How Should We Pray?

 

This morning I had an urge to walk outside, look toward Harrisburg and yell, “DO THE MATH AND RELEASE US FROM THIS RIDICULOUS LOCK DOWN!”

Rather than following the urge, I prayed. Immediately I realized that my words, even if someone in power (notice I did not say with authority because there is no one who has the authority to “order” what has been ordered) heard them, my words can change nothing. Only God can fix the mess we are experiencing

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul is giving thanks for the Ephesian believers because he has seen their faith. He says, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:16-18).

Paul was praying for a very specific work of God on these believers, for the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of their hearts enlightened, that they would know the hope God was calling them to live in.

Though my words would have absolutely no effect on our current leaders, “God’s Word never returns void.” It is only He who can ultimately change things. Hard hearts are not a deterrent to Him.

So, how should we pray? Certainly Paul’s words are relevant, though these leaders do not already have the Spirit of God. Without the Spirit of God there will not be an enlightening of the eyes of the heart.

Certainly, we can pray for their salvation. This would require them to see their sin and repent of it. If we are too fearful to call out the tyrannical leadership of this time as sin, there will not be conviction. Without conviction there is no repentance and without repentance there will be no salvation.

We can also pray as the Bible directs us in other places. We can repent of the complacency and fear of the Church to take a biblical stand on the many issues of our day where the country has ignored God’s Word as we sat silently and watched. Our nation’s sins should also be on our “repentance” list. The list is growing ever longer.

In a sermon on Sunday, it was pointed out that after Jeremiah acknowledged to God that He had put them in some terrible circumstances, he prayed that God would see and that He would act against the devastation and destruction he and the nation were experiencing (Lamentations 3: 41- 50). He called for the people to examine themselves, confessing that they had rebelled against God and calling on God to help them.

He then prayed, “I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear! (Lamentations 3:55-57).

God came near when Jeremiah confessed and asked Him to intervene.

It is very easy for us to say or to think, “Only God can get us out of this mess.” But, do we examine ourselves, confess our sin, and ask him to get us out? Without His actions, we will be stuck. Without our repentance, why should He listen to our cries to release us from house arrest?

Looking to the state capital and screaming is useless. Looking to God and crying out for Him to see and act is our only hope.