April, 2002
by: Jack Hughes
Every week people at Calvary Bible Church submit prayer requests. These requests are typed out and given to the elders for prayer. There are always a wide variety of prayer requests, as there are many needs in the body. It is very helpful to read the prayer requests because they give the elders a chance to see what is going on in the lives and hearts of the people. When I first came here there were many requests about marriage problems. Recently there have been many requests concerning physical illness. Yet, for a healthy church, there should be some things that should always be a high priority in our prayer lives because they are high priorities to God.
There is a difference between things temporal and things eternal. So often we can get so caught up in things that are temporary and passing away, that we can forget to pray about things eternal. As I began to consider this I thought I would do a little experiment and compare a week of prayer requests received from those who attend Calvary Bible Church with the prayer requests of the Apostle Paul to see if our prayer requests had biblical priorities. First, I looked at our prayer requests and this is what I found. I discovered there were thirty–three requests for the salvation of friends and relatives, fourteen requests for physical healing, thirteen offers of praise to God, four personal requests, three requests for leadership, two requests for spiritual growth, one request for a business dealing, and one request for help in relocating a ministry.
Taking into consideration that all things are to be prayed for, these are all legitimate requests. Yet, when I compared our prayers to the inspired prayers of the Apostle Paul, priority deficiencies became apparent (see Rom. 15:5-6, 13, 29-32; II Cor. 13:7, 9; Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21; 6:18-20; Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:3, 9-12; 4:3-4, 12; I Thess. 1:2-5; 3:10-13; 5:23; II Thess. 1:11-12; 2:16-17; 3:1-2, 5; I Tim. 2:1-2; Philemon 1:6). As we look at what Paul prayed for others, keep in mind that he suffered continual persecution, trials, and hardships (see II Cor. 11:23-28). He even wrote some of his letters from prison! You would think his personal requests would be full of petitions to be freed from pain, trial, and suffering. Yet, we find something very different.
When it comes to Paul's personal requests, three times he prayed that he might be able to visit those he wrote to and be refreshed by their company. Twice Paul prayed that he might be rescued from perverse, evil, and disobedient men. Once he prayed that he would offer acceptable service to the Saints, that he would find joy by doing the will of God, that he would appear approved to God, and that he would be used to complete what was lacking in the faith of his readers.
But the bulk of what Paul had others praying for him was directly related to preaching the Gospel. Paul asked people to pray that he would speak the Gospel with boldness, speak the Gospel with accuracy, speak the Gospel with clarity, that God would open a door for him to preach the Word, that he would speak for the mystery of Christ, that God would use him to spread the Word rapidly, and that God would use him in such a way that the Word of the Lord would be glorified.
When you compare what Paul asked God to do for others, with what we pray for others, it is convicting. It reveals a serious priority problem and is a stern rebuke to what sums up the majority of our prayers. Here is what Paul prayed for others. Once he prayed for unity among believers in doctrine and speech. Four times Paul prayed that his readers would be strengthened: 1) with the power of the Spirit according to the riches of God's glory within the inner man, 2) according to God's glorious might, 3) in every good work, and 4) in everything they would say. Five times Paul either offered praises or requested that the Saints would offer praise to God. These are fairly common in prayer requests at Calvary Bible Church. From the prayer requests we receive, spiritual maturity and growth of the Saints is not a high priority like it was with the Apostle Paul.
For instance, in Paul's prayers, nine times Paul prayed that his readers would experience various kinds of personal spiritual growth. For instance he prayed that his readers: 1 & 2 ) would be filled with all joy and peace in believing, 3) that they would abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, 4) that they would be made complete, 5) that they would be comforted by God, 6) that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith, 7) that they would be rooted and grounded in love, 8) that they would be filled up to all the fullness of God, and 9) that they would be on the alert in their prayers for all the Saints. Not once did Paul pray for someone's health! Not once did Paul pray for someone's finances! Not once did Paul pray that people would have safe travel! But what Paul did pray frequently for was spiritual growth.
A real shocker comes next. In modern day Christianity we tend to downplay knowledge as if it is an optional part of Christianity. What most churches are pushing today is “experience.” People want to have a real life experience with God. But shamefully, many Christians are having experiences that are contrary to the Word of God and they don't even know it, because they have no knowledge. Christianity should be experiential but having a clear understanding of the Word of God must be present to control and evaluate the experiences we have. One person wrote that, “Most Christians would rather die than think… in fact most of them do.” While this characterization is hyperbolic, it is, in many cases, too close to the truth. Christianity is about knowing certain biblical facts, doctrines, and theological truths found in the Word of God. It is about knowing Jesus Christ. There is no legitimate Christianity in a vacuum of knowledge. This is apparent in the prayers of Paul where he prays that his readers would have knowledge seventeen times! It is the second highest frequency prayer request of the Apostle Paul.
He prayed that they would have a spirit of wisdom, revelation, and knowledge, that they would approve the things that are excellent, that they would stand fully assured in the will of God, that they would be enlightened to the hope of their calling, that they would know the riches of God's inheritance in the Saints, that they would comprehend the surpassing greatness of God's power towards believers, that their love would abound in real knowledge, that their love would abound in real discernment, that they would be able to comprehend every dimension of God's love, that they would be able to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will, that they would be filled with all spiritual wisdom, that they would be filled with all spiritual understanding, that they would be increasing in the knowledge of God, that the fellowship of their faith would become effective through the knowledge of every good thing!
Since Paul wrote these things under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this teaches us that one of the most important things God wants for believers is that they have a profound knowledge of the Word of God.
Now what do you think Paul prayed for the most for the believers he wrote to? Do you think it was their physical health? Do you think it was their personal happiness and comfort? Do you think that their feelings were a high priority? No. Those things are never mentioned. The number one prayer request of Paul is that a believer would obey the Word of God! Why? Because it is only in obeying God that we can show Him love and give Him glory. When we disobey we show hatred towards God and an unwillingness to give Him glory. Because of this Paul includes a request that believers would obey in nearly all of his prayers.
Paul prayed that his readers 1) would do no wrong, 2) that they would do what was right, 3 & 4) that they would be sincere and blameless until Christ comes, 5) that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness, 6) that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, 7) that they would please God in all respects, 8) that they would bear fruit in every good work, 9) that they would attain to all steadfastness, 10) that they would attain to all patience, 11) that they would be able to fulfill every desire for goodness, 12) that they would be able to work in faith with power, 13) that God would be glorified in them according to God's grace, 14) that they would increase and abound in love for one another, 15) that they would increase and abound in love for all people, 16) that their hearts would be established without blame in holiness until Christ returns, 17) that they would be sanctified entirely, 18) that their spirit, soul, and body would be preserved complete without blame when Christ returns, 19) that they would be counted worthy by God, 20) that they would stand perfect in the will of God, 21) that they would be directed in the love of God, 22) that they would be directed in the steadfastness of Christ, and 23 & 24) that they would be able to lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
Twenty–three times Paul prayed that believers would obey God! This was Paul's highest priority for believers and since what he wrote was inspired, we can know that it is God's highest priority for believers. Obedience is related to Paul's second most frequently requested prayer, knowledge, because you can't obey God unless you know what the Word of God says.
While we are to pray about all things, let's make the priority of our prayer life line up with what God inspired Paul to pray about most often. Let's make it a habit of praying that believers would increase in their knowledge of the Word and that believers would grow in obedience and maturity. There are many things we can pray about that we can't be sure are the will of God, like healing. Yet, we can always be sure that God wants people to grow in knowledge of the Bible and obedience to what it teaches. We can pray these prayers with confidence because we know they are God's will.