sufficiency and our insufficiency to meet a need or a problem. (3) Precise: “‘Go up now, look toward the sea,’” (1 Ki 18:43a). Being precise in prayer is important, since God wants you to be specific and ask, in detail, what it is you want. Elijah was precise in his prayer and in his instructions to his servant. (4) Persistent: “‘Go back’ seven times,” (1 Ki 18:43b). Elijah’s was persistent and did not quit when the servant came back saying there was no clouds. Elijah prayed again until the servant came back with the response that he desired. Therefore, we too are to keep praying until we receive an answer to what we ask for. This will be discussed further in a later chapter. (5) Expectant: “he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel,” (1 Ki 18:46). Upon receiving an answer to prayer, it is important that we act quickly as Elijah did. There is no reason to procrastinate when God makes His answer clear. 6 The Protocol for Prayer A productive prayer life demands that we understand the protocol to prayer. The Scriptures teach the protocol, which is to pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit. Just as there is only one way for salvation, which is through faith in Jesus Christ, so also there is only one way to pray. Protocol is a rigid, long established code and procedure, which prescribes complete deference to superior rank and authority, and which deals with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette. In eternity past, God established a code and procedure for prayer, which prescribed complete deference to His authority and followed a strict adherence to formality, precedence, and etiquette. Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7 And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9 Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” First and foremost in God’s protocol for prayer, the believer-priest must address God the Father in prayer (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Pe 1:17; Rev 1:6). Even the Lord Jesus Christ taught to address the Father in prayer. When His disciples asked Him how to pray, His response was, “pray to your Father” (Mat 6:6). While many Christians today may argue otherwise, Scriptures clearly dictate God’s protocol for prayer. Prayer that is not addressed to the Father in the name of the Son by the power of the Spirit is not heard because it is not done according to God’s protocol. The Apostle Paul taught the churches, throughout the Roman Empire, to address the Father in prayer (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:14; Col 1:3; 1:12). Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” The Apostle Peter also stated that prayer was to be addressed to the Father. 1 Peter 1:17, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth.” The Lord Jesus Christ taught that prayer must be made in His name or His person, since He is the intermediary to the Father (Eph 5:20; Col 3:17), as we note in Chapter 2. Christ’s work on the cross made approaching the Father in prayer possible. John 14:13, “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Christ taught His disciples in the Upper Room Discourse to pray in His name. John 15:16, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”


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John 16:23, “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.” John 16:26, “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” As we note in Chapter 2: The Intermediary for Prayer, it is through the merits of Christ’s impeccable person and work on the cross that gives the believer the privilege to boldly approach the throne of God in prayer. To pray in His name is equivalent to praying in union with Christ. Thus, to pray in His name is, essentially, to pray from the vantage point of the believer’s new and exalted position in Christ. The believer occupies this position because of Christ’s so great salvation. John 14:13-15, “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” “Name,” in John 14:13, is the noun onoma, which has a five-fold meaning. First, it refers to the “person” of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is undiminished deity and true humanity and, thus, the unique theanthropic person of history and creation. Second, the word refers to the “character” of the Lord Jesus Christ, the aggregate features and traits of the Lord Jesus Christ’s divine and human nature. Onoma also refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s work during His First Advent, which ended with His greatest accomplishment, His substitutionary spiritual death on the cross. His death fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Mosaic Law, destroyed the works of the devil, redeemed the entire human race from the slave market of sin, propitiated the Father’s righteous demands that every sin in history be judged, and reconciled the entire human race to God. What an accomplishment! The word also alludes to Christ’s resurrection, ascension, and session at the right hand of the Father (Eph 1:21; Phi 2:5-11; Heb 1:4), since it refers to His reputation before mankind as the Savior of the world, redeemer of all mankind, and sovereign ruler of history. Lastly, onoma refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s position before the Father as righteous and holy and as His beloved Son. Essentially, considering all five meanings, onoma refers to the impeccable person of the humanity of Christ in hypostatic union, who is the only person holy enough to have merit before God the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ is honored when we express faith in Him and demonstrate that faith by obeying His commands and prohibitions. The “name,” or onoma, of the Lord Jesus Christ is in our possession and at our disposal when we pray. The Apostle Paul employed the expression “in Christ” or “in Him” in his writings to express this same truth. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Therefore, to pray “in My name” is essentially to pray from the vantage point of a new and exalted position of being in union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Praying in the name of Christ is a new and revolutionary concept exclusive to the Church-Age. Once believers begin praying in the name of Christ, they begin experiencing for themselves the power of Christ as sovereign ruler of history. Therefore, this phrase, “in My Name,” describes the eternal union between Christ and the believer that is supernatural in nature. A.H. Strong writes, “Christ and the believer have the same life. They are not separate persons linked together by some temporary bond of friendship—they are united by a tie as close and indissoluble as if the same blood ran in their veins.”3 Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Because the believer is always positionally “in Christ,” the very fact that Christ conditioned prayers to be asked in His name indicates that the condition is more than being positionally “in Christ.” Thus, it must mean that a believer is to pray “consciously aware” of his exalted position in Christ, even as he must be consciously aware of believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God (Jo 3:18). Ephesians 5:20, “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” Since the believer stands positionally secure in Christ, the fact that God created a protocol for prayer and specifically commanded, in his Word, to pray in the name of Christ indicates that the conditions for prayer require more than being positionally “in Christ.” Therefore, a believer should pray consciously aware of his exalted position in Christ, even as he must be consciously aware of believing in the person of the uniquely born incarnate Son of God (John 3:18). Indeed, the very fact that the Lord felt it necessary to state “in My name” as a condition, while we are already positionally “in Christ,” implies a need for conscious awareness. A believer should, therefore, end his prayer with the phrase, “This I ask in Jesus’ name, amen.” The believer may also wish to repeat the phrase at the beginning of his prayer, thus bringing into reminder, at the onset, that he is “in Christ” and that Christ serves as his advocate and intermediary. We may also say to the Father, that we are aware of our position, which seats us at His right hand while we are offering our prayers to Him. Regardless of whether the phrase is attached to the beginning or end of a prayer, the issue is that the believer consciously acknowledges he is approaching the Father in prayer because of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.


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Ephesians 2:18, “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Finally, prayer must be made by the power of the Spirit or by means of the Filling of the Spirit (Jude 20). This is accomplished by praying in accordance to the Word of God. Upon confessing our sins and regaining fellowship with the Father, the Holy Spirit is free to inspire and guide us in prayer. Apart from the Filling of the Spirit, we pray to serve our own agenda. With the power of the Spirit, we pray to obey God’s agenda. Ephesians 6:18, “All of you pray on a consistent basis, at all times by means of [the omnipotence of] the Spirit through every kind of specific prayer request and for this very purpose, all of you be continually alert with every kind of persistent specific prayer request on behalf of all the saints.” Part Three: The Manifestation of a Productive Prayer Life “Be yourself. Be natural before God. Do not pretend to emotions you do not feel. Tell Him whatever is on your heart and mind with whatever words are most natural to you. You do not have to speak to Him in “religious” language about “spiritual” matters only…Speak as naturally and as easily as you would to a friend, since God is just that…This natural expression of yourself at the outset is the guarantee that you can go on to a creative, free, and mature relationship with God. The prayer preceding all prayers is, ‘May it be the real I who speaks.’”4 7 Characteristics of Productive Prayer Concentration When approaching the subject of prayer in my studies, I find that the Scriptures provide a thorough description of what manifests a productive prayer life. When a believer follows proper protocol in prayer, he will produce an earnest prayer—pleasing to God—and lead a productive and consistent prayer life. The first obligation, asked of every believer in prayer, is concentration. Distraction is a ruthless enemy, quick to turn our attention towards anything other than God. When praying, we should devote exclusive attention to the Father. Only by concentrating may we truly listen to what the Spirit wants to communicate to us (1 Ki 18:41-46; 2 Ki 19:15-19).


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James 5:17, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” Reverence The second characteristic of productive prayer is reverence for the Father. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the noun reverence as, “a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration.” When we approach the Father in prayer, we are encouraged to demonstrate a deep respect for Him; He is, after all, the Almighty. Therefore, God calls us to approach Him in prayer with an attitude of deep respect and awe. Hebrews 5:7, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.” Philippians 4:6, “At this very moment, all of you stop continuing to be anxious about absolutely anything, but rather, concerning anything at all by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father and by means of petition accompanied by the giving of thanks, let your specific detailed requests be repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” Discipline A third characteristic that leads the believer to a productive prayer life is discipline. We should strive to be steadfast in all things involving our spiritual life. Productive prayer can only be achieved with a disciplined routine. Discipline requires that we stick to it, do it everyday, and do not deviate from it. The Scriptures command us to pray everyday, not just in troubled times when an answer from God is convenient and necessary (1 Th 5:17). Acts 6:1, “Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’” Romans 12:12, “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.” Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Simplicity The fourth characteristic of a productive prayer life is simplicity. God is not impressed with words, neither the quality of them, nor the quantity (Mat 6:5; 23:14; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:47; 1 Th 1:2; Eph 1:16; Phi 1:3; Phm 1:4). Get right to the point with God. He will appreciate your straightforwardness; after all, He knows what you will ask before you ask of it. Matthew 6:7, “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Obedience A fifth indispensable characteristic in leading a productive prayer life is obedience. In order to receive answers to our prayers, we must obey God (John 15:1-8). If we obey God’s Word, we will approach Him with requests according to His divine will. John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” 1 John 3:22, “and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” Perseverance The sixth characteristic is perseverance (Mat 26:39-44; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1-8; 21:36; Rom 12:12; 15:30; Acts 1:14; 6:4; 12:5; Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17; 1 Ti 5:5; 2 Ti 1:3; Col 1:9; 4:2, 12; Heb 10:22). Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, and a state. It suggests steadfast and long continued activity in spite of difficulties. Our prayer life should not waver due to distractions, obstacles, or adversities that arise during the course of our day. If we wait until whatever situation keeping us from prayer subsides, we will 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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be waiting the rest of our lives. Something will always attempt to prevent a believer from engaging in an intimate time with God. Matthew 7:7, “Ask repeatedly, and it will be given to you; seek repeatedly, and you will find; knock continuously, and it will be opened to you.” Patience Patience is the seventh characteristic, which manifests a productive prayer life. Remember, God operates in His timing, not ours. We must, therefore, trust in God and be patient for answers to our prayers. While we may doubt God hears our prayers because He does not respond as quickly as we would like, rest assured, if the prayers are offered in accordance with His will, He hears them. In the proper time, He will answer them. James 5:7, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.” Confidence The eighth characteristic towards living a productive prayer life is confidence. God’s omniscience allows Him to know everything about us, including our strengths and weaknesses, which we hide from the rest of the world. Therefore, be open, frank, and bold before God in prayer (Mat 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:11-13; John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-26; Heb 10:19-21). He will not be shocked by any sin you confess, nor any request you solicit. Psalm 6:9, “The LORD has heard my supplication, the LORD receives my prayer.” 1 John 3:18, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”


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Ephesians 3:12, “in whom [Christ] we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence, which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests, which we have asked from Him.” Thankfulness The ninth characteristic needed for a productive prayer life is thankfulness (Mat 15:36; 26:27; Mark 8:6; 14:23; Luke 22:17-19; John 6:11; 23; 11:41; Acts 27:35; 28:15; Rom 1:8; 7:25; 1 Co 1:4; 11:24; Eph 5:20; Col 1:12; 3:17; Phi 1:3-4; 4:6; 1 Th 1:2; 2:13). We should never forget to thank God in prayer. Our gratitude demonstrates our respect and appreciation for God’s grace policy, which blesses us without us ever earning or deserving blessings. Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.” Also, the believer should always give thanks to the Father for His gift of salvation, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man Savior. 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Psalm 50:23 teaches that the believer who offers thanksgiving to God the Father in prayer honors Him. Psalm 50:23, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God." We are to give thanks with other believers in our congregation. This too glorifies God, if done with the proper motivation, which is to worship God in prayer, not to make ourselves look holy. Psalm 35:18, “I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Psalm 100:4, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” We are to give thanks to God for both adversity and prosperity, since both come from Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “in all circumstances give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider—God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him.” Isaiah 45:7, “The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.” The humanity of Christ employed thanksgiving to God in prayer when performing miracles (Mat 14:19; 15:36; Mark 6:41; 8:6; Luke 9:16; John 6:11). One particular account was when Christ resuscitated Lazarus. The Lord Jesus Christ, in His humanity, showed immense gratitude towards His Father for hearing His prayer. John 11:41, “So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.’” The Lord Jesus Christ also offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Father when instituting the Lord’s Supper for the Church (Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17, 19; 1 Co 11:23-26). Matthew 26:26, “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.’” Joy The last characteristic necessary for a productive prayer life is joy. Our prayer life should produce happiness in our souls, as we spend time reflecting on who and what God is, what He has done for us, and what He will do for us in the future. Furthermore, we should be filled with joy when meditating upon all the provisions that He has made available to us in order to love and serve Him.


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Philippians 1:3, “I continue giving thanks to my God [the Father] based upon my entire remembrance of all of you, 4 always by means of my every specific detailed request on behalf of each and every one of you. 5 I make it my habit to offer this specific detailed request with joy because of your fellowship with respect to the proclamation of the Gospel from the first day up to this present moment.” 8 Length, Time, and Place for Prayer God does not stipulate a particular length for prayers, since the Holy Spirit determines the length of prayer for each individual. Moreover, God is not impressed with the length of our prayers, but rather with their content, which should reflect the Word and the Spirit of God, and intent, which should be designed to give glory to God. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ rebuked the scribes for their long prayers, which were designed to impress people and satisfy their lust for attention and recognition. Luke 20:46, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 47 who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Just as a productive prayer should not be repetitious and needlessly long, it should also never be a public display to be noticed by others. Instead, praying is an intimate time with God that should be reserved for a private time. Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” While the Scriptures do not command a set time for prayer, it is important to routinely pray, either day or night (1 Ti 5:5; 2 Ti 1:3; 1 Th 5:17; Luke 2:36-37). Nehemiah 1:6, “Let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.” Psalm 88:1, “O LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and in the night before You. 2 Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul has had enough troubles, and my life has drawn near to Sheol.” 1 Thessalonians 3:9, “For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, 10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?” It is true that the Bible does not command believers to pray at a set time, but it does command believers to pray at all times or in other words, to make it a habit to pray and have a lifestyle of being devoted to prayer. Ephesians 6:18, “All of you pray on a habitual basis, at all times by means of [the omnipotence of] the Spirit through every kind of specific prayer request and for this very purpose, all of you be continually alert with every kind of persistent specific prayer request on behalf of all the saints.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Make it your habit to pray.” The Lord Jesus Christ prayed early in the morning before sunrise (Mark 1:35-38; Luke 4:42) and in the evening after a busy day (Mark 6:46). Mark 1:35, “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Luke 6:12, “It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” If prayer is a priority, as the Word of God says it is, then it is important that we, as believers, make it a priority to pray on a habitual basis. If we consider prayer a high priority, we will arrange our day to devote adequate time for it. The amount of time we set aside for prayer indicates the real importance we attach to it. Remember, the Scriptures teach that there is an appointed time for everything, even prayer. We, therefore, should appoint a time for prayer to accommodate God in our daily lives. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Through the Scriptures, the Spirit will teach a believer how to utilize his time effectively, to include prayer in his routine; that is, if the believer is influenced by the Spirit and listening to the Spirit to receive such instruction. Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Scripture commands a believer to make the most of his time, to conduct his life with respect toward God and according to the will of God. Ephesians 5:15, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” 1 Peter 1:17, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers.” 1 Peter 4:1, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” Remember, God allots us a certain amount of time on this earth, and we are held accountable as to how we use that time. The principle of our stewardship of time is taught by our Lord in the parable of the minas in Luke 19:11-26. Luke 19:16, “The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ 18 The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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down and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?' 24 Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” Since the ultimate objective of the Father is to conform us into the image of His Son, then we must imitate the Lord Jesus Christ’s perfect example of being devoted to prayer. He is the perfect model to follow. On earth, He always employed His time strategically in prioritizing His life and always set aside abundant time for prayer. True, there are only twenty-four hours in the day; but, then again, there are twenty-four hours in a day, a sufficient amount of time to devote more than enough to God. The following poem says it all. No time to pray! O, who so fraught with earthly care As not to give a humble prayer Some part of day? No time to pray! What heart so clean, so pure within, That needeth not some check from sin. Needs not to pray? No time to pray! ‘Mid each day’s dangers, what retreat More needful than the mercy seat? Who need to pray? No time to pray! Must care or business’ urgent call So press us as to take it all, Each passing day? What thought more drear 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Than that our God His face should hide, And say, through all life’s swelling tide, No time to hear! 9 Seven Essential Parts of a Prayer There are seven essential elements that should be included in every prayer offered to God: (1) confession, (2) Filling of the Spirit, (3) faith, (4) worship, (5) thanksgiving, (6) intercession, and (7) petition. In Chapter 4, we note the only prerequisite to establish access to the Father in prayer is to believe in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. This launches the opportunity for a productive prayer life. Once becoming a child of God and establishing access to the Father in prayer, it is vital that a believer consistently practice the seven essential elements to a prayer. In other words, we must always be consciously aware of the seven elements to a prayer and must practice them as part of our prayers if we ever hope to experience a productive prayer life. Confession Confession of sin is the first essential element to a healthy and productive prayer; since, without it, the believer cannot have fellowship with God, which results in not having one’s prayer received by God, let alone receiving an answer to one’s prayer. Fellowship with the Lord demands that the believer confess any known sin to the Father when necessary in order to be restored to fellowship. Maintaining that fellowship is accomplished by obedience to the Father’s will, which will is revealed by the Holy Spirit through the communication of the Word of God. Psalm 66:18, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” 1 John 1:9, “If any of us does confess our sins, then, He [God the Father] is faithful and just with the result that He forgives us our sins and He purifies us from each and every wrongdoing.” “Confess” is the verb homologeo. The English word confess is the most accurate translation of the verb homologeo in 1 John 1:9, more so than the words admit or acknowledge because confess states, somewhat formally, an admission of wrongdoing, crime, or shortcoming. The word acknowledge, on the other hand, implies making a statement reluctantly, often about something previously denied. Moreover, the word admit implies acknowledging something under pressure. The believer, therefore, must “confess” any known sins to the Father in order to be restored to fellowship. He is restored to fellowship because of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Thus, the Father is faithful and just to forgive the believer his sins. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 John 2:1b, “Now, if anyone does enter into committing an act of sin, then we possess as an Advocate with the Father, Jesus who is the righteous Christ.” To review, the believer receives the forgiveness of his sins in the “positional” sense the moment he is saved, which establishes a “permanent eternal relationship” between God and the believer. Ephesians 1:7, “In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” There is a distinction between the terms relationship and fellowship. Since our relationship with God is eternal, it can never be lost. Meanwhile, our fellowship with God, in time, can be lost due to sin and is only restored through the confession of sin to the Father. Although the believer experiences the forgiveness of sins at the moment of salvation, once he sins after salvation, he must confess those sins to regain fellowship with God. Failure to confess personal sin to the Father and, thus, remain out of fellowship with God for an extended period of time will result in divine discipline, which comes in three categories: (1) warning discipline (Rev 3:20; Jam 5:9), (2) intense discipline (Psa 38:1; 2 Th 2:11), and (3) dying discipline (Jer 9:16; 44:12; Phi. 3:18-19; Rev 3:16; 1 Co 10:13-14; Psa 118:17-18; 1 Jo 5:16). Filling of the Holy Spirit After confessing our sins to the Father, we are automatically restored to fellowship with Him. Fellowship is maintained by obeying the Word of God, which constitutes the second essential element—being filled or influenced by means of the Spirit. Our prayers are empty requests if not inspired or influenced by the Spirit. Proverbs 28:9, “He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” Therefore, after confessing our sins, we are to obey the Word of God and, in particular, we are commanded to bring our thoughts into obedience to Christ, which constitutes obeying the commands to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and to let the Word of Christ richly dwell in our souls (Col 3:16). Both will result in us experiencing fellowship with God. The commands are synonymous, since each bears the same results: fellowship with the Father. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Ephesians 5:18, “And do not permit yourselves to get into the habit of being drunk with wine because that is non-sensical behavior, but rather permit yourselves on a habitual basis to be filled by means of the Spirit.” Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” The commands, “be filled by means of the Spirit” and “let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you,” are synonymous because the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer through the communication of the Word of God regarding the Father’s character and nature, will, provision for doing His will, and consequences for not doing His will (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29). The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, (2 Ti 3:16) makes them understandable to the believer, (John 16:13-16) guides the believer in the correct application of the Word of God, and reproduces the character of Christ in the believer who obeys the Word of God (Gal 5:22-23). Therefore, by obeying the Word of God, you are obeying the voice of the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, the word “filled” is the verb pleroo, used in a figurative sense to mean, “being totally and completely influenced” by someone. Thus, Ephesians 5:18 is translated: “And do not permit yourselves to get into the habit of being drunk with wine because that is stupidity, but rather permit yourselves on a habitual basis to be fully influenced by means of the Spirit.” Therefore, an effective prayer life demands that the believer totally operates by means of the Holy Spirit. When the believer does this, he maintains fellowship with God and assures his prayers are answered. Ephesians 6:18, “By means of every kind of specific detailed reverential prayer requests, all of you make it your habit to pray at each and every opportunity while in fellowship with the Spirit. Now, for this very purpose, all of you make it your habit to stay alert [in prayer] with every kind of persistent specific detailed requests with regards to each and every one of the saints.” The Scriptures make it very clear what it means to be out of fellowship. For instance, when sin in the life of a believer prevents him from having fellowship with the Spirit, the believer grieves the Spirit. When sin in the life of a believer hinders the Holy Spirit from performing His post-salvation ministries on behalf of the believer, the believer hinders the Spirit. Ephesians 4:30, “Do not make it a habit to grieve the Holy Spirit by means of whom all of you have been sealed for the day of redemption.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not make it a habit of hindering the Spirit.” Faith As noted in Chapter 5, a productive prayer life demands faith. Once a believer confesses his sin and operates under the power of the Holy Spirit, he must now trust and claim the promises of God, believing that God will hear the prayer and answer it according to His will. The third essential element, therefore, is demonstrating faith that God will hear and answer our prayers. Matthew 21:22, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.” James 1:5, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Worship The worship and reverence of God is the fourth essential part to an effective, productive, and joyful prayer (Phi 4:6). Prayer is a means by which the believer can worship, adore, and revere God. To worship is to adore God, as the Holy Spirit reveals Him in the Scriptures and through the person of Christ. It is the act of paying honor and reverence to God, and it derives from love. Where there is little love, there is little worship. Worship is the loving ascription of praise to God for whom and what He is. It is the bowing of the soul and spirit in deep humility and admiration before Him. Psalm 2:11, “Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. 12 Do homage to the Son that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 29:2, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array.” The believer is to worship the Father spiritually by means of truth, i.e. the Word of God.


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John 4:23, “‘But an hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers, will worship the Father spiritually, yes, by means of truth. In fact, the Father intensely desires such worshippers of Himself. 24 God, as to His nature, is spirit and those worshipping Him must worship spiritually, yes, by means of truth.’” The Church’s destiny is to worship the Lord, as revealed in Revelation 4-5. Revelation 4:8, “And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.’ 9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.’” Revelation 5:11, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’ 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, ‘Amen.’ And the elders fell down and worshiped.” The Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples that the second part of a prayer is the worship, reverence, honor, and respect for the Father. Luke 11:1-2, “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.’ And He said to them, ‘When you pray [proseuchomai], say ‘Father, hallowed [hagiazo: to revere, honor and respect] be Your name [onoma: the person and character of God]. Your kingdom come.’” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“Say” is the word lego, which “emphasizes the substance of words chosen, to carefully choose your words.” Prayer is to be a thoughtful exercise of meaningful words, not idle chatter. “Hallowed” is the verb hagiazo and literally means, “may your person be revered, honored, and respected.” To hallow God’s name means to worship His person. Hagiazo is also used in Luke 11:2. 1 Peter 3:15, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” To revere God entails opening up our lives so that the Holy Spirit may work in making us more like His Son. Surely, this is to be a prayer of surrender and commitment, for God’s name is never hallowed, at least not by us, as long as we are walking in rebellion and self-dependence. Psalm 145 is a perfect example of how we should worship God in prayer. Psalm 145:1, “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. 6 Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. 7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. 9 The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. 10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, and Your godly ones shall bless You. 11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; 12 To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. 14 The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. 16 You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The LORD keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Thanksgiving Not only is thanksgiving a characteristic of a productive prayer life, as we noted in Chapter 7, but it is also the fifth essential element of a prayer. Thanking the Father in prayer means that we express gratitude towards Him for revealing His perfect character and integrity, His will, provisions to execute His will, His grace policy, and for bringing other believers into our lives (John 6:11; Rom 1:8; 6:17; 7:25; 1 Co 1:4; 11:24; 15:57; 2 Co 2:14; 4:15; 8:16; 9:11; Eph 1:15-16; 5:4; 5:20; Phi 1:3; Col 2:7; 3:15; 1 Th 1:2; 2:13; 2 Th 1:3; 2:13; Phm 4). 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 1:3, “We continue giving thanks to the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, habitually praying for all of you.” Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Philippians 4:6, “At this very moment, all of you stop continuing to be anxious about absolutely anything, but rather, concerning anything at all by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father and by means of petition accompanied by the giving of thanks, let your specific detailed requests be repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” Thanksgiving to God is the response in the believer’s soul, which expresses itself in love and appreciation for who and what God is, what He has done for us, and what He has done for others. It is the direct result of the believer’s obedience to the Word of God, which permits the Holy Spirit to produce an attitude of gratitude in the believer. A Danish proverb states, “A thankless person never does a thankful deed.” Likewise, a Jewish proverb says, “If men thanked God for good things, they wouldn’t have time to complain about the bad.” Worshipping God leads to thanking God. A perfect example, for us, on how we can thank God in prayer is illustrated in Psalm 136, which starts with, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” and goes on, in a beautiful rendition of gratitude to God. Erwin Lutzer says, “You can learn to give thanks even if you don’t particularly feel thankful. If God gives a command, he expects obedience, whether you are in the mood or not. Thankfulness, like forgiveness, is not an emotion. Thankfulness is an intelligent response of gratitude to God.”5 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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We, therefore, should give thanks to the Father for the adversities in life just as much as the prosperity in life. Adversity deepens our intimacy with Him and produces more of the character of Christ in our lives. Only when we choose to give praise for the adversity in life do we begin to see the situation from God’s perspective. If we do not give thanks in all things, we are living in unbelief, for we are assuming that a God who loves us does not control our circumstances! Even with sin, thank God for how He will use that sin to teach, rebuke, or challenge us. Charles R. Swindoll writes, “The marathons-the relentless, incessant, persistent, continual tests that won’t go away-ah, these are the ones that bruise but build character.”6

No matter what our circumstances may be,

we should offer up thanksgiving, as a sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore, through Him [Jesus Christ] we should continue offering up a sacrifice of praise continually throughout all circumstances to God [the Father], that is the fruit of the lips, acknowledging His Person. 16 In fact, you yourselves do not forget the unselfish performance of divine good of intrinsic value for with such sacrifices God the Father is greatly pleased.” So, when you pray, thank the Father for everything, whether adversity or prosperity, and, like the Psalmist in Psalm 118, say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Intercession The sixth essential element to a prayer is intercession, which means to pray for both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers, friends and enemies (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4). Intercessory prayer for others is an expression of the love of God in our lives and, therefore, directly relates to what the Scriptures teach on love. If we love our neighbor, we will pray for our neighbor. The Lord Jesus Christ expressed love for those who mocked, scourged, vilified, and crucified Him by interceding for them before the Father in Luke 23:34. Luke 23:34, “But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” Love is an attribute of God and, thus, originates in His divine essence.


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1 John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Romans 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” 1 Corinthians 13:8a, “Love never fails.” In the Greek New Testament, agape, “divine-love,” is a command that has two directions: (1) vertical, which is love directed toward God (Rom 8:28; 1 Co 8:3) and (2) horizontal, which is love directed toward man (1 Th 4:9; Col 1:4; 3:19; Phm 5; Eph 4:2; 5:25; 6:23). Mark 12:30, “‘AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Christian love is a wholehearted affection for God, demonstrated concretely in our walk before God and in our human relationships. Christian love requires that we love God by loving our neighbor and by serving Him on earth (Mat 6:24; Mat 19-21). John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” When the Lord said, in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you,” He did not mean new in terms of time, since Old Testament saints were told to love their neighbor in Leviticus 19:18. Rather, the Lord referred to a love new in quality, since love would take on a new meaning with our Lord’s self-sacrificial death on the cross. God loved the human race and showed His love by sending His Son to the cross. Sinful humanity is obnoxious to God; nevertheless, He is love and, therefore, still sent His Son for our benefit. Romans 5:6, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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self-sacrificial love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died as a substitute for all of us.” To operate fully in the love of God, we should pray for both our loved ones and our enemies. Matthew 5:43, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” While it may be difficult to pray for those who persecute you, the believer should still demonstrate agape love to everyone. We can learn to operate in this love by following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the love of God incarnate. 1 John 3:16, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” The believer who is obedient to the Word of God will abide in the love of God and grow to spiritual maturity. 1 John 2:5, “but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.” John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Agape, or “divine-love,” manifests itself in acts of compassion. 1 John 3:17, “But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” The love of God manifests itself in forgiveness, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”


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The love of God is expressed in our lives—not by “imitation,” but by “incarnation”—when we are obedient to the command to love one another, then the Holy Spirit is free to reproduce the love of Christ in our lives. Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; 23 against such things there is no law.” The love of God is manifested in our lives when we offer up intercessory prayers for all men, since God desires all men to be saved, without exception and without distinction (1 Jo 2:2; 2 Pe 3:9; Jo 3:16-17). 1 Timothy 2:1, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth…. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” When praying for unbelievers, we should pray that God bring in people and circumstances, which would expose the Gospel to them and cause them to have the humility to give the Gospel a hearing and make a decision to either accept or reject Jesus Christ as Savior. Nowhere do the Scriptures sanction or command believers to pray that God save the unbeliever, since God, because He is just and righteous, cannot coerce or make the unbeliever do anything against his will. God, therefore, cannot save the unbeliever unless the unbeliever makes a decision to accept Christ as Savior. Although God’s will is that all men be saved, God cannot force any human being to believe in His Son Jesus Christ against his will; thus, people go to the Lake of Fire, not because God desires it, because they choose to. When praying for those in authority—government, military, law enforcement—we should pray that they be exposed to both the Gospel and to the Laws of Divine Establishment, which are found in the Word of God and instituted by God for both believers and unbelievers. The Laws of Divine Establishment preserve and perpetuate human existence throughout the course of the angelic conflict. They are principles designed for the protection, stability, orderly function, survival, and blessing of the human race. These laws declare freedom to be man’s most valuable possession. When man observes these laws, he restrains the sin nature and exhibits the highest expression of individual freedom. Therefore, even unbelievers who abide by the Laws of Divine Establishment are beneficial to society as a whole because they adhere to moral principles that pronounce murder and theft as evil and obedience to the laws of government as good. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The human race could never endure without a system of control. The Laws of Divine Establishment provide that control and are the reasons we have freedom today. There are two categories of freedom: (1) spiritual, which is the freedom to grow to spiritual maturity and (2) establishment, which is the freedom for the unbeliever to accept or reject Jesus Christ as Savior, and the freedom for the believer to accept or reject the learning and applying of the Word of God after salvation. God ordained four divine institutions through which the Laws of Divine Establishment function: (1) Volition is where you have authority over your own soul (Gen 2:16-17). (2) Marriage is where the husband has authority over the wife (Gen 2:22-24). (3) Family is where the parents have authority over the children (Gen 4:1). (4) Government is where government has authority over its citizens (Gen 9:5-6). 1 Peter 2:13, “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” Each institution is a system of authority designed to protect the freedom of members of the human race, both unbelievers and believers. Legitimate authority, the umbrella of divine establishment, protects human freedom. Authority is the power, delegated by God through the Laws of Divine Establishment, whereby certain members of the human race have responsibility for and jurisdiction over other members of the human race. Authority is the right to rule and make decisions, the power to enforce obedience, and the license to control and command. God instituted authority in order to: (1) protect free will (volition), (2) protect the human race from self-destruction, (3) provide order to life, (4) maintain peace, (5) allow the Gospel to spread and influence people, and (6) support the believer’s witness by their authority orientation in the devil’s world. God established human government in order to protect the freedom, the privacy, the property, and the lives of individuals in a nation. Romans 13:1-7 discusses the relationship between church and state and between the individual Christian and various functions of government. The chapter addresses the responsibility the citizen of heaven has as a citizen of a nation and expands upon what our Lord said in Luke 20:25, “‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’” Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those, which exist, are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” Authority allows for self-determination and protects the basic components of freedom. While authority exists in both the spiritual and temporal realms, divine establishment involves only temporal authority. An example of divine establishment is the Ten Commandments, which were ordained exclusively to govern the nation of Israel. The commandments defined liberty, morality, and divine authority for believers and unbelievers within Israel. The first five commandments embody the sovereign rule of Yahweh over the national entity and serve as an evangelistic witness to the unbeliever. For believers in Israel, the commandments defined spiritual freedom, provided the means for a spiritual life (Exo 20:1-12; John 8:32), but did not constitute the spiritual life. Therefore, in conclusion, we should pray that our leaders in the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of our federal, state, and local governments be exposed to these Laws of Divine Establishment, so that they may govern our country rightly and be always conscious of the decisions they make to protect our freedom. Intercessory prayer is a function of the Church-Age believer’s royal priesthood, which allows the believer to represent himself in prayer before the Father. God calls every Church-Age believer to intercede on behalf of all men, especially one’s fellow believers, since every Church-Age believer is a royal priest. The moment of salvation, God gives the Church-Age believer two royal commissions: (1) a royal ambassadorship (2 Co 5:20), which represents Christ before the unbeliever and (2) a royal priesthood (1 Pe 2:5, 9), which represents himself before God. There are five orders of priests in human history: (1) the Patriarchal (Num 16; Gen 20), (2) the Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20; Heb 7), (3) the Levitical (Lev 8; 21; 22), (4) the Great High Priesthood of Christ (Heb 4:14-16; 5-7; Heb 9:11-15), and (5) the universal Royal Priesthood of believers in the Church-Age (1 Pe 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6; 5:10). 1 Peter 2:5, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 Peter 2:9, “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” The Church-Age believer, therefore, serves God by functioning in his royal priesthood and offering up intercessory prayers for all men. The book of Revelation emphasizes the ruling aspect of the universal royal priesthood of the Church-Age. Revelation 1:6, “and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” In the Old Testament dispensations, God’s people had a priesthood; but today, it is the Church-Age believers who have a royal priesthood. Each individual believer in the Church-Age has the privilege, never before given to every believer in previous dispensations, to approach God in prayer. Hebrews 10:19, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Because the Lord is alive in glory, interceding for us as our Great High Priest, we can minister as holy priests. As God’s priests today, we must work together towards the direction of our Great High Priest. Each ministry that we perform for His glory is a service to God. Intercessory prayer on behalf of all men is, therefore, a service to God. God seeks intercessors. He seeks those who function in their royal priesthood. Ezekiel 22:30, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” Isaiah 59:16, “And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede.” Petition 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The seventh and final essential part to a productive prayer is petition. A petition is a prayer request for your own particular spiritual and temporal needs (Rom 1:10; 2 Co 12:8; 1 Th 3:10; Heb 4:16). God encourages us to pray for our own needs because it teaches us to depend upon Him and His wonderful provisions. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Apostle Paul prayed three times to the Father to remove a physical problem that caused him great suffering. 2 Corinthians 12:7, “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” While Paul prayed for a simple solution, namely that God—through His divine power—would remove the suffering, the answer for Paul was not to have the suffering removed, but to learn from the suffering and apply the Word of God to move past it. The Word of God, therefore, is the grace provision that helped Paul handle the thorn in his flesh. Acts 20:32, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build [you] up and to give [you] the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” The Word of God is truly sufficient to handle our adversities. Paul prayed that God heal his physical problem; but instead, God told Paul to resolve the situation with the provision of His Word. Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 142:2, “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.” When we pray, we should remind ourselves of God’s promises, which are in His Word. Trusting in one of God’s many promises may prove to be the answer to our petition. Therefore, God may answer us as He did Paul and tell us to apply what the Scriptures teach to solve our problem. When trusting in the promises of God, we protect our soul from fear, worry, and anxiety. 1 Peter 5:6-7 encourages us to claim God’s promises and trust in them to combat any fear or worry in our lives. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 Peter 5:6, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” “Casting” is the verb epirrhipto, which is used in a figurative sense to mean, “to throw or hurl something upon something else.” Peter encourages us to cast all our anxiety upon the Father because we are a personal concern of the Father. If we are His children—and we are—and He is intimately aware of our needs and concerns—and He is—then why should we worry or be anxious about anything in life? Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Anxiety about the future will not change the future. The only thing that should concern us is whether we are continuously loving and serving the Lord and the Body of Christ. To be anxious about anything is arrogance, since it ignores God’s faithful promises to sustain us. The believer is not to strive after the “things” of this world, but after the “things” of God (Mat 6:33; Col 3:1-4) and become like the Lord Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection (Phi 3:7-17). Colossians 3:2, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Philippians 3:10, “that I come to know Him experientially and the power from His Resurrection and the participation in His sufferings by my becoming like Him with respect to His death.” What then should we pray for, if not for the “things” of this world? The Apostle Paul instructs us in what to pray for when praying for ourselves. The ultimate objective of the believer praying for himself is to become like Christ, since becoming like Christ is the Father’s will for our lives and, ultimately, glorifies Him. The greatest objective of all prayer is the glorification of God. Our petitions, therefore, should center on the Father’s will for our lives. One of the things that we should pray for is that our love for God and others would grow.


