3. Our praying may be undispensational, that is, while we may be very sincere, we can be asking according to

conditions that were true in a past dispensation, but are not true today. Hence the tremendous need to `rightly divide

the Word of Truth' (2 Tim. 2:15).

4. Praying that is contrary to the will of God will surely not be answered in the way we desire. `If we ask anything

according to His will, He heareth us' (1 John 5:14).

This brings us to possibly the most important reason for prayer, and that is to bring us into line with God's Will. It

is when we are completely emptied of selfish desires and want the Lord's will more than anything else, that our

prayer life becomes real and we have the joy of rich answers to our requests.

11

In the last article we pointed out that one of the most important aspects of prayer is to bring us into line with God's

will (1 John 5:14). It is not easy to subject our will to His, specially when in intensity of desire we want something

very badly. Such a condition can be dangerous as Israel found when they tired of the manna and determined to have

flesh to eat. They worried the Lord until He answered their desire, but with disastrous consequences (Num. 11).

The Psalmist's comment is `He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul' (Psa. 106:15). Of what use

is the satisfaction of desire when it leads to such unhappiness?

Equally unsatisfactory is the Christian life which is devoid of prayer. `Ye have not, because you ask not' (James

4:2). It is part of our spiritual discipline leading to growth and fruitfulness that we constantly acknowledge our utter

dependence on the Lord in prayer.

He may and does determine to do wonderful things for us, but He wills that we shall ask Him for these things and

not take them for granted. God said, concerning Israel, that He would restore them and their land in abundant

blessing, `yet for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them' (Ezek. 36:33-37).

In the training of children it is good for them to be taught to say `please' when they want something, and `thank you'

when they have received it. Prayer does the same for the believer. It says `please Lord, will you do this for me if it

is Thy will' and then praises and thanks Him whichever way His love chooses to answer.

12

Does prayer alter things? If we pray for someone else, can the affairs of this person be changed? Not if every detail

of human existence has been fixed by Divine decree from eternity as some believe who take extreme and

unscriptural views of election and predestination. But our guide here, as in all things, is the Word of God. The

apostle Paul writes: `Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified'

(2 Thess. 3:1).

Now it could be argued that whenever God's Word is preached faithfully, automatically it will have `free course and

be glorified', in which case it would appear to be unnecessary and a waste of effort to pray for it. In Philippians

1:19 Paul says: `I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer', so obviously the prayer of the

Philippian saints for Paul's release from prison counted vitally in his eyes. When writing to Philemon the apostle

expresses a similar hope: `but withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be

given unto you' (22).

Here was such an important question as Paul's release from prison being affected by the prayer of one person! It is

idle to speculate whether Paul would have been set free if Philemon and the Philippian saints had not prayed. The

fact is that they did and God heard their intercession and answered their prayer for him.

This should encourage us all not to get weary in our prayer life. Prayer does affect others, and we should pray

without ceasing for them along the line of God's will and for every aspect of this witness. We can then confidently

wait for the answer and not be disappointed, for we deal with One Who is `able to do exceeding abundantly above

all that we ask or think' (Eph. 3:20).