LESSON 3
When
to Pray?
A real man knows he can do nothing without Christ and responds with prayer.
My wife and I were having lunch with some close friends. Randy and Lisa walk with God and are a constant source of encouragement and blessing to us.
Lisa shared with us, much to the embarrassment of Randy, that Randy has a practice of getting up at 4:30 to go to work, where he can be alone for an hour’s prayer time. This couple’s life certainly bears out their commitment to prayer.
But what comes to your mind when you read of this man’s prayer life? Four-thirty in the morning—are you serious!? Praying for an hour—get real! And added to this commitment, the couple have six children with the seventh on the way. Plus, Randy has a very demanding, time-consuming job!
Perhaps stories like these discourage you. How can I get up early? Where can I find the time? Is it realistic to expect me to be committed to prayer?
Obstacles to Prayer
- List the top five obstacles or hindrances to your prayer life.
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Whatever you listed, I’m sure you identified real obstacles to a consistent prayer life. If prayer is something “I should do,” then fitting it in with the other demands on my life and time becomes a struggle. Daniel reminds us, at least in his lifestyle, that prayer is something more than “another good thing to do.” For him, prayer was life itself.
- What main obstacle did Daniel face in his prayer life, according to Daniel 6:7?
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Daniel realized that there is no life without prayer. It is not an option, not something that should fit into our schedule. I wonder for each of us, if prayer were removed from our life, would it make a difference?
- What did Jesus say about our abilities to accomplish anything, according to John 15:5?
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It may be that many of us have grown accustomed to a life that is not dependent on God. We have assumed that the life we are living “is as good as it gets.” Certainly crises have a way of “waking us up.” Daniel is portrayed as responding to several personal and national crises. But his prayers in those times were reflections of his ongoing prayer life.
- What crisis did Daniel face in each of the following passages?
- Daniel 1:5, 6, 8–10
- Daniel 2:1–3, 12, 13
- Daniel 4:4–6, 18
- Daniel 5:1, 5, 13–16
- Daniel 6:7, 10
Praying despite Circumstances
Daniel joined the ranks, or perhaps led the way, of those who prayed in spite of adverse situations.
- Where were Paul and Silas when they prayed? (See Acts 16:23–25.)
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- Where was Jonah when he prayed? (See Jonah 2:1.)
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- According to Revelation 1:9 and 10, where was the apostle John when he prayed?
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- Where was King Jehoshaphat when he prayed? (See 2 Chronicles 18:28, 31, and 32.)
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Reading these accounts of men who prayed despite of, or sometimes because of, circumstances reminds me of something Alexander Whyte once said:
I am certain as I am standing here that the secret of much mischief to our souls, and to the souls of others, lies in the way that we stint, and starve, and scamp [deal with in a neglectful manner] our prayers by hurrying over them. Prayer worth calling prayer, prayer that God will call true prayer and will treat as true prayer takes far more time by the clock, than one man in a thousand thinks.
Consistency is important in prayer. Daniel prayed three times a day: morning, noon, and night. This meant he prayed throughout the day and night. But consistency is based on commitment. We must really believe in prayer, or better yet, believe in communing with the living God. When was the last time we experienced “holy heartburn” like those two disciples who walked with Christ on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:32)?
One of the opportunities of service the Lord has given my wife and me is to minister to many professional athletes. American society is enamored with sports, and oftentimes Americans almost worship athletes. It has been our privilege to introduce many friends to athletes such as David Robinson, Grant Hill, and Hershel Walker. Even pastors and missionaries walk away saying, “I got to talk personally with So and So.” I understand and appreciate their excitement. But how much more to say, “I got to talk with God! I had an audience with the King of Kings.” What an awesome privilege!
- What do these verses say about our intimacy with the Father and the Son: John 16:23, 24, 26, 27?
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Bringing Us into the Presence of Deity
Prayer brings us into the presence of Deity. What a thought—that God desires communion with us; and, if the truth be told, He desires it even more than we desire to commune with Him. As just mentioned, my wife and I have introduced many athletes to several people. Sometimes, much as I hate to admit it, I play little tricks on friends. One such occasion was to “set up” a meeting for a friend of my son Joshua with former pro-basketball player Charles Barkley. I had Charles come up to Joshua’s friend Andy and greet him, saying, “I’ve always wanted to meet you.” Andy was stunned to think Charles Barkley wanted to meet him! Now granted, this incident was staged for a little fun. But here’s a thought—God wants to talk with us! What makes it more amazing is that He knows all about us!
- What do Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10; and Isaiah 64:6 tell us about ourselves?
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- What do Romans 5:6 and 8; 1 John 4:10; and John 3:16 tell us about God’s attitude toward us?
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The writers of the psalms continually demonstrated a desire to talk with God, to be in His presence. Reading these psalms stirs our hearts to talk and listen to God. Psalm 27:4 states, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Or how about Psalm 42:1 and 2: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Let me quote one more, Psalm 84:2: “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”
Prayer is not just a requirement by God, not just a practice for spiritual giants. Prayer is a privilege; it is an awesome gift to come directly into the presence of God.
- How should we approach the living God, according to Hebrews 4:16?
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Real men pray because real men understand that we can do nothing without God, the God Who desires our prayers.
Joni Eareckson Tada has been a constant source of blessing and encouragement to me. Though I have never met her, I have tried to read everything she has ever written. Joni, as you may know, is a quadriplegic. She has been confined to a wheelchair for more than thirty years. Yet she sings, writes, and even paints—with a brush in her mouth! She has impacted the world for Christ in an amazing way. She writes a lot about Heaven. People have asked her if she longs for Heaven, when one day she’ll have use of her legs and can run, jump, and skip across fields. She responds, “I want the use of my legs so I can fall on my knees before Jesus!” I believe that Joni has already been on her knees before Jesus—at least in her heart! We all have that incredible privilege and opportunity, the opportunity to fall on our knees, figuratively and literally, before our wonderful God.
A Verse to Memorize
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that adibeth in me, and in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).