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Philippians 1:9, “Now, this I make it a habit to pray that your divine-love might continue to flourish yet more and more by means of a total discerning experiential knowledge.” In Philippians 1:9, “experiential knowledge” is the noun epignosis and refers to an “experiential knowledge” of God’s love in Christ, in the sense of personally encountering, through the process of fellowship, the love of God in Christ, as the Holy Spirit reveals it in the pages of Scripture. This will result in us gaining practical, spiritual wisdom and more of the character of Christ. Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Colossians 1:9, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it [Colossian’s love], we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” In Colossians 1:9, “knowledge” is the noun epignosis and refers to an “experiential knowledge” of God’s will, in the sense of personally encountering, through the process of fellowship, the Father’s will, as the Holy Spirit reveals it in the pages of Scripture. Therefore, Philippians 1:9, Ephesians 1:18, and Colossians 1:9 give us insight in terms of what we should be praying for when praying for ourselves or other believers. In conclusion, concerning these seven essential elements to prayer, it is crucial to note that confession of sin must come first before the other six, since it restores us to fellowship and sets us on the path to a productive prayer life. Confession of sin reconnects the phone line to our heavenly Father. The Filling of the Spirit must follow confession of sin, since it maintains our fellowship with the Father and keeps the phone line to heaven connected. Finally, faith must follow since it guarantees our requests are heard.

Part Four: The Do’s and Don’ts of a Productive Prayer Life

Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of its highest willingness.7 10 General and Specific Prayer Prayer can be either general or specific. A general prayer is when a believer prays either not knowing the specific needs of the person he is interceding for or not knowing the person at all, whom he is praying for. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Prayer should be specific when petitioning for ourselves, but does not have to be specific when interceding for others. Often times, when we pray for others, we have little or no knowledge of their particular needs (Rom 1:9; 1 Th 1:2). Therefore, the Scriptures encourage us to “make mention” of others in our prayers, even without knowing their current situation or circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 1:2, “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers.” Philemon 1:4, “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers.” When praying for others, the believer-priest should always pray for their spiritual growth. Intercession for another believer’s spiritual growth will help him or her, no matter what specific situation he or she is going through. In addition, the believer-priest should have a routine prayer list. Whether mental or written down, a prayer list facilitates our intercessory prayers and ensures we forget no one. The Apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians and Ephesians, whom he knew, and the Colossians, whom he never came to know face to face. He prayed for their spiritual growth and enlightenment. We noted this principle in Chapter 9: The Seven Essential Parts of a Prayer. Philippians 1:9, “Now, this I make it a habit to pray that your divine-love might continue to flourish yet more and more by means of a total discerning experiential knowledge.” Also noted in Chapter 9 is the principle that believers are commanded to offer up intercessory prayers for all men, since God desires all men to be saved, without exception and without distinction (1 Jo 2:2; 1 Ti 2:4; 2 Pe 3:9; John 3:16-17). Therefore, if we are to intercede for all men—and we do not know all men, much less their specific needs—then, we must pray in generalities. A specific prayer means that we pray for others, knowing their specific needs and circumstances. Often in specific intercession, we know the individual personally and know his or her adversity. Examples of specific prayer in the New Testament include: (1) the Apostolic Church praying for Peter’s deliverance from prison (Acts 12), (2) the Lord Jesus praying for the cup to pass were it not His Father’s will (Luke 22:42), (3) Paul praying to see the faces of the Thessalonians (1 Th 3:10), and (4) the Lord Jesus Christ praying that Peter’s faith would not fail (Luke 22:32). Examples of specific prayer in the Old Testament include: (1) Elisha praying that God show his servant the angelic armies protecting them (2 Ki 6:17), (2) King Hezekiah praying for Israel’s deliverance from Sennacherib, King of Assyria (2 Ki 19:15-19), (3) Jacob praying for deliverance from Esau (Gen 32:9-12), and (4) Hannah praying for a son (1 Sa 1:11). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Whether general or specific, our prayers should always include others. After all, intercession is one of the essential parts to productive prayer. 11 Objectives of Prayer The Christian is engaged in a spiritual warfare with the kingdom of darkness, which we will discuss in detail later in this book. Understanding this principle requires that we pray with military objectives in mind. While there are several objectives of prayer mentioned throughout Scripture, they all encompass one of three categories: (1) strategic—long-range goals (Col 1:9-12; Mat 9:37), (2) tactical—immediate goals and needs (Col 4:2-4; Eph 6:19), and (3) logistical—physical needs and support needs (Jam 5:13-20; Acts 12:5; 13:3; Phi 1:19). Remember, objectives of prayer are nothing more than reasons to pray and are meant to guide a believer in who and what he should regularly include in his prayers. One particular objective of prayer is the deliverance from our enemies (Psa 54:1-3; 55:1-3; 88:1-3; 102:1-2; 109:1-5; Acts 12:5; Phi 1:19). This particular objective entails that God protect us from our enemies, but also that we pray for our enemies (Mat 5:44-45; Luke 6:28). Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Praying for the spiritual and temporal needs of members of the royal family of God is another important objective of prayer (Eph 6:18; Col 1:9-10; 1 Th 5:25; 2 Th 1:11; Jam 5:16; 3 John 2; 2 Co 13:9; Rom 15:30-31), as is praying for the spiritual growth of members of the body of Christ (Col 4:12; Eph 1:15-19; 1 Th 3:9-10; Phi 1:9; Col 1:9; 2 Co 13:9). Ephesians 6:18, “By means of every kind of specific detailed reverential prayer requests, all of you make it your habit to pray at each and every opportunity while in fellowship with the Spirit. Now, for this very purpose, all of you make it your habit to stay alert [in prayer] with every kind of persistent specific detailed requests with regards to each and every one of the saints.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25, “Brethren, pray for us.” Romans 15:30, “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.” Philippians 1:9, “Now, this I make it a habit to pray that your divine-love might continue to flourish yet more and more by means of a total discerning experiential knowledge.” Ephesians 1:15, “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” We are encouraged to particularly pray for the sick in the royal family of God (Jam 5:14-15a). James 5:14, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the Church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In Chapter 9, we noted the commandment to pray for those in authority (1 Ti 2:1-2). 1 Timothy 2:1, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” A most crucial objective of prayer is the proliferation of the Word of God in one’s community, country, and world (2 Th 3:1). We should habitually pray that the Word of God increase and spread throughout the world. For unbelievers, may the Gospel reach their ears, and for believers, may an accurate teaching of God’s Word encompass their lives. 2 Thessalonians 3:1, “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” Another objective is praying that God protect us and other believers from getting involved in evil. Also, we should pray that believers apply the Word of God, so that God may be glorified and divine-good may increase (2 Co 13:7). 2 Corinthians 13:7, “Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.” The Word of God does not condemn praying for material prosperity and good physical health; rather, we are encouraged to pray for our prosperity and the prosperity of others (3 Jo 1:2). 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Another objective of prayer is for the sanctification of physical food (1 Ti 4:4-5); hence, we say grace. 1 Timothy 4:4, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” 12 Hindrances to Prayer The Bible teaches that there are many hindrances to a productive prayer life. We tend to underestimate ten in particular as hindrances. We tolerate these ten hindrances too often. Having one or more as part of our lifestyle can severely hinder our prayers. For that reason, we should be on guard against allowing such sins to hinder our prayer life. A chief hindrance to prayer is unconfessed sin. If you have not realized already, failure to confess sin could make or break your spiritual life. As a result, we must always be aware of our sins and humbly confess them, especially before entering into prayer. Psalm 66:18, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Not only could unconfessed sin hinder our prayers, but it could also place us under divine discipline. David, for instance, was under divine discipline for failure to confess his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and his sin of having her husband, Uriah, killed on the battlefield. Psalm 32:1, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’ and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.” Often, a believer’s prayers are hindered because he loves the world, i.e. the cosmic system of Satan (1 Jo 2:15-17). The cosmic system is a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults, and the occult, all of which is dominated and negatively affected by Satan, god of the cosmos. Satan promotes the cosmic system, and it conforms to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God. Satan’s world system seduces men away from God and away from the person of Christ. It is anti-God, antiChrist, anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity, though it often appears humanitarian, as part of Satan’s angel of light masquerade. Therefore, any believer who remotely conforms to the standards of the cosmic system will fail at having a productive prayer life. 1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” We also hinder our prayers when we quit on God or are impatient with God (Psa 27:14; Psa 37:7; Luke 18:1). Who are we to demand a timely answer from God? He will answer us in His own perfect timing, not ours, so we must not be anxious for a response. Perhaps the reason we are not receiving an answer to our prayers is a result of our eagerness. Ultimately, failure to trust in God’s all powerful, all knowing character and nature will hinder our prayers. Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.” Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” The Father will grant us our requests when we persevere in our prayers, since perseverance in prayer is a manifestation of our faith and absolute trust and confidence in the Father to grant our requests. Persistence, as we have already noted, is critical. The parable in Luke 18:1-8 illustrates this principle perfectly. Matthew 7:7, “Ask repeatedly, and it will be given to you; seek repeatedly, and you will find; knock repeatedly, and it will be opened to you.” Luke 18:1, “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ 6 And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge said 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” A proud and self-righteous person will always hinder his own prayers. The Scriptures teach that the Father will not hear the prayers of the proud, but will answer the humble (Luke 18:9-14; Job 35:12-13). Job 35:12, “There they cry out, but He does not answer because of the pride of evil men.” Luke 18:14b, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” James 4:6, “Therefore it says, ‘GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.’” The most obvious reason why we do not receive certain things we desire in life is that we fail to pray or ask the Father for these things (Jam 4:2). If we do not ask, we may not receive. James 4:1, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.” A less obvious hindrance, but just as detrimental to our prayers, is our motivation. Often, the Father does not answer our requests because we ask with false motives (Jam 4:3). In everything we do, we must always be conscious of our motives. James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”


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We will receive our prayer requests if we pray according to the Father’s will. However, if we do not pray according to His will, we will not receive our requests from the Father (1 Jo 5:14-15). Not praying according to the will of God is a most serious hindrance. 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence, which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests, which we have asked from Him.” Disobedience will always hinder our prayers (1 Jo 3:21-24). As noted in Chapter 7: Characteristics of Productive Prayer, if we obey God’s Word, then we will approach Him with requests according to His will. Obedience to the Word of God, therefore, prevents us from asking for answers against the will of God. 1 John 3:21, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” If we are pretentious in our prayers, we risk hindering our prayers (Mat 6:5-6). This goes back to our motivation. If our motivation is to be acknowledged by men, then we pray with the wrong motives, and our prayers will not be heard. Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Failure to pray properly, according to the protocol God designed for prayer, will most certainly hinder our prayers. As noted in Chapter 6: The Protocol for Prayer, we are required to pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus in the power of the Spirit (Mat 6:7-9; Jude 20; John 14:13-14). Praying in any other order is a hindrance to our prayer life. Another subtler hindrance that believers must quickly learn to avoid is lack of forgiveness (1 Pe 3:7; Mark 11:25-26; Mat 6:14-15; Col 3:12-13). Not only will failure to forgive result in broken relationships with people, but it will result in a loss of fellowship with God.


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Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” The Scriptures teach that bitterness towards our spouse will hinder our prayers. This principle directly relates to the proud and self-righteous. Anyone who refuses to forgive another evidently considers himself perfect. Thus, his prayers will be hindered, without a doubt. 1 Peter 3:7, “You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” Finally, lack of compassion is another reason why prayers are so often hindered (Pro 21:13). A failure to demonstrate compassion towards others will ultimately result in God not showing compassion towards you. Proverbs 21:13, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.” Part Five: You, God, and a Productive Prayer Life Prayer is the most ancient, most universal, most intense expression of the religious intellect. It touches infinite extremes, for it is at once the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try and the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high. It is indeed the Christian’s vital breath and native air.8 13 Knowing God

The words of J. Oswald Sanders, “It is indeed the Christian’s vital breath and native air,” describe prayer as the atmosphere in which Christians breathe. Unfortunately, many Christians today are dying of asphyxiation. Now, remember, I am not here to condemn, as I note in the introduction, I struggle with prayer myself. I am here to help and inspire you to a greater intimacy with your God and my God. In his sermon, The Disciples Prayer, Haddon Robinson recalls a story that teaches a vital principle about prayer, “When our children were small, we played a game. I’d take some coins in my fist. They’d sit on my lap and work to get my fingers open. According to the international rules of finger opening, once the finger was open, it couldn’t be closed again. They would work at it, until they got the pennies in my hand. They would jump down and run away, filled with glee and delight. Just kids. Just a game. Sometimes when we come to God, we come for the pennies in his hand. ‘Lord, I need a passing grade. Help me to study.’ ‘Lord, I need a 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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job.’ ‘Lord, my mother is ill.’ We reach for the pennies. When God grants the request, we push the hand away. More important than the pennies in God’s hand is the hand of God Himself. That’s what prayer is about.”9 We should continuously remind ourselves whom it is we are speaking to in prayer. Reminding ourselves of God should prevent us from ignoring His hand as we reach for the pennies. In order to have a productive and joyful prayer life, we, as believers, must learn and apply the doctrines, which pertain to God’s divine essence. Since God is spirit, His attributes are invisible to the human eye. His qualities cannot be perceived through experience [empiricism] or human intellect [rationalism]. Only through faith, as we note in Chapter 5, may we understand His invisible attributes. In faith, the believer is utterly dependent on the Word of God to understand the invisible, immaterial, infinite, unlimited essence of God. The essence of God contains the following fourteen attributes: (1) Sovereignty: God is the absolute authority over creation and every creature. (2) Righteousness: God always does right by His creatures. (3) Justice: God always renders perfect decisions. (4) Love: God always has our best interests in mind and will do what is best for us. (5) Eternal life: God is ever present now. (6) Omnipotence: God is all-powerful. (7) Omniscience: God has all knowledge. (8) Omnipresence: God is everywhere present. (9) Immutability: God never changes. (10) Veracity: God is truth. (11) Mercy: God withholds judgment in order that His creatures might repent. (12) Compassion: God has concern for the suffering of His creatures due to sin. (13) Faithfulness: God keeps His promises. (14) Infiniteness: God is not confined by time, matter, and space. Knowledge of God’s attributes, of His character and nature, is essential in cultivating a relationship with Him. Only those who know the character and nature of God will be capable of moving mountains with prayer. Since prayer is carried to God by faith, and faith is, in large measure, dependent on whom we know God to be, then the energy and productivity of our prayer lives is directly dependent on our thoughts and our personal knowledge of God. This may answer the question as to why there is so little “real” prayer in churches these days. People neither think about God very often nor very seriously, according to the latest polls in evangelicalism. We worship God by meditating on His person, His attributes, and His deeds. So, let us spend some time, right now, thinking about God. We can meditate on God with David’s Psalm of Praise.


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Psalm 145:1, “I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. 6 Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. 7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. 9 The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. 10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, and Your godly ones shall bless You. 11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; 12 To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. 14 The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. 16 You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The LORD keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.” We will discuss meditation further in the next chapter, but for now, let us learn about knowing God. In a children’s book entitled, Is A Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?, Robert Wells illustrates God’s power in creation. He takes us from a size we can grasp to one we can’t. He writes, "The largest animal on earth is the blue whale. Just the flippers on its tail are bigger than most animals on earth, but a blue whale isn't anywhere as big as a mountain. If you put hundreds of blue whales in a huge jar, you could put millions of "whale jars" in a hollowed out Mount Everest, but Mount Everest isn't nearly as big as the earth.” Wells goes on to compare the earth to the sun, then the sun, which scientists say is a medium-sized star, to the red super giant star called Antares. Antares, he says, can hold fifty million of our suns, but the Milky Way galaxy holds billions of stars, including super giants like Antares. The comparisons are endless, and Wells illustrates that point perfectly. He ends the story by writing, “When we approach a God of this magnitude in prayer, let us come humbly, knowing that he is awesome in power, that there is good reason the Hebrews referred to him as El Shaddai, the Almighty!”10 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Jeremiah the prophet said, “Ah sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched hand. Nothing is too hard for you!” Jesus, in Mark 14:36, said, “Abba Father, everything is possible for you….” In Luke 1:37, Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy brought forth the praise that “nothing is impossible for God.” The good news is that God, who is all-powerful, is the same God who is holy, loving, and wise. When we approach our heavenly Father in prayer, therefore, we must remember all these spiritual truths. We must believe that He cares for us and knows us intimately; indeed, He knows us better than we know ourselves. 1 Peter 5:6, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” J. I. Packer sums it up well when he writes, “What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact that underlies—the fact that He knows me. I am graven on the palms of His hands. I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know Him because He first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when His eye is off me, or His attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when His care falters.”11 Too bad we do not approach this subject with as much amazement as the youngster in Sunday school class who recites the Lord’s prayer, “Our father, who art in heaven, how’d you know my name?” Just as, in Psalm 145, David rejoiced for him knowing God, he also rejoiced, in Psalm 139, for God knowing him. Psalm 139:1, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,’ 12 even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. 13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, and Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” 14 Listening and Talking to God Prayer is an opportunity to engage the Father in conversation, which means talking to Him and listening to Him. According to Andrew Murray, “Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. God’s voice in response to mine is its most essential part.”12 Like agape-love, which, as we noted in Chapter 9, has two directions, Christian fellowship also has two directions: (1) vertical, which encompasses our fellowship with God and (2) horizontal, which encompasses our fellowship with other members of the royal family of God. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “”God [the Father] is, as an eternal spiritual truth, faithful, through whom all of you have been elected to the privilege of entering into fellowship with His [the Father’s] Son, Jesus, who is the Christ, our Lord.” The vertical aspect of fellowship with God begins with listening to God. Listening to God involves not only hearing what the Spirit is saying through the communication of the Word of God regarding the Father’s will, but it also involves the Spirit speaking to us through other believers, through conviction, blessings, circumstances, and prayer. Revelation 2:11, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” Psalm 78:1, “Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The problem today is that we are so preoccupied with the details of life we never stop and listen to God. Believers, and even pastors, are guilty of this. We are so busy working for God, we forget God. Ignoring God, while frantically working for Him, often results in unhappiness, and could even result in critical illness. It is essential, therefore, that we stop and listen. We may hear something we were not expecting. While we should engage in Bible study daily, it is extremely important that we meditate in prayer upon the instruction we receive in Bible class. Therefore, meditating on the Word of God, devoting time for prayer, and listening to God—whether in prayer, through positive believers, or through circumstances— are each in their own way essential in experiencing intimate fellowship with God. God speaks to us today for several reasons, including because He loves us, because we need his definite and deliberate direction for our lives, because we need comfort and assurance as we experience adversity in our lives, and because God wants us to know Him intimately. God speaks in the Old and New Testament through, (1) direct revelation (Gen 12:1-3), (2) dreams (Dan 7), (3) visions (Acts 9:9-16), (4) written communication (Exo 31:18), (5) audible communication (Acts 9:4), (6) prophets (2 Sam 12), (7) circumstances (Jdg 6), (8) angels (Luke 1), and (9) the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6-7). However, today, God speaks to us through, (1) the Holy Spirit (2 Ti 3:16-17; 2 Pe 1:21), (2) other believers (Acts 21:4, 11), (3) circumstances (Exo 3:1-4), and (4) prayer. God’s purpose in communicating with us is threefold. First, He desires us to comprehend the truth about Himself, about others, and about ourselves (1 Co 2:9-16). Second, He desires to have us conformed to the truth (Rom 8:29). Finally, He desires that we communicate His truth to others (Mat 28:19-20; 2 Co 5:17-21). Now, how should we identify the voice of God? How can we be sure what we hear is from God? Well, there are several ways to be certain it is God, and not Satan or the kingdom of darkness, encouraging you in a particular direction. First, God would never tell you to get involved in any activity or relationship that is inconsistent with the teaching of His Word. Second, if it conflicts with human viewpoint, it is probably from God. Third, it would be against God’s divine character and nature to tell you to do anything that gratifies the old Adamic sin nature. Fourth, if it challenges your faith, it may be designed to build a stronger relationship with Him. Lastly, if it involves risk, God often times call us to be courageous. Our fellowship with God is comprised of four-steps: (1) communication, which requires that we listen to God, (2) comprehension, which requires that we understand what God communicates, (3) confidence, which requires that we trust in what God communicates, and (4) change, which requires that we be transformed by what God communicates. Without this process of communication, there simply cannot be any real spiritual change in the life of man. As a result, God is deeply concerned with how well we listen, when we do listen. The Scriptures repeatedly emphasize the importance of listening. The specific clause “hear the Word of the Lord” occurs thirty-two times in the New International Version and twenty-eight times in the New American Standard Bible. The word “hear” or phrase “listen O Israel” are found six times in the NIV and the NASB. Meanwhile, the word “listen” is found three-hundred-and-thirty-one times in the Bible and often refers to listening to the Lord. “Hear” is found three-hundred-and-forty-seven times and again refers to hearing God’s 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Word. We also find a number of phrases like “incline your ear” or “give ear” or “pay or give attention” and similar expressions used in various ways to encourage man to listen intently to God. In the New Testament, the Lord warns us to carefully consider what we hear (Mark 4:24) and how we hear (Luke 8:18). The phrase “today, if you hear his voice” is found three times in Hebrews and once in the Old Testament (Heb 3:7, 15; 4:7; Psa 95:7). Seven times, once in each of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 we read, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” In Mark 4:9, the Lord warned, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” and again in verse 23 He says, “if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is also very significant that one of the titles of the Son of God is the Greek term logos, which refers to some form of communication. It means “speech, word, saying, discourse” and, as the Logos, Jesus Christ is the living Word of God to man. Of Him, Moses wrote the following in Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” Not only is there a call to listen carefully to the Lord, but there is a warning about listening to the wrong voices or influences in the world (1 Jo 4:1-6). 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” The point is simple, God has much to say to us, and, because He is all knowing and sovereign, it is critical that we listen carefully. But, as individuals with an old Adamic sin nature, even as sinners who have been redeemed, we are ever so prone to be distracted and drawn away with other things, even with good things. Too easily, we revert to being like Martha, who, unlike her sister Mary, was distracted by so many things, she was too busy to sit at the feet of the Savior and listen to Him speak. In Luke 10:38-42, Luke records the contrast between two believers. While one was occupied “for” Christ, the other was occupied “with” Christ, thus revealing a spiritual principle, namely, that to devote oneself to the Word of Christ, to be taught by Him, is more important than to be busy for Him. This account in the Gospel of Luke, of Martha and Mary, is an example of the vertical dimension of fellowship. It demonstrates the importance of listening to the Word of the Lord and how that should be our number one priority. This does not mean we are not to serve the Lord and perform work on His behalf, but rather it emphasizes the importance of first listening to the Word of the Lord—perhaps even to receive instruction and guidance—before serving Him.

Luke 10:38, “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Let us delve deeper into the story of Martha and Mary and learn from their experience with our Lord. The village in Luke 10:38 refers to Bethany, which was located about two miles from Jerusalem. The homeowner, Martha, the wife of Lazarus in John 11, and her sister, Mary, are close friends of our Lord. The Gospels mention Mary of Bethany three times and each time she is sitting at the feet of our Lord. In Luke 10:39, we read, “She sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His Word.” Likewise, in John 11:32, she “fell at His feet and shared her sorrow over the death of Lazarus.” Finally, in John 12:3, Mary “came to His feet and poured out her worship.” Unlike Martha, Mary fed off the Word of God by sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening. Her example in Scriptures should instruct us of the importance of listening to the Word of God and the priority the Word holds above all else. Matthew 4:4, “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.” Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.” The Word of God provides believers with both the motivation and the means for serving God. There is nothing more damaging to the Christian life as trying to work for Christ without first taking time to commune with Christ. John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Mary understood how weary the Lord must have been from teaching the crowds. The thought of separation from His Father on the cross must have weighed heavily on His mind. What the Lord needed at that particular time was a home cooked meal and fellowship, not commotion or criticism. While Mary understood this, Martha did not. Therefore, when the Lord visited their home, Mary welcomed Him, while Martha busied herself. Luke 10:40, “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Whenever we criticize others and pity ourselves because we feel overworked, we had better take time to examine our lives. Perhaps in all our preparations, we are ignoring the Lord, and that is why we feel frustrated and overworked. Martha’s problem was not that she had too much work to do, but that she allowed her work to distract her from fellowshipping with the Lord. She was trying to serve two masters! If serving Christ is difficult, then something is terribly wrong with our service. Keep this in mind, your priority is to put the Lord first, only then may you gain perspective and acquire His divine viewpoint, and finally live your life in performance of His Word, practicing His commands. Matthew 6:33, “But above all else [number one priority in life], all of you make it your habit to diligently, earnestly and tenaciously seek after the kingdom of the God and His righteousness [grow to spiritual maturity], sparing no effort or expense, and as a result all these things will be provided for all of you.” Matthew 6:19, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Unless we meet Christ personally, privately, and intimately each day in prayer, we will end up like Martha, busy but not blessed. Luke 10:41, “But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’” Principles regarding Martha in Luke 10:38-42: (1) Martha is the central person in our text, not Mary. (2) Martha is not jealous that Mary was spending time with Jesus, but angry that Mary is not helping her. (3) Martha does not see any problem with herself, but she blames those who are innocent of wrongdoing. (4) It is not Martha’s service that is wrong, but her attitude in that service. (5) Martha’s words reflect anger and a lack of reverence and submission. Principles regarding the Lord’s response in Luke 10:41-42: (1) The Lord Jesus does not respond to Martha’s anger with anger. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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(2) The Lord Jesus finds Martha’s charges wrong on every count and, at the same time, finds Martha to be the one in the wrong. (3) The Lord Jesus deals more with the attitudes of these women than their actions. (4) The Lord Jesus exposes a problem with Martha’s priorities. (5) The Lord Jesus exposes a problem of responsibilities. Nevertheless, Martha learned a valuable lesson according to John 12:1-3. John 12:1-3, “Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Notice that, in John 12:1-3, Martha now served the Lord without complaining, and Mary honored Him with perfume. Because Mary spent quiet, intimate moments listening to the teaching of the Lord, she was able to honor Him in that way. The lesson, then, is that one must first be prepared for service by devoting quiet time with the Lord in prayer, before one can serve the Lord in a manner that is pleasing to Him. There will be more to say about preparation in a later chapter. As we have noted, God has much to say to us, and our decision to listen is critical. The Parable of the Seed and the Soils further portrays this point. The word “parable” is a transliteration of the Greek noun parabole, which literally means, “to place beside in order to compare.” A parable is a fictitious or made up story designed to teach a lesson through comparison. When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life. It conveys a message of truth through analogy, comparison, or contrast. Jesus told parables in the New Testament Scriptures so that those who really cared to listen could understand the truth. You see, only those who wanted to know the truth would ask what the parable meant and remain with Christ long enough to hear an explanation. The disciples did not understand the parables, but they asked what Jesus meant after the crowds left. They had a soft and open heart, and understanding is an issue of the heart. Those who have hard hearts also have closed eyes and closed ears, making it virtually impossible for them to understand truth. While Bible scholars call the parable in Luke 8:4-15, Mark 4:1-20, and Matthew 13:1-23 the “Parable of the Seed and the Sower” or the “Parable of the Seed and the Soils,” the latter is more accurate, since it emphasizes the responsibility of the audience in listening to the Word of God as it is being taught. The Greek word, translated as the word “hearing” in this parable, is the verb akuou and means, “to respond to the Word of God for the purpose of making personal application.” It appears nine times in this parable. The 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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parable, therefore, teaches that the unbeliever is to “hear,” or respond to the Gospel message to believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved, and the believer is to “hear,” or respond to the Word of God after salvation in order to bear fruit and grow to spiritual maturity. Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” The Lord told the Parable of the Seed and the Soils to encourage His disciples in their future ministry of communicating the Word of God. He wished to train them to expect both rejection and acceptance of the Gospel message. 2 Timothy 4:1, “I solemnly command you in the presence of the God, even Christ Jesus, who is about to judge the living and the dead and by His brilliant spectacular appearance and His kingdom. 2 Publicly proclaim the Word as a herald in a dignified and authoritative manner which commands the respect and attention of those who hear the Word, prepare and stay ready in good times and bad times, convince of sin and evil with the Word for the purpose of correction, reprimand, encourage and challenge by means of great patience and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires 4 and will turn their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.” There are four kinds of soil mentioned in the parable, and each refers to a different attitude towards the communication of the Word of God. By way of interpretation of the parable, the “sower” is the Lord Jesus Christ, but the application for us here in the Church-Age is that the “sower” may refer to any communicator of the Word of God. The “seed” is the Word of God, and the “birds” refer to the kingdom of darkness. The seed without the soil is fruitless, and the soil without the seed is useless. The human heart can be compared to soil. If prepared properly, it can receive the seed of the Word of God and produce a fruitful harvest. The emphasis, therefore, is the soil; neither the seed nor the sower is the problem, the problem is the soil. The Parable of the Seed and the Soils can be divided into three sections: (1) the parable (Mat 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8), (2) the reason for the parable (Mat 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10), and (3) the explanation of the parable (Mat 13:18-23; Mark 14:13-20; Luke 8:11-15). The Parable Luke 8:4, “When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: 5 ‘The sower went 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up.’” The first type of soil is the hardened soil of the pathway. The seed does not penetrate the soil at all because the birds of the air quickly snatch it up. Luke 8:6, “Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.” The second type of soil is the rocky soil, a shallow layer of earth, barely covering the rock below. The seed, which falls upon this type of soil, quickly sprouts, aided by the warmth retained by the rock, but, hindered by a lack of depth and lack of moisture, terminates quickly. Luke 8:7, “Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.” The third soil is the thorny soil, a soil populated with thorns. The seed falling into this soil sprouts and begins to grow, but is eventually crowded out by hardier thorns. Luke 8:8a, “Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." The fourth soil is the fruitful soil, the soil that produces a bountiful crop. Luke 8:8b, “As He said these things, He would call out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’” The Reason for the Parable Mark 4:10, “As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, ‘To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.’” The Explanation of the Parable 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Luke 8:11, “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.” The first type of soil, the hardened soil, refers to those whose hearts are never opened to the Gospel, who never respond positively to the Lord Jesus Christ. The scribes and Pharisees seem, generally, to fall into this category, since the Gospel makes no impression on them whatsoever, and Satan immediately snatches the Gospel from their hearts, so that there is no response, no new birth, and no fruit. Luke 8:13, “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.” The second soil, the rocky soil, refers to those who have accepted the Gospel message for salvation, but fall away in times of persecution and adversity and, therefore, never grow up spiritually, but remain spiritual babies. The phrase “receive the word” clearly indicates that these individuals are those who have already accepted the Gospel message and, therefore, are believers. “Receive” is the verb dechomai, which means, “to accept.” The fact that this refers to those who have accepted the Gospel and are saved is clearly indicated by the adverb euthus, meaning, “immediately, instantly, without absence or delay,” which appears in parallel passages in Matthew and Mark. Adversity will either advance you spiritually or make you quit. The attitude of a believer towards adversity will determine whether the believer increases his faith in the Lord or quits on the Lord. Rocky soil believers respond positively to the Word because they immediately take it to be a prosperity Gospel, one that promises only good times, blessing, happiness, and bliss. The moment they realize the Christian way of life is difficult they fall away. Now, in many parts of Israel, you can find a substratum of limestone covered with a thin layer of soil. The shoot can grow up, but the roots cannot go down, and the sun withers the rootless plant. The sun represents the adversity that comes to all believers to test and strengthen their faith in the Lord. Sun is good for plants that have firm roots, but dangerous for rootless plants. Adversity can deepen our roots, making our relationship with God stronger, or expose our shallowness and force us to give-up on God; it all depends on how we approach adversity. Luke 8:14, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The third soil, the thorny soil, refers to believers who have never rid themselves of the cares of this world. Their concern for money and pleasure outgrow their seeking first the kingdom of God. Thus, their priorities reverse, and they bear no fruit. The thorny soil believer realizes the cost of discipleship, but is unwilling to pay the price. It is not lack of knowledge that causes him to quit, but lack of commitment and dedication. The thorny soil believer does not have his priorities in order and, therefore, is hindered from harvesting Christ-like character. “Worries and riches and pleasures of this life” are like weeds in the garden that keep the soil from being fruitful. Luke 8:15, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” The fourth soil, the good soil, refers to believers who have positive volition to the Word of God after salvation, whose lives are uncluttered with competitive interests and values, who have their priorities in order, who meditate upon the Word, who persevere in their obedience to the Word of God in the midst of their adversities, and who, therefore, permit the Holy Spirit to reproduce the character of Christ in their life. “Fruit,” in Luke 8:15, refers to the production of Christ-like character, which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit in the believer who is obedient to the Word of God, and specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to love and serve his fellow believer self-sacrificially, as He loved and served self-sacrificially at the cross (John 13:34). Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Note that not every believer produces the same amount of fruit, since the production of Christ-like character by the Holy Spirit is in direct proportion to and determined by the degree that the believer is obedient to the Word of God. Thus, we learn some valuable principles from a parable of Scripture. Let us now learn about listening from other passages. God created man with two eyes and two ears, but only one mouth! Our ability to observe and listen is worth a thousand words. Proverbs 20:12, “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made both of them.”


