What They Don't Teach You about Prayer 1

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It was because his disciples asked him to teach them how to pray that Jesus gave them a sample prayer. That's according to Luke. But what if they hadn't asked him? Would he still teach them? And, did he use the "prayer formula" he gave his disciples?

Well, it was supposed to be a prayer formula, some experts say. They even came up with the acronym ACTS with it, saying A is for adoration, C for confession, T for thanksgiving and S for supplication. Prayer is supposed to follow that pattern---wherever they got the idea.

There are several accounts in the bible of Jesus praying. Odd that he never used the so-called prayer formula. Like, when he multiplied bread and fish to feed 5,000 and then 4,000, he didn't use ACTS. Or when he resurrected Lazarus or when he agonized in the garden of Gethsemane.

I've also been thinking---would Jesus teach his disciples prayer if they hadn't asked him? Probably. And probably not. Jesus often taught by example. He didn't teach them how to heal the sick (didn't teach step 1, step 2, step 3 and so on) and yet in Acts they managed to heal them. He taught by example, showing them how, and the disciples took it from there. And a big factor here was the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came on them. Jesus said the Spirit would teach them all things--not through steps or formulas or seminars--but supernaturally.

I think we've fallen short of teaching church people that prayer is really a casual but heartfelt talk with God. As simple as that.

Another question comes to mind--have we been praying correctly all these years, or centuries? Just wondering, because why is it that the signs and wonders and miracles in Jesus' ministry and in the Acts church are nowhere today in church?

One time some pastors tried to drive out a demon from a guy. It took some time, a lot of prayers and even a backup prayer warrior team in the background. Eventually the demon left. But it wasn't like that with Jesus and the apostles. Jesus, for instance, drove out evil spirits "with a word." As simple as that.

Backup prayer warrior team in the background? Well, I can imagine how the disciples probably (probably) prayed in the background as Jesus rebuked evil spirits and healed diseases. Nonetheless, it's not stated in the bible. A lot of us like assuming things, like some guys who assumed that the Lord's Prayer is a pattern with the acronym ACTS, and we're supposed to pattern our prayers with that.

Nope, Jesus wouldn't have taught them how to pray if they hadn't asked him. It's like a grownup guy asking you to teach him how to talk with you. You'd say, "Well, just talk to me," right? And that was what Jesus demonstrated---he showed them how he simply talked with his Father. No need for lessons on prayers. Just talk to God.

How do you teach little kids how to talk? You simply talk with them. What we do in church is tell people to follow this and that procedure and a lot more things just to pray to God. In the end, they become rituals and programs experts on prayer but still don't know how to really talk to God.

What I do is urge my disciples to meditate the Word of God and really talk to God. Period. I'm sure the Word and the Holy Spirit will teach along the way.

Jesus didn't give them a pattern or formula. It's a relationship. See? Imagine how ridiculous it'd be if you talked to your dad or friend in a patterned conversation. And then you call that personal relationship. Religious people have a funny way of looking at Scriptures and Jesus. They often come up with the silliest ideas, foremost is come up with a formula. Always.

Being Jews, they all knew the Old Testament and how it was said there that sin blocked their prayers from God. That's elementary to them. No need to teach them that. But because, anyway, they asked Jesus how to pray, Jesus gave them a sample by just talking to the Father, which is actually what prayer really is---talking to God. Talking to your Father in heaven. Thus, "Our Father in heaven..."

If there's something we ought to pick up from the Lord's prayer, it's not the pattern or a formula but the principles. Jesus did introduce vital principles there, like the use of the word "Our."

Jesus could have said, "My Father in heaven," which would also be right. But why did he say "our Father"? First, it shows anyone can approach God. Second, remember, they asked Jesus as a group of disciples. They said, "teach us to pray." Corporate concerns need corporate prayers. If you pray collectively, you cannot do so individually. I mean, group prayer badly needs unity and agreement. In fact, oneness. Thus, the word "our."

When we ask God for revival or spiritual enlightenment for the nation, all believers regardless of church affiliation should come together and pray. No one local church or denomination can come to God for this concern. No wonder a national revival or enlightenment has never happened yet because individual churches or denominations come to God for this. It has to be the whole body of Christ as one.

And it cannot be an artificial or temporary gathering or alliance of all church denominations. If we call God "our Father" then we should start acting genuinely as one big family of God, loving each other like real brothers and sisters. Are we? As it is, we use "our Father" and yet act indifferently toward each other. We only act familial with those of our church denomination. Others we treat as outsiders---Christians, yes, but we still see them as outsiders. How can we call God "our Father"?

Third, prayer is designed to get us all together as one. God wants us to pray "our Father" and make it real in our lives. It's his will in heaven that should be fulfilled on earth as well. That's why we need to forgive each other's debts or sins. And at the end, we say "Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory now and forever." Notice the words "now and forever"? It means all these should start now and go on forever. But how, if we are still separated by our denominations? Where's the glory and power in that?

Smart Alecks always say there's unity in diversity. Probably, but it's not just "diversity" we have now. It's separation. We're not diversified (meaning, our efforts are ramified for stronger effect), we are separated by schisms and divisions, like how north and south Israel were separated and fighting each other.

Then there's the focus on God. Ever noticed that? The Lord's prayer is mostly on God and his plans for us. Only one short sentence is devoted for personal request, and it's not even specific. Don't smart teachers in church teach us that our prayers should be specific? What's specific about, "Give us this day our daily bread"? It's a general statement. Gives us bread. What bread? Well, just bread. Do you have to explain what kind of bread it is and how big and soft and how many? Nope, Jesus never said anything on that. Just bread. Is simply asking for "bread" enough? Yup. The Father knows what we need even before we spell it out to him. Just mention it.

Just ask for "bread" and God knows all about it already---because the Holy Spirit helps us in our prayers and intercedes for us according to God's will.

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. [Romans 8.26]

Why this simple? Because it's obvious that God wants us to focus more on him and his plans for us than our needs. Prayers need to center on getting done in our lives what God wants for us, rather than God busying himself with our needs and wants---dictating to him what he must do with us. And we should acknowledge that getting God's plans for us all depends on him, so we must be fully aware of who he is, especially his holy nature and limitless power.

In short, it's all about His Kingdom come.

When Jesus prayed, all these principles were intact in his mind. He mostly uttered short prayers (except his prayer in John 17) but they were packed with the principles above. Now, how about your prayers? When you pray, how much of it is about your personal needs and wants, and how much of it is God and his will?

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You go around prayer meetings in churches and you'd find their prayers are mostly about themselves---they're material or financial or physical needs and wants. Look at Paul's prayers in his letters to the churches. They are all spiritual prayers, asking God to fulfill his will for the churches, like having the eyes of their hearts opened that they may see the riches of God's blessings and power in their lives, the abundance of his inheritance in the saints. That inheritance is not money or material things but the LIFE of Jesus in them. That's Kingdom come.

How to pray? Just talk to God. Talk to him as a son, a servant, a worshiper, a friend and a seeker desperately after him and his will.

Here's Part 2

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