Prayer in Biblical History

Bible History

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What is Prayer?
PRAY and PRAYER
the most essential act of private devotion and public worship in all ages and nations. It is rooted and grounded in man's moral and religious constitution, enjoined by God, and commended by the highest examples. It is speaking to God and offering to him our petitions for mercies needed, and our thanks for mercies obtained. It embraces invocation, supplication, intercession, and thanks. 1 Tim 2:1. It may be either mental or vocal, private or public, in the closet or in the family or in the house of God. We are commanded to pray for others as well as for ourselves, Jas 5:16; for kings and all that are in authority, 1 Tim 2:2; for kindred, friends, and even for our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers. Matt 5:44. God is the only object of prayer and worship. Matt 4:10; Deut 6:13; Num 10:20. We may pray for all things needful to our body and soul, for our daily bread as well as for all spiritual mercies. Prayer should be offered to God the Father, in the name of the Son, through the Holy Spirit. But inasmuch as Christ and the Holy Spirit are strictly divine in essence and character, they may also be directly addressed in prayer. Comp. Acts 7:59-60; 1 Cor 1:2; Phil 2:9. To pray in the name of Christ means to pray in harmony with his Spirit, trusting in his all-prevailing mediation, with humility and resignation to the holy will of God. Such prayers will always be heard in God's own best way and time (which, however, often differs from our own short-sighted views), and will always have a wholesome effect upon the soul of him who prays. Comp. Matt 6:6; Matt 7:7-12; Eze 21:22; John 16:23-24, Acts 11:26; Jas 5:15. The Holy Spirit enables us to pray aright. Rom 8:26. All the great saints of God were fervent and mighty in prayer - Abraham, Gen 20:17; Jacob, Gen 32:26-31; Moses Num 11:2; Deut 9:19-20; Joshua Josh 10:12; Samuel, 1 Sam 12:18 David (all his Psalms); Elijah, 1 Kgs 17:1; 1 Kgs 18:42, 1 Kgs 18:45; Jas 5:17-18; Elisha 2 Kgs 4:33-34; Hezekiah, 2 Kgs 19:15-20; 2 Kgs 20:2-6; Daniel, Dan 6:10 Hannah, 1 Sam 1:12; Anna, Luke 2:37; the apostles. Acts 1:14, Jud 6:24; Acts 2:42; Acts 4:31; Am 6:4; Lev 8:15; Neh 12:8, Josh 12:12; Acts 16:25-26; Acts 20:36; Jud 21:5; Rom 1:9; Josh 12:12; 1 Thess 5:17. Our Saviour himself often withdrew into a solitary place to pray, Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; Matt 14:23; Matt 26:39, and taught his disciples how to pray. Matt 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4. The posture of the body in prayer is immaterial. Prayer may be offered on the knees or standing or prostrate, with eyes closed or lifted up to heaven, with hands folded, clasped, or stretched out. The main thing is the reverential frame of mind, which will naturally express itself in one form or other, according to the state of feeling and the customs of the age and country. The length of prayer is likewise unessential. God looks to the heart. Better few words and much devotion than many words and little devotion. See Matt 6:7. The prayer of the publican in the temple, Luke 18:13, and the petition of the penitent thief, Luke 23:42, were very short and very effective. The objections to prayer proceed from atheistic and fatalistic theories. Prayer implies the existence of God and the responsibility of man, and has no meaning for those who deny either. It is more natural that God, who is infinitely merciful, should answer the prayer of his children than that earthly parents should grant the requests of their children. See Matt 7:11. Yet our prayers were foreseen by him, like all other free acts, and included in his eternal plan. In spite of all objections, men pray on as by universal instinct. The reply to the objections is that we pray to a living, loving Person, near at hand, Hebrew Arab Egyptian. Postures in Prayer. knowing our thoughts, able to control all things - One who has declared himself a hearer of prayer, and who has made it a condition on which it seems good to him to put forth his power. The essence of belief in prayer is that the divine mind is accessible to supplication, and that the divine will is capable of being moved. Prayer depends on God's will, but does not determine it. Man applies, God complies; man asks, God grants. "Prayer has a subjective value. It is necessary to individual piety, produces solemnity, enlightens and quickens the conscience, teaches dependence, gives true views of God, and produces such a change in us as renders it consistent for him to change his course toward us. In the family, prayer intensifies and exacts devotion, secures domestic order, strengthens parental government, and promotes religion. And objectively the Bible and Christian history abound in examples of answered prayer. "The main arguments for forms of prayer are that they have been of almost universal use; that they guide the worshippers without forcing them to depend on the moods of the leader; where they are used, all know what is to be said and done; they secure provision for unlearned ministers; secure dignity, decency, harmony, and guard against excessive show, arbitrary freedom, improper, absurd, extravagant, confused, and impious utterance, and against weariness and inattention; they unite the hearts and tongues of all worshippers, so that they do not worship by proxy; they unite different ages of the Church and preserve true doctrine and discipline. Extemporaneous (though not rash and unstudied) prayer is claimed to be more particular than general forms can be. It secures freedom, fervor, spontaneity, and adaptation to the circumstances; it is less formal and monotonous; suits itself to changes in language and opinions."

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'prayer' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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