Praying Affectively Effectively (According to Your Word Pt. 2)

or, Scriptural Attitudes of Effective Prayer

This tongue-twister of a title is intentional. Last week we studied a number of areas about which the Bible tells us to pray. We want our prayer to be "according to the word" as the psalmist wrote often in Psalm 119. However, while we are often concerned about the effectiveness of our prayers, we may be looking at it the wrong way.

When we consider what makes prayer effective, the questions that really stand out as crucial are not,

"Where should we pray?",

"When should we pray?", or even,

"What pattern should we follow in our times of prayer?" 

The crucial question in determining the effectiveness of our prayer is,

"What is the attitude of our hearts in prayer?"

Prayer is not primarily a tool to get stuff done that is to be measured in effectiveness (although as the KJV says, it “availeth much” James 5:16b), but a relational heart response to the Lord God, who is “merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” If we love God then we will want to share our life with him. As we approach praying “according to the Word,” we need to not just list the things the Bible says that we should pray for, but we need to consider the attitudes with which we pray.

1. An Attitude of Confession…

This means being honest with God about your thoughts, actions, and words. It means that we do not come to God by minimizing our needs or spinning our guilt into someone else’s responsibility. An important element of effective prayer is not just the act of confession, but the attitude of confession—constantly wanting to be more honest with God than before. While effectiveness should not be the motive behind confession, we cannot hope for our prayer to be effective if we are functioning in either open sinfulness or subtle self-righteousness.  We need to recognize that we are sinners and need a Savior. We need to agree with God that He's right and we're wrong (Psalm 51:1-4; 1 John 1:8-10). 

2. An Attitude of Relational Repentance…

Repentance is turning away from sin, and turning (back) toward God! If our prayer is going to be effective then we need to be quick to repent, turning away in word, thought, and deed from those things and attitudes which God says are sins and (re)turning towards him. When we repent, we can see God move with great blessing in our lives. How is this repentance an attitude and not an action? It, like confession, is an action sourced in the heart. Our repentance needs to be more than just an improved “Do/Don’t” list, or saying we are sorry. It is a change of heart that produces a change of mind that results in a change of lifestyle.  An attitude of prayerful repentance doesn’t seek something from God so much as it seeks out God himself. We begin to evaluate all that we think, say, and do (watch, read, listen, eat, etc.) based on whether it helps us, or hinders us, in loving God more and sharing that love with the world. As such, true repentance becomes preemptive to sin, in that when we are tempted we repent before we come to the place where temptation gives birth to sin, so we don't sin in the first place (2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 3:8; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

One of the most well-known passages on repentant prayer is 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ coming by urging people to repent. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.…Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:2, 8). I have frequently used a bungee cord to illustrate repentance. It involves an unhooking from that which is not God and returning relationally to the one who is our very life—the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We do well to remember that repentance is relational and is a turning away from anything that hinders me from turning toward Jesus, from loving him more.

3. An Attitude of Humility…

I believe that one of the great hindrances to effective prayer is a lack of humility. Scripture says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6,10; 1 Peter 5:5). Yet some believe that when they pray they can come claiming their rights, demanding their due—if they say the right words the right way God must give them what they want. That is not the perspective of biblical faith but of magic. This attitude of entitlement is not the right attitude, since the only thing we can demand is what we deserve… and we really don't want that (Rom. 3:23a)! Let's approach prayer differently and come in humility, both dependent and submitted to God and his will! It is then that our prayer will be effective “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16c). Jesus himself models an attitude of humility in every aspect of the incarnation, especially in his death in our behalf (Phil. 2:3-11). Humble prayer is others-centered, kingdom-flavored, and Christ-directed. "Thy will be done."

