Biblical Prayer

Prayer of Faith, Petition and Commitment

WHAT FAITH IS

To understand the prayer of faith, we should first know what faith is and where it comes from. The Bible says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (or reality) of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is the spiritual substance that causes the things you are hoping for to become reality.

When you are sick, the thing that you are hoping for is health. Faith causes the thing that you hope for (health) to become real (you get healing).

When you are confused and do not know what to do, faith causes the thing that you hope for (wisdom) to become reality.

Faith is far more than simple mental agreement or sincere hope. When you have faith, the thing that you are hoping for is more real to you than whatever you may see with your eyes. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (or reality) of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

WHERE FAITH COMES FROM

So where does this faith come from? The Bible says, “So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

In other words, filling yourself with God’s Word causes faith to grow in your spirit. Now, of course, this implies more than a mere listening or simple reading of the Scriptures. “Hearing” God’s Word requires that you seek out and devour the Scriptures as a source of nourishment for your spirit.

An occasional or casual reading of Scripture will not cause your faith to grow any more than an occasional meal will cause your physical body to grow. But if you will seek out God’s Word with the same zeal and dedication that you seek out your three physical meals each day, then you will see your faith grow strong.

THE PRAYER OF FAITH

The prayer of faith is a “prayer that changes things.”

Please note that it changes things and not people.

Too often we try to help someone by praying that they change their behavior. But people do not change against their will. What people need is to recognize their need for God and to give their life to Him. Once they do that, then God can show them what He wants them to be and give them the ability to change.

The prayer of faith changes things or circumstances.

Anything that can be seen is subject to change and can be affected by a prayer of faith. “…for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The prayer of faith changes things like physical ailments, lack of wisdom, or your employment status. Through the prayer of faith, you can have healing and health for your body, wisdom for your mind, and even a good job.

The prayer of faith is not a magic wand or a genie in a bottle.

But the prayer of faith is a tool that we can use to implement God’s will in our lives. Through the prayer of faith, we can have the things that God desires for us to have.

THE PRINCIPLE OF DAILY PRAYER: Jesus taught us the importance of daily prayer, of asking god for our every need: “give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). Even though god knows our every need, he still wants us to ask him!

PRAYER OF FAITH

Bible Text:

MATTHEW 21:21,22

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

MARK 11:24 24 Therefore I say unto you, whatsoever you desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

This is the prayer of faith. And it applies primarily to a person’s own life - to his own situations and circumstances.

When it comes to changing things and receiving something from God according to His Word, we do not pray, “If it be Thy will.” We already know God’s will because we have God’s Word for it. It is God’s will that our needs be met. God wants to give us what we need. And we receive our needs met by faith.

The Prayer of Petition

Bible Text:

MATTHEW 21:22, And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

MARK 11:24, Therefore I say unto you, Whatsoever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

JOHN 16:24, until now you have asked nothing in my name: ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE, that your joy may be full.

1 JOHN 5:14-16, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ASK any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ASK, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

JOHN 15:7,8, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you

1 JOHN 5:14-16, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

(Consider) James 1:6-7, But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

By far the most frequent prayer of Christians is the prayer of petition.

We always are petitioning or asking God to do something for us. This is scriptural, of course, because He told us in Matthew 21:22, “… ask in prayer, believing.”

The prayer of petition must be a prayer of faith. It primarily concerns an individual’s desires, needs, and problems. It is you praying for yourself, not someone else praying for you or agreeing with you in prayer. When you pray the prayer of petition, believe that you receive. If you will do that, you will have what you ask for. God is concerned about our needs and He wants to meet them for us.

Posture: ISAIAH 43:25,26, I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember your sins. 26 PUT ME IN REMEMBRANCE….Let us argue your case together

In other words, remind God of what He said in His Word. Those who have been mighty in prayer have always been those who have come before God and have reminded Him of His promises and of His Word.

The Prayer of Petition (Continued)

In the Old Testament, God promised His people more than spiritual blessings.

He promised them that they would prosper financially and materially.

He told them He would take sickness away from their midst, and He would give them long life:

“… the number of thy days I will fulfil” (Exod. 23:26).

God also told them that if they would keep His commandments, they would eat the good of the land (Isa. 1:19).

Deuteronomy 28

God is just as interested in His people today as He was then:

He promised us in Third John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”

Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matt. 7:11).

