Different Kinds Of Prayer (Part 4)

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Friday July 31, 2009

Perhaps the most common prayer for a Christian is the prayer for guidance. According to James, we have the right to ask for guidance:

James 1:5,6 (NIV)
5. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask [pray] God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Here we see that the prayer for wisdom (or guidance) should be prayed in faith; in other words, after asking, the person praying should believe he has received the wisdom asked for:

Mark 11:24 (NIV)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

In this fast food world, we often want to have the wisdom we asked for immediately, when actually it may come over a period of time. But that should not stop us from believing we have received it. After praying for wisdom or guidance about something, we can proceed confidently with our lives, knowing that God will direct us and believing He already has. A good example of this is in the story of Paul's shipwreck in Acts 27:

Acts 27:15-20 (NIV)
15. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. 17. When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.
18. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

Paul definitely did not wait until after all that time struggling in the storm to pray for wisdom about the situation, yet it wasn't until it seemed like it was already too late that the wisdom came:

Acts 27:23-26 (NIV) (Paul speaking)
23. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24. and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25. So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

Even then, God's wisdom didn't seem right, as the storm raged on longer before they finally sighted land:

Acts 27:27 (NIV)
On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

An important part of prayer for guidance is listening:

Acts 13:2,3 (NIV)
2. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

If these people hadn't quieted themselves in prayer to listen, they wouldn't have heard God's leading. But if we will simply spend time in prayer, God will lead us, sometimes even with a vision:

Acts 10:9,10 (NIV)
9. About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.11. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14. "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15. The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16. This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17. While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

PRAYER
Thank You Father for giving me wisdom and guidance when I pray. Help me to walk in faith like You desire me to, trusting You to lead me by Your Spirit. Help me to understand You better through Your Word and to be sensitive to Your leading.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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