4. An Attitude of Praise…

Another attitude of effective prayer is praise. Praise is speaking the truth about the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Some might argue that praise is an action, not an attitude and that is partly right. However, the action of giving praise rises out of affection for Jesus which changes the way we face the day. When we face the day with a prayerful attitude of praise we come looking for an opportunity to see the shared goodness of God that surrounds us and to speak out in praise rather than complain, grumble, and grouse. Praise is also a wonderful antidote for the "shopping list" mentality in prayer.  Perhaps we are conditioned to come to the Lord only when we have a list, not necessarily praying selfishly, but certainly with a task-oriented and business-like approach. An attitude of praise changes that. It helps us to shift our attitude in prayer to become more centered in the person of God revealed in Jesus Christ.  If you need a praise primer, a starting point for praising God, I recommend the truth he most often uses to describe himself in the Old Testament—He is merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 145:8; Luke 6:36). Let's worship the Lord in our prayer times, just for whom he is and what he is like. If our prayer is effective, we are probably like the psalmist who sought the Lord in prayer, not so much for what God could do for him, but for a relationship with his God (Psalm 150).

5. An Attitude of Petition…

For our prayer to be effective, we need to present our requests to God, as it is written, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). Yet the way in which we petition the Lord not only affects the impact of our prayer, it affects our very desire to pray and intercede for others. There are at least two ineffective extremes in petitioning God. 

• First, our request may be so general that there is no way that we could ever know if God had answered our prayer (e.g., "God bless the people in Africa") which tends to bring us to the place where we pray less. 
• Second, we might make our requests so specific that we end up praying selfishly and/or against the will of God. 

We need to find a place of balance, somewhere between presumptuous specificity and half-hearted generalities. This may involve using our compassionate imagination to prayerfully put ourselves in the other person's place, trying to get a sense of what their needs might be, and then praying that God would meet those needs according to his Word. Yet leaving the Lord some latitude as to how he might fulfill his Word (Psalm 20; 1 John 5:14-15).

6. An Attitude of Gratitude/Thanksgiving…

Prayer that is affectively effective is a prayer that is thankful—to God from the heart that knows the love of Christ. Thankful,

• for what we have,
• for what we don't have, and
• for all those situations and souls that we have the sacred privilege to lift to Christ in prayer. 

We probably would see more answers to prayer if we were more thankful for the amazing grace that God continually shows us. Thanksgiving is a more affective and effective expression of faith, contentment, and love (Psalm 100:4-5; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 4:2) than forwarding our fine-print demands.

7. An Attitude of Faith and Endurance…

When we ask, “according to” God’s word, the Bible, we need to pray with faith, trusting God to hear and respond in steadfast love… now, and over the long term.  How can we do this?

Ask in faith without doubting (James 1:6-7). We are not to be doubleminded and use prayer as an effort to “cover all our bases,” just in case it might work.

If we know we have mixed faith, let's confess it, and ask for help (Mark 9:21-24)

And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” 

And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire   

                                                                                  and into water,

                                                                  to destroy him. 

                                 But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! 

         All things are possible for one who believes.”

      Immediately the father of the child cried out and said,

                                                             “I believe; help my unbelief!”

There are seasons of disappointment (when the answer is not what we wanted). In times like this, we should take heart in Jesus’ own prayer, as which he prayed with blood, sweat, and tears, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matt. 26:42).

There are seasons of discouragement (when there appears to be no progress and people are in pain) But all is not as it appears…our perception of the process of growth and influence is limited. There are different roles to play in God’s plan which are assigned by his sovereign wisdom.

For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” (John 4:37-38)

The people of God had been longing to see the Messiah finally come, but none did until the right moment came.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matt 13:16-17)

Sometimes, we have no rest, just “fighting without and fear within” as Paul experienced long ago. In those times, we must look to God to comfort us, and sometimes he uses the faithfulness of others to do it. So, keep your eyes open and your heart tender!

For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you… [by your repentance] (2 Cor. 7:5-7)

There is no season to give up. We are not able to perceive the length of the spiritual season while we are in it, but once the harvest comes, and it will come, we will recognize it and rejoice even in the process.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9)

 Effective prayer is, first of all, an affective prayer! 

Running To Win & Running with Endurance (1 Cor. 9; Hebrews 12)

In our previous study we used the Olympic Motto “Citius (Faster), Altius (Higher), Fortius (Stronger),” + and added term [Standius] as an outline for considering the message of Philippians 3:12 - 4:1. This week we continued our Olympic-themed mini-series picking up on some of the strong athletic metaphors in the New Testament.

