“I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:14 ESV1
Read Luke 18:9-14
There is a protocol for greeting a member of the English Royal Family:
“For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way. On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is ‘Your Majesty’ and subsequently ‘Ma’am,’ pronounced with a short ‘a,’ as in ‘jam’. For male members of the Royal Family, the same rules apply, with the title used in the first instance being ‘Your Royal Highness’ and subsequently ‘Sir’. For other female members of the Royal Family the first address is conventionally ‘Your Royal Highness’ and subsequently ‘Ma’am’.”2
There is a proper way to address the President of the United States.
“In direct oral address – actually speaking to the President – the President is addressed as: Mr. President—His given name or surname are not used in his presence. This pattern of not using the name is typical around the world when addressing the highest officials—chiefs of state, heads of government, speakers of houses, chief justices, and a very few others. Listen to a White House news conference: Reporters addressing the POTUS as Mr. President are doing it correctly.”3
There is also an appropriate way to come before the King of the Universe.
Jesus addressed the fitting way to approach His Father in the following parable:
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:9-14).
Before Jesus told this story, He had been teaching about prayer. He had just finished telling His disciples another “parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Jesus continued His discussion about prayer by telling a story contrasting the way two very different people approached the Throne of Grace. Perhaps surprising to His audience, it was not to the one they would have expected to whom Jesus pointed as an example.
Just as there is a proper way to approach an earthly ruler, there is a proper way to come to God in prayer. Jesus’ parable comparing the Pharisee and the tax collector helps teaches us to:
Make a Connection
Imagine you had something you desperately wished to share with a world leader. Let’s suppose you petitioned and were granted the audience of him/her. You were ushered to the prescribed meeting place but never actually entered; instead, you stood outside the door. With the door separating you from the one to whom you desired to speak, you poured out your heart to the hearing of no one. What a fruitless interaction that would be?
In prayer, we have to opportunity to speak with the King of Kings yet many of us don’t make the effort to enter His Throne Room. When we pray, we must take the time to present ourselves before God. We need to prepare our hearts until we are sure we are talking to Almighty God. Prayer is not really prayer if we are not actually in the presence of God. Getting ready to pray should not be rushed. Even if we sit in silence for a time before we realize the presence of God, it is worth it. Better to have the time only to speak little to God than spend much time merely talking to ourselves. A good rule of thumb is to pray until you are actually praying.
In truth, the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable wasn’t even praying. The curious phrase standing by himself emphasizes this. Here, I have used the text from the English Standard Version. In other translations, this phrase is rendered, with himself, to himself, or about himself. The word, translated by, with, to, or about is, pros in Greek. It could also be translated, to the advantage of or with regard to.4 What is clear in any translation is that Jesus was pointing to the fact that the Pharisee didn’t connect with God. You have probably heard someone say he/she feels like his/her prayers hit the ceiling and go no further. Well, this Pharisee’s “prayer” never even got off the ground.
Prioritize the Conversation
Maybe more absurd than requesting the privilege of communicating something of vital importance to a ruling official but failing to enter his/her presence, is coming into his/her domain only to be distracted by the decorations of the office, what the gardener is doing outside, or how nicely you are dressed. Both the important message you longed to deliver and the subsequent response of the world leader would be lost. Yet, how often does something not so dissimilar prevent us from a communicative interchange with God?
Short, spontaneous prayers are often appropriate and necessary. But if we want to be ready to burst into prayer at any opportunity that calls for it, it is essential that we learn to connect with God by spending frequent, dedicated time in prayer. For that, we need:
A quiet place:
Jesus taught:
“‘When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you’” (Matthew 6:6).
In the busyness of His ministry, when Jesus couldn’t even find an opportunity to eat (see Mark 3:20), Jesus still made sure He pulled away from the crowds to meet with His Father.
“In these days He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)
“And He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives … and knelt down and prayed” (Luke 22:39a & 41b).
Any place can be a quiet place if we choose to make God our primary focus. It has been reported that Sarah Edwards, the wife of the evangelist, Jonathan Edwards, and mother of eleven children, and Susanna Wesley, mother of 10 children—including John and Charles, who brought millions to salvation in Jesus—both threw their aprons over their heads to find solitude and the freedom from distraction to pray.
