Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The greatest challenge in prayer.
Thursday, July 19, 2001
A major challenge to the discipline needed in prayer is the importance of concentration.
“undistracted” = aperispastos = to be free from domestic problems and problems relating to the household, the family, and duties of home; to be free from fatigue, anxiety, worry and concern.
“devotion” = euprosedos = to sit with relaxation and confidence; to be steady, attentive and diligent, to have your undivided attention.
Prayer is not only going to the Lord to “speak” but also going to the Lord to “listen,” and this requires concentration.
Turn to ECC 5:1-2
We have been given the power of the HS and the word of God and the ability to hear from God through these two resources, as well as our soul perception and human spirit!
PSA 139:14 “I will give thanks to thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
PSA 86:11 “Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name.”
ACT 13:22 “God raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.”
Overt persecutions may distract your body but mental distractions attack your spirituality.
Emptiness, vanity, and distractions, can be just as devastating to a believer as any evil the believer is confronted with.
Unfortunately many believers are so occupied with the “external activities” that they don’t have an “inner communion” with the Lord.
Your concentration in Bible class will help your concentration in your prayer life.
Turn to Mark 5:6-24
The more we pray, the more we need to, and want to; and the less we pray, the less is the desire to do so.
a. Confession of sin (rebound), if necessary, 1JO 1:9.
b. Thanksgiving and adoration expresses the concept of worship in private prayer, JOH 4:24, EPH 5:20.
c. Intercession is praying for others, EPH 6:18; JAM 5:16-18.
d. Petition is praying for your own needs and situations, PHI 4:6.
What is in view in our main passage is supplication for personal needs in no man’s land.
MAR 5:6-13 – the demons requested to go into the swine.
Their request was answered but their desire was not. The demons desired a place of safety but in getting their petition answered they lost their desire.
The petition of the healed man, MAR 5:15-20.
This man desired to glorify and thank TLJC for the healing so he requested to be allowed to accompany the Lord. The desire was answered and the petition unanswered.
His desire was granted, though his petition was not.
The prayer of Jairus that Jesus would come and heal his daughter.
In our prayers oftentimes when our requests are denied, our desires are granted.
Many times, God in His mercy, rejects our requests because He sees the injury that would come from them.
In our main context, we are dealing with the importance of prayer in no man’s land, as you are going forward towards that resurrection life.
“Let be made known” pres/pass/imp -gnwrizevsqw [gnorizestho] = to reveal something, to declare.
ISA 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.”
Prayers and their answers were entered into the divine decrees, so that answers, rejections, petitions, and desires are all printouts of the decrees in the foreknowledge of God.
Prayer is a volitional issue in the angelic conflict; God knows your needs and what your requests are, but God wants you to reveal your soul to Him, from your free will.
Prayer does not change God, but it changes the one who prays.
Prayer is an intimate conversation with the greatest of all your loves, the Lord Himself.
present tense = iterative present, which describes what occurs at certain intervals but not all the time.
1TH 5:17 pray without ceasing;
passive voice = prayer reveals or makes known or declares what you have in your soul if anything.
“your requests” = [ta] [aitemata] [humon] = petitions, requests, or something that you ask for yourself personally.
PHI 4:6 Stop worrying about anything, but in every circumstance through prayer and through supplication for personal needs after thanksgivings let your requests or petitions be revealed to the God