Brendan Flannagan

This is the second article in our series on prayer. The first article considered how a complete trust in God rests at the heart of prayer. Now, we will investigate the tools of the trade: prayer and supplication. God allows us both of these gifts to achieve His purpose and serve as an ever-present help in our time of need.

The Purpose of Prayer

Prayer is a common word in the Greek language and used for the prayers of any religious affiliation. This word is used for pagan prayer, for Jewish prayer, and for Christian prayer. It simply means to invoke the name of deity. Yet, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians not only invoke the name of God, but to commune with his very person.

According to John [14:16], Jesus Christ and the Father give this great gift, Jesus says, “I will ask the father, and he will give you another helper, that he may be with you forever; that is the spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him or know him but you know him because he abides with you and will be in you.” This is the unique factor in Christian prayer.

No other religion has a supernatural means with which to deliver the believers’ prayers. Romans [8:26] says, “in the same way the spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Prayer is not merely speaking, but talking to God. The Holy Spirit allows this two-way conversation. We speak to God in prayer; He responds through the Scriptures (John [5:39]); and we understand because of His spirit.

God Powered

Furthermore, prayer by The Power of the Holy Spirit aligns our will with the will of God. This is the true power of Prayer. We see this is in John [14:13]-14, which reads, “Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the father may be glorified in the son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” This is the promise of prayer: we ask God and he does. But we cannot ask any desire of our heart.

Instead our prayers must be informed by and intent on glorifying God. Psalm 37:4, perhaps the most often abused, wrongly quoted, and misunderstood verse, properly sheds light on how we should have a relationship with God and how he honors such a relationship. The Psalm reads this, “delight yourself in the Lord: and he will give you the desires of your heart.” We receive the desires of our heart when we delight in the Lord. This is the principal purpose of Prayer. It's intended to create in the petitioner realignment to the things of God- “it’s an attitude adjustment.”

Such realignment will transform the heart of the believer and thereby allow his will to be grafted into the will of God. Now what God cares for, we care for. Such is the honor and privilege to worship God. He changes you to believe in Him and to love what He loves. We bring rags; He gives us riches. We bring water; He gives us wine. We bring our broken hearts; He gives us a new heart in Jesus Christ.

“Get to the Point!”

Christian prayer is not only invoking the name of God, but also communing with his very person. Prayer aligns our hearts with the heart of God and prepares us for the second part of Prayer- supplication.

Supplication is the jewel in the crown of Prayer. Supplication is the whole point of Prayer. None of us carry on any conversations with no discernible point. Prayer is not chatting with God. And for this reason Paul uses the word supplication.

Often times we think of prayer and supplication as synonyms. And certainly, they are similar. They both fall under the umbrella of Prayer. But, supplication plays a unique and a critical role in the prayer life of any Christian. Supplication means to make request of, beg for, or to demand. Supplication is when the children of God ascertain their rights and demand God glorifying Himself in the fulfillment of His past promises.

Some may say, “May we make a demand on God?” Certainly, this is too much! Where is your honor and reverence for the Lord?” Yet, we must remember according to 2 Corinthians [6:18], that God is our Father and we shall be His “Sons and Daughters”. 2 Peter 1:4 says it in another way, he says, that we have “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in this world”.

A Child of God 

God allows us special privileges and divine rights. This is further emphasized in Hebrews [4:16], which states, “therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In Ephesians [3:12] states, “we have boldness and confidence access through faith in Jesus Christ.” When we pray, we have the privilege and the ability to approach God, not from a distance, not from within his court, but at the foot of his throne. Praise God! Without the Holy Spirit such a privilege and perspective would be impossible. Yet, God allows it so He may glorify himself and we may bask in such an honor. The word for boldness used in these verses is the same word used when Jesus preaches in Mark [8:31] in John [7:25].

Bold Prayer

We are to pray with the same boldness that Christ preached. Can you imagine such a thing? To assert your rights as a divine child of promise to a holy and perfect God with boldness empowered by the Holy Spirit with an unparalleled supernatural intimacy- seated at the very foot of his throne, his robe but an outstretched hand away.

Next post will investigate how you may pray with a bold fervor and effective disposition.