A quiet time:
There is no prescribed amount of time necessary for cultivating a worthwhile prayer practice. But we must set aside a reasonable portion of our days, away from our responsibilities and activities, to focus on God. This time must be kept sacred and treated like any other appointment. Consistently engaging in this kind of prayer will take some forethought and the setting aside of other opportunities but, again, it is well worth the work.
A quiet time is about making a place in our schedules to meet with God. Morning is a good time to prepare ourselves for the day asking for the ability to see situations and people from God’s perspective, for His protection from temptation, and for God’s enabling us to respond to opportunities in His way. At night, we can process the day by thanking God for His help and blessing, confessing our sins, and meditating on what God may have been trying to teach us during the day. The quiet time is a personal matter; each person must find what works for him/her. The point is to give our best to God.
Now, this doesn’t mean we never allow God to rearrange our schedule or interrupt our prayer times. If your neighbor’s house were to catch on fire, do you suppose God would rather have you on your knees or on the phone with the fire department?! Time with God is never intended to be rigid. Circumstances, like sickness or the need to care for a new baby or elderly relative, will affect one’s usual prayer plans. If there is no place for flexibility in our quiet times, we aren’t spending time with God; we are spending time in our habits.
A quiet heart:
Most importantly, if we are to communicate with God, we must have quiet hearts. Having a quiet place and a quiet time are of little value if we don’t have quiet hearts. For there to be any lasting value in coming before the Throne of God, we must be quiet enough to hear Him speak.
The good news is this: though a quiet place and a quiet time might not always be available, a quiet heart can always be achieved.
“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land” (Psalm 37:7-9).
“‘Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid’” (John 14:27).
When you come before God, bodily posture is not as important as the direction of your mind. Pray in whatever position that allows you to best express your concerns and connect your emotions to God. Realize His presence and come to listen more than to speak.
Both the Pharisee and the tax collector, in Jesus’ parable, chose the temple as their quiet place but only one of them encountered the Living God there. The Pharisee’s quiet time was distracted by his looking around measuring himself up against others. Conversely, the tax collector’s attention was consumed with looking within and measuring himself against God’s standard. The tax collector’s prayer time may have appeared less dignified than the Pharisee’s; perhaps his quiet time was not so quiet physically but his heart was quieted as he connected with God and found peace in His forgiveness. In his self-glorification, the Pharisee gained nothing from the Glorious One except future humiliation.
“‘For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:14b).
Proceed with Reverent Adoration
When we consider the protocol for addressing earthly dignitaries, it is astounding that we take the privilege of approaching God’s Throne so lightly.
“Day and night [those in Heaven] never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” … [They] … give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the Throne … [and they] fall down before Him… and worship Him … saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will, they existed and were created’” (Revelation 4:8b-10a & 11).
The writer of Hebrews stated,
“In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence” (Hebrews 5:7).
Those in Heaven and He who came from Heaven have a greater understanding than we do of the holiness of God. But there are a few humans who experienced a measure of God’s majesty and recorded their encounters for us to read. It was with awe and trembling that Isaiah and Ezekiel gave accounts of their visions of the Throne room of God.
Isaiah explained,
“I saw the LORD sitting upon a Throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!’ (Isaiah 6:1-6).
Ezekiel testified,
“I saw visions of God … as I looked … there was the likeness of a Throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a Throne was a Likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of His waist, I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of His waist, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around Him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the Likeness of the Glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face” (Ezekiel 1:1b, 4a, 26b-28).
And, although “the LORD used to speak to Moses face-to-face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11a), when Moses asked,
“‘Please show me Your glory.’ [God] said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you My name “The LORD.” … ‘But,’ He said, ‘you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.’ And the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen’” (Exodus 33:18-19a, 20-23).
