.Prayer Is ...
Psalm 141 is a great lesson for us on prayer.
It is believed that this Psalm was written by David as he was hiding in the wilderness. He was running from Saul. He was not able to go to the designated place of worship. He had a tremendous desire for worship and prayer.
David sets an example for us concerning our praying. Here we see four
(4) elements to prayer. PRAYER IS FAR MORE THAN ASKING! PRAYER IS THE SOUL
REACHING OUT FOR GOD!
Read Psalms 141
1. PRAYER IS WORSHIP
Verse 2 "May my prayer be set before you like incense;"
David was thinking about the altar of incense in the tabernacle. The priest would swing their censors of incense in worship. They created an atmosphere of worship.
As we enter the presence of God, we should not run in and submit our request and rush on with life. We need to enter the presence of God with worship and praise. God wants a relationship with us!
Sure He has invited us to come in boldly, but we can do that only after we have developed a relationship. As we get to know Him, we will have more confidence in entering His presence.
It is expressed in John 15 as abiding in the vine. It is as we fellowship and "relate" to God can we "Ask what we will." We must realize that our relationship with God is far more valuable than the answers we could get from Him!! If we don't worship in our prayer time we are missing the substance of prayer.
That is the BEST PART!! God enjoys that part of our prayer time, but in the end, WE ENJOY IT ALSO!
Psalms 34:1 (NIV)
I will extol (bless) the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on
my lips.
Let's learn to worship and praise in our prayer times.
The incense is cold and dead until it is set on fire. We have within us the elements for worship and praise, but it is up to you and me to set the fire. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to make us fragrant before the Lord.
2. PRAYER IS OBEDIENCE
Verse 4 "Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies."
This, to me, is a logical conclusion. If I want God to do something for me, I need to do what He wants me to do. We read in Judges 6 that the reason Israel was in such a mess was because they had not obeyed God.
I wonder how much of our praying for relief is because we have not been obedient to God in the past. I know that some of us have not listened to the Word of God and now we are in trouble.
Samuel told Saul that "obedience is better than sacrifice." It should scare us to death to ask God for something when we are living in disobedience. If you are asking God for a favor and are not obeying Him, why do you think He would answer in your favor.
Peter says: "Our prayers are hindered because we are not living in right relationship with our spouse." Spanish has an expression that expresses this truth. Translated it means "Without shame." or "What nerve!"
You don't even know enough to know that you should be ashamed of yourself. Yet how many Christians are "without shame" in their praying? How can we pray for God's favor and at the same time be breaking His laws.
As we submit to the will and desire of God, we can know that all things will work together according to His purpose. Jesus taught us to pray: "Thy will be done"
There are times I want to get in people's face when they tell me that they prayed and God did not answer, and they have no concern for living for God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
If you are trusting (obeying) the Lord, he guides you.
3. PRAYER IS SACRIFICE
Verse 2 "... may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice."
You can not truly pray until you have sacrificed Romans 12 says that we are to be "living sacrifices." Lifting our hands is a symbol of surrender. Sacrifice is more that just surrender, it is an ongoing giving of our lives to God even when we don't want to.
There are regular times that we are to sacrifice our will and desire to God. If we are to pray effectively, we must be doing so sacrificially. We lift up our hands in surrender to God. Walk out our life in surrender to Him. God calls upon us to offer up sacrifices regularly. For me it is one area, for you it is another.
4. PRAYER IS ALSO ASKING
There are times that we need to spend all of our prayer time without ever asking for anything. Most of us have some catching up to do in our: worship, obedience, and sacrifice. David's prayer was through sanctified lips.
Verse 3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."
We need to be careful for what we ask. Our request need to go through the filter if his will for our lives. God is anxious to supply all of our need. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts. But more than anything else He wants us to be more in love with Him than what we can get from Him.
We always need to remember to seek Him more that the goodies he brings.
Verse 8 "my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge"
As we are there with Him, do you think he is going to allow us to be in want? Will He allow us to be devoured? I suggest that as we take refuge with Him we could be in no better place. As we are there with Him, we can live at peace!!
Prayer is:
Worship,
Obeience
Sacrifice
Requests
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