by Steve Hale
"Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certairh
place; when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples'" ( Luke 11:1, NKJV).
Prayer. The very word itself is powerful. "In Latin, "prayer" comes from prex which means "a petition, a request or an entreaty." In Greek, the word comes from proserchomai, which means "a pouring out." In prayer, theeamest desires of the heart are poured out to God: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved" ( Romans 10:1).
We must do more than just desire something noble...we must' ask: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" ( Matthew 7:7). Jesus also told His disciples: "And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father maybe glorified in the Son" ( John 14:13).
The very analysis of prayer tells us a lot about it. Prayer is: (1) praise -- "Our Father jn heaven, Hallowed be your name" ( Matthew 6:9); (2) thanksgiving -- "Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18); (3) confession -- "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have ed against heaven and in your sight, and am no J
longer worthy to be called your son'" ( Luke 15:21); (4)
petition -- "Therefore I exhort first qf all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (I Tim. 2:1).
But, just as imp�r"tant as understanding what prayer is is understanding how (the attitude) to pray.
When we pray, we must be: (1) fervent -- "Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church" ( Acts 12:5); (2) unpretentious -- "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth" ( Psalm 145:18); (3) unceasing -- "Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me" (2 Cor. 12:8); (4) believirlg -- "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive
them. and you will Phave them" ( Mark 11:24); (5) submissive -- "...Your will be dpne On earth as it in heaven" ( Matthew 6:10).
How we need to pray! We need to pray for the lost: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" ( Luke 23:34). We need to pray for our brethren: "Moreover, as for r;ne, far be "it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will
teach you the good and right way" ( 1 Samuel 12:23). We need to pray for the sick ( James 5:15), the rulers afthe land ( 1 Timothy 2:1-2), our epemies ( Matthew 5:44), and preachers ( 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Let us pray!