Approaching the Throne of the Most Holy God is no insignificant matter. There is a reason Jesus taught His Followers to start their prayers with, “‘Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven’” (Matthew 6:9-10). When we encounter the Almighty in worshipful prayer focusing first on His character and His plans, everything thing else falls into its proper place. Our concerns don’t seem so overwhelming when we realize God’s Righteousness, His ability to meet our needs, and His delight to provide for us. As the old hymn, by Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961), goes:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Spend the first part of your prayers, contemplating God’s character and worshipping Him. Worship is the spirit of all true prayer. In Jesus’ parable, for the Pharisee, there was nothing resembling adoration of God; he was too captivated with his own glory. On the other hand, the tax collector was so cognizant of the majesty of God that he couldn’t even look in the direction of Heaven. Jesus declared, “‘This man went down to his house justified, rather than the other” (Luke 18:14a).
Enter by the Blood of Christ
As illustrations, I have been using the opportunity to speak with a human in a high position as a parallel to approaching God in prayer. In all honesty, is highly unlikely that any of us, as average citizens, would ever have the opportunity to speak to such a person of influence. If any one of us did have occasion to do so, he/she may barely be able to contain him/herself from broadcasting it amongst those in his/her sphere of influence. It is ironic, though, because such a person, no matter his/her position, is a human just like each of us.
What is stunningly surprising is our having access to the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. But in that, we must remember we have no right to come before the Throne of God on our own merit. We are only privileged to approach a Holy God because His Sinless Son made a way for us:
“For our sake [the Father] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
It is only by Jesus’ sacrifice that we are able to become Children of God. And it is only Children of the King who are welcomed into His presence unhindered.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
God listens to our prayers because we stand before Him in the Righteousness of Jesus. The Scriptures teach that God only listens to the prayers of the righteous.
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).
Without Jesus’ moral uprightness, we have none of our own.
“‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one’” (Romans 3:10-12).
But faith in Jesus allows us to be clothed in His perfect purity and consequently gives us the certitude to boldly enter God’s Throne Room in prayer.
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us” (1 John 3:21-23).
That doesn’t mean God never acknowledges the prayers of those who are not right with Him; if that were the case, none of us would have ever been saved from our sins and accepted into His Family. And during His earthly ministry, Jesus fed the multitudes and fulfilled the requests of all who came to Him for healing regardless if they were right with God or not (see John 5:1-15 & John 6:5-14, 24-26). God may answer some of the prayers of the ungodly but He delights to answer all of the prayers of His children.
“If [we] had cherished iniquity in [our hearts], the LORD would not have listened. But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of [our] prayers” (Psalm 66:18-19).
Jesus’ parable teaches these truths.
First, Jesus’ purpose in sharing this story was to rebuke those who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous” (Luke 18:9b). The Pharisee had a pretty impressive resume when it came to self-righteousness. He was able to testify, “‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get’” (Luke 18:12). Yet the Pharisee wasn’t the one who went home justified.
Second, the tax collector was all too aware of his unrighteousness and his need for God’s mercy. He confessed his sins and was made right with God. He went home justified. Justified means to be proven right—”just if I’d” never sinned.
Remain Until Wrongs are Righted
Just as one must address a high-ranking official using proper etiquette, there is a courteous and decent way to come into the presence of the Most High God. Moses discovered this when he came near the mysterious bush that was on fire but wasn’t being consumed.
“Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground’” (Exodus 3:3-5).
God doesn’t have anything against shoes. And isn’t necessary for us to remove our shoes to pray appropriately. I believe God asked Moses to remove his sandals because they were unclean. As a shepherd, it isn’t difficult to imagine what filth may have been on Moses’ sandals.
As Children of God, traversing through this sin-saturated world, it is possible that we have spiritually stepped into some foul matter along the way. Figuratively, removing one’s sandals is a picture of confession. When we confess and repent of sin, we are putting off that which has been tainted by the impurity and corruption of the world. Confession of known sin prepares us to meet with a Holy God.
If we are in Christ, our sins have been forgiven and our sin natures have been crucified. Even if we aren’t a part of the world, we are still in this world and we are at war with Satan and his minions. In an attempt to discredit God, the devil is constantly looking for opportunities to destroy God’s Children. Even the most diligent of us are not immune to the tricks of the evil one.