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Notice that Solomon said nothing about the mouth in Proverbs 20:12. The Lord made that too, yet it seems Solomon purposely failed to mention the mouth. He only mentioned the senses that are sources in receiving instruction from the Lord. The fact is, we are all too quick to exercise our tongues and too slow to listen. James 1:19, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” With this in mind, we should note the following passages. Proverbs 18:12, “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor.” Proverbs 22:17, “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; 18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips. 19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you. 20 Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, 21 to make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you may correctly answer him who sent you?” The lesson is obvious. Listening will teach us to trust in the Lord and in what He communicates. Failing to listen shows our determination in pursuing our own resources, which is foolishness. The Bible is our index and guide to all the ways God communicates. If we are going to listen to God and discern His voice, we must learn the ways God speaks to us. It can be through a pastor-teacher, by a believer in personal exhortation or encouragement, through songs or music, through books, tapes, film, etc. Nevertheless, the primary method God chooses to speak to us, which is foundational to all other ways He communicates in the Church-Age, is through the local assembly, when the Church assembles for the hearing of the Word. Other things may be involved—prayer, singing, praise, and the Lord’s Table—but at the center is the proclamation of the Word (2 The 2:13; 1 Ti 4:11, 13; 2 Ti 4:1-4), which is most important. One of God’s primary ministries is to communicate the Word, the completed canon of Scripture, through God the Holy Spirit, as He is the author of the Scriptures (2 Pe 1:20-21). 2 Peter 1:20, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”


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Since the end of temporary, foundational, and miraculous gifts, God does not give special or new revelation through miracles, prophesies, or predictions, but through the Scriptures, which serves as our guide for belief and practice. This is the reason God gives us the Holy Spirit, to help us listen, comprehend truth, worship the Lord, and be transformed by the Word. The Holy Spirit is the agent who makes the Word of God understandable. The Holy Spirit is the resident teacher or mentor whom the Father sends, through the Son, to indwell every New Testament believer as God’s special anointing (John 14:16-20, 26; 15:26; 16:7-16; 1 Co 2:10-16; 2 Co 13:14; Gal 5:5, 16-25; Eph 3:16-19; 5:18; 1 Jo 2:20-27). John 14:16, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” 1 John 2:20, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.” “Anointing,” in 1 John 2:20, is the noun chrisma and is a synonym for the Indwelling of the Spirit, who provides the believer the spiritual capacity or power to understand and apply spiritual phenomena for producing, in the believer, Christ-like character. In its broadest sense, chrisma refers to anything smeared onto something else, such as coatings of plaster applied to a wall. It is used in the anointing of pots, when a glaze is applied to pottery before it is fired to give it color and finish. Chrisma, therefore, denotes a scented ointment, consisting of an oil and herb mixture, used to anoint persons or things. It is used as the “spiced oil of anointing” to consecrate, or set apart for service, the priests of Israel and the tabernacle and its fixtures (Ex 29:7; 30:25). In the Old Testament, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil, symbolizing their empowerment by the Holy Spirit and authority to accomplish the appointed tasks given to them by God. The word chrisma is John’s terminology for what Paul called the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Romans 8:9, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” The Lord Jesus Christ dispatched the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in June of 32 A.D., which was ten days after Christ’s ascension and session at the right hand of the Father as victor in the angelic conflict. The Holy Spirit was dispatched by the Lord in order fulfill the promise He made in John 7:37-39 and, again, in John, Chapters 13-17, in His Upper Room Discourse. John 7:37, “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.”’ 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” The Holy Spirit’s purpose during the Church-Age, therefore, is to indwell every believer in order to provide a temple for the indwelling of the Shekinah Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, which serves as the principle of victory over the indwelling old sin nature. He provides the believer the spiritual capacity to understand the Word of God, since the Spirit serves as the believer’s true teacher and mentor in place of the absent Christ. The corrected translation of 1 John 2:20, from the original language, is, “All of you, without exception, possess permanently spiritual power [chrisma] from the Holy One [Lord Jesus Christ] so that all of you comprehend everything [pertaining to the doctrines of Christ].” “Anointing from the Holy One,” in 1 John 2:20, refers to the permanent indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit, who is given to the believer by the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Holy One.” In the time John is writing, there were Gnostic teachers claiming they exclusively possessed the capacity to understand spiritual phenomena. Therefore, it was imperative that John explained the truth, namely, that the Indwelling of the Spirit and His mentorship provide every believer with the spiritual capacity or power to understand and apply spiritual phenomena. The Gnostic teachers proclaimed superior knowledge because they received a ritual anointing, which gave them gnosis, or knowledge. The apostle John, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, refuted their claims and asserted the spiritual truth that every Church-Age believer, without exception, receives at the moment of 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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salvation the Indwelling of the Spirit, who provides the believer with the spiritual capacity to understand and apply truth, i.e. the Word of God, which is spiritual phenomena. 2 Corinthians 1:21, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and empowered [chrio] us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” 1 John 2:26, “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the spiritual power which you received from Him [Christ] abides in you [indwelling presence of the Spirit], and you have no need for anyone to teach you; yes, because this same spiritual power [from the Indwelling of the Spirit] teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” God also speaks through events and circumstances in our lives, particularly in special times of worship— singing, praise, prayer, teaching, in times of blessing, and in times of trial and adversity. Note that God can only communicate through these events when we rest in the promises and principles of Scripture. If we are not resting in God’s promises, we will fail to listen when God speaks and, thus, obstruct the lines of communication. The Bible is full of illustrations of how God speaks through people, communicating His love, mercy, and grace. Whether in the form of encouragement, example, or rebuke, we should be conscious of the believers around us, understanding that God, who desires to speak with us, can direct what they say or do towards us. A few passages should illustrate this point. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.’ John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Ephesians 5:19, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” Proverbs 27:5, “Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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1 Timothy 5:1, “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.” Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” Listening to God in prayer demands that we are spiritually prepared to listen. Learning of any kind, especially in spiritual matters, involves active participation and concentration. God is very concerned with how we listen and worship. He is concerned with our mental attitude and spiritual state when we approach Him in prayer, not to mention when we study His Word. It is very simple to go through the motions of religious activity and deceive ourselves as James warns us in James 1:22-25. James 1:22, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” James warns us about the difference between superficial and substantial listening. He counsels us in this passage to be mindful that we do not approach God unprepared, passive, or uninvolved. We need the kind of active listening that is diligent and eager to understand and respond to God’s Word. Only then, may truth so touch the heart that it initiates change, not by our own strength, but by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. 1 Timothy 4:15 “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all.”


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It is easy to be absent in prayer, mentally and spiritually. We can play at prayer and do a kind of “nod to God” routine, making it physically appear that we are engaging in an intimate conversation with God, but, in actuality, are absent. The result of playing these prayer games is that we do not ever come close to truly hearing the voice of God because we remove our hearts from the Lord. This does not mean we are required to feel emotion or some sort of sentiment when we pray; it only means that we should pray in a focused and prepared manner, taking into account everything we say. Ecclesiastes 5:1, “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.” Isaiah 29:13, “Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.” Ezekiel 33:31, “They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. 32 Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.” A believer becomes a passive listener when he is unprepared physically, mentally, and spiritually to enter into pray and hear the Word of God. This generation is notorious for mental laziness. We have forgotten how to think and stay actively involved in the listening process. So, how can we actively listen and avoid becoming passive and lazy? We need to concentrate, search, probe, question, think, interact, respond, and apply. God does not want pious, passive spectators, but involved listeners when praying and listening to the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10, “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.” The word “appraises” is the verb anakrino, which describes a lawyer in careful, diligent judicial investigation, who carefully thinks, actively searches, compares, and probes to get at the truth. In this context, the phrase “he who is spiritual” is the adjective pneumatikos and refers to a person who is in fellowship with God and, therefore, Spirit-influenced, who has grown spiritually, and who is also somewhat spiritually mature [note the contrast in 1 Co 3:1 to “infants in Christ”]. In such a person, with an active heart and mind, the Holy Spirit is free to work. Such a person is able to search, probe, compare, and apply God’s Word effectively. 1 Corinthians 2:16, “For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” Since God communicates the Word through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we must be properly adjusted or in the right relationship to this divine mentor and teacher who indwells us. We must be conscious of our total dependence upon the Holy Spirit, our mentor, for insight to God’s Word. However, as we see in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, the believer who is out of fellowship will not, in fact, cannot effectively listen to God’s message. This type of believer is apathetic and cannot understand or respond to the things of God while under a condition of known sin in his life. In 1 Corinthians 3:3, the Scriptures teach of other attitudes that make us unprepared and unworthy to approach God in prayer. Bad attitudes, such as envy, jealousy, resentment, pride, unbelief, self-centeredness, indifference, apathy, or preoccupation with other forms of sin grieve the Spirit (Eph 4:30) and, undoubtedly, hinder much of His ministry in teaching and making the things of Christ understandable (1 Th 5:19). Ephesians 4:30, “Do not make it a habit to grieve the Holy Spirit by means of whom all of you have been sealed for the day of redemption.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not make it a habit of hindering the Spirit.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Therefore, for the soulish (psuchikos) believer, the Holy Spirit’s ministry changes from leading and teaching to convicting a believer of his condition. What can we do to prepare our hearts to hear what the Lord seeks to reveal to us in prayer or in Bible class? We have noted the answer several times: we must examine ourselves first. The purpose of such self-examination is to confess any known sin to the Father and be restored to fellowship. The Father restores the believer to fellowship based upon the merits of Christ and His death on the cross. 1 Corinthians 11:27, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” Not only should we examine the sin in our lives, but we should also do some soul searching for the purpose of seeing our motives, our sources of trust, our sources of security, and ourselves as we really are. This should be done prior to personal study or prayer to prepare our hearts for hearing God, then should be maintained throughout our personal study and prayer, when the Spirit of God brings conviction or as our thoughts seek to intrude, distract, and hinder us from listening (Psa 119:18; 139:23-24; 1 Co 11:28f). People often arrive at church upset or frazzled because of something that happened at home or on the way to church. People sometimes preoccupy themselves with friends and forget the reason they came to church in the first place. Once they sit down, they do not consider the condition of their heart, or their need to secure spiritual focus and be sure the Spirit controls them. While people cannot see our hearts, God can, and He rejects worship from hearts that are removed from Him (Isa 29:13). To truly listen to God in prayer and study the Word of God, we must be both spiritually and physically prepared. Certainly, without spiritual preparation, the best physical preparation in the world accomplishes little, but we too often overlook the need to be physically prepared in prayer. The physical conditions of where you pray should be free of any distractions that might hinder your ability to concentrate. In addition, your own physical condition may become an obstacle in prayer. For instance, if you wait until midnight to pray, there is a good chance you will fall asleep. Being tired does not excuse poor praying habits. This pertains to the worship service as well. If late night outings are causing you to be unprepared on Sunday morning to worship, you should re-evaluate your priorities. Likewise, if anything physically, or spiritually, causes you to be unprepared for prayer or worship and hinders your communication with God, then those things need to be done away with. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Preparation for worship starts at home, even the night before, by getting the little distractions out of the way. Get to bed early, get the kids’ clothes ready, and plan breakfast. For many families, getting to church becomes a frantic experience with Mom and Dad looking for socks and trying to feed Johnny. When the details get out of control, no one is prepared to listen to God. Preparation can also include something as simple as having the children visit the restroom before service. The bottom line is listening to God is no small issue. If we are not prepared to listen, then we are merely playing church and withholding our hearts from the Lord. Our activities for God then become an experiment in futility. Passive, uninvolved listening to God is inadequate and judged by God as futile religiosity. Believers are always to be on the alert, therefore, in prayer and in worship. Lethargic, half-hearted listening just does not cut it with God, nor will it result in spiritual deliverance. When you pray or read or study the Word, put everything else aside and concentrate on what the Holy Spirit desires to communicate to you. Give Him your undivided attention. Think, I should pray on a consistent basis, I should pray in a place with minimal distraction, I should listen carefully, I should interpret accurately, I should read and meditate out loud and take notes and ask questions, I should apply doctrine in my life, for these are the kinds of things that make me an active participant. Acts 17:11, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” The reference to nobility in Acts 17:11 is ascribed to the Berean Jews who, in contrast with the Jews in Thessalonica, were teachable, open, and wise. They listened attentively as active participants and tested Paul’s teaching against the Scriptures with a noble and biblical attitude. They realized the authority for truth is the Word and, therefore, sought to set aside their own prejudices so God’s Word could speak for itself. The principle to be learned is that, when we pray or worship, God desires that we be Berean-like listeners, attentive and teachable, searching and probing the Scriptures for ourselves. Biblical Meditation in Prayer One of the most important aspects in listening to God in prayer is biblical meditation. Unfortunately, today when we hear the term “meditation,” we associate it with Eastern religion. The word has been virtually removed from Christian vocabulary, and yet, it is such a vital part of our spiritual life. Biblical meditation is an expression of rejecting self-sufficiency in favor of the sufficiency of God’s Word. It is superior to cosmic meditation by virtue of the object of meditation. Cosmic meditation has no object, but seeks to empty the mind, whereas, biblical meditation has an object, the Bible, and seeks to fill the mind. Biblical meditation involves repetitive, reflective, and reverential reading of the Word of God and making application to one’s own life. Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb meditate: (1) to 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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consider as something to be done or effected; intend, purpose; (2) to engage in thought or contemplation, reflect. Meditation is defined as, “the act of focusing one’s thoughts, thus to ponder, think about.” It consists of reflective thinking or contemplation, usually on a specific subject to discern its meaning, significance, or plan of action. Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” J.I. Packer gives the following definition of meditation in his book, Knowing God: “Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways, and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. Its purpose is to clear one’s mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let His truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart. It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God’s power and grace. Its effect is to ever humble us as we contemplate God’s greatness and glory, and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us—“comfort” us in the old, strong Bible sense of the word—as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.”13 Psalm 119:15, “I will meditate on Your precepts [piqqudhim, meaning, “commands, ordinances”] and regard Your ways.” “Meditate” is the verb siach, meaning, “to go over in one’s mind whether inaudibly or audible, quiet reflection, ponder, contemplate, consider, meditate.” This should be our focus when we pray or worship. Psalm 119:27, “Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders [verb, pala, meaning, “wonderful extraordinary works upon the earth and in the lives of men and women”].” Psalm 119:48, “And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes.” Psalm 119:148, “My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word [noun, ìmrah, meaning, “divine authoritative word”].” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Biblical meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation on the Word of God in order to discern its meaning and make personal application. The following passage, in Philippians 4:8-9, is my translation from the original language and contains spiritual truths concerning meditation. Philippians 4:8a, “Finally, brothers, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being true in character, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being noble in character, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being righteous in character, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being pure in character, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being lovely in character, whatever things exist eternally in a state of being admirable in character, 8b if, and let us assume for the sake of argument, there exists eternally anything in a state of being virtuous in character…and we agree that there is, and if, and let us assume for the sake of argument, there exists eternally anything in a state of being praiseworthy in character…and we agree that there is, then from now on, make it a habit of meditating upon these things. 9 Concerning which things, all of you both learned through instruction, yes, and all of you accepted as well, all of you both heard, yes, and all of you observed as well in my presence, from now on make it a habit of practicing these things and, as a result, God the Holy Spirit, who produces a peace that is divine in nature, will, as a spiritual truth, be among all of you.” What, then, should our objectives in Biblical meditation be? They are as follows: (1) Fellowship: communicating with God. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (2) Worship: responding to the Word of God. John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship by means of [filling of] the Spirit and [Biblical] truth.” (3) Instruction: learning the will of the Father.


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Proverbs 23:23, “Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.” (4) Motivation: inspiring the believer to courageous service. Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (5) Transformation: having divine viewpoint and perspective. Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Biblical meditation should take place day and night. Note that meditation does not have to be a separate action from prayer, but it should take place in prayer. While this generation perceives meditation as a solitary— sitting on the floor, cross-legged—action, biblical meditation is to be accomplished in prayer by simply concentrating and contemplating spiritual phenomena for the purpose of making application. Before you prepare to meditate, take into consideration the hindrances of meditation. First, be conscious that thinking with cosmic viewpoint and being preoccupied with materialism, secularism, activism, religion, or legalism will hinder meditation. Second, know that your sin nature will fight against spending quality alone time with God. Therefore, be on guard against laziness, sensuality, emotionalism, and procrastination. Third, examine yourself for traces of arrogance. Do not enter into poor methods of interpretation, emotional responses for application, or unrealistic expectations of instant results. Finally, realize that your family and occupation are not bad things, but can very well distract you from your responsibility to meditate. Now that you are conscious of all those things, prepare yourself for meditation by first taking time. Set aside time to contemplate God and listen to Him in prayer. Second, be still and concentrate upon the Lord in prayer (Psa 46:10). Third, seclude yourself. Be alone with God (Mar 1:35). Fourth, be silent. Once you’ve said all you need to say to God, don’t rush to end the prayer, but stay silent for some time and listen to God in prayer (Isa 30:15). Fifth, discipline yourself to stay focused. Do not let your mind wander aimlessly, but keep it in strict focus upon God (1 Co 9:27). Finally, submit to God. Permit Him to handle the problems you offered to Him in prayer (Jam 4:10). Psalm 1:1, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Scripture upon Scripture teaches the importance of meditation and setting aside time for God. We should adjust our daily lives to include time to meditate upon the Word of God in prayer, not allowing the ploys of the cosmic system to distract us. Biblical meditation takes the focus off our problems and ourselves and places it on God’s person, provisions, and protection. When we do this, our problems are put into perspective. The pressures of life begin to dissipate when we force ourselves to be secluded, silent, and still before the Lord. When we meditate upon the Lord, we see things from a different perspective. Meditation brings us to a position in which we observe ourselves in the light of God’s Word (Psa 36:9; Eph 1:17-18). Meditating upon the Lord in the morning will relax and prepare us for the day ahead, and meditation at night will help us rest easy in a peaceful sleep in spite of difficult circumstances we may be facing. So, how do you meditate? It is easy. First, review the past. Review how God has operated in your life in past instances of prosperity or adversity. Second, reflect upon the attributes and characteristics of God. Third, remember God’s promises of provision and protection. Fourth, make a prayer request of God. Fifth, read your Bible. Read Scripture for content. Then, sixth, reflect on the Bible. Reflect upon the statements of Scripture. Finally, respond. Respond to the Word by making personal application. The last three—read, reflect, and respond—require further instruction. When you read the Bible, demonstrate reverence and be cognizant of the fact that you are reading the Word of God. Second, read repeatedly. It is likely you will not understand the passage the first time, so be repetitive in reading portions of the Scriptures. Third, use your imagination. Visualize the setting of the passage you are reading and place yourself in it. Fourth, use study tools. Utilize concordances, lexicons, commentaries, and notes from Bible class. The bibliography in the back of this book can lead you in the right direction of what study tools to use. Finally, comprehend, which is the ultimate goal of Bible study. Asking questions like who, what, when, where, why, and how will help you comprehend. When you reflect on Scripture, know your purpose, which is, essentially, to fulfill the objectives of meditation—worship, instruction, motivation, and transformation. Second, demonstrate humility by reflecting objectively. Think of the passage in God’s terms, not your own. Third, reflect in faith, trusting that the Spirit of God will enlighten you and reveal spiritual truths to you. Finally, be patient, expectantly waiting on the Lord for revelation and illumination. When you respond in personal application, acknowledge your sin first. This will assure that you operate by the Filling of the Spirit and not by your own human ability. Second, respond in faith. This is your personal responsibility, always to operate in faith. Trust in the Word of God to lead you. Third, be obedient to the Word of God and apply what the Scriptures teach. Fourth, remember your spheres of application, which are threefold: God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), mankind (family, friends, church, neighbors, government, etc.), and Satan (demons, cosmic system, sin). Finally, consider your stewardship. Operate in your time, talent [spiritual gift], or treasure [finances]. In conclusion, prayer is a time to meditate upon who and what God is and 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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to appreciate and love Him. Too often, we as believers look at prayer as being a time simply to ask God for things; but, in reality, the essence of prayer is worship, adoration, reverence, and praise. Psalm 145:2-3, “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” 15 Fellowship, Love, and Abiding in Christ Prayer is one of the means that God gives the believer in order that he might enjoy and experience fellowship with Him and achieve intimacy with Him. According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, the word fellowship is defined as, (1) companionship, company, associate (verb); (2) the community of interest, activity, feeling or experience, i.e., a unified body of people of equal rank sharing in common interests, goals, and characteristics, etc.; (3) partnership, membership. The last definition, “partnership, membership” is an obsolete usage, but an important one. The fact that the world no longer views the word fellowship as referring to a partnership demonstrates how drastically the world has digressed from biblical ideas. There are three key ideas that come from the dictionary’s definitions of fellowship. They include, (1) fellowship means being a part of a group, a body of people. Fellowship is opposed to isolation, solitude, loneliness, and our present-day independent type of individualism. (2) Fellowship means having or sharing with others certain things in common, such as interests, goals, feelings, beliefs, activities, labor, privileges and responsibilities, experiences, and concerns, and finally (3) fellowship can mean a partnership that involves working together and caring for one another as a company of people, like a company of soldiers or members of a family. As we have already noted, fellowship has two directions, (1) vertical, which is directed toward God and (2) horizontal, which is directed toward the royal family of God. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “”God [the Father] is, as an eternal spiritual truth, faithful, through whom all of you have been elected to the privilege of entering into fellowship [koinonia] with His [the Father’s] Son, Jesus, who is the Christ, our Lord.” Christian fellowship is a relationship and partnership with God and with His royal family that involves sharing in His objective of advancing His kingdom on earth by caring for and working with the royal family in this endeavor. Two word groups, koinonia and metochos, are employed in the Greek New Testament to denote the concept of fellowship. They express four related and essential elements that describe what fellowship involves. These two words koinonia and metochos convey two main ideas, essentially, (1) “to share together, take part 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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together,” in the sense of participation and partnership, and (2) “to share with,” in the sense of giving to or receiving from others; sharing what we have with one another. According to the New Testament usage of these two words, in their proper sentence structure, there are four critical meanings associated with fellowship: (1) the thing shared in common in some way by all parties involved, such as relationships, blessings or burdens, privileges, or responsibilities, (2) the person(s) doing the sharing with others, (3) the person(s) with whom there is sharing; and (4) an abstract quality of the concept of fellowship, with no object, used alone as in Acts 2:42. The two Greek words, which express four meanings, further develop into four key concepts that grasp the richness of the New Testaments teaching on fellowship. It is crucial that we understand these four concepts in order to understand the doctrine of fellowship and its implication in our lives. The four main concepts of New Testament fellowship are as follows: (1) Relationship with Christ: we are all permanently united together by the common [eternal] life that we share as a result of Regeneration and the Baptism of the Spirit (Acts 2:42; 1 Co 1:9; 1 Jo 1:3). (2) Partnership: we are to work together for a common purpose to obtain common objectives for the glory of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Phi 1:5, 27; Gal 2:9; Heb 1:9). (3) Companionship: we are to communicate with one another and have fellowship with one another, sharing with one another the things [viewpoint and thinking] of Christ (Acts 2:42; Heb 10:25; 2 Ti 2:2; 1 Th 5:11; Rom 1:11-12; 2 Tim 2:2; 1 Th 5:11; Phm 6). (4) Stewardship: we must recognize that all we have belongs to the Lord and is given to us as trusts from God to invest for His purposes. Believers need to be willing to share their material possessions for the promotion of the Gospel and help those in need. Good stewardship stems from recognizing our relationship to Jesus Christ and recognizing our partnership in Christ’s enterprise on earth (Rom 12:13; 15:27; Gal 6:6; Phi 4:15; Rom 15:26; 2 Co 8:4; 9:13; Heb 13:16; 1 Ti 6:18). The Lord Jesus Christ employed the vine and the branches metaphor in John 15 in order to teach His disciples that remaining in fellowship with Him produces answered prayer. John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” “Every branch in Me,” in John 15:1, refers to the believer’s eternal union with the source of the believer’s spiritual life, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Branch” refers to a shoot, which comes forth from the central vine and is, therefore, dependent for growth and survival on the trunk of the grapevine. “Fruit” refers to the production of Christ-like character, which the Holy Spirit accomplishes, in the believer who is obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to love and serve his fellow believer self-sacrificially, as the Lord loved and served the believer self-sacrificially at the cross. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” There are four categories of believers mentioned in John 15: (1) “does not bear fruit” refers to believers who die the sin unto death because they are disobedient to the Lord’s teaching to love and serve one another self-sacrificially (1 Jo 5:16; 1 Co 11:30), (2) “bears fruit” refers to minimum production of Christ-like character in the believer by the Holy Spirit, (3) “more fruit” refers to moderate production of Christ-like character in the believer by the Holy Spirit, and (4) “much fruit” refers to maximum production of Christ-like character in the believer by the Holy Spirit. John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” The greater obedience the believer demonstrates by loving and serving his fellow believers selfsacrificially, the greater the production of Christ-like character in the believer by the Holy Spirit. Obedience and production are in direct proportion to each other. The more obedient you are, the more the Holy Spirit will be free to produce a greater measure of Christ-like character in you. If we are branches, then how are we pruned to be more obedient in responding to other believers with the self-sacrificial love of Christ? The means of pruning are threefold and include: (1) the Word of God (Heb 4:12; 2 Ti 3:16-17), (2) divine discipline (Heb 12:1-11), and (3) undeserved suffering (Jo 15:2). John 15:3, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” The cleansing of the vine requires both the removal of sterile branches, or old growth, and the removal of insects that consume the vine. This is a tedious task done by hand. In dry climates where the vine grows, the leaves accumulate a thick layer of dust. This dust weakens the vine. It is necessary, therefore, for the gardener to sponge the leaves and remove the accumulated dust to keep the vine healthy. When Christ spoke of the Father cleansing the vine so that it is fruitful, He had the gardener’s task in mind, essentially, to remove from the branch anything that interferes with the production of fruit. The disciples were 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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said to be clean because they were saved, except Judas Iscariot. The truth that our Lord communicated to them, through the John 15 metaphor, became a cleansing agent to make it possible for them to be fruitful. John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” “Abide in Me” implies that the believer is already eternally united with Christ and refers to experiencing fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ by being obedient to His command to love and serve one another selfsacrificially, as Christ loved and served others self-sacrificially. Some principles to note that teach how to abide in Christ are as follows: (1) Abiding in Christ demands walking through life by means of faith. Colossians 2:6, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Faith for the Christian is trusting in the authority of the Scriptures in order to govern one’s life. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” True biblical faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences. Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (2) Abiding in Christ demands that the believer live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, for the Word of God strengthens the soul of the believer (Heb 4:12).


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Matthew 4:4, “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” (3) Abiding in Christ demands that we worship the Lord (Jo 4:23-24; Phi 3:3). Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (4) Abiding in Christ demands that we pray habitually (Phi 4:6; 1 Th 5:17). Ephesians 6:18, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (5) Abiding in Christ demands that we meditate upon God’s Word (Phi 4:8-9). Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” (6) Abiding in Christ demands sacrifice (Phi 4:18). Hebrews 13:15, “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (7) Abiding in Christ demands that we serve one another. Galatians 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (8) Abiding in Christ demands that we love one another (Jo 15:12). John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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(9) Abiding in Christ requires that we confess any known sin to the Father when necessary. 1 John 1:9, “If any of us does confess our sins, then, He (God the Father) is, as an eternal spiritual truth, faithful and just with the result that He forgives us our sins and He purifies us from each and every wrongdoing.” (10) Abiding in Christ requires that we stay in fellowship by obeying the Word of God (Jo 15:1-8). 1 John 3:22, “and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” The results of abiding in Christ include answered prayers (Jo 15:7), a greater love for Christ and other believers (Jo 15:9, 12-13), and joy (Jo 15:11). Just as a branch, in the natural realm, bears fruit that is a benefit to others, so too the believer becomes a blessing to others when he acquires more of the character of Christ in his life. John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.” The term “friends,” in John 15:13, is employed by our Lord to express the intimacy between the Lord and the believer who is obedient to His command to love and serve self-sacrificially. Intimacy is a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving, personal relationship with another person or group. In relation to people, intimacy is a close association with, a detailed knowledge of, or deep understanding of a person. If we are obedient to the Lord’s command to self-sacrificially love and serve each other as He did for us, then we will be 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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rewarded with a more intimate, detailed knowledge and understanding of the Lord, which produces greater joy in the believer, a joy that cannot be expressed through words. A friend does not hold back. Friends share joy with one another and are intimate with one another. Friendship with the Lord is no different. He shares His secrets with us, and His joy with us, when we obey His command to love and serve self-sacrificially. Abraham and Moses were called “friends of God” because they were on intimate terms with the Lord (Exo 33:11; 2 Ch. 20:7; Isa 41:8; Jam 2:3). Abraham was a friend of the Lord because he obeyed the Lord (Gen 18:19), and he was a servant of the Lord (Gen 26:24). Abraham’s friendship with the Lord is illustrated in Genesis 18 when the Lord revealed His plans to destroy the cities of the plain. Genesis 18:17, “The LORD said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19 For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.’” James 2:22, “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.” When we obey the command to love, we achieve a greater intimacy with the Lord and experience more of His joy in our lives. Of all the relationships that you have in life, your relationship with God is the most important, but it must be cultivated and matured. We as believers must recognize the awesome privilege that we are given; namely, to be called into fellowship with the Triune God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Though the Lord is our friend, we often treat Him as an acquaintance because we do not obey the first great commandment. Mark 12:29, “Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” If you love the Lord, you will obey His Word. John 14:24, “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.” There is a curse upon you if you do not love Him. 1 Corinthians 16:22, “If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.” Too often, we value our human relationships more than our relationship with the Lord. This is reflected in our priorities, our perspective of life, and our performance in applying the Word of God in our lives. Too often, the Lord is last on our list of priorities. This shows our ungratefulness towards Him. The Lord Jesus Christ constantly challenged His disciples to put their relationship with Him above every other relationship they had in life. Luke 9:23, “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’” The greatest joy a believer can experience in life is being intimate with the Lord and being a disciple of the Lord. Only through obedience to the Father’s will and to His commandments can we be disciples of the Lord and experience true joy. Just because a person is a believer doesn’t mean he is a disciple. A believer can be a disciple, but only if he is willing to love like the Lord. A disciple is willing to love and serve others selfsacrificially to further God’s kingdom in the devil’s world, whereas a believer, who is not a disciple, is one who is unwilling to make sacrifices for the sake of the Lord and His kingdom. Romans 15:1, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME.’” Andrew Murray writes in Full Life in Christ, “Self-denial is the law of the Christian’s life. Nor does the believer find self-denial hard once he has truly surrendered himself to it. To one who, with a divided heart, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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seeks to force himself to a life of self-denial, it is indeed hard. But to one who has yielded himself to it unreservedly-because he has with his whole heart accepted the cross to destroy the power of sin and self—the blessing it brings more than compensates for apparent sacrifice or loss. He hardly thinks any longer about selfdenial, because there is such blessedness in becoming conformed to the image of Jesus. Self-denial is not valuable with God, as some think, because of the measure of pain it causes. No, for this pain is very much caused by the remaining reluctance to practice it. But it has its highest worth in that meek or even joyful acquiescence that counts nothing a sacrifice for Jesus’ sake and feels surprised when others speak of selfdenial.”14 Luke 9:24, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” John 12:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” The Scriptures teach that fruit bearing does not result from one’s efforts to save his life, but from one’s willingness to sacrifice his life. Luke 9:25, “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” The cross is the chief mark of a Christian. As crucified with Christ, we must understand the secret of fellowship with His cross if we desire to be like Him. This may be frightening, but it is the secret to true joy and happiness in life. The suffering that accompanies the cross initially may repulse the believer; but, as he grows spiritually, he realizes that the cross is the source of his joy and happiness, since being identified with Christ and His cross makes the believer a partner in the death and victory that has been accomplished. As we noted in our study of the vine and the branches metaphor, experiencing the joy of the Lord is directly related to remaining in fellowship with the Lord, which is accomplished by being obedient to the Lord’s command to love and serve others self-sacrificially just as He loved and served us self-sacrificially. John 15:10, “If you observe conscientiously My commandments, you will abide in My self-sacrificial love; just as I have observed conscientiously My Father's 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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commandments and abide in His self-sacrificial love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy might become a reality. 12 This is My commandment, that you self-sacrificially love one another, just as I have self-sacrificially loved you.” If we obey the Lord’s command, then the Lord promises to make us His friends. John 15:14, “You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.” Psalm 25:14, “The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” Proverbs 3:32, “For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright.” In order to obey our Lord’s command to love others self-sacrificially, we must deny self. Self-denial is the root from which self-sacrifice springs. In self-denial, self-sacrifice is tested. Self-denial means that we must surrender our will for the will of God. We are to let God’s will do with us as it pleases. The Lord Jesus demonstrated His self-denial and self-sacrifice in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:41, “And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’” It is only when we deny self that we become the Lord’s disciples, are intimate with Him, and enter into His joy. We must give up our lives in order to win others to God. It is a death in which all thought of saving self is lost for that of saving others. It is only when we die to self and surrender our will to God that we enjoy fellowship and intimacy with the Lord. Our prayers are truly pleasing to the Father when we practice denying self, dying to self and surrendering to the will of God. When we pray like this, we truly are imitating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Part Six: Dealing with the Details of Life through Prayer

Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your power. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.15 16 The Believer’s Position in Christ In this section, I think it important to relate to you certain aspects of prayer that are helpful in dealing with the problems or details of life. First, I want to address the believer’s position in Christ. Unfortunately, more often than not, Christians approach their heavenly Father in prayer not cognizant or aware of the significance of their position in Christ. Not understanding their position in Christ makes them unequipped to deal with the adversities of life. The Church-Age believer is to pray from his position in Christ and not from planet earth. The believer must appropriate, by faith, the teaching of the Spirit’s revelation in the Word of God of his new position in Christ, which he benefits from the moment he exercises faith alone in Christ alone. Our position in Christ means that God the Father considers the believer as crucified (Rom 6:6; Gal 2:20), died (Rom 6:2, 7-8; Col 2:20; 3:3), and buried (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12), with Christ, as well as raised (Rom 6:5; Eph 2:6; Phi 3:10-11; Col 2:12; 3:1) and seated (Eph 2:6; Col 3:1) with Christ at His right hand. We, therefore, share the same life as His Son. Understanding this principle is essential for our spiritual growth and vital in leading a productive and joyful prayer life. Positional truth is directly related to the doctrine of sanctification, which is a technical theological term for the believer who has been “set apart,” through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of salvation, in order to serve God exclusively. There are three stages to sanctification: (1) positional, (2) experiential, and (3) ultimate. The Baptism of the Spirit takes place exclusively during the dispensation of the Church-Age and is accomplished at the moment of salvation when the omnipotence of the Spirit places the believer in a eternal union with Christ, thus identifying the believer positionally with Christ in His death, resurrection, and session. Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”


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“Baptized” is the verb baptizo and means, “to cause the believer to be identified with something,” which in context refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. The verb has both a literal and figurative usage. The literal usage refers to placing an object in any fluid that can change the object’s condition, without respect to time. After the object’s condition is changed, the enveloping fluid has no further power to affect additional change on the object. The word also has a metaphorical or figurative usage. In its metaphorical usage, baptizo refers to being placed into an element that can affect a thoroughly changed or permanently changed condition, without regard to time. It refers to a condition that results from baptism. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:13, took the metaphorical usage of baptizo and developed yet another usage, namely, identification. When Paul used baptizo in relation to the Baptism of the Spirit, he was referring to “the act of identifying one thing with another resulting in a permanent change of condition.” Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the verb identify as, “to cause to be or become identical, to conceive as united, as in spirit, outlook, or principle.” Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the noun identification as, “a process by which a person ascribes to himself the qualities or characteristics of another person.” Therefore, if we paraphrase these definitions, we can see that, at the moment of salvation, the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit causes the believer to become identical and, thus, united with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptism of the Spirit results in positional sanctification—the potential to experience sanctification in time and the guarantee of ultimate sanctification at the Resurrection of the Church. The first stage of sanctification, positional sanctification, is the believer’s “entrance” into the plan of God for the Church-Age, resulting in eternal security and two categories of positional truth: retroactive and current (1 Co 1:2, 30; 1 Pe 1:2; 1 Th 5:23; Eph 5:26-27; Heb 2:11; 10:10; Acts 20:32; 26:18; Rom 6:3, 8; 2 Th 2:13). “Retroactive” positional truth is the Church-Age believer’s identification with Christ in His death and burial (Rom 6:3-11; Col 2:12). Romans 6:4, “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” “Current” positional truth is the Church-Age believer’s identification with Christ in His resurrection, ascension, and session (Eph 2:4-6; Col 3:1-4). Colossians 3:1, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” The second stage of sanctification is experiential sanctification, which is the function of the Church-Age believer’s spiritual life in time through obedience to the Father’s will (John 17:17; Rom 6:19, 22; 2 Ti 2:21; 1 Pe 3:15; 1 Th 4:3-4, 7; 1 Ti 2:15). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” Experiential sanctification is the post-salvation experience of the believer who is in fellowship with God. It is a potential experience, since it is contingent upon the Church-Age believer responding to what God did for him at the moment of salvation. Therefore, only believers who are obedient to the Word of God will experience sanctification in time. The believer who experiences sanctification walks in “newness of life,” understanding that he has been crucified, died, buried, raised, and seated with Christ. Ultimate sanctification is the perfection of the Church-Age believer’s spiritual life at the Rapture, i.e. Resurrection of the Church, which is the completion of the plan of God for the Church-Age believer (1 Co 15:51-54; Gal 6:8; 1 Pe 5:10; John 6:40). Ultimate sanctification is the guarantee of a resurrection body, which every believer will experience at the Rapture, regardless of their response in time to what God accomplishes for them at salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:51, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” Sanctification is experiencing holiness and manifesting the character of God through one’s thoughts, words, and actions. 1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’” Thus, when we are praying from our vantage point at the right hand of the Father, we are experiencing the holiness of God in our lives. This new position in Christ, which is our permanent position, is directly related to the expression “in Jesus name,” a phrase we too often say without thinking of its significance. When the Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to pray in His name, He meant to pray to the Father based upon His merits and based upon their union with Him. Praying “in His name” is tantamount to praying in union with Christ. We noted this principle in Chapter 6: The Protocol to Prayer.


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Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Because the believer is always positionally “in Christ,” the very fact that Christ conditioned prayers to be asked in His name indicates that the condition is more than being positionally “in Christ.” Thus, it must mean that a believer is to pray “consciously aware” of his exalted position in Christ, even as he must be consciously aware of believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). Thus, we must relate these spiritual truths to our adversities in life. When we are going through a difficulty, whether it is a problem in our family, marriage, or work, we must be consciously aware of the fact that, when we pray, we have the power of our position in Christ at our disposal to deal with whatever problem we are facing in life. So, do not pray from down here on planet earth, pray from your position of victory and power at the right hand of the Father! 17 Prayer as a Problem Solver Life can be scary at times living in the devil’s world. God knows this. That’s why He gave us provisions, like prayer, to deal with our problems. God does not want us to be anxious about anything. He wants us to trust in His Word. In this chapter, we will study Philippians 4:6, which teaches that we should pray for a solution to our problems, rather than become worried or anxious. The Apostle Paul, in this passage, commanded a group of first century believers in Philippi, who were under tremendous adversity, to pray for a solution. The principles in Philippians 4:6 are applicable to our struggles faced daily here in the twenty-first century. Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” To fully grasp the message Paul was communicating, let me give you my translation of the passage, so you can see clearly understand what Paul was saying in the original language. The passage reads: Philippians 4:6, “At this very moment, all of you stop continuing to be anxious about absolutely anything, but rather, concerning anything at all by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father and by means of petition accompanied by the giving of thanks, let your specific detailed requests be repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” Philippians 4:6 is composed of two elements: a prohibition and a command. The prohibition is “At this very moment, all of you stop continuing to be anxious about absolutely anything.” The command is “concerning 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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anything at all by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father and by means of petition accompanied by the giving of thanks, let your specific detailed requests be repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” In this passage, we see that the means by which the Philippians were to deal with their adversities was three-fold: (1) “by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father,” (2) “by means of petition accompanied by the giving of thanks,” and through (3) “specific detailed requests repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” “Be anxious” is the verb merimnao and means, “to be anxious about something.” The meaning of this verb is negated by the emphatic adverb meden, meaning, “nothing.” Therefore, Paul emphatically did not want the Philippians to be anxious about anything in life. The act of being anxious is, essentially, man trying to solve his problems by means of his own power, ability, or intellect. It doesn’t work! The act of praying suggests a confidence in God to solve whatever problem arises. The Apostle Paul wanted the Philippians to depend upon the immutable character and integrity of God, rather than themselves. Paul did not want them to sin by being anxious about the cares of this life. He wanted them to remain occupied with the Lord and let any concerns of theirs be addressed to the Father. The Bible teaches that fear, worry, and anxiety are sins because they call into question God’s love. These sins are prohibited in the Scriptures because they emerge from doubt towards the character, integrity, and love of God. The Scriptures acknowledge that human life is swayed by cares and concerns. Yet, God commands us not to worry because He promises to take care of us. The Word of God teaches us that worrying is foolish because the God of all creation is always faithful in His promise to take care of us. Therefore, if an all-powerful and all-knowing deity tells you not to worry, why are you? It is obvious God knows our situation and what will be the outcome of our situation since He is omniscient. Therefore, throw your worries and fears into the lap of your heavenly Father. After all, Matthew 6:27 teaches that a person who worries cannot secure his life. Anxiety about the future will not change anything! A believer should be concerned with nothing more than loving and serving the Lord and the body of Christ (Phi 2:2-4, 20; 1 Co. 12:25). Anxiety is a preoccupation with self, and a preoccupation with self is arrogance. Trusting in God to keep His promises will protect the believer’s soul from stress, fear, worry, and anxiety. Let’s discuss a few principles about adversity and stress. Adversity is outside pressure and is not sin. Stress, on the other hand, is inside pressure—pressure you bring on yourself—and is sin! Stress in the soul means you are being controlled by your old sin nature to think with Satan’s cosmic viewpoint. Thinking cosmically will always result in sin. The believer who applies biblical, doctrinal rationales in his thought process is protected from fear, worry, and anxiety. If God provided us His Son to die for our sins, while we were unbelievers, how much more will God provide for us through His Son after we are saved. Common sense can answer that one. Therefore, it is a total contradiction for a believer to succumb to fear, worry, and anxiety since he is a son of God—one possessing eternal life and divine righteousness—and an heir to the promises of God, which are based upon the immutable divine integrity of God. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In Philippians 4:6, Paul prohibited the Philippians from entering into anxiety. Instead, he commanded them to enter into prayer for their spiritual and material needs and concerns. God made perfect provision so we may tap into the very resources of His grace, wisdom, and supply. Paul wanted the Philippians, in this passage, to understand that God made perfect provisions to supply their every need. Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” The reason behind your anxiety does not justify your anxiety. The Philippians were anxious for Paul, who was under house arrest, awaiting his appeal before Caesar (Phi 1:12-18). So, is worrying for another believer sin. Of course, whether you are anxious for yourself or for someone else, your anxiety suggests you have no faith in God’s promise to sustain you or to sustain another. The Philippians should have made their requests known to God (Phi 4:6). Another reason the Philippians were anxious was because they were undergoing underserved suffering from spiritual combat (Phi 1:27-30). Philippians 1:27-30, “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel; 28 in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” Upon this worry is the worry of Epaphroditus, who was critically ill in Rome (Phi 2:28). Philippians 2:25, “But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Therefore, it is clear that the Philippians had legitimate problems, but still had no excuse to be consumed with anxiety and stress. In response to their worry, Paul issued the prohibitions of Philippians 4:6. Now in Philippians 4:6, the present tense of the verb “be anxious” is merimnao, with the imperative mood of the verb denoting the termination of an activity already in progress. It suggests putting an end to anxiety and apprehension. The progressive present tense indicates that Paul desired the Philippians to obey this prohibition immediately, without a moments delay. The adverb meden expresses the degree to which the Philippians were to cease being anxious: “for nothing,” said Paul. “But” introduces a contrast to being anxious. “But” indicates praying to the Father for one’s need, as opposed to worrying about the need. Praying suggests trust and dependence upon the Father, while worry suggests mistrust and independence from the Father. The former honors the Father and the Son, but the latter dishonors both the Father and the Son. The prepositional phrase “in everything” means that no matter what the problem or adversity, the Philippians were to pray, rather than be anxious. Likewise, the phrase “by prayer” indicates that praying to the Father is the means by which they were to deal with the adversities in life. The word for “prayer” is the noun proseuche, which literally means, “a face to face audience with God the Father.” It refers to the general concept of prayer, which is directed toward God the Father without reference to the content of the prayer. It speaks of being face to face or in the presence of the Father to worship and adore Him in reverential prayer. Therefore, prayer is the means by which the believer can approach the Father face to face, submit to His will, and depend upon His sufficiency. Notice that by employing the noun proseuche Paul clearly indicated that he desired the Philippians to worship and adore God first, before offering up petitions. Paul commanded the Philippians to pray with the intention of worshipping and adoring the Father, rather than getting anxious about their problems. He wanted them to get their eyes on the Lord, rather than on themselves. Getting their eyes on the Lord would put their problems into proper perspective. Furthermore, Paul wanted them to pray because of what their prayer could accomplish when directed towards an omnipotent God, through whom all things are possible (Luke 1:37; 19:26; Mark 9:23; 10:27; 14:36; Luke 18:27). “Supplication,” in Philippians 4:6, is the noun deesis, which refers to praying for a specific need, whether spiritual or material, but always in accordance with the will of the Father. While proseuche, or “prayer,” emphasizes the “attitude” of the believer who depends upon God to meet his needs, deesis, or “supplication,” stresses the believer “acting” upon that attitude of dependence upon God. “With thanksgiving” is the noun eucharistia, which denotes the act of giving thanks to the Father in appreciation for who and what He is, and what He has given us through His grace provisions. Our English word eucharist derives from this Greek word. The Apostle Paul instructed the Philippians to accompany their prayer with the giving of thanks. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“Requests,” in Philippians 4:6, is the noun aitema and refers to the specific detailed or itemized requests to the Father. Aitema is, essentially, the content of the supplication. The phrase “let…be made known” is the verb gnorizo, which is in the present imperative form, emphasizing Paul’s command to the Philippians to “repeatedly” make known to the Father their specific detailed requests for both spiritual and material needs. It denotes perseverance in prayer. Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, and a state. The Philippians were to persevere in their prayer life (Mat 7:7-8; 26:39-44; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1-8; 21:36; Rom 12:12; 15:30; Acts 1:14; 6:4; 12:5; Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17; 1 Ti 5:5; 2 Ti 1:3; Col 1:9; 4:2, 12; Heb 10:22). Matthew 7:7, “Ask repeatedly, and it will be given to you; seek repeatedly, and you will find; knock continuously, and it will be opened to you.” Finally, the expression “to God,” in the original text, conveys a principle that should be very exciting to all of us as believers. It is composed of the preposition pros, which means, “face to face,” and theos, which means, “God,” referring to God the Father. Therefore, Paul made the Philippians aware of the fact that when they prayed, they were entering into the presence of the Father. Since the believer is seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father, the believer is, in reality, speaking face to face with the Father, just as the Lord Jesus speaks face to face with the Father. This prepositional phrase, therefore, expresses a close personal intimacy with the Father in prayer. Now, in Philippians 4:7, Paul presented the fantastic, wonderful results that would take place in the soul of the believer who obeyed his prohibition and command in Philippians 4:6 and utilized the three-fold means to dealing with adversity in life. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Again, let me give you my translation, so that you can clearly see what Paul was saying in the original language. Philippians 4:7, “And as a result the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit, which is always superior to any and every human conception, will as a dogmatic statement of fact cause your hearts to be protected and, as a result, your thoughts by means of the doctrine of Christ Jesus.” In the New American Standard, the word “and” is the conjunction kai, which has a two-fold usage. First, it connects Philippians 4:7 with Philippians 4:6 and, second, it introduces the result or the consequence of obeying the prohibition and command in Philippians 4:6. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“Peace” is the noun eirene, which denotes freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, or obsession; it means tranquility, serenity. It is the tranquil or serene state of the soul of the believer who goes to the Father in prayer in order to worship and adore Him. This peace is synonymous with the Sabbath Rest in Hebrews 4:1-16, which the believer is to be diligent in applying. He wanted the Philippians to present their problems to the Father in prayer so that, as a result, they may have tranquility in their souls. God the Holy Spirit produces this tranquility through the process of experiential sanctification (Gal 5:22-23). Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” This tranquility, however, was contingent upon the Philippians’ obedience towards the principles mentioned in Philippians 4:6, which include, (1) avoiding anxiety: “At this very moment, all of you stop continuing to be anxious about absolutely anything,” (2) reverential prayer: “but rather, concerning anything at all by means of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father,” (3) petition: “by means of petition,” (4) thanksgiving: “accompanied by the giving of thanks,” and (5) perseverance: “let your specific detailed requests be repeatedly made known in the presence of the Father.” Anxiety and peace are antithetical. The believer who succumbs to anxiety is hurting himself. Not only does anxiety destroy fellowship with God, but it also prevents us from experiencing the peace of God in our souls. Leading a productive prayer life, ultimately, is related to experiencing the peace of God. Understanding who and what God is, depending on Him for our spiritual and temporal needs, expressing gratitude towards Him, and persevering in our prayer life will lead us directly into His peace. In Philippians 4:7, “God” is the noun theos, which has a definite article before it emphasizing the Holy Spirit, who produces the peace of God in the believer who obeys the Word of God. It is God the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to produce eirene, or peace, in the soul of the believer (Gal 5:22). The noun theos is in the genitive case, which is also significant. It is a “genitive of production,” meaning that the Holy Spirit “produces” this peace in the believer who obeys the commands and prohibitions that were issued by Paul in Philippians 4:6. The noun, functioning as a genitive of production, refers to the fruit or production of the Spirit, which fruit consists of Christ-like characteristics. “Surpasses” is the verb huperecho, which means, “to be superior, to stand out above, to be of surpassing or exceptional value.” Paul asserted, with this verb, that the peace produced in the soul of the believer by God the Holy Spirit is superior to any and every human conception or idea of “peace.” “Comprehension” is the noun nous, which refers to the “human conception” that Paul assured us is entirely inferior to the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit. Webster’s Ninth New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the noun concept as something conceived in the mind; an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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If we are to paraphrase this definition in relation to the use of nous here in Philippians 4:7, we would say, the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit by means of prayer in the soul of the believer is totally superior to any and every thought conceived in the human mind, superior to any and every human abstract and generic idea, and superior to any and every human conception. Webster’s Dictionary lists the following definitions for the noun conception: “the capacity, function, or process of forming or understanding ideas or abstractions or their symbols; a general idea; a complex product of abstract or reflective thinking; the sum of a person’s ideas and beliefs concerning something; the originating of something in the mind.” If we are to paraphrase this definition in relation to the use of nous here in Philippians 4:7, we would say, the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit by means of prayer in the soul of the believer is always superior to human capacity, the function of the human mind or the process of the human mind to understand and produce by itself, superior to any human idea, superior to any and every complex product of abstract and reflective human thinking, superior to the sum of all human ideas and beliefs concerning the subject of peace, and superior to anything originating in the human mind. I think you get the point. The unregenerate human mind never will conceive of any idea that comes remotely close to the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit in the soul of the believer, who worships the Father in prayer and makes known his specific needs and concerns. Only the regenerate human mind that is in fellowship with God can experience this peace produced by God the Holy Spirit. Peace originates with God. It is the monopoly of God and is shared with the believer by means of fellowship with God in prayer and in the application of the Word of God. The peace produced by God the Holy Spirit liberates the soul from anxiety, fear, and worry. “Will guard,” in Philippians 4:7, is the verb phroureo, which means, “to protect, guard, or garrison.” Phroureo is a military term, used by Paul because it appealed to the Philippians’ frame of reference since Philippi was a Roman colony and a military outpost for the Roman Empire at the time. Roman soldiers garrisoning the city were a familiar sight in Philippi. Therefore, Paul employed this term as an analogy for God the Holy Spirit who guards the heart of every believer and produces in his soul the peace of God. “Hearts” is the noun kardia, which refers to the dominant lobe of the soul, the right lobe. It is the mental activity or function of the psuche, “soul.” The kardia is that aspect of the soul, which circulates thought or mental activity. It is where the believer’s frame of reference, memory center, vocabulary and classification of thoughts, and norms and standards reside. The believer’s entire mental attitude circulates in the kardia, as well as the subconscious. The believer who obeys the prohibition and command in Philippians 4:6 will have his kardia protected by the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit. “And” is the conjunction kai, which is used to introduce a result. Protection of the kardia by God the Holy Spirit will result in having the believer’s thoughts protected from the sin nature’s control and from the cosmic system. “Minds” is the noun noema, which means, “thoughts.” Noema is produced by the kardia; it is a direct function or activity of the kardia. The word, therefore, is referring to the “thoughts” of the Philippians, which are 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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being protected by the peace produced by God the Holy Spirit, as a result of obeying the prohibition and command in Philippians 4:6. Finally, the phrase “in Christ Jesus” contains a figure of speech called metonymy. The preposition en, “in,” is an instrumental of means. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that the doctrine of Christ, i.e., the Word of God is the means by which the Holy Spirit produces peace or tranquility in the heart, which protects the believer from fear, worry, and anxiety entering into his heart or mind. Therefore, in Philippians 4:6-7, Paul taught that prayer, essentially, solves the problem of stress and anxiety, which is widespread in twenty-first century America. The principle that prayer solves problems is not a new phenomenon. Prayer was a problem solver of the Old Testament. Prayer solved the problem of drought in Elijah’s day. Elijah prayed “earnestly that it might not rain,” and it didn’t (Jam 5:17; 1 Ki 17:1). He prayed again for it to rain after a drought of three years and six months, and his prayer was answered (Jam 5:18; 1 Ki 18:41-45). Prayer solved the problem of Peter’s imprisonment. The Father answered the early Church’s prayer and sent an angel to deliver Peter from prison. There is no question that prayer solves problems. 18 Three Sources of Prayer Another major source of comfort for the believer in dealing with the details and adversities of life is knowing that God the Father receives prayer from three different sources in the Church-Age. First, on earth, God the Holy Spirit makes intercessory prayer to God the Father for the believer when he does not know what to pray for (Rom 8:15, 26-27; Gal 4:6). Second, in heaven, God the Son intercedes for the believer at the right hand of God the Father (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). Finally, on earth, believer-priests make intercessory prayers for other believers and unbelievers, as well as personal petitions for themselves (Eph 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-2). Intercessory prayer for believers is only one of fourteen post-salvation ministries of the Holy Spirit. The others include, empowering the believer to execute the plan of God (John 14:16, 26; Gal 5:16, 25; Eph. 5:18; Phi 1:6; 2:13), reproducing Christ-like character in the believer (Gal 4:19; 5:5, 16-23), teaching the believer the doctrines of Christ (John 14:26; 1 Co 2:10-16; 1 Jo 2:20, 27), convicting the believer of sin (John 16:7-11; Ro 8:4-14; Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:18), leading the believer in worshipping the Father (John 4:24; Phi 3:3; Rom 8:4-13), promoting spiritual maturity (Gal 5:1-5; Heb 5:11-6:6), restraining sin in the world (2 Th 2:6-7), applying truth to the believer’s experience (John 14:26; Rom 8:16; Eph 6:18), giving power to the believer’s prayer life (John 15:7; Eph 6:18; Jude 20), promoting worship of God (John 4:23-24; Eph 5:18-21; Phi 3:3; Isa 59:1-2), giving capacity, burden, and direction for witnessing (Acts 1:8; 1 Th 1:5), giving capacity for ministry (1 Co 1:12-14), and providing fellowship for the believer (2 Co 13:14; Phi 2:1).


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Romans 8:26, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” “Intercedes for us” is the verb huperentunchano, which places specific emphasis on the fact that what is being done is for the sake of someone else. The Apostle Paul reminded the Roman believers, and all believers throughout history, that the Holy Spirit intercedes on their behalf when they do not know how to pray. The present tense of the verb in Romans 8:26 is significant since it is a gnomic present, which expresses the fact that the Spirit’s intercession on behalf of all believers is an eternal spiritual truth, that is true of all time. Romans 8:34, “who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” The Lord Jesus Christ offered intercessory prayers to the Father on behalf of each and every believer according to His Great High Priesthood. Christ was made a high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 5:6) and, since His priesthood was of the order of Melchizedek, it was superior to the Aaronic priesthood (Heb 7) because the Aaronic priesthood was temporary and had been abolished (Heb 8). Our Lord’s high priesthood, however, was eternal and was made effectual by His own blood, when He became the Mediator of a New Covenant (Heb 9:11-15). Hebrews 2:14, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Hebrews 4:14, “Therefore, since we have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The Lord Jesus Christ is presently functioning as the believer’s Great High Priest at the right hand of the Father. The Lord, thus, represents the believer as an advocate with the Father. 1 John 2:1, “My little children, I am providing information in writing at this particular time concerning these things for the benefit of all of you in order that all of you might not enter into committing an act of sin. Now, if anyone does enter into committing an act of sin, then we possess as an Advocate with the Father, Jesus who is the righteous Christ.” An advocate is one who pleads for and on behalf of another, or intercedes for another. In the Supreme Court of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ acts as the believer’s advocate with the Father when the believer sins. In 1 John 2:1, the word “advocate” describes the Lord Jesus Christ as the believer’s defense attorney to defend and intercede for the believer before the Father when Satan accuses the believer. Therefore, the word “advocate” has legal connotation in 1 John 2:1. A comparison of Scripture with Scripture further substantiates this interpretation. Revelation 12:10, Job 1, and Zechariah 3:1-2 teaches that Satan accuses believers day and night before the Supreme Court of Heaven. Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.’” The Greek New Testament’s titles for Satan, Satanas, and devil, diabolos, are legal terms. The term Satanas means “adversary” and diabolos means “slanderer, false accuser.” Therefore, the believer needs an advocate or defense attorney to defend him against the charges of Satan. Though Satan’s charges against believers are true, Christ still acts as our advocate. Satan does not waste his time bringing a lie to God about a believer. In fact, he doesn’t need to lie about any believer, since believers sin all the time. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ defends the believer by being evidence for the payment of sins, which was accomplished at the cross once and for all. The third and final source from which God the Father receives intercessory prayer is from believer-priests in the Church-Age, which was discussed in detail in Chapter 9: Seven Essential Parts of a Prayer. Part Seven: A Productive Prayer Life in Relation to Mankind 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all-pray.16 19 Corporate Prayer Prayer can have a phenomenal effect in the human realm. In this section, we will study in detail the relationship of prayer to mankind. One of the most overlooked aspects of prayer and fellowship in Christianity today is that of corporate prayer. The fact that corporate prayer is overlooked and ignored in the Church-Age impacts the witnessing of the Church in this country and the world. Church-Age believers are commanded in Scripture to be dedicated and devoted to two different dimensions of prayer: individual prayer (Mat 6) and corporate prayer (Mat 18:19-20). Since we are individual members of one body (1 Co 12:27), we should pray as such. Romans 12:4, “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” As members of the body of Christ, we are not only to meet together to hear and study the Word, but we are also to pray together. Jesus Christ taught the importance of corporate prayer in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 18:15, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED…. 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” “Agree,” in Matthew 18:19, is the compound verb sumphoneo, which is composed of the preposition sun, meaning, “together with,” and the verb phoneo, meaning, “to make a sound, to speak.” Thus, the compound verb sumphoneo means, “to speak together, to be in harmony and in unison.” In a general sense, the verb means, “to agree.” Thus, in Matthew 18:19, sumphoneo expresses the concept of unity among believers. When two or more believers are gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and make a prayer request to God, which is according to His will, they can be assured their prayer will be heard and answered because they agreed on the matter and approached God in corporate prayer. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“In My Name” recalls the principle that prayer must be addressed to God in the name of Jesus Christ, our intermediary (John 14:13-14; 16:23-24; Eph 5:20; Col 3:17). Therefore, corporate prayer is an expression of unity and a very critical issue in Christianity. Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.” If Christian unity is so important to our Lord, it should be important to us as well. The members of the Church, especially mature believers, need to be aware of the fact that corporate prayer strengthens the faith of weaker, immature believers, since they find encouragement, confidence, and strength from gathering together with other stronger believers. The fact that Jesus is present wherever people are gathered in His name fortifies the truth of His deity (1 Co 5:4). No one except God is omnipresent, and God is the Trinity; therefore, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are also omnipresent. The certainty that one’s prayers will be heard and answered does not depend on the size of the local assembly or the goodness, integrity, or determination of believers, but on the fact that the Lord Jesus is present. The fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is present when believers come together in His name also shows how important it is for believers, as brothers and sisters in Christ, to gather. It is critical that believers in the body of Christ gather in one place, just as on the Day of Pentecost. This also means that wherever and whenever believers gather together in our Lord’s name in order to honor, worship, and serve Him, the body of believers together become a temple of God, where the Holy Spirit dwells and is active (1 Co 3:16). The early Church made it a priority to meet together not only to hear the Word of God, for fellowship, and for the Lord’s Supper, but also for prayer as a corporate unit. Hebrews 10:25, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Acts 1:13, “When they [disciples of the Lord] had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Corporate prayer produced a deeper spirit of fellowship, unity, and sharing among members of the Apostolic Church. The aftermath of these prayer meetings proved that the Holy Spirit was active in responding to the corporate prayer of God’s people. The Apostolic First-Century Church exercised corporate prayer as an expression of fellowship and unity. The early Church prayed together in John and Mark’s house for Peter, when he was in prison, and the Lord answered their prayer by delivering Peter from both prison and death (Acts 12:1-11). The Church at Antioch fasted and prayed together before sending out Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:1-3; 14:23). It was at a prayer meeting in Philippi that God opened Lydia’s heart (Acts 16:13) and, at another prayer meeting in Philippi, that He opened the prison doors (Acts 16:25). Paul prayed together with the pastors at Ephesus before leaving them (Acts 20:36; 21:5). According to Acts 2:42, the early Church demonstrated their unity before the world by meeting together and being dedicated and devoted to the apostle’s teaching and commands to fellowship, observe the Lord’s Supper, and pray. Corporate prayer, therefore, was one of the chief purposes for the early Apostolic Church to gather together. We should, then, follow their example. Acts 2:46, “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” There are four essential corporate functions of a spiritual church. They include: (1) the teaching of the Word of God, (2) fellowship among believers, (3) observing the Lord’s Supper and taking meals together, and (4) corporate prayer. Some characteristics of a spiritual church, such as the early Apostolic Church, include believers being zealous, visible, joyful, unselfish, gracious, unified, powerful, and prayerful. Believers of the Apostolic Church were not satisfied meeting once, or even twice, a week. Acts 2:46 tells us they met “daily,” and they cared for each other “daily” according to Acts 6:1-7. Acts 2:47 also tells us they won souls “daily,” they searched the Scriptures “daily” according to Acts 17:11, and they increased in number “daily” according to Acts 16:5 and Acts 2:47. We can also see from Acts 2:42 that corporate prayer was an essential part of fellowship. As we noted in Chapter 15, fellowship involves companionship. In the Christian community, companionship includes communicating on a spiritual level through a mutual sharing of the viewpoint and thinking of Christ, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and the ministries and gifts of the various members of the body of Christ. Like fellowship, companionship has two directions: vertical and horizontal. The vertical is our communion and fellowship with the Lord (1 Jo 1:1-4). The horizontal is our communion and fellowship with the body of Christ (Acts 2:42-47). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Horizontal companionship, therefore, includes: (1) assembling together as a whole body (Acts 2:42; Heb 10:25), (2) assembling in smaller groups (Mat 18:20), (3) meeting together one-on-one (1 The 5:11), (4) sharing and communicating truth together and building up one another (Rom 1:11-12; Col 3:15-16), (5) sharing together in worship, including for the Lord’s Supper, (1 Co 10:16) in the singing of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs, (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), in the ministry of the Word (Luke 19:47-48; Acts 20:20; 2 Ti 2:2; 1 Pe 4:10-11), and in corporate prayer (Acts 2:42; 12; Phi 1:19). The Apostle Paul had great confidence in the power of corporate prayer. Let’s see why, by studying a group of passages in which he refers to it. Paul relied on corporate prayer from the Churches to help his ministry. Romans 15:30, “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” 2 Corinthians 1:8, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.” Paul requested corporate prayer from the Colossian Church in order that the Word of God might continue to spread throughout the Roman Empire. Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; all of you 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.”


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Paul had confidence that the Philippian Church’s corporate prayer would result in his deliverance from the Roman authorities. Philippians 1:19, “In fact, I know without a doubt that this [situation] will result for my benefit in [soul] prosperity through your supportive prayer by means of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul commanded the Ephesian Church to put on the full armor of God and pray for him. Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil…. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” In 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, Paul requested corporate prayer from the Thessalonian believers in order that the communication of the Word of God might spread throughout the Roman Empire. 2 Thessalonians 3:1, “Finally, brethren, all of you pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” It is quite clear that Paul perceived himself as a member of a body whose sympathy and cooperation he depended upon. He depended upon the prayers of these churches to gain for him what otherwise might not be given. To him the prayers of the Church were as real a factor in the work of the kingdom of God as the power of God itself. Both Scripture and experience unite to indicate that there is cumulative power in unified prayer. Faith is infectious, and infection spreads where numbers congregate. Unbelief, on the other hand, thrives more readily in isolation. A single stick can kindle a fire only with great difficulty. Was it not at a united prayer meeting that the power of Pentecost was unleashed? It is a consistent teaching of Scripture that, when a number of Christians unite in prayer for a given person or objective, special spiritual power is brought into operation, for their gathering demonstrates a unity that God delights to see and acknowledge.


