The Business of Prayer
Genesis 18:20-33
Let me first of all say that your relationship with God is based on faith, and that it is a love relationship between you and God. That relationship is established by Christ's work on the cross, not upon anything that we do. We enter into that relationship when we receive Christ as Savior and Lord.
Prayer is also based on our relationship with God. You can pray to him only because you have a relationship with him through Christ. Relationship is the number one key to prayer. Asking of God is like asking of a Father.
But, what I want to address today is the business of prayer. Prayer is based on relationship, but it is also based on a contract with God.
God has made promises to answer prayer. Just as he has promised to save us if we will receive Christ, he has promised to answer prayer. That is a contractual agreement.
Gen 18 - Abraham's intercession for Sodom. Abraham bargained with God. It wasn't begging. It wasn't "if it be your will". Abraham knew God's will - it is to save sinners. Abraham asked for things from God and he asked boldly.
God has told us -
Ps 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession. (AV)
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (AV)
God has given us the means to provide for the things we need. That means is to ask and depend upon him - to trust in him and wait upon him. God is wise, and sometimes he doesn't immediately give you what you want. But he does hear and answer your prayers.
Let's look at the contract: (be sure to note the conditions)
Ps 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. (AV)
Isa 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (AV)
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (AV)
Lu 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (AV)
Joh 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (AV)1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (AV)
1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. (AV)
Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; [so] the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (AV)
Mt 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (AV)
Mt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (AV)
Lu 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (AV)
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask
in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (AV)Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]. (AV)
Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (AV)
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (AV)
1Jo 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (AV)
Now, two more passages that are very important to our understanding:
Luke 11
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if [he ask] a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Importunity means "urgency' or "persistence".
Luke 18
1. And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
To trouble is to "reach forth" continually. She hounded him. She wouldn't give up.
Let me tell you something. Prayer has nothing to do with feelings. You don't have to feel anything. Prayer is, in this respect, making a request of God. It is requisitioning supplies. (Bear in mind that there are other aspects of prayer.) In this case, it is simply approaching God with your needs and being fully convinced that he will supply, because he said he would.
Our primary task is to "disciple" the world - to win them to Christ and to train them to serve Him.
Prayer is our greatest tool in getting that task done,
Prayer is the currency of heaven. With it you purchase what you need from God.