All people are susceptible to self-sins. Our flesh is an easy target for Satan because we can so easily justify those things which self craves. Religious people are particularly prone to the sins of pride and the criticism of others. Look again at the words that spilled forth from the mouth of the Pharisee in Jesus’ story.
“‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get’” (Luke 18:11b-12).
Ask yourself, “Am I in any way guilty of the same sins of the Pharisee?” Plead with God, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Then listen for what He reveals.
The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves and He waits patiently for us to come around to His way of thinking. Once God opens our eyes to our sins, we have choices; we can either run away from Him or run toward Him. Once we realize the impurities which have been upon us, the temptation is to pull away from Holy God. But, remember, before any of us ever sinned, God knew about what we would do and Jesus paid the penalty for our wrongdoing. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8b). And it is only by God that our sins can be removed.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
When we confess our sins, we should be explicit. We tend to be comfortable confessing sin in a general sense. But a full cleansing only comes when we acknowledge the specific sins God reveals, admit that we have committed those particular sins, and ask for His mercy to free us completely from that in which we have wrongfully engaged.
Keep in mind that when God reveals sins to us, He will be specific so that we can repent and be free of the guilt associated with those sins. Satan, on the other hand, uses generalizations that only cause us to feel shame but don’t give us any hope of getting out from under anything. Satan, in an attempt to discourage us in our walks with the Lord, also likes to remind us of sins from which we have already repented. If this happens to you, use it as an opportunity to thank God for His forgiveness. Glory in God’s grace remembering how far you have come instead of allowing the devil to use this to get you down.
Obviously, you don’t have to wait until a scheduled prayer time to admit your sin. Whenever you realize unrighteousness in your life, it is best to take care of it immediately. But it is often in the set-aside quiet of regular prayer times that we are still enough for God to reveal those things we have overlooked.
“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite’” (Isaiah 57:15).
Continue with Humble Supplication
If you ever did get the audience of a high-ranking leader to whom you wished to convey an important message, you would be wise to respectfully consider the position of the one to whom you spoke. You would not presume that you were on the same level as the dignitary. You would not want to come off more knowledgeable than him/her or suppose you had any authority to assert. Instead, it would be prudent for you to be careful not to overstep boundaries, choose your words intelligently, and act considerately in every way.
Jesus directed His parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector to those “‘who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt’” (Luke 18:9). In contrasting the characters, Jesus concluded His parable with: “‘For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:14b).
This theme is repeated several times throughout the Bible.
“‘Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted’” (Matthew 23:12).
“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5b).
“For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar” (Psalm 138:6).
“Toward the scorners He is scornful, but to the humble, He gives favor” (Proverbs 3:34).
When it comes to prayer, there is a plethora of ask anything statements made by Jesus to His disciples. Some of them are as follows:
“‘And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith’” (Matthew 21:22).
“‘Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours’” (Mark 11:24).
“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you. … Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full’” (John 16:23b & 24b).
“‘Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it’” (John 14:13-14).
“And whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him” (1 John 3:22).
“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
“‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you’” (John 15:7).
“‘Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven’” (Matthew 18:19).
Notice how each verse either implies or specifically mentions stipulations: having faith, asking in His name, making requests according to God’s will, asking accompanied by obedience, and abiding in Christ. God, not us, is at the center of all those expectations. Humility puts others before oneself. Humble prayer stands on God’s character and acknowledges God’s authority. Humble prayer is presented with the authority of one’s position in Christ, is spoken with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is something to which Jesus could sign His name. Humble prayer boldly asks for anything but willingly submits to the desires of God. Jesus is our example of this. In prayer, He approached the Father asking for what He wanted but submitted to God’s overall wisdom concerning the situation.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, on that night before He was crucified, “being in agony, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus prayed urgently, “‘Father, all things are possible for You. Remove this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will’” (Mark 14:36). Again, He prayed, “‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done’” (Matthew 26:42). Finally, Jesus got up off His knees, confident in the love of His Father, and continued on with what He was sent to do.