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Did not the Lord Jesus pray in John 17:11, “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.” Further evidence of the power of corporate prayer is revealed in Acts 4, when the chief priests and elders held Peter and John because of having proclaimed the name of Christ in the healing of a sick man. Acts 4:24, “When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, ‘O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM.’” “They lifted their voices to God with one accord,” in Acts 4:24 indicates, that prayer thrives where there is a spirit of unity and love and fellowship. Romans 15:5, “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice that Peter and John recalled to their thinking the majesty and power of the God to whom they were praying and, thus, quoted Psalm 124:8, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” They considered the activity of God in creation, and thus strengthened their faith and confidence. Acts 4:25, “who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? 26 THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’ 27 For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” In Acts 4:25-28, the early Apostolic Church acknowledged the sovereignty of God over all the nations and confidently expected Him to intervene in their crisis. The term “sovereignty” indicates God’s complete power over all creation, so that He exercises His will absolutely, without any necessary conditioning by a finite will or wills. Divine sovereignty does not destroy human responsibility. Yes, God is sovereign, but we must still pray. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The early Apostolic Church knew this and, thus, relied heavily upon the veracity and authority of the Scriptures, basing their petition upon the Word of God, in particular Psalm 2. Acts 4:29, “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bondservants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” In Acts 4:29-30, the early Apostolic Church offered up specific detailed requests to the Father. They mentioned the threats of the civil authorities. They requested that the communicators of the Word be given boldness and confidence to proclaim the Word. They requested healing. They requested that these healings be done in the name of the Lord Jesus and, thus, for His glory. Notice that the Church did not pray for a change in their circumstances, nor did they pray their enemies be removed from office. Rather, they asked the Father to empower them to make the best of their circumstances and to accomplish what He had already “predestined to occur” (Acts 4:28). Acts 4:31, “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” Notice that the Church did not ask for protection, but for power. They did not ask for fire from heaven to destroy their enemies, but for power from heaven to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and heal the sick, which would bring the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father glory. Their great desire was for boldness in the face of opposition. This prayer in Acts 4, therefore, is a prayer of faith, conducted corporately. Matthew 21:22, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” A prayer of faith releases God’s power and enables His power to move in the affairs of men. We appropriate, or take possession of, the omnipotence of God by means of our faith in prayer. But faith requires our total and absolute confidence and trust in God. Acts 4 teaches that, with faith, “Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God.” The early Church prayed with confidence, and God answered with a mighty display of His power. 20 The Love of God and Intercessory Prayer When discussing prayer as it relates to men and angels, I think it necessary to reinforce that intercessory prayer for both believers and unbelievers is an expression of the love of God in our lives and, therefore, has a 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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tremendous impact on the lives of men and women. Though intercessory prayer is discussed in a previous chapter, it is essential that believers understand its enormous power in the Church-Age. The Lord Jesus Christ expressed His love for those who mocked, scourged, vilified, and crucified Him by interceding for them before the Father (Luke 23:33-34). Luke 23:33, “When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” Believers are to offer up intercessory prayers for all men, since God desires all men to be saved, sending His Son to die for all men, without exception or distinction (1 Jo 2:2; 1 Ti 2:4; 2 Pe 3:9; Jo 3:16-17). 1 Timothy 2:1, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.” The expression “first of all,” in 1 Timothy 2:1, emphasizes the urgency and priority of prayer. Prayer is the most important aspect in the public worship of God. “I urge” is the verb parakaleo, which means, “to ask for something earnestly and with propriety; to ask for [earnestly], to request, to plead for, to appeal to; to earnestly request, appeal, or beg.” The Apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:1, pleaded, asked earnestly, requested, appealed, and begged all believers to offer up entreaties, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings on behalf of all men, without exception or distinction. The Apostle Paul lists four words in this passage that describe the various aspects of prayer. The first, “entreaties,” is the noun deesis and refers to intercessory prayer, specific detailed requests offered to God on behalf of all men. The second word, “prayers,” is the noun proseuche, which, as we noted in Chapter 17, literally means, “a face to face audience with a king in order to present a request.” The third word, “petitions,” is the noun enteuxis and is used in classical Greek to describe a child who goes to his father with a petition on behalf of another person. In classical Greek, Aristotle and Plato associated the word with a “meeting,” an “encounter,” or an “interview” with someone. The noun enteuxis refers to that aspect of intercessory prayer, when the believer boldly enters into the Father’s presence in prayer on behalf of another. The fourth word, “thanksgivings,” is the noun eucharistia, which refers to the act of giving thanks to the Father in appreciation for who and what He is and in appreciation for those in governmental authority. 1 Timothy 2:2, “for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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the knowledge of the truth…. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” When praying for unbelievers, we should pray that God bring in people and circumstances that cause the unbeliever to have the humility to give the Gospel a hearing. In addition, we should pray that they be exposed to the Gospel, so that they can make a decision to either accept or reject Jesus Christ as Savior. Remember the words of Paul in Romans 1:16-17, which we too often forget or ignore. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.’” God the Holy Spirit, in common grace, makes the Gospel understandable to unbelievers, so that they may make a decision to either accept or reject Jesus Christ as Savior. “Common grace” is grace that the entire human race receives when God the Holy Spirit makes the Gospel message, which is a spiritual language, understandable to the spiritually dead unbeliever. It is given to everyone in the human race, so that all men may have the same privilege and opportunity to be saved. Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God has appeared [the Lord Jesus Christ], bringing salvation to all men.” The entire human race is born spiritually dead because of Adam’s sin. Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and spiritual death spread through sin, and so spiritual death spread to all men, because all sinned when Adam sinned.” Therefore, God the Father sent His Son to the cross for everyone because He made everyone a sinner at physical birth through the imputation of Adam’s sin. Now, the fact that every member of the human race possesses a sin nature does mean that the entire human race is qualified for grace, which is all that God is free to do in imparting unmerited blessings to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Galatians 3:22, “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”