We must realize that it is God’s will that our needs — spiritual, physical, and material — be met

EXAMPLES: FOCUS FOR PRAYERS OF FAITH AND PETITION

Personal Healing

Finances, Employment, Education

Wisdom and Direction (Life, Relationships, Moves, Jobs, Family)

Confirmation of God’s will (unrevealed)

Prayer for help in Faith (Lord, help my unbelief)

Prayer for Forgiveness of Sin and toward others

(KEEP ON ASKING)

Luke 11:5-10

Then Jesus, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,

6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’

8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

The Prayer of Commitment

Central Truth: When the winds of adversity blow, we can do exactly as the Word of God says. We do not have to fret or worry; we can cast our burdens on the Lord.

1 PETER 5:7 (Amplified): Casting the whole of your care - all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all - on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully

PHILIPPIANS 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

PSALMS 55:22

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you

Psalms 37:5

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

Often there are times when we need to pray the prayer of commitment.

We must work to Obey Him: Cast all your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries upon Him, for He cares for you. This is the prayer of commitment

The subject of these TEXT verses is understood to be “YOU.”

The Lord said, “You cast all your care upon him.” and “You commit your way unto the Lord.”

We must do our part — we must obey the Lord before He can come to our aid. We must turn loose of our problem before He can take over.

THE FUTILITY OF WORRY

Matthew 6:25-27

I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

HOW CAN I CAST MY CARES UPON THE LORD

Rejoice in my problems because God will use them to our benefit. “Knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4);

  1. See my “worries” as an opportunity to practice Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”;

  2. Counteract my anxiety by obeying Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you”; and

  3. Deal with any sinful feelings by believing and acting upon the truth of 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” All of our problems can be dealt with through simple faith in God’s Word.

God is bigger than all our worries and problems put together.

Feelings (Cares and Anxieties) come from thoughts, so, even though we can’t change how we feel, we can change how we think. And this is what God wants us to do. For example, in Philippians 2:5, Christians are told, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” In Philippians 4:8, Christians are told to think on things that are “true,” “noble,” “just,” “pure,” “lovely,” “of good report,” and “praiseworthy.” In Colossians 3:2, we are told to “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Therefore, as we do this, our feelings of guilt diminish.

Each day, take one step at a time, pray for God’s Word to guide you, read or listen to God’s Word, and meditate on God’s Word when the problems, worries, and anxieties of life come along.

Examples of Biblical Petition and Prayers of Prayer:

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom – When informed by the Lord in a dream to ask for something (1 Kings 3:5-14), Solomon didn’t ask for riches or treasures, but requested an understanding mind so that he could discern good from evil. Pleased by this noble plea, God also granted him riches and honor. We often have our priorities in the wrong order and pray solely for temporal (or temporary) things. If we learn to focus more on spiritual goods, we’ll find that the Lord will also provide for our material needs.

Prayer of Desperation – Found in Psalm 22 and later repeated by Jesus as He died on the Cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a prayer familiar to many. It is a desperate plea for the Lord’s assistance when all seems hopeless. We should not be ashamed to use these words, but rather look at them as a cry for help. Those who are prone to anxiety should become familiar with this prayer and not hesitate to use it when necessary. We all encounter those times when it feels as if we’re facing our problems alone. Calling out to the Lord will allow us to experience His presence and feel the peace that only He can give.

The Tax Collector’s Prayer – One of the simplest, but most eloquent expressions of true contrition can be found in the Lord’s parable of the “Pharisee and the Tax Collector” (Luke 18:9-14). Praying in the temple, without lifting his eyes, this humble sinner prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”. Direct and to the point, we should make these words our own and pray them every day!

Prayer of Abandonment to God’s Will – When He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He died, Jesus gave us a perfect example of abandonment to God’s Will (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:40-46). Even though it’s not always possible to know God’s Will with certainty, appending the phrase “but not as I will but as You will” to our petitions ensures that we are submitting to His will where the will of God is unrevealed by His word.

CONCLUSION: God wants to say “Yes” to our prayers: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11)

When you pray, examine yourself and your prayer. Ask yourself the following things:

  1. Am I righteous?
  2. Is my prayer fervent?
  3. Is my prayer effective? a. Is my prayer based on God’s Word?
    b. Am I praying in the name of Jesus?
    c. Am I seeking the assistance of the Holy Spirit?
    d. Have I established a definite time for my faith to become active?
  4. Am I trying to violate someone’s free will?
  5. Is there any sin in my life?

6. Are my motives pure?

7. Has my relationship with God developed to the point that I know which things He will say “Yes” to?