Though Jesus wasn’t looking forward to going through the physical pain of the cross or the spiritual rejection from the Father as He had all the sins of all the world of all time placed on Him, He knew what His Father wanted was best for everyone.
“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32)?
Just as God sacrificially provided through the blood of Jesus what we needed most—salvation—He will also abundantly provide for all our other needs.
“My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
“His Divine Power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3a).
The “prayer” of the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable contained no supplication. He asked nothing of God; he only praised himself. He did not come before God with even a hint of humility. Notice how many times he used the word, I. The tax collector’s attitude, on the other hand, exuded humility. “‘Standing far off, [he] would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner”’” (Luke 18:13)! His petition for mercy was bountifully bestowed; “‘This man went down to his house justified, rather than the other’” (Luke 18:14a).
Draw Closer with Thanksgiving
How inappropriate it would be if after having been granted the opportunity to address a person of great influence that you showed no gratitude? How inappreciative it would be after being allowed to make an appeal before a dignitary that you did not thank him/her for his/her willingness to meet with you? How outlandish it would be, after having your request of a world leader granted, to not profusely express your appreciation.
Likewise, thanksgiving should be a significant aspect of prayer.
“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5b-7).
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1).
How easy it is to bombard Heaven with requests and forget about all that God has already given. In doing so, we are seeking only the gifts of God not the Giver of those gifts. Though we do receive much in response to prayer, prayer isn’t merely getting what we want from God; prayer is about getting God Himself. We do have many physical needs. And Jesus promised, “‘Your Heavenly Father knows that you need [these things]’” (Matthew 6:32b). But it is intimacy with the living God for which our souls crave. Above all other things, grabbing ahold of God is what we ultimately need.
A portion of each daily, personal, set-aside prayer time should focus on the greatest gift God has given—that of Christ Jesus. In Him, we have forgiveness of sins, the crucifying of our sin nature, the conquering of death, authority over Satan, a place in Heaven, and power through the Holy Spirit. It is because of Jesus, that we are welcome before the Throne in the first place. Taking time to remember God and what He has done is foundational to real prayer.
Thoughts of what God has done for us should lead us to remember that from which we have been freed, the difference He has made in us, and the depravity from which we have been spared. This is something we can take for granted. If we are not frequently overcome with gratitude for what we have become in Christ, we are missing something about the Christian faith. In your prayers, call to remembrance where you were before you met Christ, how He revealed Himself to you, the inheritance you have in Christ, and the way He leads you. Take time to remember the grace He has bestowed upon you and the glory He has given you.
Besides the gifts mentioned above, there are many more daily mercies and blessings He has bestowed upon us. Take time to remember the common, ordinary blessings which are all around us. Thank Him for life, health, and the ability to do our work. Thank Him also for nature, love, safety, victory over temptation, deliverance from evil, and His patience with us.
“We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
We should even thank God for our trials. Without difficulty, we would have very little fortitude. Without trials, our faith would be shallow. Without struggle, we would be useless in the Kingdom of God.
“In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
If you have ever kept a journal of prayer requests, read through them from time to time, and you will be astounded at the number and in the amazing ways God has answered. If you cannot readily think of the prayers you have had answered personally, it is time to evaluate your prayer life. Are you connecting with God, prioritizing prayer, and coming before God in Christ’s righteousness? Are you worshipping God, confessing and repenting of your sins, humbling making requests, and thanking Him for His blessings?
The Pharisee in Jesus’ parable appeared to have much for which to be thankful but, as has already been stated, he wasn’t thanking God for these blessings actually. Instead, he was patting himself on the back. Be careful, in your thanksgiving, that you are “not … [thinking] of [yourself] more highly than [you] ought to think, but … [thinking] with sober judgment, … according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). None of us deserves the good things we have received. All answered prayer and all mercies in life are by the grace of God. If your thanksgiving doesn’t drive you to further humility, it is actually making a division between you and God and between yourself and others. Satan is the author of all division. God is about unity (see John 17:21-23).