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Romans 11:32, “For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.” Nevertheless, despite God’s grace in offering everyone salvation, not everyone will be saved because God, in His perfect integrity, also provided everyone with a free will, or volition. Therefore, unbelievers must make the decision to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior; God cannot make the decision for them. People go to the Lake of Fire because they make the decision to go there. God doesn’t want anyone in the Lake of Fire. He wants them all in heaven. But, we are not robots. We are human beings with volition to choose—to choose Christ and be saved or to choose Satan and succumb to the Lake of Fire. John 3:18, “He who believes in Him [the Lord Jesus Christ] is not judged. He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the uniquely born Son of God.” John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see eternal life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” There is only one way to be saved and that is through faith alone in Christ alone. There is no other person through whom you can attain salvation. Our ticket to heaven is through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter made this extraordinarily clear in Acts 4:10-12. Acts 4:10, “let it be known to all of you [rulers of the Jews], and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead [what Satan meant for evil, God meant for good]—by this name this man stands before you in good health. 11 He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you [the rulers of the Jews], THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone [the most important].' 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” We must also remember that God the Holy Spirit convicts and reveals Jesus Christ to all men (John 16:811). The Holy Spirit, in common grace, bears witness to the unbeliever that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. God the Holy Spirit convicts the unbeliever that he is a sinner and needs a Savior. The Lord, in His Upper Room Discourse, mentioned this principle. John 16:7, “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” The Holy Spirit, in common grace, takes the Gospel message and makes it understandable to the unbeliever so that he can either make the non-meritorious decision to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior or reject Him. What is the Gospel? 1 Corinthians has the answer. 1 Corinthians 15:3, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” We have to possess some information regarding Christ in order to believe in Him. You can’t believe in someone you have no knowledge of. Therefore, it is essential that we present the Gospel accurately and concisely to the unbeliever because the Gospel is the power of God for salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1, “And working together [with Him] we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—2 for He says, ‘AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.’ Behold, now is ‘THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,’ behold, now is ‘THE DAY OF SALVATION.’” The conviction from the Holy Spirit takes place over a lifetime, until the unbeliever accepts Christ or he dies. There are no more opportunities after death. Hebrews 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this [comes] judgment.” The Scriptures do not sanction or command believers to pray that God deliver the unbeliever from eternal condemnation, since God’s justice and righteousness cannot coerce or make the unbeliever do anything against his will. Since God cannot save the unbeliever unless the unbeliever makes a decision to accept Christ as Savior, there is no need for us to pray He deliver him or her from condemnation. Rather, we should pray that God bring in whatever circumstances and people necessary to cause the unbeliever to have the humility to give the Gospel a hearing. Then, it is up to the person as to whether or not they make the decision to believe in Christ in order to be saved. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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21 Prayer as a Spiritual Weapon The last aspect of prayer as it relates to men and angels involves prayer as an invisible, spiritual weapon for believer-priests in the Church-Age (Eph 6:18). The Church-Age is the intensified stage of the angelic conflict, which we are engaged in now. Today, more than ever, prayer brings glory to God and magnifies God’s perfect character and integrity, which is constantly being attacked and maligned by Satan and the kingdom of darkness. The angelic conflict, therefore, is a spiritual war that is taking place between God and His elect angels and Satan and his fallen angels. It is essentially the kingdom of God against the kingdom of darkness. This spiritual war is invisible and, therefore, requires divine power for every believer to be equipped to fight. Prayer is one of the weapons that God the Father provided for the Church-Age believer in eternity past to fight this invisible warfare (Eph6:18). The Church-Age believer is in the midst of spiritual warfare with the kingdom of darkness (Eph 6:12-16; Phi 1:27-30). The Scriptures describe the believer as a “soldier” (1 Co 9:7; Phi 2:25; 2 Ti 3-4). The battleground for this spiritual warfare is the believer’s soul (Rom 7:23; Gal 5:17). 2 Corinthians 10:3, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” The intelligence apparatus of a nation plays a vital part in modern warfare. Unless we know who our enemy is, where he is, and what he can do, we will have a difficult time defeating him. The leader of the Church’s great invisible enemy is, of course, Satan, whose name means adversary because he is the enemy of God. He is also called the “tempter” in Matthew 4:3 and the “murderer” in John 8:44. He is compared to a lion in 1 Peter 5:8, a serpent in Genesis 3:1 and Revelation 12:9, and an angel of light in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, he is called “the god of this age.” We, therefore, should not be ignorant of his power over this world, nor of his schemes and devices (2 Co 2:11). After all, we are living, each and every day, in enemy territory. 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” The believer has, in fact, three great enemies according to the Scriptures: (1) the indwelling Adamic sin nature and all its corrupting power and life-dominating patterns (Rom 7:15; 8:4-8, 13; Gal 5:16-26), (2) Satan, our chief adversary, the devil (1 Pe 5:8-9; Eph 6:12; John 16:11; Col 2:15; 1 John 2:13-14), and (3) the world, a 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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system and arrangement of the affairs of men and government under the control of the evil one and opposed to God and His purposes for man (John 16:33; 1 Jo 5:4; Eph 2:2). The spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary was a great strategic victory over these three great enemies of mankind (John 12:31; 16:8-11; Col 2:15; Heb 2:14). John 12:31, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Colossians 2:15, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” 1 John 3:8, “The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” Our Lord’s strategic victory paved the way for other tactical victories by Church-Age believers. Strategic action is designed to strike an enemy at the source of his military, economic, or political power and is intended to render the enemy incapable of making war. The impeccable incarnate Son of God performed a strategic action at the cross when He died a substitutionary spiritual death for all mankind. This strategic action destroyed the works of the devil and rendered inoperable the great power he uses against humanity, which is the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15). It also destroyed Satan’s argument against God at his appeal trial, which stated that God was unfair and did not love His creatures because God sentenced him and his angels to the Lake of Fire (Mat 25:41). Tactical action involves actions of less magnitude or at a shorter distance from a base of operations than those of strategy and is related to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose. Every believer is a strategic winner “positionally” through his union with Christ. By “positionally,” I mean that God views the believer as crucified, died, buried, raised, and seated with Christ. However, few become tactical winners by exploiting their union with Christ and experiencing victory over Satan and the kingdom of darkness. The believer achieves tactical victories by appropriating, through faith, the strategic victory that God won through Christ’s death, resurrection, and session. Satan and the kingdom of darkness can easily destroy the believer if the believer is left to his own devices, using his own human power. But God provides the believer the power to overcome his spiritual adversary, Satan, and the kingdom of darkness. This power comes from the Word of God and prayer. 1 John 4:4, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The kingdom of darkness employs fear and intimidation tactics to get the believer to go AWOL (absent without official leave) from the plan of God (Phi 1:28; 1 Pe 5:1-9). Hebrews 2:14, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Fear is a contradiction to the believer’s spiritual life, which should be a lifestyle of power, love, and discipline (2 Ti 1:7). 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” Never before in history has so much power been made available to believers. Therefore, there is no excuse for any believer to become a permanent casualty in this war. Any believer, who goes AWOL and succumbs to fear and worry, does not trust God and does not believe that God will support him through times of adversity. This type of believer, therefore, will become a spiritual casualty in this spiritual war. This is precisely the reason for Peter’s command in 1 Peter 5:7-9. 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” In Ephesians 6:13-18, the Apostle Paul employed a military analogy in order to describe the believer’s spiritual armor and weapons, which enables him to effectively engage Satan and the kingdom of darkness in spiritual combat. Military illustrations were favorites of Paul in explaining certain spiritual principles (2 Co 10:4; 1 Ti 6:12; 2 Ti 2:3; 4:7). Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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flaming missiles of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” In Ephesians 6:14-17, we are given a list of the five items that compose “the full armor of God”: (1) the “belt of truth,” (2) the “breastplate of righteousness,” (3) the “Gospel of peace,” (4) the “shield of faith,” and (5) the “helmet of salvation.” Notice that all of these five items in Ephesians 6:14-17 are for defensive purposes. The offensive weapons for the Christian soldier are also mentioned in Ephesians 6:17-18. They are “the Word of God” and “prayer.” Paul not only considered the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, an effective means to engage the enemy in spiritual combat, but he also considered prayer a spiritual offensive weapon. These two offensive weapons are to work in conjunction with each other. The Word of God and prayer work together, since prayer is only effective and productive if it is in accordance with the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God! There are two commands and six prepositional phrases contained in Ephesians 6:18. Each prepositional phrase describes a different aspect to the prayer that the Ephesian believers were to offer up to the Father. These prepositional phrases describe the details of their prayer, essentially the means by which they were to pray, when they were to pray, where they were to pray, and in what sphere they were to pray. The phrases also describe the purpose for their prayer, how to conduct their prayer, and who to pray for. Let us start with the first prepositional phrase. “With,” in Ephesians 6:18, is the preposition dia, which is employed with the genitive case of the nouns proseuche, “prayer,” and deesis, “petition,” as a marker of means indicating the means by which the verbal action explicit in the verb proseuchomai, “pray,” is accomplished. This prepositional phrase answers the question, “How the Ephesian believers were to pray?” “Prayer” is the genitive form of the noun proseuche, which is used of reverential prayer in the presence of the Father. Proseuche speaks of prayer in the general sense of speaking face to face or in the presence of the Father to worship and adore Him. The basic meaning of the word views the prayer of the believer from the standpoint of speaking face to face with the Father in worship and dependence, thus acknowledging Him as all-sufficient and the believer as insufficient. Therefore, the first step to experiencing victory in spiritual combat through prayer is worshipping God for who and what He is. When the believer offers up praise, thanksgiving, petitions, and intercessions to the Father, he demonstrates his total and absolute dependence upon Him to meet his every need, whether spiritual or material, and thus worships Him and fulfills step one in Ephesians 6:18. “Petition” is the noun deesis, which, in context, refers to making a petition or prayer for a specific need, whether spiritual or material, which is in accordance with the will of the Father. “All” is the adjective pas, which is used in a “distributive” sense to mean, “every kind” in a particular class. Thus, Paul wanted the Ephesian believers to offer up prayers to the Father by means of “every kind of” reverential specific detailed prayer request in the presence of the Father. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“Pray” is the verb proseuchomai, which is a compound verb composed of the preposition pros, which means, “face to face with,” and the verb euchomai, which means, “to request.” Thus, the verb literally means, “to make a request face to face with deity.” Both the verb proseuchomai and its cognate noun proseuche refer to prayer with no indication of its content, essentially a general prayer. The noun deesis, on the other hand, refers specifically to either petitionary prayer or intercessory prayer. In Ephesians 6:18, the verb proseuchomai does refer to intercessory prayer to the Father on behalf of other believers, but without reference to the fact that it is intercessory. The word functions as an imperatival participle, meaning it expresses a command. The present tense of the verb is a “customary” present, which indicates that this is a character building command to the effect of “make this your habit” or “train yourself in this.” Proseuchomai in Ephesians 6:18, therefore, should not be translated simply “pray,” but rather “all of you make it your habit to pray,” since this translation brings out the idea behind the customary present imperatival participle. The second prepositional phrase describes “when” the Ephesian believers were to pray. “At all times” is composed of the preposition en and the adjective pas, which modifies the noun kairos. The preposition en is employed with the dative of time kairo and functions as a marker of time indicating the point of time overlapping other points of time that the Ephesian believers were to pray. The noun kairos is used often in a temporal sense in the Greek New Testament for a “distinct point in time” and, in Ephesians 6:18, it means, “opportunity.” It is modified by the attributive adjective pas, which is used again in a “distributive” sense, meaning, “each and every.” Thus, the Ephesian believers were to make it their habit to pray “at each and every opportunity.” So, Paul was saying in Ephesians 6:18, with this prepositional phrase, that by means of every kind of specific reverential prayer request, all of you make it your habit to pray “at each and every opportunity.” The second person plural form of the verb proseuchomai, “all of you make it a habit to pray,” clearly indicates that Paul was addressing this command to the Ephesian believers as a corporate unit. The local assembly experiences spiritual victory as a corporate unit in spiritual combat by praying as a corporate unit for each other. If the local assembly has divisions and is not praying for each other, it will suffer defeat at the hands of Satan and the kingdom of darkness in spiritual combat and will lose its witness in the world. A local assembly that does not pray for each other is not operating in the love of God and, thus, is not in fellowship with the Spirit, since obedience to the Spirit reproduces the love of God, which expresses itself through prayer for one’s fellow believer. Functioning according to the love of God produces unity and is accomplished through obedience to the Lord’s command to love one another as He loves us, and which love expresses itself in intercessory prayer for others. Colossians 3:15, “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The local assembly experiences victory over the kingdom of darkness in spiritual combat by being obedient as a corporate unit to the Father’s will, as it is revealed by the Spirit through the communication of the Word, and which obedience reproduces the love of God and expresses itself through prayer for one’s fellow believer. Therefore, Paul issued the first command to the Ephesian believers, namely, to preserve the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians 4. The third prepositional phrase, in Ephesians 6:18, describes “the sphere” or “attitude,” in which the Ephesian believers were to pray. “In the Spirit” is composed of the preposition en and the noun pneuma. The noun pneuma refers to God the Holy Spirit. The preposition en is a marker of sphere and denotes the sphere in which the believer was to pray, namely, “in the sphere” of fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the prepositional phrase is translated, en pneumati, “in fellowship with the Spirit.” The believer experiences fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit by being obedient to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Spirit through the communication of the Word of God. Since effective prayer demands praying according to the Father’s will (1 Jo 5:14-15); it is imperative that the believer be in fellowship with the Spirit (1 Jo 1:9). Thus far, we noted the first command to the Ephesians and three of the five prepositional phrases contained in Ephesians 6:18. The word “and,” in Ephesians 6:18, will lead us into the fourth prepositional phrase. “And” here is the transitional use of the coordinating conjunction kai, meaning that it marks a “transition” from the previous command to a new command, but is related to the previous command of making it a habit to pray by means of every kind of specific detailed reverential prayer request. Therefore, the word means, “now.” The fourth prepositional phrase contained in Ephesians 6:18 presents the “purpose” for the Ephesian believers to pray. “With this in view” contains the preposition eis and the intensive personal pronoun autos. The preposition eis is a marker of purpose and the intensive pronoun autos directs attention to a certain thing to the exclusion of others so that it has a demonstrative force to it. This prepositional phrase indicates the “goal” or “purpose” of the Ephesian believers to pray. Therefore, we can translate the prepositional phrase, eis auto, “for this very purpose.” The second command issued in Ephesians 6:18 is “be on the alert,” which is the verb, agrupneo, and means, “to keep alert.” Thus, the phrase denotes the concept of watchfulness in prayer for oneself and for fellow Christian soldiers. Paul issued the same command to the Colossian Church. Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” The verb agrupneo functions as an imperatival participle expressing a command to the Ephesian believers to pray for each other. The present tense of the word is a “customary” present indicating that this is a command for continued action for action that may or may not have already been going on. It is a character building command to the effect of “make this your habit” or “train yourself in this,” etc. The active voice means 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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that the Ephesian believers, as well as all believers throughout the Church-Age, were to execute the command to make it their habit to stay alert in prayer for other believers. Therefore, we could translate the participle form of this verb, “all of you make it your habit to stay alert.” The fifth prepositional phrase contained in Ephesians 6:18 presents “how” the Ephesian believers should stay alert in prayer. In the original text, the phrase “with all perseverance and petition” contains the preposition en, which is followed by the adjective pas and the noun proskarteresis. This phrase is followed by the conjunction kai, translated “and,” and the noun deesis, translated “petition.” The preposition en is employed with the two dative instrumentals of manner, proskarteresis and deesis, and is used to denote the “manner” in which the Ephesian believers were to stay alert in prayer for all believers. The translated word “perseverance” is the manner in which the Ephesian believers were to stay alert. As we noted earlier in our study of Ephesians 6:18, “petition” is the noun deesis, which actually means, “specific detailed request.” “All” is the adjective pas, which is used once again in a “distributive” sense to mean, “every kind” in a particular class. Paul wanted the Ephesian believers to stay alert in their prayer with “every kind of” specific persistent prayer request. The sixth and final prepositional phrase contained in Ephesians 6:18, which completes the verse, tells us on “whose behalf” the Ephesian believers were to make it a habit to stay alert in prayer with every kind of persistent specific detailed prayer request. “For all the saints” is composed of the preposition peri, which is followed by the adjective pas and the articular form of the adjective hagios, translated “the saints.” The preposition peri is employed with the adjective hagios to denote reference and should be translated, “with regards to.” The Ephesian believers were to make it a habit to stay alert in prayer with every kind of persistent specific prayer request “with regards to” all believers, since all believers are fellow soldiers who fight for the same Sovereign, the Lord Jesus, and have the same common enemy, Satan. “All” is that familiar adjective pas, which is used in a “distributive” sense to mean, “each and every” one in a group. The Ephesian believers were to make it a habit to stay alert in prayer with every kind of persistent specific prayer request with regards to “each and every one” of the saints. “Saints” is the noun hagios, which functions in Ephesians 6:18 as a technical term describing all believers without exception or distinction, who at the moment of salvation are placed in union with Christ and made members of His body and royal family through the Baptism of the Spirit in order to love and serve God and all members of His royal family. Therefore, the message communicated in Ephesians 6:18 is that we are obligated to pray for all believers and, if operating in the love of God, we will want to pray for all believers. The Scriptures commanded the Ephesian believers to make it a habit to stay alert in prayer with every kind of persistent specific prayer request with regards to all believers. Part Eight: Examples of a Productive Prayer Life 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Prayer is simple, as simple as a child making known its wants to its parents.17 22 Productive Prayer Lives of Old Testament Believers Now that we know what the Scriptures teach on how to pray, what to pray for, when to pray, who to pray for, and why to pray, we will study examples in the Bible of individuals who led productive prayer lives. In this final section, we will note the prayer life of some Old Testament Saints, namely, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and Moses. Then, in our final chapter, we will study the prayer life of the most important man to have ever lived, the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the prayer life of the first century Apostolic Church. When Man First Prayed Genesis 4:26 records when men first began to pray, which occurred after the birth of Enosh. Genesis 4:25 tells us that Adam and Eve had another son after the death of Abel, a son they name Seth, who in turn had a son named Enosh. In Genesis 4:26, the Scriptures state that, after the birth of Enosh, men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:25, “Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, ‘God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.’ 26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.” “Then” is the temporal adverb ‘az, which marks the next event that took place after the birth of Enosh. “To call” is the verb qara, which is a reference to prayer and is in the hophal stem, indicating that something caused men to begin to pray to God. The first reason why men were driven to pray to God lied in the fact that they recognized their weakness and impotence, as a result of possessing an old sin nature, which they received at physical birth and which is symbolized by the name Enosh (Rom 5:12-19). The second reason why men were driven to pray to God was because of the presence of ungodly men, like Lamech and his sons, who did not respect God and were violent against His people. Therefore, the second reason men began praying was for deliverance from not only the enemy within, namely the old sin nature, but also from enemies without, ungodly men who were slaves to the cosmic system of Satan. Psalm 50:15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In Genesis 4:26, “name” is the noun shem, which is pronounced shame and refers to the authority, majesty, power, excellent character, and nature of the person of the Lord. “Lord” is the proper noun Yahweh, which is the personal name of God, emphasizing that He is the redeemer of mankind. Yahweh is used to indicate God’s relationship to His covenants, or contracts, with men, whereas Elohim, which is translated “God,” emphasizes the transcendent character of God. The term “Lord” is applied equally to the Father (Mat 11:25; Luke 10:21; 20:42) as it is to the Son (Rom 5:11; 1 Co 15:31) and the Spirit (2 Co 3:17). However, in Genesis 4:26, “Lord” refers to the Father, since all prayer must be addressed to Him in order to be heard (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Pe 1:17; Rev 1:6). Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah The next reference to prayer occurred in Genesis 18:23-32 with Abraham’s intercession for the inhabitants of Sodom, in particular, his nephew, Lot, and his family. The intercessory prayer of Abraham in Genesis 18:2332 is unlike the prayers that we, in the Church-Age, are called to make. Abraham spoke directly, face to face, with the visible manifestation of the Son of God, whereas, in the Church-Age, we are commanded by the Son of God to pray directly to the Father who is invisible (John 16:26-27; Eph 3:14). As we will note, Abraham’s intercession reveals God’s righteous and just character, as well as His love for all mankind. Genesis 18:22, “Then the men [elect angels; see Gen 19:1] turned away from there [oaks of Mamre in Hebron, nineteen miles southwest of Jerusalem; see Gen. 18:1] and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD.” As Abraham saw the two angels heading towards Sodom, in Genesis 18:22, he sensed that the Lord was sending them to destroy Sodom, since it had a reputation for evil. So, rather than return home, Abraham remained in the Lord’s presence and interceded for the inhabitants of Sodom, in particular, Lot and his family. Genesis 18:23, “Abraham came near and said, ‘Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?’” This is the first recorded instance of a man initiating a conversation with the Lord. Abraham was convinced there were righteous people in Sodom, since he knew his nephew, Lot, was a believer and living in the city at the time. Without mentioning his nephew’s name, Abraham showed concern for his nephew. The statement “Abraham came near” describes the act of preparing for prayer, since it does not say that he came near to God. Abraham was bold and confident in approaching the Lord in intercession for Lot and the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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citizens of Sodom because he was confident in his relationship with the Lord and was experiencing fellowship with the Lord (1 Jo 3:21-22). Abraham was aware that, like us, he could approach the Father in prayer with boldness and confidence because of Christ’s death, which Abraham looked forward to in faith. This death propitiated the Father’s holiness, which demanded that our sins be judged (Eph 3:12). Genesis 18:24, “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly? 26 So the LORD said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.’” “The righteous,” in Genesis 18:24-26, refers to believers, whereas “the wicked” refers to unbelievers. A person becomes “righteous” the moment he exercises faith in Christ for salvation, as Abraham did (Gen 15:6; Rom 4). Therefore, “the righteous” refers to those individuals who, like Abraham, have a relationship with the Lord, because of faith in the Lord. Abraham’s question “will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” on the surface appears to indicate that Abraham was operating in unbelief by questioning the Lord’s character; but, in context, we know Abraham was not operating in unbelief, rather, he was appealing to the Lord’s righteous and just character, which he knew by experience through the Lord’s gracious dealings with him throughout the years (Job 34:10-12). Therefore, Abraham was operating in faith in the character and nature of the Lord, well aware that the Lord is righteous and just and would not do anything unfair to members of the human race. Of course, the Lord would never place believers under the same judgment as unbelievers. Abraham’s knowledge of the Lord’s just character served as the basis for his intercessory prayer. Abraham was suggesting that the Lord would not destroy the righteous along with the wicked because that would go against the Lord’s character and nature. Abraham was not challenging the Lord’s character, but rather, asserting his faith in the righteous and just character and nature of the Lord. In Genesis 18:24, Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the unbelievers in Sodom, on account of the believers located in that city. This showed his concern for both his nephew and the other believers in the city. Now remember, in Genesis 14, Abraham delivered his nephew Lot and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah from the Eastern Mesopotamian Coalition. He risked his life to save Lot and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and, here we see, the same concern for their safety. Abraham pleaded with the Lord for them in Genesis 18 with the same boldness, perseverance, and generosity with which he fought for them in Genesis 14. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Notice that Abraham’s intercession for the inhabitants of Sodom teaches us that God will spare and preserve the wicked for the sake of the righteous, so that unbelievers might have every opportunity to be saved until the very end. 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Remember, God spares the righteous when He judges a nation. This was the case for Rahab in Joshua 2, Assyria in Jonah 3-4, and Israel in Ezekiel 14:12-20. Therefore, the Lord answered Abraham’s petition in the affirmative, since it was according to the will of the Lord to spare the unbeliever for the sake of believers in order that the unbeliever might change his mind about Christ and believe in Him and be saved (1 Jo 5:14-15). Abraham was not trying to talk the Lord out of destroying Sodom, but instead sought clarification from God as to the extent of His mercy. The fact that the Lord answered Abraham’s petition indicates the fellowship between the two. Abraham sympathized with the unbelievers because he knew he was once of the same mind as a pagan idolater, and the Lord saved him (Joshua 24:2). In Genesis 18:24, Abraham began his call for mercy for fifty believers, since he inferred that he, himself, knew as many as ten believers in Sodom. There could possibly be, he concluded, as many believers in the other four cities of the plain, which included Admah, Zeboiim, Gomorrah, and Zoar. Of course, this was wishful thinking on the part of Abraham, since Genesis 19 records that only Lot and his two daughters were saved, since they were the only ones to escape the destruction of the cities of the plain. Genesis 18:27, “And Abraham replied, ‘Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.’” “Lord” is the noun àdhon, which is a term of respect and denotes Abraham’s awareness of and acknowledgement of his covenant relationship with the Lord. He recognized the Lord as the sovereign governing authority over the entire human race. Abraham’s statement “I am but dust and ashes” demonstrates his profound deference, humility, and awareness that he was insignificant in comparison to the Lord. Genesis 18:28, “Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five? And He said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ 29 He spoke to Him yet again and said, ‘Suppose forty are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not do it on account of the forty.’ 30 Then he said, ‘Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?’ And He 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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said, ‘I will not do it if I find thirty there.’ 31 And he said, ‘Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.’ 32 Then he said, ‘Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it on account of the ten.’” Abraham started cautiously at fifty, and then dropped the number by five twice with each question. The Lord granted each of Abraham’s requests to spare the cities of the plain if there were fifty, forty-five, or forty believers in those cities. Then, Abraham became bolder by dropping the number from five to ten, when asking the next three questions, going from thirty to twenty and finally to ten. Again, the Lord granted Abraham’s requests to spare the cities if thirty, twenty, or even ten believers resided in those cities. Abraham stopped at ten, since it appeared he knew of possibly ten believers in Sodom, namely, his nephew Lot, his wife, their two sons (Gen 19:12), their two married daughters, their daughters’ husbands (Gen 19:14), and their two unmarried daughters (Gen 19:8), which was a total of ten. The number ten should provide the protection of Lot, with a margin of safety, since it would seem that Lot’s family alone was large enough to meet this number. Abraham seemed satisfied. As it turned out, in Genesis 19, only Lot and his two daughters survived the destruction of the valley of the Jordan. The outstanding lesson of Genesis 18-19 is that God desires all men to be saved and will withhold judgment in order that some might be saved. The other important lesson is that the intercessory prayers of believers, when in accordance to the will of God, may temporarily spare the unbeliever from judgment in order that he might change his mind about Christ and believe in Him for eternal salvation. The fact that Abraham persisted in his intercession demonstrates his great faith, which was based upon his experiential knowledge of the Lord. Abraham’s persistence also reinforces the importance of persevering in prayer (Mat 7:7; Luke 11:1-13). Abraham’s intercession for the inhabitants of Sodom manifests his love for all men, as God loves all men, and teaches us that, if we want to operate in the love of God, we should intercede in prayer for all men, believers and unbelievers alike. The believer receives the capacity to pray for all men, when he accepts, by faith, Christ’s love for him, while he was still an enemy of God, and responds in obedience to Christ’s love for him, which love is revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God (1 Jo 4:16, 19). Abraham was a recipient of God’s mercy and, therefore, sought mercy for others. The principle to note, then, is that we should always show grace and mercy to the unbeliever, since we ourselves were unbelievers at one time and recipients of grace and mercy from God. Genesis 18:33, “As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Genesis 19:27-29 records that Abraham received his request from the Lord; thus, revealing the power of intercessory prayers. Genesis 19:24, “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven 25 and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” Sodom and Gomorrah were in the east, at the south end of the Dead Sea, and helped to form a confederation of cities, which included Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, according to Genesis 14:2 and 8. The entire Dead Sea region in the Jordan valley was filled with smoke, as a result of the Lord raining down upon it burning sulfur. Genesis 19:29, “Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.” The phrase “God remembered Abraham” does not mean that He forgot Abraham; but rather, it signifies that God acted upon Abraham’s intercessory prayer request and delivered Lot from the destruction of Sodom. It is important to note also that, while Lot was a believer, he was a disobedient, unfaithful, and cosmic believer, who was under divine discipline. Abraham, on the other hand, was an obedient and faithful believer. Therefore, Genesis 19:29 teaches that the intercessory prayer of a faithful and obedient believer can deliver a disobedient and unfaithful cosmic believer from death. Abraham’s Intercessory Prayer for the Heathen Abimelech Genesis 20:17-18 gives us another example of Abraham’s prayer life. This passage records the intercessory prayer Abraham offered on behalf of Abimelech. Verses 1-2 records Abraham’s half-lie to Abimelech, saying that Sarah was his sister, which was true, but a half-sister. Abraham failed to tell Abimelech that Sarah was also his wife because he was afraid that Abimelech would kill him in order to secure Sarah for himself. This half-lie endangered both Sarah and Abimelech. Although not mentioned in the passage, Satan is the invisible enemy of God’s people, who was behind the scenes influencing Abraham and tempting him to enter into fear, worry, and anxiety. Satan’s purpose for doing this was so he could prevent the birth of Christ by preventing the birth of Isaac, Abraham’s future son, who was to be in the line of Christ. Genesis 20:1, “Now Abraham journeyed from there [oaks of Mamre in Hebron; see Genesis 18:1] toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. 2 Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.” Then we see, in verses 3-7, God intervened by speaking to Abimelech in a dream and prohibiting him from keeping Sarah in his harem and, thus, having sexual intercourse with her. Consequently, this thwarted Satan’s attempt to prevent the birth of Isaac. Ultimately, Jesus Christ would come from the line of Isaac. Genesis 20:3, “But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, ‘Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.’ 4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, ‘Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless?’ 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this. 6 Then God said to him in the dream, ‘Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.’ 7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” Then in Genesis 20:14-16, we have the record of Abimelech compensating Abraham and Sarah. Abimelech was motivated to do this for fear of God killing him. Genesis 20:14, “Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. 15 Abimelech said, ‘Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.’ 16 To Sarah he said, ‘Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is your vindication before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.’” Genesis 20:17-18 presents the record of Abraham interceding in prayer for Abimelech. We see that Abraham’s prayer certainly did its part in healing Abimelech and his household. God heard Abraham’s intercessory prayer and answered it. Genesis 20:17, “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. 18 For the LORD had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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“Prayed” is the verb palal and refers to “intercessory prayer,” which includes both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4). Notice that Abraham prayed for Abimelech, who was an unbeliever. Remember, the Word of God commands the believer to enter into intercessory prayer on behalf of all men, since God desires all men to be saved (1 Jo 2:2; 1 Ti 2:1-8; 2 Pe 3:9; Jo 3:16-17). The principle, therefore, of Genesis 20:18 is the power of intercessory prayer, since Abraham’s prayer of faith appropriated the power of God, which healed Abimelech and his family. Abraham’s intercession for Abimelech manifests his love for Abimelech and his obedience to intercede for all men as an expression of the love of God. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ expressed His love for those who mocked, scourged, vilified, and crucified Him by interceding for them before the Father (Luke 23:33-34). Since Abraham was a beneficiary of God’s mercy, he sought mercy for others. The fact that God heard and answered Abraham’s intercessory prayer for Abimelech in Genesis 20:18 clearly proves that Abraham was in fellowship with God because God does not hear the prayers of believers with un-confessed sin (Psa 66:18). The Prayer of Abraham’s Servant to Identify Isaac’s Wife Genesis 24 records one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible, and one of the most self-less and wonderful prayers from the lips of a believer. In this passage, Abraham desired to secure a bride for his son Isaac, from his own relatives. He sent his faithful and trusted servant, Eliezer of Damascus, to find a wife for Isaac. Eliezer, faithful to the Lord as he was to Abraham, prayed to the Lord first to help him identify Isaac’s wife. Genesis 24:1, “Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, ‘Please place your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, 4 but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.’ 5 The servant said to him, ‘Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?’ 6 Then Abraham said to him, ‘Beware that you do not take my son back there!’ 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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not take my son back there. 9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.” Unlike today, there were arranged marriages in Biblical times. In this passage, Abraham set an example for his descendants to secure wives from the Semites, who were blessed by God, and not from the Canaanites, who were cursed by God according to Noah’s prophecy recorded in Genesis 9:24-27 (Gen 15:16; 18:18-19; Deu 7:1-4). It was customary, especially among wealthy families, to make marriage arrangements through an intermediary, like a faithful servant. Therefore, since Abraham was too old to make the trip back to Mesopotamia, which was over five hundred miles away, he sent his servant. Furthermore, Abraham, by then, had learned that being the recipient of God’s promises demanded that he stay in the Promised Land, which was Canaan. Therefore, Abraham sent his servant, who was unnamed, since the servant was going in the name of Isaac, rather than himself. The unnamed servant was Eliezer of Damascus, who Genesis 15 mentions as being the heir of Abraham’s household. The fact that Abraham planned on Eliezer being his heir, until God promised him a child from his own body, indicated that Abraham trusted Eliezer, enough to leave him his estate. This trust was crucial in giving him the responsibility to secure a bride for Isaac. This assignment would only be given to a loyal servant. Genesis 24:2 records that this unnamed servant was Abraham’s “oldest” servant in his household, which Eliezer would have been at this point in the narrative, and one who had “charge of all” that Abraham owned. Abraham’s command to his servant to “place your hand under my thigh” is a euphemism for genitalia (Gen 46:26; Exo 1:5; Judges 8:30). By putting his hands under Abraham’s thigh and touching his genitals, the servant gave a special and solemn oath. Abraham’s circumcision was the “sign” of God’s covenant with him; thus, the act of the servant touching Abraham’s genitals called to mind God’s covenant promises of posterity. An oath by seat of procreation was appropriate in this instance where Abraham sought to secure a bride for Isaac to fulfill the divine promises. This oath, therefore, is symbolic for success of the mission, which, ultimately, would make possible propagation of posterity and fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. In verse 3, Eliezer swore by the Lord as the God of heaven and earth and, thus, acknowledged the Lord as the one true God, the omnipotent and sovereign Creator, and the covenant keeping God. The reason Abraham made his servant swear “by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth” was to guarantee that Eliezer did not take a bride for Isaac from among the “godless” and “cursed” Canaanites, but rather from Abraham’s own relatives. The bride selected for Isaac was of great importance, since she would be the mother of the multitude of nations, which God promised would come through Abraham’s seed, the seed through which the promised Savior would come and in which all the nations of the earth would be blessed. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In Genesis 24:4, “my country” does not refer to Ur of the Chaldeans, which was located on the Euphrates River in southern Iraq; but rather, it refers to the city of Nahor, which was near Haran in northern Mesopotamia. In the same verse, “my relatives” refers to Abraham’s brother Nahor, his brother’s wife Milcah, their eight sons, and their only daughter Rebekah, as well as Nahor’s four sons by his concubine Reumah, as recorded in Genesis 22:20-24. Abraham was adamant in insisting that Isaac not go to Mesopotamia because the heir of God’s promises must stay in the Promised Land, which was Canaan. In fact, in his entire life, Isaac never left the land of Canaan (Gen 26:2-3). Furthermore, apart from this significant command to remain in the Promised Land, Abraham knew that if Isaac went to Mesopotamia in search of a bride for himself, there would be Satanic attacks to persuade Isaac to live among his relatives, rather than return to Canaan. The fact that Abraham stipulated to his servant to bring the bride to Isaac, rather than Isaac to the bride, echoes the principle in the first marriage when the woman was brought to Adam, and not vice versa. Genesis 24:10-14 records Abraham’s servant, providentially, meeting Isaac’s future wife, Rebekah, at a well in Nahor in Aram Naharaim. Genesis 24:10, “Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master's in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.” Abraham’s servant made the trip to Mesopotamia in faith. He trusted the Lord to guide him, having requested guidance in his prayer. Moreover, he listened to God’s answer in prayer to lead him to Isaac’s bride. Note that Abraham’s servant traveled with ten camels. Camels, at that time, were prime measures of wealth, since they existed in rare numbers. Therefore, for Abraham’s servant to take ten camels with him was evidence of Abraham’s great wealth and was designed to impress the relatives of the bride and the bride herself. In addition, the camels proved to be a practical means of transportation back to Canaan for the bride and her entourage. More importantly, however, the camels proved to be a perfect means of testing Rebekah’s character, since Abraham’s servant was going to ask the woman to water his camels, which, as we will see, was an enormous request, for camels could drink up to twenty-five gallons of water! Genesis 24:11, “He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.” Note that Abraham’s servant went directly to the public well. It was not unusual for a newly arrived stranger to visit the public wells first, since it was there that he replenished his water supplies, gathered valuable information about the town from townspeople and shepherds, and made contacts that may serve him in his journey. More importantly, however, the public well was where the unmarried young girls of the town gathered, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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for they were responsible for drawing water and herding the flocks (Gen 29:10; Exo 2:16; 1 Sam 9:11). It was customary, at that time, for the young girls to wait until the heat of the day was over before coming out to draw water from a well. Of course, Abraham’s servant was aware of this and made it a point to be at the wells by evening. Genesis 24:12, “He said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham.’” Genesis 24:12 is the first record of Eliezer’s prayer for specific guidance in this mission. But, as we will see, the entire meeting with Rebekah is encircled by prayer (Gen 24:26-27). Eliezer’s prayer was essential for the fulfillment of his mission and demonstrated his humility and dependence upon God to meet his need and Isaac’s as well. He was aware of God’s sovereignty over the circumstances, just as he was aware that an angel of God was invisibly present to facilitate the encounter between himself and Rebekah. “Lord,” in Genesis 24:12, is the proper noun Yahweh, which is the personal covenant name of God, emphasizing the “immanency” of God. This proper noun refers to the Lord’s involvement and intervention in the life of Abraham and Isaac, particularly in providing a wife for Isaac to fulfill His covenant promises. The fact that Abraham’s servant addressed God with the covenant name, Yahweh, indicates that he was a believer. “God,” in verse 12, is the noun Elohim, which emphasizes God’s sovereign nature, which was determined to intervene in the life of this servant. The fact that Abraham’s servant used the term Elohim demonstrates his awareness that God was sovereign over his circumstances and expresses his confidence in God to provide a wife for Isaac. Furthermore, the fact that Abraham’s servant addressed God in prayer, saying, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” indicates that he recognized the Lord as the God of Abraham because Abraham introduced him to the Lord. Like everyone in Abraham’s household, his servant was circumcised. Thus, we know Eliezer became a believer through Abraham’s witnessing. Eliezer’s prayer also shows his recognition of God as his own God, since he turned to God to solve this impossible task. We, moreover, know that Abraham’s servant was a believer because God would not answer the prayer of an unbeliever, unless it was a prayer to accept Christ as Savior. In verse 12, the servant’s request, “please grant me success today,” demonstrates his awareness of God’s providence and sovereign control over his circumstances. “Lovingkindness” is the noun chesedh, which means “loyal or faithful love.” Eliezer prayed that God show Abraham lovingkindness, which references God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises to Abraham and Isaac and their descendants. Therefore, we see that Abraham’s servant had an awareness and knowledge of God’s character and of the covenants He had established with Abraham and Isaac. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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This word chesedh requires an inferior partner depending on the kindness of a superior to meet a desperate need. Therefore, we see that Abraham’s servant depended on God to meet the desperate need of Isaac to have a wife. Genesis 24:13, “Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” Notice that Abraham’s servant did “not” attempt to advertise in the city that he was looking for a wife for his rich master; but rather, he prayed to God, demonstrating his wisdom. Now that Abraham’s servant was in the perfect location to observe the unmarried women of the city of Nahor, he was faced with an almost impossible problem to resolve. Namely, how could he go about determining the spiritual character of the woman, which would identify her as the woman that God wanted Isaac to marry? Therefore, we see the servant turning to prayer to resolve this problem. Do not be misled, though Eliezer’s proposal to God to determine the identity of the woman may appear, on the surface, to be “putting out the fleece” and testing God—as Gideon did in Judges 6:36-40, it was, instead, meant to test the woman because only a woman with character and integrity would offer to take on the grueling task of watering his camels. Therefore, the proposal was simply to confirm that he find the right woman for Isaac by testing her. The fact that the servant’s proposal to God in prayer was to test the woman expresses his care and concern for Isaac and his high opinion of Isaac and Abraham, for he genuinely wanted to find the right woman that God ordained for Isaac. He did not want Isaac to marry a woman with poor character. Proverbs 12:4, “A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.” Therefore, according to the servant’s plan, the woman must volunteer to draw water for ten thirsty camels. As we noted, camels could drink up to twenty-five gallons of water! The servant knew this and so did Rebekah. Only a woman with that kind of integrity would fit into Abraham’s household. Eliezer did not plan to ask the woman for water for his camels, only for himself. Thus, she could meet his request quite easily, while sensing no obligation to meet the needs of the caravan. Any woman who was willing to go the extra mile in this matter was one of unusual character. Therefore, we see that the character of the woman was what determined she be Isaac’s wife, not her beauty or virginity, though she had both. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Proverbs 31:10, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” Genesis 24:15-20 records Rebekah appearing to Abraham’s servant and identifying herself as Isaac’s bride by her actions. Genesis 24:15, “Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar.’” Notice, the servant did not walk to meet Rebekah, but ran to meet her, expressing his eager anticipation for the answer to his prayer. Genesis 24:18-20, “She said, ‘Drink, my lord’; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.’ 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21 Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not.” Though Rebekah passed the test and offered to water the ten camels, Abraham’s servant was wise in waiting to see if she finished the difficult and arduous task before, ultimately, concluding that she was the wife that God designed for Isaac. Genesis 24:22 records Rebekah finishing the task. Eliezer then showered her with gifts and praised the Lord for answering his prayer. Genesis 24:22, “When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold 23 and said, ‘Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?’ 24 She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’ 25 Again she said to him, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.’ 26 Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Here we witness a marvelous display of gratitude by Abraham’s servant, when he manifests two significant aspects of prayer, namely, thanksgiving and worship of God. Genesis 24:27, “He said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers.’” “Blessed” is the verb barakh, which means, “to bless,” in the sense of praising the Lord for His providence and sovereignty over circumstances. This verb, particularly, denotes the covenant relationship between Abraham and the Lord. Isaac’s Meditation in Prayer While Awaiting the Arrival of His Bride Genesis 24 not only records Abraham’s servant praying for guidance in identifying a bride for Isaac, but also records Isaac himself praying to God before the arrival of his bride. Genesis 24:63, “Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.” “Meditate” is the verb suach, which means, “to go over a matter in one’s mind,” and which denotes meditation in prayer. The word appears only once in the Old Testament, here in Genesis 24:63, in the qal infinitive form, meaning, “in order to meditate in prayer.” The meaning is substantiated when Isaac is said to lift up his eyes, which implies that his head was down. Suach, therefore, indicates that Isaac was meditating in prayer concerning his marriage and his new bride. Undoubtedly, Abraham had informed Isaac of his intention to send Eliezer to secure a wife for him among his relatives in northern Mesopotamia. Therefore, Isaac was surely interested in the outcome of the matter. Isaac wanted to be alone with God and reflect upon his upcoming marriage to a woman he had never met! Most likely, Isaac was praying that the will of God be accomplished in the securing of a bride for him. As we noted, prayer is asking for what God wants. Our prayers must be according to His will in order to be effective and productive. 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Isaac’s prayer was successful because it was according to the will of God. Isaac’s Twenty Year Prayer for a Child 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Genesis 25:21 records Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, having issues with getting pregnant. In this passage, we see that Isaac, in response to this problem, prayed to the Lord to resolve Rebekah’s infertility. The Lord fulfilled Isaac’s prayer request twenty years later, since Genesis 25:21 records Isaac being forty when he married Rebekah, and Genesis 25:26 records Isaac being sixty when Rebekah had twins. The fact that Isaac prayed for twenty years for his wife to get pregnant emphasizes that, like his father Abraham, Isaac was a man of great faith, persistent in his prayer life. Genesis 25:21, “Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived.” “Prayed” is the qal imperfect form of the verb àthar, which means, “to intercede in prayer.” “Lord” is the proper noun Yahweh, which is the personal covenant name of God emphasizing the “immanency” of God, where the Lord intervenes in the life of Isaac and Rebekah, providing them children in order to fulfill His covenant promises to Abraham and Isaac. The proper noun Yahweh, “Lord,” is used here to emphasize that, by answering Isaac’s prayer, God is fulfilling His promises to Abraham, which states that Abraham will have numerous progeny and that Isaac would be in the line of the Promised Seed, Jesus Christ. Again, Isaac’s prayer was successful because it was according to the will of God and was offered in faith. Biblical faith is trusting in the promises of God. During these twenty years, Isaac and Rebekah’s faith was deliberately tested, since a faith that is incapable of enduring trials and tribulations is no faith at all. The Lord tested Isaac and Rebekah’s faith to produce endurance in them. Jeremiah 20:12, “Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, who see the mind and the heart.” James 1:2, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance 4 and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Making Isaac and Rebekah wait twenty years for children also tested Abraham’s faith because Abraham lived another thirty-five years after Isaac was married. Thus, he was also waiting for grandchildren. The Lord rewarded Isaac’s faith. This teaches us that the Lord rewards the believer after his faith is tested; but, like Isaac, we must wait patiently. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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James 1:12, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Hebrews 6:13, “For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, ‘I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.’ 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.” The fulfillment of Isaac’s twenty-year intercessory prayer request for his wife Rebekah teaches us that perseverance is essential in order to receive the fulfillment of God’s promises. If you recall, we noted in Chapter 7 that perseverance is one of the characteristics of a productive prayer life. Matthew 7:7, “Ask repeatedly, and it will be given to you; seek repeatedly, and you will find; knock repeatedly, and it will be opened to you.” Unlike Abraham and Sarah, the Scriptures do not record Isaac and Rebekah trying to help the Lord out in solving their infertility problem by using a surrogate. Remember, that is what Abraham and Sarah did in Genesis 16. Evidently, Abraham and Sarah taught Isaac to wait on the Lord since, of all the patriarchs, Isaac was the only one who was monogamous and never took a concubine. The faith of Isaac in praying for Rebekah, and the Lord’s answer to his prayer, demonstrates the spiritual principle that you appropriate the omnipotence of God by operating in faith. Matthew 17:20, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.’” Because Rebekah was barren, the Lord had a greater opportunity to demonstrate His power to fulfill His promise to Abraham over seemingly insurmountable odds (Gen 15:5; 22:17). Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Because of such odds, Isaac and Rebekah realized that theirs was not a natural, but a supernatural seed (Gen 11:30; 17:15-16; 18:1-15; 21:1-7). The fact that Isaac’s intercessory prayer for his wife Rebekah solved her problem of infertility is just more evidence that prayer solves problems (Ki 17:1; 18:36-46; Acts 12:1-17; Phi 4:6). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Jacob’s Prayer of Deliverance from Esau In Genesis 32, we see one of the great deliverance prayers in the Bible. Genesis 32:9-12 records Jacob praying for protection from his brother, Esau, and claiming the covenant promises of God in prayer in order to meet his fear of Esau. In this passage, Jacob finally arrived back to the Promise Land after leaving his treacherous Uncle Laban. However, he returned home to meet his old adversary, Esau. Decades before, at the instigation of their mother, Rebekah, Jacob deceived their blind father, Isaac, into bestowing blessing of the family birthright on him. As the eldest, Esau was to receive this birthright. Because of Jacob’s treachery, Esau now sought to kill him. However, Jacob was temporarily safe because of his mother’s plan to send him away. Genesis 32 records God commanding Jacob to leave Laban and return home. He obeyed, but was terribly frightened of returning to confront Esau. Genesis 32:7, “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; 8 for he said, ‘If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.’” The knowledge of Esau’s desire to kill him, his inability to retreat because of the treaty with Laban, and the fact that he was encumbered by small children and livestock were all factors that caused Jacob to fear in Genesis 32:7. In the event of an attack, all he could do was minimize his losses. He could not retreat, and the children and livestock slowed him down. Nevertheless, Jacob’s fear of Esau did not paralyze him, but, in fact, he kept his head as evidenced by his acting decisively, which demonstrates great leadership. He expected the worst and so made every effort to avoid a total catastrophe. To deal with this impending confrontation with Esau, Jacob took three actions. First, in Genesis 32:7-8, Jacob took defensive measures by splitting his party into two camps with the intention of allowing at least the rear to escape. This tactic was customary for endangered caravans. Nevertheless, Jacob realized that he was going to require more than military tactics to have a victory in this attack, so for his second action, he employed God’s power. In Genesis 32:9-11, Jacob acted offensively by praying to the Father for deliverance. Finally, in Genesis 32:13-22, Jacob presented Esau with gifts. Note that Jacob is wise in taking precautions, like offering gifts to Esau. Remember, taking action does not always mean you are taking things into your own hands. Rather, you are doing all you can with what God has given you, then praying about the situation, and allowing God to do the rest. Remember, Jacob went to God first and communicated his fear to Him, which fear, at this stage, was not sin. Had Jacob allowed that fear to paralyze him, then he would have been sinning. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Genesis 32:9-12 is Jacob’s first recorded prayer and the only extended prayer in the book of Genesis. Genesis 32:9, “Jacob said, ‘O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you, 10 I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.’” Note how Jacob addresses God by saying, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac.” This echoes the Lord’s identification of Himself to Jacob at Bethel. In Genesis 28:13, the Lord identified Himself to Jacob as “the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac” in order to reassure Jacob that he would be protected by Him. In Genesis 32:9, Jacob aimed to hold the Lord to His promise of protection by addressing God, “the God of my father Abraham and the God of my father Isaac.” Furthermore, by addressing God in this way, Jacob was acknowledging that God had been faithful to him as He was to his grandfather, Abraham, and his father, Isaac. In this passage, “God” is the noun Elohim, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God and, thus, indicates Jacob’s desire that God’s sovereignty intervene and protect him from Esau. The noun Elohim also expresses that God is omnipotent, or all-powerful, and is able to bring to pass that which He has determined to take place. Thus, Jacob is expressing his desire that God use His omnipotence to protect him from harm. In this passage, Jacob also uses the proper noun Yahweh for “Lord,” which is the covenant name of God. Therefore, Jacob reminded God of his covenant relationship with Him. The term, “Lord,” also emphasizes the “immanency” of God, indicating Jacob’s desire that the Lord intervene in his life and bless him in fulfillment of His promises to him. Jacob, therefore, approached God in prayer based upon his covenant relationship with God, a relationship that his grandfather and father both possessed. The command, “return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,” references the Lord’s command to Jacob to “return to the land of your fathers and I will be with you,” which Genesis 31:3 records. Jacob utilized this command in his prayer to God in order to remind God that he was obedient to His prior command and, thus, was now requesting protection from this predicament with Esau. This demonstrates his faith in God to bless those who are obedient. Jacob stated in the prayer, “I am unworthy,” which revealed his acknowledgement that he merited nothing with God and that all He had been promised and had received from God was a gift of His sovereign grace. Therefore, Jacob, with this statement, was casting himself upon God’s mercy and compassion and expressing his humility before God. Jacob finally realized that all the prophecies about him and all the blessings were given to him in grace. “Lovingkindness” is the noun chesedh, which means, “loyal or faithful love.” Jacob recognized the loyal and faithful love God showed him by remaining faithful to His covenant promises to Jacob and by protecting and 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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prospering him while he was in exile with Laban. Therefore, we see that Jacob had an awareness and knowledge of God’s character. “Faithfulness” is the noun èmeth, which is used by Jacob to praise the Lord’s faithfulness, reliability, and trustworthiness in keeping His promises to prosper and protect him while with Laban. Psalm 33:4, “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” When taken together, these two nouns chesedh, “lovingkindness,” and èmeth, “faithfulness,” express the continued stability and reliability of God’s unconditional love towards Jacob. Psalm 25:10, “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.” In Genesis 32:10, Jacob calls himself the Lord’s “servant,” which is the noun èvedh, referring to one who is under authority to another for protection. The term is a reminder to God that, since Jacob was under His authority, he was under His protection as well. Jacob’s statement, “for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies,” is an acknowledgement that God had fulfilled His promises to prosper him while in exile. By making this statement, Jacob implied that, since God had given Jacob so much material prosperity in life to enjoy, the prosperity should not be brought to nothing by the loss of his life and the lives of his family. Genesis 32:11, “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.” Note that, in Genesis 32:11, Jacob acknowledged to God his fear. The acknowledgement of fear in one’s life is not sin, but becomes sin when we do not go to God to meet the fear and trust Him to handle the situation. Jacob’s fear would have become sin if he attempted to deal with it himself. The fact that Jacob prayed to God, rather than attempt to solve the problem by his own devices demonstrates that he is confident in God and realizes his need for God. The twenty years with Laban broke Jacob of relying upon himself to deal with his problems. It taught him to turn to God to solve his problems. Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Fear is a result of unbelief, and unbelief is failure to trust in God. Therefore, it is clear that Jacob was resting in the promises of the Lord and operating in faith, rather than unbelief. Biblical faith is trusting in the promises of God, regardless of the circumstances or consequences, and resting in them, confident that God will come through. Faith operates quite simply. God speaks and we hear His Word. We trust His Word and act on it, no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be. The circumstances may be impossible and the consequences frightening, but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best. Unbelief is the failure to take into account and acknowledge the character and nature of God, His presence, and His Word. Unbelief operates in the sphere of the old Adamic sin nature and contradicts faith. Therefore, we see that Jacob properly dealt with his fear by praying to God to rescue him. Genesis 32:12, “For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’” The phrase, in Genesis 32:12, “for You [Lord] said” is a reference to the personal, national, and universal promises that the Lord made to Jacob at Bethel, which is recorded in Genesis 28:13-15. This statement expresses Jacob’s confidence in God and His promises. The statement, in verse 12, “I will make your descendants as the sand of the sea” is a reference to the promise God made to Jacob to make his descendants like the dust of the earth recorded in Genesis 28:14. “Your descendants” refers to Isaac’s biological descendants, who would be the nation of Israel, and his spiritual descendants, who would be anyone, Jew or Gentile, that believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior. In a “near” sense, “your descendants” refers to the nation of Israel, both saved and unsaved throughout history, and in a “far” sense, it refers to saved Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. When I say “near” and “far,” I am referring to a phenomenon of Biblical prophecy. “Near” means that the fulfillment of the prophecy will take place in the near or immediate future, whereas “far” means that it will ultimately be fulfilled at the end of history during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. The comparative clauses, “like the dust of the earth” in Genesis 28:14 and “as the sand of the sea” in Genesis 32:12, are united into one promise which was fulfilled in the days of Solomon (1 Ki 4:20) and will be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ (Hosea 1:10). The fact that Jacob reminded God of this promise indicates his concern for his family and posterity. His mention of this promise also reveals his desire to see God’s Word fulfilled, which would ultimately result in the glorification of God, since it would demonstrate God’s faithfulness and veracity. Note that Jacob did not let go and let God; but rather, he did all that was humanly possible to protect himself and then went to God to communicate his fear of Esau and claim the promise of divine protection. Therefore, we see that Jacob demonstrated tremendous spiritual leadership in this situation and faith in God by taking these measures. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Truly, Jacob was a changed man, since prior to his exile, he would have never prayed to God to solve a problem. Note that Jacob left Laban secretly for fear of him, which is an expression of unbelief. Rather than pray for deliverance from Laban, as he did with Esau, Jacob handled the situation with his own power by leaving secretly. Nevertheless, now we see Jacob behaving in this situation much differently. There are eight essential elements contained in Jacob’s prayer, which will guide and help us in our prayer life when we are in the midst of adversity. The first element is that Jacob recognized and claimed his covenant relationship with God, as indicated in Genesis 32:9 with the phrase, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord.” Church-Age believers, when entering into prayer with the Father, need to recognize and pray in accordance with their eternal union and relationship with Jesus Christ. When we pray in Jesus name, we are acknowledging that we can only approach the Father boldly in prayer based upon the merits of Jesus Christ and His death on the cross and our eternal union with Him (John 14:13-14; 16:23-24; Eph 5:20; Col 3:17). The second element in Jacob’s prayer is obedience to God’s Word. This occurred when Jacob reminded God that he had been obedient to His command to leave for Canaan, as indicated in the statement in Genesis 32:9, “O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives.” Obedience to God’s Word is essential for an effective prayer life, as we have already noted. Obedience to God’s Word constitutes being filled, or more accurately, influenced by the Holy Spirit, since we obey the Word of God by obeying the Holy Spirit who speaks to us through the Word of God. The third element in Jacob’s prayer is that he recognized his own unworthiness, in the sense of acknowledging that he could not approach God based upon his own merits. This is indicated by the phrase, “I am unworthy,” in Genesis 32:10. He realized that all He had been promised and all he had received from God were gifts of His sovereign grace. As we have already noted, the believer cannot approach the Father in prayer based upon his own merits, but only upon the merits of Christ. The fourth element to Jacob’s prayer is that he acknowledged the character and nature of God, in particular, His unconditional, loyal love and faithfulness. This is indicated by the phrase, “all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness,” in Genesis 32:10. When approaching the Father in prayer, the believer must be aware and recognize the character and nature of God, in that He is a God of unconditional, loyal love and faithfulness. The fifth element is that Jacob recognized he was under the authority of God, which is indicated by the phrase, “Your servant,” in Genesis 32:10. The believer must recognize that he is under the authority of his heavenly Father and, therefore, also under His protection. The sixth element to Jacob’s prayer involves Jacob acknowledging his newfound prosperity. Upon arriving in Paddan Aram, he was bankrupt, but as he entered the land of Canaan, he recognized that his prosperity was from God. This realization is indicated by the statement, “for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies,” in Genesis 32:10. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The principle to note is that the believer must acknowledge that, prior to salvation, he was spiritually bankrupt, but now the Father blesses him with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places because of his eternal union and identification with Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3-14). The seventh element of Jacob’s prayer is that he dealt with his fear of Esau by first acknowledging his fear to God and then petitioning God to deliver him from Esau. This is indicated by his statement in Genesis 32:11, “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.” Jacob’s statement in Genesis 32:12, “For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered,’” contains the eighth and final element of his prayer, which is that he claimed the promise that God would protect and prosper him in order to deal with the fear of Esau. The believer must claim the promises that God has given to him in His Word, which speak of both spiritual and material prosperity, as well as protection. Jacob’s Solitary Time with God Prior to Meeting Esau In Genesis 32:24, we see Jacob alone in prayer prior to his encounter with Esau and entrance into the land of Canaan, which is in obedience to the Lord’s command. Genesis 32:24, “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” Several questions come to mind when reading the verses leading up to this passage. First, why did Jacob rise in the night, in Genesis 32:22, and send his family across at night? Why not wait till daylight? Second, why, after taking his family across the Jabbok, did he return to the other side of the river to be alone in Genesis 32:24? The answer to both these questions is that Jacob wanted to be alone with God in prayer before meeting with Esau the next morning. He knew that Esau would not arrive until the next morning, and so his family would be safe for the night with the other servants. Though the text does not say specifically, the implication is that Jacob sent everyone across the Jabbok and stood behind in order to be completely alone with God in prayer. We see, therefore, that Jacob prayed not only before sending the gift to Esau, but also after sending the gift and his family across the Jabbok. Jacob’s desire to be alone with God in prayer presents to us a great example in approaching our relationship with God, particularly when facing great adversity. In our hurry up, man-centered, man-dependent world that measures success by activity, making big bucks, or how much we accomplish, finding time to hide ourselves alone with God for steady spiritual growth is a lost priority. It is erroneously viewed by many as nonessential. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The question people often ask is where is the practicality in spending time alone with God. We find it extremely hard to look at time in terms other than To Do lists and projects. Others view time alone with God as a virtual impossibility. There are centrifugal forces at work in our modern world that propel us into a whirlwind of activity or business. Perhaps more than anything else our society has been led into a dangerous mood of impatience. Eugene Peterson accurately captures this mood of our day-to-day and writes, “One aspect of the world that I have been able to identify as harmful to Christians is the assumption that anything worthwhile can be acquired at once. We assume that if something can be done at all, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Our attention spans have been conditioned by thirty-second commercials. Our sense of reality has been flattened by thirty-page abridgments. There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness. Everyone is in a hurry. The persons whom I lead in worship, among whom I counsel, visit, pray, preach, and teach, want short cuts … They are impatient for results …The Christian life cannot mature under such conditions and in such ways.”18 King David knew his need of daily time alone with God and, though faced with trials and pressures from all directions, he vowed that nothing would keep him from meeting with God daily, especially at the beginning of his day. Psalm 5:3, “In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” No doubt, it was this intimate morning-by-morning meeting with the Lord that developed David’s faith and made him a man after God’s own heart. This morning watch, as we might call it, has the special reward of knowing God more intimately. The rewards of time alone with God are often not immediately evident and, in our impatience, we run to something more visibly practical rather than wait for a response. Likewise, the negative effects of ignoring alone time with God are also not immediately visible. Like falling off a roof where gravity immediately takes over and swiftly plunges us to the ground, those who fail to set time aside for God, on a daily basis, will freefall and slowly regress in their spiritual life. Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.” The aftermath of failing to draw near to God is more like the decomposition of organic material, slow but sure. In time, we begin to see the signs of spiritual and moral decay. Ironically, spiritual decay is often accompanied by a paradox, the rock-like hardening of our souls, which may blind us to the rotting of our heart. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Hebrews 3:12, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Unless, we make time alone with God a priority, the hours devoted to our busy schedules are poorly used. We are prone to ignore times of retreat because our work, ministry, and families all seem more important. Doing “things” seems so much more practical than praying or meditating on the Word. However, the spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditation do not constitute idleness or indolence. On the contrary, they are rigorous disciplines vital to the spiritual life. Jacob recognized the importance of time alone with God. Thus, he stood behind in Genesis 32:24 and wrestled with the pre-incarnate Christ. Genesis 32:24, “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he [the Lord] saw that he [the Lord] had not prevailed against him [Jacob], he [the Lord] touched the socket of his [Jacob’s] thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he [the Lord] said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.’ But he [Jacob] said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ 27 So he [the Lord] said to him [Jacob], ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ 28 He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.’ 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And he blessed him there.” Undoubtedly, the reason Jacob wanted to be alone with God was to “wrestle” with his fears. Note that Jacob wrestled with his fears through prayer. Jacob was fighting the good fight of faith (1 Ti 6:12). Moses’ Intercessory Prayer for Israel at Kadesh-Barnea One of the most fascinating, courageous, and instructive prayers in the Bible is that of Moses’ intercessory prayer for the children of Israel at Kadesh-Barnea (Num 14:17-20). Now, in order to understand and gain a true appreciation of this wonderful prayer, we must be aware of the circumstances surrounding this prayer and the context in which it is offered. The story picks up with the nation of Israel poised to enter the land of Canaan, which was promised to Abraham. At the people’s requests, and with the approval of the Lord to test Israel’s faith in Him, Moses sent out the leaders of the tribe of Israel to perform a reconnaissance of the land of Canaan. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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According to Numbers 12:16, the citizens of Israel left Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran. Eventually, according to Deuteronomy 1:19, they camped in a place called Kadesh-Barnea. Remember, the Lord promised Israel the land of Canaan as part of the Palestinian Covenant. The Palestinian Covenant is unconditional, given to Israel through Abraham. The Palestinian Covenant is related to the actual land the Lord would give the nation of Israel, to be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ. A covenant is an agreement between two parties, binding them mutually to undertakings on each other’s behalf. Theologically, a covenant denotes a gracious undertaking entered into by God for the benefit and blessing of man, specifically of those men who, by faith, receive the promises and commit themselves to the obligations that the undertaking involves. The two categories of covenants are conditional and unconditional. The fulfillment of unconditional covenants depends entirely upon the faithfulness of God, rather than man, whereas, the fulfillment of conditional covenants depend upon the faithfulness of man. The terms of a conditional covenant depend, solely, on the recipient of the covenant for their fulfillment. Certain obligations or conditions would need to be kept by the recipient of the covenant before the giver of the covenant would be obligated to fulfill what was promised. This type of covenant has an “if” attached to it. The Mosaic Covenant made by God with Israel is an example of a conditional covenant. The terms of an unconditional covenant, on the other hand, depend, solely, on the one making the covenant to be fulfilled. That which is promised is bestowed to the recipient of the covenant on the authority and integrity of the one making the covenant, entirely apart from the merit or response of the receiver. It is a covenant with no “if” attached to it whatsoever. Now, an important aspect of an unconditional covenant needs to be clarified. An unconditional covenant, which binds the one making the covenant to a certain course of action, may have blessings attached to it that are conditioned on the response of the recipient, and which response is offered in faith that God will deliver on His promise. This is crucial to understand, that an unconditional covenant may have certain blessings attached to it, that is of course, when the recipient demonstrates faith. The fulfillment of unconditional covenants does not depend on the continued obedience of the recipient, but rather on the integrity and faithfulness of God, who instituted the covenant. Although the Lord made this unconditional covenant with Abraham and his descendants, full possession of the land had never taken place because of Israel’s disobedience and lack of faith in the Lord’s promise. The largest Jewish Kingdom was during the reign of David and, yet, was not even 1/20 or 1/30 of the land grant. The land grant was first promised to Abraham in Genesis 13:14-15 and Genesis 15:18. Genesis 13:14, “The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Genesis 15:18, “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.” The land grant was confirmed to Isaac in Genesis 26:3-4, confirmed to Jacob in Genesis 35:12, and reiterated to Moses in Exodus 6:2-8. In Exodus 23, the Lord spoke of the invasion of Canaan to Moses and Israel’s boundaries in the land. Moses described the geographical boundaries of the land in Numbers 34. Then, in Deuteronomy 30:1-9, Moses prophesied the fulfillment of the Palestinian Covenant during the Millennium. To encourage the Jews to enter the land, God also confirmed the land grant to Joshua in Joshua 1:2-4. Jeremiah and Ezekiel both confirmed the fulfillment of the land grant and related it to the New Covenant with Israel. According to Scripture, the land grant under the Palestinian Covenant includes (1) most of the land in Turkey, (2) most of East Africa, (3) Saudi Arabia, (4) Yemen, (5) Oman and the Red Sea, (6) Syria, (7) Iraq, and (8) Jordan. The land grant has boundaries on the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea, the Euphrates River, and the Nile River. Israel has never, in her history, taken full possession of the land promised to her, but will do so during the millennial reign of Christ. Remember, the Exodus generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb and their families, did not enter the land of Canaan due to their lack of faith (Heb 3-4). In Numbers 13, the Israelites were poised to enter the land of Canaan and attack it from the southern gateway, but still lacked the confidence in the Lord to receive the promise of the land. Thus, she requested that Moses make a reconnaissance of the land, rather than accept the Lord’s promise. Numbers 13:1, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 2 ‘Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, every one a leader among them.’” “Spy out” is the third person masculine plural qal imperfect form of the verb tur. In Numbers 13:2, the verb tur does not mean, “to spy,” since they did not act as spies as is done today in modern international affairs. Rather, tur refers to a “military reconnaissance” and inspection of the land. According to Deuteronomy 1:22-23, the idea of making a reconnaissance of the land of Canaan did not originate with the Lord, but rather it stemed from the unbelieving citizens of Israel. Deuteronomy 1:21, “See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed. 22 Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let us 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter. 23 The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe.’” It is clearly implied that the Lord ordered the reconnaissance as a testing, not that “He” might know the state of their hearts, but that “they” might know (John 6:5-6). Thus, He agreed to the reconnaissance in order to reveal the unbelief of the people. Numbers 13:17, “When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, ‘Go up there into the Negev [south]; then go up into the hill country.’” The Negev region extended roughly from Gaza through the modern political boundary of the West Bank, extending south to the mountain ranges of the Sinai and through the Arabah to the Red Sea. Today, the Israelis consider everything south of Hebron, bordering on the River of Egypt and extending in a point toward Eiliat, part of the Negev region. In Numbers 13:17, Moses ordered that the reconnaissance begin in the southern portion of the land of Canaan, especially the area of Beersheba South. Note that the hill country consisted of the mountains of Judah, north, to the hills of Ephraim and all the way to the heights of Galilee. In the time of Moses, the hill country was populated primarily by the Amorites, and the plains and valleys by the Canaanites. The mission was clear, then, to determine the nature of the land itself (Deu 1:22), and the strengths and weaknesses of the inhabitants. Numbers 13:18, “See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. 19 How is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are they like open camps or with fortifications? 20 How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land.’ Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.” The time of the first ripe grapes was late August. Remember, Israel left Sinai in the second month, Zif, which was around May or June. Passover took place on the fourteenth day of the first month called Nisan, which was around March or April. Thus, the Jewish year began in the spring. Numbers 13:21, “So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, at Lebo-hamath.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Hamath, in Numbers 13:21, was an important Aramean city in the great Central Valley known as the Beqà. Lebo-Hamath was at the lower part of that valley, which began just north of the Sea of Galilee. Rehob was at the north end of Canaan. Numbers 13:22, “When they had gone up into the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)” Zoan was also known as Tanis and was built by the Hyksos when they overran northeastern Egypt about 1730 B.C. Hebron later became the inheritance of Caleb according to Joshua 14:23-25 and later was David’s capital when he reigned over Judah according to 2 Samuel 2:1-4. In the days of Moses, Hebron was the home of the Anakites, a tribe of giants (Num 13:33; Deu 9:2) who would prove to be implacable enemies of Israel for years to come (Jos 15:13-14). Numbers 13:23, “Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs.” “Eshcol” is Hebrew for “grapevine.” This cluster of grapes, in Numbers 13:23, was so heavy that two men had to carry it suspended from a pole between them. There is no question that the land was fruitful, as witnessed by the huge cluster of grapes and other fruit the men brought back. It is also interesting to note that these men, who performed the reconnaissance of the land, did not encounter enemy chariots, which later proved formidable. Numbers 13:25, “When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days.” The reason for the time being precisely forty days is to compare this relatively brief period with the forty years of wandering to which they would shortly be sentenced (Num 14:34). In numerology, the number forty is universally recognized as an important number, both on account of the frequency of its occurrence and the uniformity of its association with a period of “probation, trial, and divine discipline,” not judgment, like the number nine, which stands in connection with the punishment of enemies. Number forty stands for the chastisement of sons, of a covenant people. The number forty is also the product of five and eight and, therefore, points to the action of grace, leading to and ending in “revival” and “renewal.” This is certainly the case where forty relates to the period of evident “probation.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Numbers 13:26, “they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.” “Kadesh” means, “holy.” Often, the Lord demonstrated Himself to be holy in His judgments at this site (Num 20:12). Kadesh was located in the northeast Sinai Peninsula. Israel’s border ran just south of it (Num 34:4). It was located west of Israel’s western boundary, the River of Egypt, or the Wadi el-Arish, in the southwest Negev. Numbers 13:27, “Thus they told him, and said, ‘We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.’” Nevertheless, here came the bad news and the manifestation of a lack of confidence in the Lord. Numbers 13:28, “Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.” Israel had already encountered the Amelikites, according to Exodus 17:8-15, a people whom the Lord said He would “utterly blot out” of memory (Exo 17:14). The Amelikites are later a continual problem on the southern border of Judah. Saul spared them against the orders of the Lord according to 1 Samuel 15:1-25, but David conquered them in to 1 Samuel 30:1-17. The Hittites had a powerful empire extending beyond Anatolia, which is now modern Turkey. They slowly spread south and southeast, probably identifying with the Amorites in Canaan. Nothing is known of the Jebusites, except that they were centralized in Jerusalem and were considered an Amorite group according to Joshua 10:5. They remained in control of Jerusalem till 400 years after Moses, when David drove them out, captured the city, and made it his capital in 1004 B.C. (2 Sam 5:6-10). Lastly, the Canaanites were the indigenous population of Canaan. The Amorites entered Canaan from northeast Aram (Syria), sometime before 2000 B.C., and drove out the Canaanites, taking their place. Numbers 13:30, “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it. 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.’ 32 So they gave out to the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. 33 There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight’” The Nephilim, in Numbers 13:33, are not related to the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4, the offspring of the fallen angels and woman, since the Nephilim of Genesis 6:4 were destroyed in the Noahic Flood by God. Unlike the Nephilim of Genesis 6:4, the Nephilim in Numbers 13:33 are simply a race of giants whose ancestors were of Anak. The Nephilim is a study all of its own. Visit our website, www.prairieviewchristian.org, for the exposition on Genesis for further information regarding this topic. These men, in Numbers 13:31, that were sent to make reconnaissance of the land, were not operating according to faith. They were disobedient to the Lord’s command to enter a land that was promised to them. Notice, they never mentioned the Lord. Faith produces courage, whereas unbelief produces cowardice. Caleb and Joshua demonstrated their faith by obeying the Lord’s command to take possession of the land of Canaan. The Bible never separates faith from obedience. Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Those who do not trust God’s Word are living in rebellion against God and are following in the footsteps of Satan and his legions of fallen angels. Biblical faith is trusting in the promises of God, regardless of the circumstances or consequences. Joshua and Caleb were not looking at the obstacles, but rather were concentrating on the Lord’s promise, in Exodus 23:27-30, that He would go ahead of Israel in battle to take possession of the land. Exodus 23:27, “I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 I will send hornets ahead of you so that they will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. 29 I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 30 I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land.” The principle to note here is that unbelief spreads like a cancer, as does disobedience to the Lord, since unbelief manifests itself in disobedience to the Lord’s commands. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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This unbelieving crowd left the Lord out of the equation. Their unbelief blinded them from recognizing the fertility of the land, which they saw firsthand, causing them to see only the difficulties in the way of their possession of Canaan. The principle, then, is that unbelief not only occupies itself with difficulties, it magnifies and exaggerates difficulties and has them result in spiritual defeat (Rom 7), entirely ruling out victory (Rom 8). The spiritual application that we can derive from Numbers 13-14 and Israel’s unbelief is that the believer must either move forward in faith or backward in unbelief. The book of Hebrews warns against the unbelief of the Exodus generation (Heb 2:1-4; 3:7-19; 5:11-6:12; 10:19-39; 12:25-29). The Exodus generation’s failure to take possession of the land of Canaan, an inheritance given to them by the Lord, is a picture of the believer failing to appropriate by faith their union with Christ, who is the Church-Age believer’s inheritance. Unbelief is the worst disease that can afflict a congregation, as it did with Moses’ congregation. Joshua, Caleb, and their families were the only members of the Exodus generation, in Numbers 14:6-9 and verse 30, who were permitted to enter the land of Canaan because of their faith in the Lord. Numbers 14:1 reveals the consequences of not operating according to faith: “Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.” Moses must have had a huge headache because of two million people weeping and whaling loudly! This was not the first time the nation of Israel wept loudly and bitterly and grumbled, and it would not be the last time. God permits the believer to go through adversity in order to test the believer in his faith (Jer 20:12; 1 Pe 4:12-13; Jam 1:2-3; 1 Co 10:13). Israel failed the adversity test. Unbelief rendered them cowards and instilled pure presumption. The Exodus generation assumed they could not take possession of the land of Canaan. To presume is to take unwarrantable boldness; thus, the Exodus generation was unwarranted in being bold to disobey the Lord. Presumptuous sins are proud and impulsive sins that quickly gain dominion over the soul (Psa 19:13-14). Such sins, committed with a high hand as deliberate violations of God’s law, lead inevitably, if not confessed, to dying discipline, such as the case with King Saul (1 Ch 10:13-14; cf. 1 Co 5:5; 11:30). Now that we are reminded of the context of Numbers 14, we may proceed to Moses’ intercessory prayer. Numbers 14:5, “Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.” By assuming this posture in prayer, Moses and Aaron were expressing humility in their worship and reverence towards the Lord. In this passage, Moses interceded for the nation of Israel and for his brother Aaron.