1) Running to Win (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

   Do you not know that in a race

                               all the runners run,

                                 but only one receives the prize?

                                                So run that you may obtain it. 

   Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

                                       They do it to receive a perishable wreath,

                                                     but we an imperishable.

    So I do not run aimlessly;

         I do not box as one beating the air. 

  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, 

                     lest after preaching to others 

         I myself should be disqualified.

St. Paul, writing this letter to the believers living in Corinth, was using the imagery of the Isthmian Games which were held every two years in Corinth and were second only to the Olympics in prestige. He draws on the metaphor of the race from one post in a straight line to another post at the other end of the arena. Literally it was a “Stadia” and was 606 ¾ feet or 202 yards from post to post. In longer distances turning at the post was one of the hardest parts of the race. The winner of the race would receive the victor’s crown. The Christian, via the metaphor of the “runner” is urged to Run in "such a way" (v.24) that you may obtain it. This way implies that one must exert oneself, strive hard, and spend one's strength in performing or attaining something—in this case the victor’s crown. It is humbling to consider how hard some of our athletes have trained to have a chance at winning their events. Being a bit introspective, it makes me ask us as the church, “What do we run to attain? What should we spend ourselves on?”

Embracing Paul’s metaphor in this Olympic season, I will share four characteristics of successful runners from this passage before considering the passage from Hebrews 12.

A) Successful Runners are Self-Controlled /Temperate (v.25)

Contrary to our self-indulgent and even addictive lifestyles, ancient athletes had to discipline their bodies. Paul was referring to the 10 months of training they each had to undergo before they could compete. In our modern games all events are carefully scrutinized by judges. However, in ancient times they had to train under the eye of the judges as well and during that time had to renounce much of what might have been normal life (e.g., drinking wine).

They sacrificed and struggled and strained through ten months preparation, and agonized in participation, to win a wreath that would not last forever. It is called a “perishable wreath for good reason. In the Olympic games, athletes ran for a laurel wreath, but in the Isthmian games the wreath they sought was originally made from pine branches, but later was constructed from celery or parsley. It is almost worth breaking into a VeggieTales song! However, Paul argues that we are running for an “imperishable wreath.” To what is he referring? Is it the eschatological benefits of salvation, or the privilege of participating in the mission of God? It would seem that the second option is the best fit with the context of 1 Corinthians 9. Paul was concerned with participating in the spread of the gospel message in this world. The way we “prepare” and “run” has great influence over our effectiveness as witnesses for Christ.  The crowd of witnesses is constantly judging by our actions and attitudes if this Jesus we claim to serve is real and really worth following.

B) Successful Runners Do Not Run With Uncertainty (v.26)

If we are to be successful in our race we need to be certain of at least two things. First of all we need to be certain that we are running in the right race (not like some freshmen showing up for the wrong class). Second, we need to be certain of the course, the way we must go to reach the finish line. And finally, we need to be certain about where the finish line is.

One of Jesus’ disciples, asked Jesus about the course,

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:5-6)

I was watching the Olympic triathlon this week and while the finish area of the course was painted blue it seemed unclear to me were the actual line was. The British runner in 1^st place came to the blue area and started walking and celebrating while the 2^nd place runner was catching up to him. He finally crossed the line just in time. Jesus was not confused, but knew where his finish line was. He didn’t come to exalt himself, or to be made king by the people. For him the Triumphal entry with the celebrating crowd was not the finish, but merely marked the beginning of the bell-lap of his passion. “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (John 12:27-28)

Paul also knew where the finish line was. “But one thing I do… forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14)

The one who wins the prize does not a) Run the wrong direction, nor b) Pull up short after the first 100 yards. We need to know where we are going and how to get there. We also need to finish well.

C) Successful Boxers Do Not Merely Beat The Air, Their Efforts Are Purposeful (v.26)

In verse 26, Paul adds another metaphor, that of a boxer. “I do not box as one beating the air” describes the type of boxing practice you do without an opponent, what we would call shadow boxing. The term could also be used to describe the missing the opponent — the boxing equivalent of basketball’s "air ball". He encourages us to remember that we are in a fight, and that we need to go about it with purpose and skill. —We are called to overcome until the Lord returns, or we go to him.

