Do we really know how to pray?

Bible Texts: (Concordant Literal New with keywords concordance): Romans 8:26-27

               Last week, we learnt that faith does the work and not fasting and prayer. This is rather shocking news to many people. However, the scriptures discussed in that lesson buttress this truth. This week, we want to unlearn what many people believe is the truth about prayer. Do we really know how to pray? Oh yes, I can tell where your mind may go to. It is in the book of Matthew 6:9-10. It says: Our Father Who art in the heavens....this is a foundation or the basic way to pray. However, this is not what this topic is discussing. You may think in your mind that prayer is speaking with Yahweh (God that made heavens and earth). You are correct, but do you really know how to pray? Prayer is beyond physical exercise. Even, in real sense, for you to pray to someone, it means the thing you are asking is beyond your ability to achieve but you really need someone to help you.

Let us go into Romans 8:26-27 and see what Paul the Apostle had to say:

Now, similarly, the Spirit also is aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not, but the Spirit of itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings. Now, He who is searching the hearts is aware what is the disposition of the Spirit for in accord with God is pleading for the saints.

In the above bible text, the following bolded words/phrases will be discussed in brief.

Ø  Aiding. We as human beings are not strong with our flesh to approach Yahweh in prayer. We are weak and sinful. We cannot buy righteousness. We are saved by the grace of Yahweh. Not by works. Therefore, we are limited to what our five senses can grasp. We do not see beyond our noses. Therefore, we pray based on what we sense. Our prayers may not be the right thing to ask. So, we think we pray but waste our times.

Ø  To accord with what must be. This is very deep. What must be is what many do not know. I mean no one knows tomorrow. Only Spirit of Yahweh does. So, we are not.

Ø  We are not. This is because no one can overcome spiritual issues by strength (Psalm 2:9).

Ø  The Spirit itself is pleading for us. There it is! The Spirit of Yahweh does the work. He helps our inabilities by pleading to Yahweh on our behalf. How does he do it?

Ø  With inarticulate groanings. This is also deep. Inarticulate groaning is when the Spirit of Yahweh form words you least expect to come out of your mouth to Yahweh when you pray. Please, take a very good note that inarticulate groaning is not speaking in tongue. It is not, my dear. Do not be beguiled! Inarticulate groaning is what you speak and you were not sure how it comes out of your mouth. This kind of words comes from the depth of your mind when the Spirit of Yahweh speaks it out with or without your knowledge. I have heard of a man who prayed to Yahweh for a motorcycle for many days but got no answer until he unknowingly mentioned brand new car from his mouth. A brand new car was given to him by a man he never knew before!

          In first Samuel 1: 12, Hannah was praying with inarticulate words when she asked Yahweh for a son. She promised to return the child to Yahweh to serve him. That was not the first time Hannah had been praying! She must have been praying for many years until her mouth formed words of giving back the child to Yahweh as a servant in the temple, her prayers were just mere words! Little did Hannah know that Yahweh wanted a child to come through her to replace Eli, the Chief Priest.  Hannah was only concerned about her condition but Yahweh had a bigger picture for her. He wanted Hannah to be the mother of one of the great leaders in the land of Israel.

So, you see, when the Spirit of Yahweh prays through us, it automatically gets answered!

Ø  He who is searching the heart. The spirit of Yahweh knows what the mind of Yahweh is. He also knows what we really need.

Ø  Aware. The Spirit of Yahweh is aware of Yahweh's plans for our lives.

Ø  In accord with God is pleading for the Saints. The Spirit of Yahweh prays on our behalf according to the plans of Yahweh for our lives.

               As you can see, we have our plans and we pray to Yahweh concerning them. However, Yahweh has his plans for our lives and his plans overrule our plans. That is why we do not know how to pray. If your prayers are answered, it means Yahweh has it in his plan for your life. Otherwise, you are praying a miss. So, tell me. Is there any particular formula to pray to Yahweh? The answer is no! We do not know how to pray until the Spirit of Yahweh prays through us in inarticulate groaning to Yahweh because he knows the next thing Yahweh has for us in his plans for our lives.

Question: What does it means to commit our ways to Yahweh in Psalm 37:5? This would be discussed next week.

I hope this lesson blessed you too.

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