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This act of prostration before the Lord, by both Aaron and Moses, prefigures the mediatorial ministry of Christ and His pleading before God on our behalf (Heb 4:14-16; 7:25) and for us by the Spirit’s ministry (Rom 8:26). Matthew 26:39, “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:39 records the Lord falling on His face, expressing His deep humility and reverence to the Father, as well as His complete submission to the Father’s will for His life. Moses fell on his face, many times, in an attempt to intercede for the children of Israel when they rebelled against the Lord (Num 14:6-12; 16:3-4, 43-45; 20:6; Deu 9:18). Deuteronomy 9:18, “I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger.” The Lord, provoked to anger by unbelieving Israel, presented Moses with two offers in Numbers 14:12. First, He would destroy the idolatrous Israelites and, second, would make out of Moses an entire new nation. Moses rejected both offers. Numbers 14:15, “Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, 16 Because the LORD could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness. 17 But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, 18 the LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations. 19 Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.’” In his integrity, Moses had no interest in using someone else’s failure to promote his own success, so he rejected both offers and, instead, asked the Lord to forgive His people and give them another chance. While this offer was tempting, Moses was taught by the Lord to be merciful and compassionate. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Note that God did not intend to destroy Israel. His will was to show forgiveness and mercy to Israel, despite their rebellion. Moses knew this and, thus, appealed to the will of God. The graciousness of the Lord in forgiving sin demonstrates the glory of God (Exo 33:18-19; Exo 34:5-7). This intercessory prayer by Moses was noble and presented him as a striking type of Christ, who is the mediator between God and man. Moses, like Christ, wanted God to be glorified (Num 14:13-16). Moses, like Christ, appealed to God’s power, longsuffering, mercy, grace, and justice (Num 14:17-18), as the basis for forgiving His people (v.19). Moses’ intercessory prayer, which appealed to God’s glory and His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prevented the total destruction of the nation of Israel. Moses demonstrated his tremendous leadership skills in this intercessory prayer. He also demonstrated selflessness and love for his people, as well as deep humility and reverence for the Lord. Numbers 14:20, “So the LORD said, ‘I have pardoned them according to your word.’” Once again, we see the Lord demonstrating His mercy, compassion, and loyal love to His people. The Lord was time and time again merciful to the rebellious Exodus generation (Neh 9:17, 31; Psa 78:38). His mercy was, is, and will be expressed towards every believer, in every dispensation, who executes the Lord’s plan (Psa 103:11). The Lord expressed His mercy towards the Exodus generation when they were slaves to Pharaoh and the Egyptians in Exodus 3:7. His compassion will be expressed towards Israel when they regather from throughout the entire world and are restored as client nation to God during the Millennium (Deu 30:3). The Lord expressed His mercy towards Israel by sending prophets to warn them of the impending fifth cycle of discipline they were treading so lightly on because of failure to confess sin and adhere to establishment principles in 2 Chronicles 36:15-21. David acknowledged and expressed gratitude for God’s mercy towards him in Psalm 30:1-3, Psalm 86:15, and Psalm 103:1-14. God is always merciful to those who are humble and respect Him by joyfully executing His plan (Psa 34:18-20). David expressed, in song, that God is merciful towards those who are merciful (Psa 41:1-3). The Lord is merciful to those who’ve accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior (Psa 107:19-22). The Lord was merciful to King Hezekiah of Israel, allowing him to live another fifteen years in Isaiah 38:15-20. The Lord, through the prophet Jeremiah, promised that He would be compassionate to Israel if she turned from her rebellion against the Lord in Jeremiah 12:15. As he watched the nation of Israel being led captive into Babylon, Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would be compassionate again and deliver them from captivity in Lamentations 3:32. The Lord was always compassionate to Israel, though she did not recognize it (Hos 11:4). The Lord promised that He would have compassion upon them and provide a Savior for them (Mi 7:19). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Numbers 14:21, “but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD. 22 Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 shall by no means see the land, which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.” The number ten is significant here, in Numbers 14:22, since it signifies the perfection of the divine order commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. Completeness of order is the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is lacking, the number and order are perfect, and the entire cycle is complete. The number ten, in Numbers 14:22, signifies the completion of Israel’s cycle of rebellion against the Lord, which commenced in a new generation of Israel taking possession of the land of Canaan, namely, the children of the Exodus generation. Numbers 14:26, “The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 ‘How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; 29 your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.” Numbers 14:29 refers to the third category of divine discipline, which is dying discipline, otherwise known as the sin unto death. Note that this passage does not refer to loss of salvation. The leaders of each of the twelve tribes of Israel that were commanded to make a reconnaissance of the land of Canaan and brought back an evil report were administered dying discipline. Divine discipline has three stages: (1) warning discipline (Rev 3:20; Jam 5:9), (2) intense discipline (Psa 38:1; 2 Th 2:11), and (3) dying discipline (Jer 9:16; 44:12; Phi 3:18-19; Rev 3:16; Psa 118:17-18; 1 Jo 5:16). While it may seem unloving, divine discipline is actually an expression of God’s love for His people. We know this because of Hebrews 12:5-11. Hebrews 12:5, “and you have forgotten the exhortation, which is addressed to you as sons, ‘MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.’ 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” In Numbers 14:40-45, the Exodus generation again revealed their self-will, independent, rebellious, and disobedient attitude toward the Lord by attempting to enter the land of Canaan without the Lord’s blessing. Though Moses warned them not to go up, lest they be struck down, they did not obey. Therefore, they suffered defeat against the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle. Moses’ Intercessory Prayer for Israel at Mount Sinai Like Abraham, Moses is known in Scriptures as a man of great faith. In fact, Moses is listed in God’s Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11:24, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.” Exodus 32 presents one of the greatest lessons on intercessory prayer that is found in the Bible, offered by one of the greatest prayer warriors in the Bible, namely, Moses. Moses, again, interceded for the children of Israel in Exodus 32. While on Mount Sinai communing with the Lord for forty days and nights and receiving the Law, the children of Israel demonstrated their rebellion by worshipping idols, particularly the golden calf. While waiting for Moses in Exodus 32, the people of Israel assembled themselves against Aaron as an angry and aggressive mob. It is understandable that Aaron capitulated to the mob and did what they commanded him, but this does not justify his actions. Aaron should have done what Moses did in Numbers 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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16:4, and fall on his face, praying to God for help. However, Aaron lacked courage because he lacked faith at this time. His lack of faith in the Lord is manifested in his failure to pray while during this adversity with the children of Israel. In perfect contrast to Moses, Aaron failed in his role as a spiritual leader of the people because he was arrogant to seek a solution independent from God. Moses was the humblest man on the earth according to Numbers 12:3, and this was the secret to his fantastic intercessory prayer ministry and his effective and productive prayer life. Exodus 32:1, “Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’” “Will go before us,” in this verse, is a military expression. The mob demanded that an idol be made to lead them into battle. The Israelites rationalized that, since Moses could not lead them to victory, they would create a “god” who would “go before them,” as they marched into Canaan to possess it. Nevertheless, as we have already noted, Moses warned the Israelites not to enter Canaan because they would only find defeat there. Though the Israelites had quickly forgotten, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. The victory was viewed as a military victory over the army of Pharaoh (Exo 15). However, the people were now facing the conquest of Canaan, which was also a military matter, and wanted a visible symbol, like a mascot god, which they could take before them as they proceed to Canaan. Exodus 32:2, “Aaron said to them, ‘Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.” The gold referred to in Exodus 32:2-3 was gold from the Egyptian people. The Lord promised Moses and the children of Israel that they would not leave Egypt empty handed. He promised that they would plunder the Egyptians. He also promised that if they asked the Egyptian people for gold and silver, they would give it to them, under the condition that they leave the country after the ten plagues (Exo 3:20-22; 11:1-3; 12:14-36). Exodus 32:4, “He took this from their hand, and fashioned it [the gold] with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” “Calf” is the masculine singular noun èghel. “Molten” is the noun massekhah, which means, “a cast image.” The context of several passages in which massekhah is found suggests a method other than casting. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The people of the ancient world made their idols with a wooden center and overlaid the idols with gold, such as Isaiah 40:19 and 30:22 demonstrate. Isaiah 30:22, “And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, and say to them, ‘Be gone!’” Aaron's molten calf was made in this way. It was first formed of wood, then gold plated. This is evident in the way in which it was destroyed. The image was burnt, then crushed to pieces and ground to powder (Deut 9:21); i.e., the wooden centre was burnt into charcoal, then the golden covering beaten or rubbed to pieces (v.20). The golden calf was copied from the Egyptian Apis, but still was not the image of an Egyptian deity. Aaron decided on a calf, or better, a young bull, as the symbolic representation of God. It was not a symbol of the generative or bearing power of nature, but an image of Jehovah. This fact is reinforced when the people exclaim, “This is your God, O Israel, who brought thee out of Egypt.” An explanation of Exodus 32 is recorded in Psalm 106:19-20. Psalm 106:19, “They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a molten image. 20 Thus they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wonders in the land of Ham and awesome things by the Red Sea.” Exodus 32:9, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. 10 Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.’” God’s words in verse 7-10 reflect the consequences of sin—a separation from God and the ominous threat of judgment. God no longer spoke of Israel as “His” people, but rather as the people of Moses. Both in what God said and in the way He said it, Israel’s sin had put the nation in great danger. Exodus 32:10 again records God threatening to annihilate the entire nation of Israel, to wipe them out, and start over, making a new nation of Moses. These words posed an ominous threat to Israel’s future. God’s words here were intended to convey the great danger Israel faced. His words, however, were also intended to produce something apart from destruction, which is suggested by both the outcome of the story and by the words themselves. If God truly intended to wipe Israel out, what reason was there for Him to tell Moses about it and then send Him down to the people? God tells of judgment in advance to afford men an opportunity to repent. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Furthermore, the words “let Me alone” suggest to Moses that if he did not leave God alone, the people would not be destroyed. The inference is that if Moses did intercede for Israel, God would likely turn His wrath from His people. Finally, as we have already noted with Numbers 14:12, Moses knew that God’s threatened action of destroying Israel, as well as His offer to Moses of making a new nation through him, was inconsistent with God’s character and His covenant with Israel. It would be against the plan of God to destroy Israel because of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus, these words were intended to stimulate Moses to intercede for his people and, thus, bring about forgiveness. As we have noted many times in our study of prayer, prayer must be according to the will of God (1 Jo 5:14). God’s will in saving us is to glorify Himself. All our prayers must have this ultimate objective, the glory of God. Since God’s will is to glorify Himself, the intercessory prayer of Moses on behalf of rebellious and idolatrous Israel in Exodus 32 appealed to the will of God. By being slow to execute judgment and gracious in forgiving Israel’s sin, God’s glory would be manifested before Israel and the entire world. Exodus 32:11-14 records Moses pleading with God to withhold judgment upon idolatrous Israel. Exodus 32:11, “Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, ‘O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ 14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm, which He said He would do to His people.” To reiterate the principles in Numbers 14:12, Moses’ intercessory prayer revealed his deep humility in that his ultimate objective for delivering Israel was the glorification of God. This humble prayer demonstrated Moses’ intimate relationship with God. He knew God’s character and nature and, therefore, petitioned Him with prayers in accordance with His will. A humble person can pray effectively for others since He knows the Lord and His ways. This is essential in leading a productive prayer life. True spiritual leaders, like Moses, were willing to identify with and serve the people they led. For the Lord to destroy Israel and blot out their memory (Deut 9:14) was tantamount to the termination of the Mosaic covenant, recently ratified in Exodus 24:1-8 and confirmed in Deuteronomy 29:18. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Exodus 32:14, “So the LORD changed His mind about the harm, which He said He would do to His people.” The phrase “the Lord changed His mind,” in Exodus 32:14, is an anthropopathism, which ascribes to God a human emotion or function that He does not possess in order to convey His attitude to our finite human minds. It is language of accommodation. The Lord cannot change His mind, since the Lord is omniscient and immutable and knew in eternity past that Moses would respond and intercede for the children of Israel and God would hear his prayer and answer it according to His will. The Lord was functioning according to His attribute of mercy, which is the function of His grace policy towards the undeserving or those with no merit with Him, in withholding judgment. Exodus 32:31, “Then Moses returned to the LORD, and said, ‘Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. 32 But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written.’” The intercessory prayer of Moses in Exodus 32 demonstrates his divine love for rebellious and idolatrous Israel, since he was willing to sacrifice himself and be separated from the Lord for their sake. This is another example of how Moses is a type of Christ, for Christ voluntarily separated Himself from the Father for our sake. Matthew 27:46, “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?’ that is, ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’” Moses was able to offer himself as a sacrifice because he was able to deny self. Self-sacrifice springs from self-denial. Luke 9:23, “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.’” The intercessory prayer of Moses on behalf of rebellious and idolatrous Israel and his willingness to die for Israel demonstrates that he is a great shepherd of God’s people and, in fact, prefigures the Great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” The intercessory prayer of Moses on behalf of rebellious and idolatrous Israel and his willingness to sacrifice himself for them sets a fantastic example for pastors when their flock rebels and lapses into idolatry and rebellion. Pastors in the Church-Age today should pray for wayward members of their flock, not disown them. Exodus 32:33, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin. 35 Then the LORD smote the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron had made.’” The nation of Israel was judged, but not destroyed. Moses’ intercessory prayer appealed to God’s glory and was based upon His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and thus prevented the total destruction of the nation. Moses demonstrated his tremendous leadership skills and knowledge of the Lord by interceding in prayer for the rebellious Israelites. This intercessory prayer demonstrates the selflessness of Moses and his love for his people, as well as his deep humility and reverence for the Lord. Moses’ Intercessory Prayer for Israel at Taberah A third recorded intercessory prayer by Moses for the children of Israel occurred at Taberah (Num 11:1-3). The name “Taberah” means, “to be consumed by fire.” Were it not for this intercessory prayer, the nation of Israel would surely have been consumed by fire from the Lord as judgment for the nations’ complaining. Now, in Numbers 10:11, the children of Israel had been at the Horeb portion of the Sinai mountain range for almost a year receiving the Law of God and were now preparing to leave the area and travel through the Desert of Paran (Exo 19:1; Num 10:11). Numbers 10:11, “Now in the second year, in the second month (that is of course after the Exodus from Egypt), on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony.” The cloud, in Numbers 10:11, refers to a theophany, a visible appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. Remember, the Ark of the Covenant was located inside the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In the tabernacle, between the cherubim, was the Shekinah, the cloud in which the Lord appeared above the mercy seat (Exo 25:22; Lev 16:2). It was not the cloud of incense (v.16:13), but the pre-incarnate appearance of Christ in His divine glory. The Lord manifested His essential presence in this cloud; therefore, no unclean and sinful man could go before the mercy seat. Not even the anointed high priest could go before it of his own pleasure or without the expiatory blood sacrifice lest the Lord kill him instantly. The tabernacle was the place where Yahweh, the pre-incarnate Christ, met with Moses and the children of Israel during the Theocentric dispensation called the Age of Israel. Before Israel departed from Sinai, the tabernacle was erected and remained for fifty days (v.10:11). The tabernacle, in minute detail, portrayed the unique person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Numbers 11:1, “Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” Even though the citizens of Israel had the visible presence of the Shekinah Glory in their camp, even though they had been delivered from Pharaoh’s hand at the Red Sea in Egypt, and even though they had had everything provided for them, logistically, to sustain them physically and spiritually in the desert, they still complained. Let us note that complaining is a manifestation of a lack of faith in the Lord. Hebrews 3:17, “And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” Complaining is also a manifestation of ingratitude toward God. The citizens of Israel were chronic complainers, as we have seen (Exo 16:2-3; 17:3; 32:1-4; Num 12:1-2; 14:2-3; 16:13-14; 20:2-13; 21:4-5). Numbers 11:2, “The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah (means, “to be consumed by fire”), because the fire of the LORD burned among them.” In Numbers 11:2, Moses acted as a mediator between the Lord and Israel to reconcile the people with the Lord. The biblical concept of mediation is to bring sinful man to reconciliation with a holy God. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Moses operated according to his priesthood by offering up intercessory prayers on behalf of rebellious Israel and reconciling Israel with the Lord. Moses is again prefiguring our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, by offering up another intercessory prayer for Israel. This intercessory prayer, in Numbers 11:2, was answered solely based upon the merits of the future work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, since mercy and forgiveness were extended to Israel and the entire world on the basis of the Lord Jesus Christ’s voluntary substitutionary spiritual death on the cross, which is the propitiation for every sin in human history—past, present, and future. Moses’ Intercessory Prayer for Miriam Number 12 records a beautiful prayer by Moses for his sister, Miriam. He prayed that the Lord heal her of her leprosy, which was given to her by the Lord as discipline for her rebellion. Numbers 12:1, “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman).” Miriam was the sister of Aaron and Moses. Miriam was a “prophetess,” according to Exodus 15:20, and her song of victory, after Israel crossed the Red Sea, was one of the oldest pieces of literature written in Hebrew (Exo 15:20). Aaron was Moses’ older brother and a high priest in Israel. The fact that Miriam’s name is mentioned first in the passage indicates that she was the one who instigated this rebellion, which Aaron fell in line with. It appears that Aaron was a weak leader, having no moral courage, since he gave in to Israel’s rebellion at the foot of Mount Horeb with the golden calf. Numbers 12:2, “and they said, ‘Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?’ And the LORD heard it.” Miriam and Aaron rejected Moses’ authority, which was delegated by the Lord. Therefore, Miriam and Aaron were, in reality, rejecting the authority of the Lord, since the Lord placed Moses as leader of Israel. The Lord taught this principle to the prophet Samuel. 1 Samuel 8:7, “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.’” Miriam, in Numbers 12:2, revealed her jealousy towards Moses. Jealousy is a mental attitude sin directed toward another’s success, possessions, or relationships. Jealousy is resentful, intolerant, and suspicious. This 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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sin originates with Satan in eternity past, since he is influenced by jealousy in wanting the angels to worship him (Isa 14:12-14). James 3:14, “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” Jealousy concerns itself with self-advancement and personal gain. Miriam was solely concerned with herself. Jealousy leads to inordinate ambition and competition. Miriam was involved in inordinate ambition and competition with Moses. Numbers 12:5, “Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward. 6 He said, ‘Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.’ 7 Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses? 9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed. 10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous.” Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease characterized by sores, scabs, and white shining spots beneath the skin. Modern medicine has all but eliminated the disease after learning proper methods of treatment. Note that the leprosy did not strike Aaron because he was the high priest. If afflicted with the disease, he would not be able to serve as high priest. Numbers 12:11, “Then Aaron said to Moses, ‘Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother's womb! 13 Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, ‘O God, heal her, I pray!’”