D) Successful Athletes Discipline Their Body (v.27)

What does Paul mean when he says, “I discipline my body:? The term means “to buffet,” or, "to give a black eye to." Ancient boxers used leather straps on their hands and they would have some rather distinctive marks on the target. It is here that we should deal with two unbalanced positions and two unpopular words when it comes to the topic of disciplining our bodies.

      Two unbalanced positions

There were at least two unbalanced positions in the ancient church regarding our physical bodies, and both still have some influence today.

1. Aceticism: was the position of some within the church that followed the extreme practice of denying bodily desires to draw closer to God. Wile we do need to disciple our body, there is no call to avoid all types of rest and refreshing.
2. Gnosticism: a dualist belief system that challenged the church. While sometimes ironically issuing forth in both asceticism (denial) and Antinomianism (indulgence), it believed that all matter was evil, while spirit was good.

The Bible makes it clear that the body itself (as one of God’s good creations) is not evil, but it is a tool that must be brought under control. It is also a tent—but what is done in the tent? We are to glorify God in our bodies (Romans 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:19-20)!

Two unpopular words (v.27)

Let me mention the two culturally unpopular words regarding self-control or disciplining our bodies.

1. Subjection: meaning “to lead away captive, to make a slave.” It is like an ancient army returning with a parade of POWs. Paul was contending with the Greek cult of the body motif here. They tended to idealize the body too much. We can see how much of their art focuses on the ideal body…like our current gym-selfie craze. Paul teaches that we need to make our body our slave rather than becoming a slave to our bodies and its appetites. As the re-make of the movie Ben Hur hits the theaters it might be good to mention that this is the language of a chariot race where for how the horses had to “be kept well in hand by whip and rein if the prize is to be secured."
2. Disqualified: meaning to fail to pass the test; originally of metals and coins not being
   
   as they ought. We uses phrases like “bad penny,” and “wooden nickel,” for such disqualified coins. In fact, this is where the practice of Olympic champions biting their gold medals comes from. People used to bite gold coins to see if they were pure. It should be noted that those who were disqualified from the games did not lose their citizenship, but merely any chance of reward At the Greek games, One other aspect of the word is that there was a herald who announced the rules of the contest, the names of the contestants, and the names and cities of the winners. He would also announce the names of any contestants who were disqualified. Paul saw himself as both a "herald" and a "runner."

The whole emphasis is on rewards, and Paul did not want to lose his reward. At this Olympic games we have seen a number of disqualifications and scandals. The entire Russian track and field team was disqualified for doping before the games began. Some American swimmers are disgraced for their actions out of the pool when they exaggerated a story to cover their undisciplined moment. Earlier Paul had written, “the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body” (1 Cor. 6:13). So we ought to remember that we are not our own. Our body, soul, and spirit belong to God, therefore we should take better care of the Lord’s property.

2) Running with Endurance (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

                 let us also lay aside every weight,

                                              and sin which clings so closely,

         and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 

                              who for the joy that was set before him

                                endured  the cross,

                               despising the shame,

                     and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself,

                        so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 

               In your struggle against sin

                                   you have not yet resisted

                                                                   to the point of shedding your blood.

Much has been said and argued about who is meant by the great “cloud of witnesses” but I am not sure it really matters. The point is that just as the games had witnesses, our lives have witnesses. Whether angels, saints of the past, or as close to home as our spouse, children, parents, extended family, or our neighbors, co-workers, classmates, our larger society, and even other “peoples” people are watching how we live. So, because there are witnesses to our lives we need to…

• Lay aside every weight (v.1)
• Lay aside entangling sin
• Run with endurance the race God has appointed us to run.
• Keep looking to Jesus (v.2)
• Remember Jesus’ example of  suffering (v.3).
• Don’t grow weary or fainthearted (v.3).
• Remember that you are not dead yet! You haven't yet finished your race (v.4).

Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), in an episode of the TV Series Blue Bloods, cautioned his family over dinner that, “You will be judged by your last terrible action.” His point, and that of the Apostle Paul, is that we need to finish well!