Abide in Faith
Undoubtedly, it would take a great deal of personal wrestling, intense conviction, and depth of desire for you or anyone else to deem it necessary to meet with a world leader for any other reason besides intrigue. Add to that the labor of petitioning to meet with such a person, the study of protocol, the traveling and expense, the investigation of the issues, the planning of what should be said, and the presenting of such information and demands. Would you be able to do all of that if you were convinced the one to whom you had made your arduous request wasn’t going to listen anyway? Could you put your all into such an interaction if you were sure that it was going to be a waste of your time and that the energy and expense you put into the exercise were not going to be worth anything in the end? There wouldn’t be much point in going through all of that if nothing came out of it, would there?
Yet, such uselessness is what many people feel about prayer. They say, “What’s the point? Prayer doesn’t work. God doesn’t care. He can’t or won’t act on my behalf.” They are letting their past experiences influence their current belief or they are allowing the opinions of others to sway their confidence in God. Or maybe, their own perceptions are given the freedom to influence the perceived outcome of prayer. So, such people do not pray. Or if they do try prayer, they don’t believe God is going to come through.
Faith is an integral part of all fruitful prayer. We must base our faith on what God promises about prayer. Our feelings or the experience and opinions of others cannot usurp our confidence in God. What He says is the truth no matter what anyone else thinks about it.
“It is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:8).
“‘I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak and it will be performed’” (Ezekiel 12:25).
Just as we cannot come to salvation without faith, we cannot come to prayer without faith. If you do not believe God will answer it is pointless to come to Him. Just as futile, is believing He can answer but won’t. That also is a lack of faith.
“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. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7).
“‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!’” (Matthew 7:7-11).
God is so impressed with faith that He almost can’t wait to go above and beyond what is asked to reward prayers offered in faith.
“[Jesus] said … ‘Truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you’” (Matthew 17:20).
“‘A grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade’” (Mark 4:31-32).
The tax collector in Jesus’ parable asked for mercy and believed he received it, that is why he was able to go down to his house justified. How often have we come before God begging for something we greatly need or desire not realizing we already have it? Or maybe we don’t have it yet but we fail to believe it is on the way? We have to let go of what we have in our hands—unbelief—to receive what He is holding out to us.
“[God] is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20a).
“‘Nothing will be impossible with God’” (Luke 1:37).
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Stake your faith in God’s promises. It is often helpful to read some Scripture before praying and use what you have read in your praying. Pray back Scripture to the LORD to increase your confidence in the truth. God knows we are weak but if we acknowledge that He is not, He will greatly reward that step of faith.
“Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
God desires us to commune with Him. God is our Father. He loves us and treasures our meager expressions of love for Him like a parent who proudly displays his/her toddler’s drawings on the refrigerator. Like any good father, God gives us all we need to succeed in the area of prayer. Prayer is so essential to the Christian that both the Holy Spirit and Jesus give us assistance.
“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
“[Jesus] is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
God is no respecter of persons, anyone who wants to have a vibrant prayer life can have it. You don’t have to be a religious elite. You don’t have to have to be well educated. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to want God. Jesus’ parable represents these truths.
Pray until you pray. Confess until you are broken by your sinfulness and accept His forgiveness. Petition for grace or mercy until you can expect it is on its way. Praise until your heart is filled with the wonder of God. In meekness and trust, open your heart to God’s will. With gratitude, thank Him for all He has done. And do it all in faith.
From 1961 to 1963 there were many children in the United States of America but only JFK’s children were allowed to play in the Oval Office. If we are children of God, we are welcome in His presence. Unlike Esther, we don’t have to put on our royal robes and timidly approach our King for fear of Him smiting us because He doesn’t feel like holding out the royal scepter to us that particular day. We can come before His throne with boldness. Praise God. May we come before Him with all the worship, purity, humility, gratitude, and faith He deserves.
To check out my other articles on prayer in this mini-series, click these links:
A Friend, a Father, and a Little Bit of Faith | Blue Turtle Trails
Proper Persistence | Blue Turtle Trails
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.
2 https://www.royal.uk/greeting-member-royal-family
3 https://www.formsofaddress.info/foa_president_us/
4 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4314/kjv/tr/0-1/