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Up to this point, Moses had said absolutely nothing to defend himself against Miriam and Aaron’s disobedience towards his authority, but rather, in complete and total submission, he allowed God be his defense. In Numbers 12:13, Moses again acted as mediator between the Lord and Miriam for the purpose of reconciling her to the Lord. The Lord was angry with Miriam’s attack upon Moses, whom the Lord had delegated authority to, therefore, Moses would mediate with intercessory prayer for her. Numbers 12:14, “But the LORD said to Moses, ‘If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.’ 15 So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.” Miriam’s discipline was public because her rebellion against Moses was public. Miriam’s discipline had to be public because rebellion against God’s delegated authority was a serious sin and required discipline. 1 Samuel 15:23, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.” This quarantine of Miriam was done according to the Law in Leviticus 13-14. Once, again, Moses illustrates the effectiveness of intercessory prayer. In this prayer, he expressed the love of God for Miriam, even though his sister mistreated him. Without any bitterness towards Miriam or Aaron, Moses interceded for his sister as he interceded for the entire nation of Israel when Aaron made the golden calf. God forgave Miriam and Aaron, but not without public humiliation and severe discipline. Moses demonstrated his great humility here by letting the Lord deal with Miriam and not attempting to defend himself. His humility was also demonstrated in that he did not take this attack upon his authority personal. Instead, he immediately prayed for Miriam when Aaron begged him to, and she was healed. This brings us to the end of Part 8 and to a greater realization of the power prayer has had in the past, the power it has in the present, and what it has the potential to accomplish for our future. 23 The Productive Prayer Life of the Lord Jesus Christ The God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, serves as the perfect example for Church-Age believers in the use of prayer. Therefore, let us learn how to have a productive prayer life from the Lord, Himself. Murray writes, “We are to enter the school of prayer with the Lord.”19 Some principles to note are: 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The Lord Jesus prayed in the morning (Luke 4:42). Mark 1:35, “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” The Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the evening (Mat 26:36-46). Luke 6:12, “It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” The Lord Jesus prayed in private (Luke 5:16). Luke 4:42, “When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them.” The Lord Jesus knelt to pray (Mat 26:39). Luke 22:41, “And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray…” The Lord Jesus Christ always addressed God as Abba, an intimate term for “Father.” The Jews never addressed God as Father, thus making our Lord’s ministry entirely unique from the Pharisees. In our Lord’s prayers, communion or fellowship with the Father played a major role. Our Lord’s ministry was exceptionally busy, and He worked under constant pressure. He rarely had time for leisure, even for meals. But the pressure of the crowds never interfered with his time for prayer. Too often, we use the pressure of our work as an excuse not to pray; but, with the Lord Jesus, it was a reason for devoting extra time to prayer (Luke 4:42; Mark 1:35; John 6:15). Luke 5:12, “While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” The Lord Jesus never confessed any sin in His prayers, since He was sinless (John 8:29). 1 Peter 2:21, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH.” Our Lord Jesus’ prayers revealed His role as the Son of God and were always in accordance to His Father’s will; thus, His prayers were always answered. John 11:42, “I knew that You [God the Father] always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." Our Lord Jesus employed prayers of thanksgiving (John 6:11; 11:41) Matthew 26:27, “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.’” Our Lord Jesus prayed not only for Himself, but also for others with intercessory prayers (John 17; Luke 23:34). Luke 22:31, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Prayer for the Lord Jesus Christ was as natural as eating or breathing. Prayer was important to Him, since it was the principle means for Him to have fellowship with His Father and determine His Father’s will for His life. The prayer life of the Lord Jesus Christ, during His First Advent, expressed His perfect humility and absolute dependence upon the Father. Our Lord did nothing in life without first consulting the Father in prayer; thus, how much more should we depend upon the Father to lead us through life. Let’s note that the Lord’s great achievements came after prayer. Some miracles that resulted from prayer include: (1) His feeding of the four thousand (Mat 14:23; 15:36), (2) His feeding of the five thousand (Mat 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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14:13-21; John 6:11), (3) walking on the water (Mat 14:23-33), (4) raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:4142), and (5) healing the insane boy (Mark 9:14-29). The human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ depended upon prayer in order to receive power to perform miracles, which glorified the Father and demonstrated Him as the Messiah and the Son of God. In His human nature, He depended upon prayer in order to receive power to defeat Satan and the kingdom of darkness in spiritual combat. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the God-Man, could not employ His deity to defeat Satan; rather, He voluntarily denied Himself the independent function of His divine attributes, which is called in theology the kenosis of Christ. Instead, He depended upon the Father’s provisions, namely, the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and prayer. The ultimate objective of our Lord’s prayer life during His First Advent was the glorification of the Father. He desired that the Father’s character and nature be revealed through Him. John 12:28, “‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came out of heaven: ‘I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.’” The Prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke Of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Luke provides the greatest insight into the prayer life of the Lord Jesus. Luke’s account emphasizes the Lord’s reliance on prayer during His First Advent. While Matthew emphasizes the kingship of Christ, Mark the servant hood of Christ, and John the deity of Christ, Luke emphasizes His humanity. Luke records ten occasions when the Lord Jesus prayed: (1) His baptism (Luke 3:21), (2) after a day of miracles (Luke 5:15-16), (3) before choosing His disciples (Luke 6:12), (4) before the prediction of His death (Luke 9:18), (5) on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:29), (6) before teaching His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1), (7) when the seventy returned with their report (Luke 10:21), (8) in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46), (9) on the cross with intercessory prayers for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34), and (10) on the cross when offering up His human spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46). The first occasion, recorded in Luke, of our Lord’s prayers was during His baptism. Of the four Gospel accounts of His baptism (Mat 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:31-34), Luke is the only one who reports that Christ prayed. Luke 3:21, “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.’” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The content of our Lord’s prayer is not provided in Luke 3:21, but we can infer from Luke 3:22, with the audible voice of the Father and the appearance of the Spirit descending upon the Lord, that our Lord asked the Father to reveal to John the Baptist that He was, indeed, the Messiah and the Son of God. This conclusion is reinforced by the Apostle John in John 1:32-34. John 1:32, “John testified saying, ‘I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, "He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.’” It can also be inferred from other passages of Scripture, which reveal the prayer life of the Lord Jesus, that our Lord’s prayer in Luke 3:22 is more than likely a prayer expressing His submission to the Father’s will. It is a prayer concerning the Messianic ministry He was about to embark upon, and a prayer requesting that the Father be glorified and that the Father provide Him with everything He would need to execute His will completely. The second occasion the Lord prayed, in Luke’s records, was after a day of miracles (Luke 5:15-16). Often, after great success, we tend to become arrogant and think more highly of ourselves than we should. This is not so with the Lord Jesus Christ, for, after healing a leper, the Lord did not stick around for the applause, but rather fled to solitude and prayed to His Father alone. Luke 5:12, “While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” In Luke 5:16, the phrase “Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness to pray” reveals that our Lord, in His human nature, had the indescribable need and desire to be alone with the Father in prayer. The Lord was not being indifferent to the needs of the people by departing from them at times, but rather He felt a personal need for time alone to have fellowship with the Father in prayer, so that He, in His human nature, could be reenergized for His work of service to the Father. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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The teaching concerning our Lord’s desire to be alone in prayer with the Father in Luke 4:42, 5:16, and Mark 1:35 teaches us that all service to God must be preceded by time alone with the Father in prayer in order to be energized and motivated to serve Him and determine what His will is for our lives (John 5:19, 30; 8:2829). John 4:34, “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.’” On a third occasion, in Luke’s records, our Lord prayed before the selection of the twelve apostles. Luke’s Gospel is the only Gospel account of this prayer. The other Gospels only give account of the process of selection (Mat 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19). Our Lord spent the entire night in prayer with the Father before He made this decision. This account in our Lord’s life stresses the importance of praying before making important decisions in life, especially regarding human relationships. Luke 6:12, “It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” Our Lord prayed for strength to meet the opposition that was growing towards His ministry. He sought guidance from the Father in the selection of the twelve apostles, for the future of the Church rested upon those twelve men, with the exception, of course, of Judas Iscariot, who was later replaced by Paul. These men would impact the entire history of the world and the angelic conflict; thus, this was a momentous decision that our Lord had to make, and He depended upon prayer to make that decision. Luke 6:13, “And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles.” The fourth occasion of our Lord’s prayers in the Gospel of Luke involved Him praying before asking His disciples what they thought of His true identity and the prediction of His impending death on the cross (Luke 9). Luke 9:18, “And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, ‘Who do the people say that I am?’” The content of our Lord’s prayer is not provided in Luke 9:18, but we can infer from the question our Lord asked His disciples that He prayed to the Father to reveal to His disciples who He was, namely, the Messiah and the Son of God. Note, the disciples were not praying with the Lord. He was praying alone apart from them. What took place is illustrated with another passage in Matthew 26:36 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Matthew 26:36, “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” The Lord Jesus was very good at concentrating, to the extent that not even the presence of His friends disturbed the solitude of His spirit. In fact, His longest recorded prayer, in John 17, was made in the presence of His disciples. Near the close of His ministry, these poignant words occurred in John 8:1. John 8:1, “Everyone went to his home. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” An anonymous poem captures our Lord’s desire for solitude and fellowship with the Father, and particularly the account of Luke 6:12: How often He sought the mountaintop, and knelt upon its crest. To pray and lay His weary Head upon His Father’s breast. Before He called the Twelve to Him, He prayed all night alone, And when the day began to dawn, He chose them for His own. The fifth occasion is when our Lord prayed at His transfiguration. Of the three Gospel accounts of His transfiguration (Mat 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8), Luke’s account is the only one that mentions our Lord praying. Luke 9:28, “Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.” The content of our Lord’s prayer in Luke 9:28 is not provided, but we can infer from Luke 9:29 that He prayed to the Father to reveal to Peter, James, and John His future glory in a resurrection body. The transfiguration was a revelation from the Father to reveal to Peter, James, and John the honor and glory due to the Lord Jesus Christ, because of His impending victory over Satan at the cross. The transfiguration was an answer to the Lord Jesus’ prayer recorded in Luke 9:28. This vision of the humanity of Christ, in glorified resurrected form, was designed to encourage Peter, James, and John, since Jesus prophesied to them of His impending death in Jerusalem, which is recorded in Luke 9:22 and states, “The Son 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” A comparative passage to Luke 9, Matthew 16:28 records a similar statement by our Lord, when He references His Second Advent, which will have Him in His resurrection body. Matthew 16:28, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” The transfiguration of Christ was a fantastic display of physical light, used to reflect the essential glory that belonged to Him as the eternal Son of God, who is co-equal, co-infinite, and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit. This was the manifestation of the Shekinah Glory that is inherent in our Lord’s person. The Father’s glory is Christ’s glory. Our Lord prayed to the Father, in John 17:5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Our Lord’s glory as the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, was veiled during His First Advent. This was necessary to fulfill the Father’s plan for man’s salvation. Christ did not surrender His glory at the time of the incarnation, but veils it, lest the human race be consumed by it. Therefore, the transfiguration was a revelation of the essential glory that is inherent in the person of Christ as the Son of God. This glory will be disclosed to the whole world at His Second Advent. The sixth occasion that Luke records our Lord praying is when seventy followers of Christ returned with their report. This particular prayer is one of thanksgiving. Luke 10:17, “The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name….’ 21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’” The seventh occasion of our Lord praying occurred before His disciples’ request for the Lord to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1-13). Luke 11:1, “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.’”


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The eighth occasion of our Lord praying, in Luke’s records, was in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:3946). Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention the fact that our Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion (Matt. 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). The fact that all three of these gospels mention that our Lord prayed during this intensive moment of spiritual warfare is significant because it emphasizes that the humanity of Christ employed prayer while undergoing Satanic attack from the kingdom of darkness, thus the Church-Age believer should follow His example. It is important to note that submission to the Father’s will was our Lord’s primary concern. The humanity of Christ, while under intensive mental pressure from the kingdom of darkness to avoid the cross, did not fear physical death, but spiritual death, which required Him to be separated from His Father for three hours as the payment for the sins of the entire world—past, present, and future. Luke 22:39, “And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’” This prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is also mentioned outside of the Gospels, such as in Hebrews 5:7, which states, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.” The ninth occasion of our Lord’s recorded prayers in the Gospel of Luke involved the Lord offering up intercessory prayers on behalf of those who crucified Him (Luke 23:33-34). Luke 23:33, “When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” The tenth and final occasion that Luke records of our Lord praying was just prior to His physical death when He offered up His human spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46). Luke 23:46, “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”


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Even at His hour of death, the Lord did not cease praying. The habit of prayer followed Him throughout His lifetime, even to His last utterance. As the Man of Sorrows, our Lord suffered deeply, especially having been betrayed by His own people, but the greatest sorrow of all was of Him being the “bruising” and “forsaking” of His Father. Nevertheless, our Lord fortified Himself with prayer (Mat 26:36-46; John 6:15; 11:41-42; 12:28). The Great High Priestly Prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ in John 17 The Gospel of John, Chapter 17, also records our Lord’s prayer life, particularly His Great High Priestly Prayer, when he made intercession for His disciples and for all believers throughout the Church-Age. His prayer was for them to be protected, sanctified, and unified, and for His Father to be glorified. This was our Lord’s longest recorded prayer, which occurred during His public ministry on earth. It was offered in the presence of His apostles, after the institution and celebration of the Lord’s Supper, immediately following the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John 14-16. Most consider the “Lord’s Prayer” the prayer Christ taught His disciples at the Sermon on the Mount. But this Great High Priestly Prayer is truly the “Lord’s Prayer.” In John 17, the veil concealing the Holy of Holies is drawn aside, and we are admitted with our Great High Priest into the “holiest of all.” In John 17, we approach the secret place of the Tabernacle of the Most High. Therefore, let us approach this passage with reverence and humility, doing as Moses did before the burning bush and removing our shoes because we are on holy ground. The Great High Priestly prayer of our Lord in John 17 was audibly spoken before His apostles in order that they, as well as all believers throughout history and the angels, might get a glimpse of the wonderful fellowship that exists between the Father and the Son. John 17, and our Lord’s Prayer, can be divided into three parts: (1) the Lord prayed for Himself (John 17:15), (2) the Lord prayed for His disciples (John 17:6-19), and (3) the Lord prayed for future believers (John 17:20-26). John 17 teaches us four principles concerning our privilege as a child of God. They include, (1) sharing His life (John 17:1-5), (2) knowing His name (John 17:6-12), (3) having His Word (John 17:13-19), and (4) sharing His glory (John 17:20-26). John 17 also reveals the three-fold burden of our Lord’s Prayer: (1) security of the believer (John 17:6-12), (2) sanctity of the believer (John 17:13-19), and (3) unity of believers (John 17:20-26). Apart from these principles, John 17 is essentially the record of our Lord’s “conversation” with the Father. As we noted in the introduction to this book, prayer is an opportunity to engage the Father in conversation, which involves talking and listening to Him. Thus, prayer is an expression of fellowship with God. Therefore, John 17 records a conversation or dialogue between our Lord and His Father. This is indicated by two factors: (1) neither the verb for prayer, proseuchomai, nor the noun, proseuche, are employed in the Greek, but rather the verbs for speaking are employed, eipon, erotao, and laleo, and second, (2) the Lord used the word pater, meaning “Father,” to address God, which is another indication He and the Father were engaging in an intimate conversation. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Leon Morris observes of John 17, “He began his prayer with the simple address, ‘Father.’ We have become used to this as a normal Christian way of beginning a prayer, but it was not usual in that day. The address was that used by a little child in speaking to his parent, but when God was addressed it was usual to add some qualifier; for example, a praying person might say, ‘Our Father in heaven.’ God was so great and so high that he must not be addressed in the language appropriate for familiar use within the family. But Jesus constantly used this way of speaking to his heavenly Father, and Christians picked up the habit from him. Notice the way it runs through this prayer (verses 5, 11, 21, 24, 25). That God is Father was especially important at this point in Jesus’ life.”20 Our Lord also desired that we have an intimate conversation with the Father in prayer. Remember, just a few moments earlier, Jesus said the following to His disciples: John 16:25, “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” Intimacy with God is a privilege, which should inspire humility, gratitude, and reverence in each of us. That noted, let us look at John 17, and first study our Lord’s prayer for Himself. Our Lord had seven requests in John 17: (1) preservation (v.11), (2) joy (v.13), (3) deliverance from evil (v.15), (4) sanctification (v.17), (5) unity (v.21), (6) fellowship (v.24), and (7) satisfaction (v.24). Our Lord Prayed for Himself John 17:1, “Jesus spoke these things [John 13-16]; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You.’” “Lifting up His eyes to heaven” is a typical Jewish gesture of prayer, whether offered to God or idols (Ps 121:1; 123:1; John 11:41). The term “Father” is the noun pater (Mat 7:11; 28:19; Mark 11:25; Mat 7:21; 12:50; 16:17; Mark 13:32; 14:36; Luke 22:29, 42; John 5:17, 43; 17). By addressing God as Father, the Lord Jesus Christ put Himself on par with God. As the God-Man, Jesus Christ was subordinate to the Father in His humanity; but, in His deity, Christ is coinfinite, co-equal, and co-eternal with both the Father and the Spirit. We can thank the Lord Jesus Christ for revealing the Father to man (John 1:14; 2 Co 4:6; Eph 3:11; Heb 1:2). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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John 1:18, “No man has seen God [the Father] at any time; the only begotten God [the Lord Jesus Christ], who is in the bosom of the Father, He [the Lord Jesus Christ] has explained Him [God the Father].” The Lord Jesus Christ, though equal with God the Father, took a subordinate role to accomplish the plan of salvation (Phi 2:6). The phrase “the hour as come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You,” in John 17:1, refers to both the Father and the Son’s glorification through the Lord’s death, resurrection, ascension, and session at the Father’s right hand. Therefore, the Lord prayed in John 17:1-5 for God the Father to be glorified in His death, resurrection, ascension, and session at the Father’s right hand. This phrase “the hour has come,” in particular, is used often by our Lord in the Gospels to emphasize that He lived on a divine timetable or calendar. There are eight references, in fact, in the Gospel of John to this “hour” our Lord spoke of (John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:27; 13:1; 16:32; 17:1), not to mention its reference in the other Gospels, such as that of Mark. Mark 14:41, “And He came the third time, and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.’” “Glorify,” in John 17:1, is the verb doxazo, which is employed twice in verse one and again in verses four, five, and ten. The imperative mood of the verb is an imperative of request used to express a request from a subordinate to a superior. Thus, the Lord Jesus, although equal to the Father as the Son of God, was expressing, in His human nature, His subordination to the Father in making this request of the Father to glorify Himself and the Son. The aorist tense of the verb is ingressive, emphasizing the urgency of this request by the Lord to His Father. Glory is an extremely important theme in our Lord’s Great High Priestly Prayer. The Lord glorified the Father in His miracles (John 2:11; 11:40), and the Lord brought glory to the Father through His sufferings, particularly His death, resurrection, ascension, and session (John 12:23-25; 13:31-32). In addition to “glorify” being mentioned five times in John 17, the noun doxa, translated “glory, appears three times in John 17, verses five, twenty-two, and twenty-four. The ultimate objective of the Lord’s Prayer was the glorification of the Father. Therefore, we, as the body and future bride of Christ, should have the same ultimate objective when offering intercessory prayers for others to the Father.


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John 17:4, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” The glory our Lord was speaking of in John 17:5 was His “pre-incarnate” glory, meaning His glory as the Son of God before He became a human being. The career of the Lord Jesus is divided into three categories: (1) pre-incarnate: Christ as the 2nd person of the Trinity, the Son of God, in eternity past, (2) incarnate: Christ as the God-Man as a result of the virgin birth from the First Advent to the resurrection, and (3) glorified incarnate: the resurrection of the Lord and on into eternity future. Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Our Lord Prayed for His Disciples The Lord Jesus Christ now turned His attention towards His disciples in John 17:6-8. His prayer was based on their faith in Him. The Lord revealed the Father to these men. They received His words as the Father’s words (v.8) and obeyed them (v.6); as a result, they believed the Lord as the Son of God and that God the Father sent Him into the world to judge the sins of the world (v.8). Because of their faith in Christ, the disciples were given eternal life, as well as an intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ. Their faith in Him and His Word, and their fellowship with Him, is the basis for our Lord’s intercessory prayer for His disciples in John 17:6-19. The Lord made one primary request of the Father in His Great High Priestly Prayer, namely, that the Father keep His disciples safe from the enemy. This request—to keep His disciples safe from the enemy—had a three-fold outcome. It resulted in unity, joy, and fulfillment for His disciples, personally with Christ and within their mission to serve Christ. D.A. Carson writes, “It is crucial to the understanding of this petition to note that Jesus does not simply request unity for his followers, but rather requests his Father to grant protection to his followers so that they may be unified. The implication seems to be that various dark forces will strive to break up this unity; and nothing less than the power of the Father’s name—that is, the revealed character of God—is adequate for the task of protection”21 The Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples before He chose them (Luke 6:12), during His ministry (John 6:15), at the end of His ministry (Luke 22:32), in John 17:6-19, and later in heaven (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). The Lord Jesus Christ’s intercessory prayer in John 17:6-26 revealed His love and concern for His disciples and for every believer throughout the Church-Age. John 17:6 emphasizes the “security” of the disciples and of believers.


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John 17:6, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” “Name,” in John 17:6, is the noun onoma, which refers to the authority, majesty, power, excellent character, and nature of the Father’s person. “Manifested” is the verb phaneroo, which refers to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ, during His First Advent, “revealed the authority, majesty, power, excellent character, and nature of the Father’s person, which was previously hidden and unknown to men.” Like His Father, who is hidden on earth, the Lord Jesus Christ was in heaven previously hidden from view; but, after His incarnation, was made visible on earth as a man among men. 1 John 1:1, “Who has always existed from eternity past, who we have heard, who we have witnessed with our eyes, who we observed, even our hands touched concerning the Word who is the life [of God], 2 that is, this One who is the life [of God] was revealed [by the Holy Spirit] and we have witnessed and we testify and we are proclaiming [from God] at this particular time for the benefit of all of you this One who is the eternal life [of God], who indeed by virtue of His divine nature has always existed face to face with the Father and was revealed [by the Holy Spirit] for the benefit of all of us.” 1 Timothy 3:16, “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” A three-fold relationship is described in John 17:6: (1) the Lord Jesus Christ is the One who reveals the character and nature of God, (2) the Father is the One who draws His disciples to Christ (John 6:44, 65), and (3) the men are the ones who obey the Father’s Word to believe in the Son. God the Father draws all men to Christ according to John 6:44, and He does this through the cross of Christ according to John 12:32, but only those who obey His Word to believe in His Son will be saved (John 3:15-17, 36). The phrase, in John 17:6, “the men you gave me out of the world,” indicates that the Church is a gift from the Father to the Son (John 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 11). “World” is the noun kosmos, which is used in John 17:6 to describe the vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan, who is god of this satanic cosmos. This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God and the cause of Christ. It is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ. The believer is living in enemy territory, which is the cosmic system of Satan. Satan runs this world and deceives it. 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” The believer is transferred from Satan’s kingdom to God’s kingdom at the moment of salvation. Colossians 1:13, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” The believer is now a citizen of heaven, rather than a citizen of the cosmic system of Satan. Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship exists from eternity past in the realm of the heavens, out from which also we ourselves at the present time are eagerly anticipating as Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ 21 who will cause our humiliating body to be outwardly transformed to be identical in essence with His glorious body because of the power that will enable Him to marshal all things created to Himself.” If we are not citizens of this world, but of heaven, then what should our relationship be to this world and our responsibility as we live in it? Ephesians 5:8, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” What does walking “as children of Light” entail? Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; Ephesians 5:9, “(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.” Philippians 2:14, “Continue performing all activities without murmurs resulting from doubts 15 so that you might demonstrate yourselves to be incensurable and uncontaminated, students of God (the Holy Spirit), virtuous in the midst of a corrupt and depraved generation. Among whom you yourselves continue appearing as luminaries in the cosmos by all of you 16 continuing to exhibit the Word of life as a boast for me on the day of Christ because I have not run in vain, nor have I worked diligently in vain.” John 17:16, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” In John 17:16-17, the Lord emphasized that we have His Word and, therefore, are sanctified in truth. John 17:13, “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” The Lord Jesus Christ not only prayed to the Father for His disciple’s protection, but also that they might experience joy in spite of coming conflict. There are many passages of Scripture, which address the subject of experiencing joy in the midst of conflict (John 16:22, 33; Rom 14:17; Gal 4:22-23; Phi 4:4; 1 Th 5:16; Jam 1:2; 1 Pe 4:13; John 17:4). John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”


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Having possession of the Word of God should provide us great joy because the Holy Spirit, through the Word, reveals who and what God and is and what He has provided for us to accomplish His will. The Word of God is omnipotent (Heb 4:12). It is perfect, tried and true, tested and found flawless (Psa 12:6; 19:7; 119:140). The Scriptures declare its own inerrant and unadulterated character (Psa 19:8-9). The Word of God is more valuable and precious and desirable than gold (2 Pe 1:2-4; Psa 19:10). It is through the Scriptures that God builds up the believer’s trust in Himself (Rom 10:17). The Word of God is our spiritual food. In John 17, the Lord requested protection for His flock from Satan. 2 Thessalonians 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” John 17:16, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” In John 17:16-17, the word “sanctify” is the verb hagiazo, which means, “to make holy, to sanctify, to consecrate.” The Greek New Testament uses hagiazo to signify an act whereby people or things are set apart for the exclusive use of God and are His special possessions. When hagiazo is used of things, it means, “to set them aside, to make them suitable for ritual purposes.” When used of persons, hagiazo means, “to consecrate, dedicate, to sanctify.” The principle here, therefore, is that the Church-Age believer is consecrated, dedicated, sanctified, and set apart for the exclusive use of God. The Baptism of the Spirit is the act of God, which makes the Church-Age believer set apart for God at the moment of salvation. Bible Doctrine acts upon the believer in time after salvation and is responsible for experiential sanctification. Experiential sanctification is the post-salvation experience of the Church-Age believer who is in fellowship with God, as we noted already in this book. In John 17:17, the phrase “in the truth” is composed of the preposition en, meaning “in,” and is followed by the articular instrumental form of the noun aletheia, meaning “truth.” The preposition en is a marker of means, and the instrumental dative noun aletheia is used to indicate the means or instrument by which the verbal action of hagiazo, “to sanctify,” is accomplished. Therefore, this prepositional phrase, en te aletheia, means “by means of the truth.” Therefore, the principle to note is the believer’s sanctification is accomplished by means of the Word of truth. Other passages of Scripture teach this principle further (Eph 5:2, 25-27; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pe 1:22-23; Ps 119:151-152; Eph 4:17). John 17:19, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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In John 17:19, the phrase “for their sakes I sanctify Myself” does not mean that the Lord intended to make Himself more holy than He already was; but rather, He was devoting Himself to the Father’s will in the interest of His work for the disciples. His example of dedication and devotion to the Father’s will demonstrates His total and complete acceptance of the cross, and which dedication and devotion is the standard for the believer’s sanctification experientially. Galatians 6:14, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Our Lord Prayed for Believers Next, we see, in John 17:20-26, our Lord’s intercession for all future believers. The Lord prayed for unity among believers. The unity of the Church, experientially, must spring from the common eternal life that is imparted to all believers through Regeneration, i.e. their spiritual birth, and then be manifested by their common love for Christ and for one another as they face a hostile world together. The unity of the Son and the Father is manifested in the deep, intimate love that each sustains for the other, by perfect obedience on the part of Jesus Christ, and by a perfect response on the part of the Father. John 17:20, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” The person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, and His glory, are the true basis for unity. Unity is a critical issue in Christianity. Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” The Scriptures teach the Church the concept of unity by way of several analogies: (1) the last Adam and New Creation analogy, (2) the head and the body analogy, (3) the great Shepherd and sheep analogy, (4) the vine and the branches analogy, (5) the chief cornerstone and the stones of the building analogy, (6) the Great High Priest and royal priesthood analogy, (7) the Bridegroom and bride analogy, and (8) the King of kings and royal family of God analogy.


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God, Himself, is a union of three co-equal, co-infinite, and co-eternal persons, functioning as a unit, a team with one perfect will, purpose, and plan in mind, united through an inherent and divine love, enjoying a perfect harmonious friendship, fellowship, and rapport with one another. Unity is accomplished positionally in the Church, through the Baptism of the Spirit, which takes place at the moment of salvation, when the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit enters the believer into union with Jesus Christ and, thus, identifies the believer with Christ positionally in His death and resurrection. After salvation, unity is accomplished experientially in the body of Christ by applying the Word of Christ, which in turn enables God the Holy Spirit to produce and maintain unity experientially. Ephesians 4:1, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” God’s love is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:14, “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” The unity of believers reflects the Father’s love (Rom 12:16; 1 Co 1:10). Romans 15:5, “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If Christian unity was so important to our Lord, and it was, then it should be important to us. John 17:20, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 The glory, which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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John 17:24 is a reference to the believer’s future glorification in a resurrection body, which is called in theology, ultimate sanctification. Ultimate sanctification is the perfection of the Church-Age believer’s spiritual life when he receives his resurrection body at the Rapture, i.e. the Resurrection of the Church, which is the completion of the plan of God for the Church-Age believer (1 Co 15:53-54; Gal 6:8; 1 Pe 5:10; John 6:40). At the Rapture, the Church will be united in the “ultimate” sense, forever with the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Th 4:13-17; Gal 6:8; 1 Pe 5:10; 1 Co 15:53-54). The term rapture is taken from the Latin term rapio, which means, “caught up,” and is a technical theological term for the Resurrection of the Church, which is imminent and invisible to the world. The Rapture terminates the Church-Age dispensation and takes place in the earth’s atmosphere when the Lord Jesus Christ suddenly and forcefully removes the Church from planet earth in order to deliver her from the Tribulation period. The Resurrection or Rapture of the Church is a mystery that was not known to Old Testament saints (1 Co 15:51-58). The Rapture is something we, the Church, the body of Christ, and the future bride of Christ should be eagerly anticipating because we will receive our resurrection bodies at that time (Rom 8:23). God’s objective for the unity of believers is two-fold: (1) that the world believe in His Son’s divine mission and (2) that the world experience His love, which is deep, intimate, and eternal, as is His love for His unique Son. The ultimate objective of the Father for sending the Son into the world to become a human being is to redeem mankind in order that He might bring many sons to glory. John 17:25, “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” In conclusion of our Lord’s Prayer in John 17, seven principles are revealed concerning believers: (1) believers are given to Christ out of the world (v.6), (2) believers are left in the world (v.11), (3) believers are not of the world (v.14), (4) believers are hated by the world (v.14), (5) believers are kept from the devil (v.15), (6) believers are sent into the world (v.18), and (7) believers are manifested in unity before the world (v.23). 23 The Productive Prayer Life of the First Century Apostolic Church

The book of Acts provides many accounts of the first century Apostolic Church’s utilization of prayer. The term apostolic refers to the first century Christians who were under the authority of the apostles. We will discuss the first account of prayer by the members of the Apostolic Church in detail, which occurred in Jerusalem as they waited for the promised helper, God the Holy Spirit, to come upon them after the ascension of the Lord (Acts 1:14). 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Acts 1:13, “When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” This passage provides a very general description of the activities of the apostles (and the broader group of disciples) during this ten-day waiting period. They go back to Jerusalem, as commanded, and to the upper room, where they, the eleven (v.13), along with the women who followed Jesus (Luke 8:1-3; 23:49, 55-56; 24:1-10), Mary, the mother of our Lord, and His brothers (v.14) waited. These men, who did not believe in Jesus during His life, had now come to faith. There, in that upper room, a group of about one hundred and twenty believers devoted themselves to prayer (v.14). The early Church, in Acts 1:14, claimed the promise of our Lord, which is recorded in Matthew 18:19-20, and had faith that, as a group, their prayers would be heard. Matthew 18:19, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” In Acts 1:14, we are not told what the Church prayed for, but we can assume, they were praying for the arrival of the Holy Spirit, which occurred on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). John 14:16, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’” This prayer, for the coming of the Holy Spirit, is not applicable to us today, since the Holy Spirit arrived on the day of Pentecost to permanently indwell all Church-Age believers (Rom 8:11; 1 Co 6:19). In Acts 1:14, “devoting” is the verb proskartereo, which means, “to persist in, adhere to firmly, remain devoted to, persevere.” The verb proskartereo, in Acts 1:14, is used to denote the concept of perseverance in prayer, which the Lord taught His disciples. 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Remember, we noted earlier in our study that perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, and a state. It suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties, a steadfast and long continued application. The early Church was steadfast and faithful in praying individually and collectively, despite the many obstacles and persecutions they faced. Perseverance, as we noted, is an essential element to a productive and joyful prayer life (Mat 7:7-8; 26:3944; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1-8; 21:36; Rom 12:12; 15:30; Acts 1:14; 6:4; 12:5; Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17; 1 Ti 5:5; 2 Ti 1:3; Col 1:9; 4:2, 12; Heb 10:22). The next instance that records the early Church gathering together for corporate prayer is in Acts 2. The three thousand souls saved, as a result of Peter’s communication of the Gospel, were “continually devoting themselves” to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship, to the Lord’s Supper, and prayer (Acts 2:42). Thus, prayer was a regular activity of the early Church. Acts 2:42, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Again here in Acts 2:42, “devoting” is the verb proskartereo, which, as we noted, means, “to persist in, adhere to firmly, remain devoted to, persevere.” Acts 2:42-47 tells us that the early Church made it a priority to meet together not only to hear the Word of God, but to experience fellowship, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and to engage in prayer as a corporate unit. The early Church was clearly unified. This was manifested by their positive attitude towards the apostles’ teachings. We can also see from Acts 2:42 that corporate prayer was one of the four essential elements to their corporate worship. The others, as we noted, included the teaching of the Word of God, fellowship among believers, and the Lord’s Supper. Other accounts of the prayer life of the early Church are recorded all throughout the book of Acts. In Acts 3, Peter and John prayed in the temple (v.1). They prayed for boldness in communicating the Gospel after receiving persecution for doing so, and they were heard (Acts 4:31). Saul, later the Apostle Paul, was in prayer after his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus and awaited instructions from the Lord from Ananias (Acts 9:11). The Roman centurion, Cornelius, prayed to God the Father and, as a result, Peter was sent to him and the Baptism of the Spirit took place among the Gentiles for the first time (Acts 10). The early Church prayed for guidance in making decisions (Acts 1:15-26) and for courage to witness for Christ (Acts 4:23-31). Prayer was a normal part of their daily ministry (Acts 2:42-47; 3:1; 6:4). Stephen prayed as he was being stoned (Acts 7:55-60). Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans (Acts 8:14-17), and Saul of Tarsus prayed after his conversion (Acts 9:11). Peter prayed before he raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-43). Cornelius prayed that God show him how to be saved (Acts 10:1-4), and Peter was on the housetop praying when God told him how to be the answer to Cornelius’ prayers (Acts 10:9). The early Church prayed in John Mark’s house for Peter when he was in prison, and the Lord delivered him both from prison and from death (Acts 12:1-11). The Church at Antioch fasted and prayed before sending out 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13:1-3; cf. 14:23). It was at a prayer meeting in Philippi that God opened Lydia’s heart (Acts 16:13) and, at another prayer meeting in Philippi, that he opened the prison doors (Acts 16:25). Paul prayed for the pastors at Ephesus before leaving them (Acts 20:36; 21:5). In the midst of a storm, Paul prayed for God’s blessing (Acts 27:35) and, after the storm, he prayed that God heal a sick man (Acts 28:8). In almost every chapter in the book of Acts, there is a reference to prayer. The book makes it very clear that God is moved to action through prayer, especially corporate prayer. This is certainly a good lesson for the Church in the 21st century. We should, therefore, learn from the early Church and devote ourselves to prayer as a corporate unit. Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Hebrews 10:25, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” The Church’s chief occupation, in its infancy, was praise. Luke 24:51, “While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God.” The early Church demonstrated their unity before the world (Rom 12:16, 15:5; 1 Co 1:10). Philippians 2:2, “Consummate this happiness of mine, namely that all of you may keep on thinking the same by all of you possessing the same divine-love, united in soul. All of you keep on thinking the one thing.” We learn from the early Church that prayer is both the thermometer and the thermostat of the Church today because the “spiritual” temperature is entirely dependent upon how God’s people pray.

Conclusion The first thought that comes to mind regarding the completion of this book is that of exhaustion, another is that of despair. Will this book help anyone? 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

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As a pastor, my job is to feed the flock of God, to provide them with spiritual nourishment, protection, and guidance through the Spirit and the Word. My prayer is that the Spirit uses this book mightily to minister to the body of Christ. As I noted in the introduction, I, myself, am not yet a great prayer warrior, though I do strive for perfection and the attainment of such status. Nevertheless, I am confident in having fulfilled one goal, that of sharing with you my insights on prayer. And while I hope this book brings glory to our Lord and Savior, I know it will. I know this because of the many attacks that have resulted from its conception. Many things have taken place in my life during the writing of this book. As I reflect, much of it has been adversity. Once again, I recognize the value of prayer and its power to move mountains. I truly appreciate the opportunity to go before my heavenly Father, who loves me personally and affectionately and allows me to present my petitions and intercessory prayers before Him, not to mention, my thanksgivings for all that He is and has done for my ministry and myself personally, is doing, and will do in the future. Something I have been trying to do more of is reflect upon all my answered prayers. It is truly staggering to think of how many things in my ministry and in my personal life that were answers to my many prayers. Truly, I have seen that the work of the Lord cannot be fruitful and have an impact unless it is preceded by prayer and maintained by prayer. As an individual and a pastor, prayer is my refuge. At times, the demands of the ministry become overwhelming, especially overwhelming when I embark on a new publication. Prayer helps me and sustains me and, through the Spirit, enables me to accomplish the work of the Lord. I hope that you experience the power of prayer in your own life and come to the realization that I have come to, namely, that prayer is indispensable and is truly an amazing gift from God.


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Notes

PART 1 God’s Provision for a Productive Prayer Life 1

John Bunyan, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 490.

PART 2 The Path to a Productive Prayer Life 2

Watchman Nee, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 488.

3

A.H. Strong, Systematic Theology. (Philadelphia: Judson Press, 1907) Vol. 3, 802.

3

A.H. Strong, 802.

4

John B. Coburn, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 481.

5

Erwin Lutzer, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 610.

6

Charles R. Swindoll, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 11.

PART 4 The Do’s and Don’ts of a Productive Prayer Life 7

Archbishop Trench, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 491.

Part 5 You, God, and a Productive Prayer Life 8

J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership. Rev Ed. (Chicago: Moody, 1980) 121.

9

Haddon Robinson, “The Disciples Prayer,” Preaching Today, No. 117.

10

Robert Wells, Is A Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is? (Illinois: Albert Whiteman, 1993).

11

J.I. Packer, Knowing God. (Illinois: InterVarsity, 1973) 41-42.

12

Andrew Murray, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 491.

13

J.I. Packer, 23.

14

Andrew Murray, Full Life in Christ. (Whitaker House) 54.

PART 6 Dealing with the Details of Life Through Prayer 15

Philip Brooks, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 481. PART 7 A Productive Prayer Life in Relation to Men and Angels 16

Roger Martin, Apostle of Certainty. (Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1976) 166.

PART 8 Examples of a Productive Prayer Life 17

Oswald Chambers, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Ed. Edythe Draper (Illinois: Tyndale) 491.


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18

Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. (Illinois: InterVarsity, 1980) 11-12.

19

Andrew Murray, Andrew Murray on Prayer. (Whitaker House) 317.

20

Leon Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John. (Michigan: Baker Books) Vol. 4, 567.

21

D.A. Carson, The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus: An Exposition of John 14-17. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980) 189.


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