A Life of Prayer
Why, How, and When?
Unit 3
Praying for Change
How we can pray!
Truth
Many of us find ourselves from time to time stuck in a prayer rut. Our prayers seem to
take on the same concerns over and over again. Often this is the case when our prayers
become preoccupied with the monotony of life. Health, sickness, work responsibilities,
marriages, an unsaved loved one, parenting issues, travel, ministries, and money are all
issues we face on a daily basis. God cares about those things. It is important that we pray
for them. Usually, however, our prayers are for the situation. Seldom do we consider
ourselves in those particular situations. In this lesson we will consider what it means for
us to pray not just for the situations that arise in our lives, but also for ourselves as we
live in those situations.
Philippians 1:9-11 - What does Paul pray for in these verses?
Colossians 1:9-12 - What is Paul’s overarching concern in this prayer?
James 1:2-5 - James 1:2 speaks about trials of various kinds. James goes on to explain
how we should respond, think, and pray about trials. What does James say?
What is missing from James’ list?
James 5:13-18 - James 5:14 focuses our attention on sickness. What is the sick person
called to do?
What are the elders called to do?
How does Paul address the spiritual dimension of sickness in vs. 15?
to summarize –
In Philippians 1 we see Paul praying for spiritual growth in the lives of the
Philippian Church. He asks that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness. The
fruit of righteousness is not something that the Christian produces on their own strength;
rather it is the fruit that comes from a spirit-filled life. In Colossians we see that Paul’s
prayer also focuses on the spiritual growth of believers. His overarching concern is that
they receive wisdom for godly living, “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (cf. Psalm
1 & Ephesians 4:1). Already we are beginning to see that for Paul spiritual growth is an
important concern. In both of these prayers Paul seeks spiritual growth as Christians are
living their lives.
In James 1 Paul tells us how to respond to trials of various kinds: consider it all
joy (vs. 2). Then he tells us how we should think about these various trials: “…for you
know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its
full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (v. 3-4). Finally he
tells us how we should pray about these various trials: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let
him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (vs.
5). What is missing in all of this? There is no mention of prayer for the trials themselves.
Does this mean that Christians should be stoic about suffering? Not at all! We have
plenty of evidence in Scripture that shows us God’s concern for us when we face trials of
various kinds. What James 1 teaches us is that even in suffering God is concerned about
our spiritual growth. This kind of thinking requires a change in our approach to prayer.
Instead of merely focusing our prayers on the heat, the situation that is affecting us or our
loved ones, we must also focus on the heart, what is going on in us, or our loved one, in
the midst of that situation. And this kind of prayer must include how we think, respond,
and pray about it. Does this means we do not pray about the heat? No. But it does mean
that we cannot simply pray for the heat and not the heart as well.
When we come to James 5 we again see a focus on the spiritual growth of the
believer in the face of illness. When a person is sick and desires prayer they should call
the elder. In the midst of what bears a striking resemblance to life on life discipleship the
elders are to pray for the individual. Pray for healing. They can have confidence in their
prayers because God is able to answer prayers in powerful ways, as he did with Elijah
(James 5:16b-18). But nestled into this passage is a reference to sin. What is at work in
this? Sometimes we are sick because we have sinned. Addiction and sexual immorality
are just two ways that most easily demonstrate this truth. An individual is infected with
AIDS or a sexually transmitted disease because of their sinful choices. Sin can and does
lead to sickness. Other times we have sinned because we are sick. How do you respond
when you don’t feel well? Are you short-tempered, worried, self-indulgent, selfish, or
mean-spirited? And still others times sickness allows us to see sin that was previously
undetected. Lying in my bed because I am sick may be the very means by which I realize
that I have been neglecting my family, neglecting prayer, or neglecting my health. So
when the elders come to pray for you their concern is not simply the heat, being sick, but
also the heart, how has sin led to you being sick? How has being sick led to sin? How
has being sick exposed sin?
A balanced life of prayer recognizes that we need to pray for the heat – the trials
of various kinds, the illnesses, death, loss, the list in endless. One way to summarize this
prayer is with the phrase: Change my Situation. It also recognizes, however, that we need
to pray for our hearts – how is God at work in me in this situation? How do I need to
change? What sin(s) are being exposed in my heart? One way to summarize this prayer is
with the phrase: Change Me. A third component to a balanced prayer life is praying for
the presence of God to Change Everything. That will be the subject of our final lesson.
Equipping
Write down a prayer request for a situation (the “heat) in your life.
Now take a few moments and consider how this prayer request might also expose how
you need the Gospel. Use the following questions to help you: (see below)
-
What sins are exposed in me in this situation?
What fears grow in my heart because of this situation?
How do I need to prepare myself to face this situation?
What is God trying to teach me in this situation?
How can I grow in wisdom through this situation?
What does it mean for me to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord in this
situation? Am I doing that? If not, why not?
Repeat this exercise with another prayer request.