Paul’s Prayers  

Arthur J. Licursi

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? … (6:34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (Gk. kakia, trouble) thereof. Jesus’ statements here concerning God’s care are spoken here specifically to the Jews, but His unconditional care is applicable to all the believing people of God in this, the dispensation of the grace. But, do we really believe these statements?

Paul says, … we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4:18;   Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV Philip. 4:6-7  

I believe Paul is here saying, “Don’t be anxious, about the temporal cares, let it go to God; … if it hinders your peace, then turn it over to God that you might be restored to His peace”.

I’ve sometimes been scolded by Christians, because they know I do not “pray”, as meaning to ask or petition God with a laundry list of wants and needs for myself, others, or the world; for jobs, physical needs, hurricane avoidance, etc. My prayer normally consists of “fellowship” with Him, speaking with Him, thanking Him who indwells my spirit for His sufficiency and provision of all that I need – that I can trust Him in the face of all situations. This is a real peace and rest. I can consider all that happens in my life, whether good or bad – as a “God ordained thing”, occurring for my good.

I recall being saved in 1967 in a Baptist church, where Wednesday eve was for corporate prayer. Even then I had the inner sense that there was something lacking in our being given the weekly laundry list of needs (verbal and sometimes written). We were told we needed to ask God for these earthly items and needs, often ones we didn’t necessarily carry in our own heart. There often was the “unspoken request”; that was tough one to get passionate about, and then there was always that list of canned prayers, e.g., for “traveling mercies”. Frankly, I can’t imagine that my Father, who looks upon the heart and desires real, heartfelt, relationship with us as His children, would not see through our less than heartfelt petitions. So, heeding Matt. 6:25-34 and Paul, I reasoned, what I now feel it was of the Lord, “If He love us and knows all things, then He knows our needs and He cares for us, totally, why do I need to petition Him for anything”?

Don’t get me wrong, oftentimes I cry out to Him regarding a “care” that concerns me and is disrupting my inner peace; and this is legitimately Pauline (See Philip 4:4-7), that we might be restored to Him as our peace. Usually it was an unnecessary burden I carried out of self-interest or self-concern; actually, it demonstrates my lack of matured trust in Him.

The charismatic then told me, “you must ask God if you want to receive” – to get prosperity, health, wealth, etc. This was based upon James 4:2“ye have not because ye ask not”, but this is not our case today under this 100% grace dispensation – whereby our life is hid “in Christ” and we have Christ in us as our life. We live in the full committed love of the Father, who sees us as righteous by our being placed “in Christ”, knowing our need. I’d say that we have no actual need that is not already met in trusting our Father’s care. … He careth for us 1Pet 5:7

The churches taught me that I needed to pray enough, gain enough prayer momentum individually, and we corporately, or apparently God either would not know about our need, or care about our need. By such prayers we are saying either; our Father is hard of hearing, or He does not know our need, or He does not care for us; so apparently we must twist His arm to care for His own children for whom He already demonstrated His love in sending His son to die a substitutionary death. What an awful thought to have toward the One who loves us so. No! Brothers and Sisters, He knows us, our need, and loves us unconditionally. Our Father’s care does not depend upon our prayers or our work for Him; rather, we can depend upon and trust His ever-present loving care.

 

Now, as I look at the dispensation of grace revealed to Paul, and under which we live today, I see that this “churchy” approach was not Biblically based upon grace; it was “works” based. In Paul’s epistles we see the heart and vision of Paul, we see His actual prayers, thus we might learn from Paul. From his prayers we see that Paul KNEW something that we need to KNOW by revelation (Gal 1:16). Paul knew of the indwelling Christ received out of the Father’s love and care in the dispensation of the 100% grace of God, and His plan toward mankind; so Paul prayed for what he knew the Spirit alone could bestow – revelation knowledge of Christ’s indwelling for God’s children (Eph 1:16-19). Paul knew that only the Spirit could reveal the depth of this to us.

Ephes. 1:16-19 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 

Since I’ve come to know our Father’s genuine and unconditional love for me, as His child born of His spiritual loins, and since I’ve come to rest in His care for me, knowing that He is over ALL things and all the happenings in my life, and that He is working them always for my eternal good, I’ve come to a place of not needing to petition Him for any thing earthly – needing only to know Him in a greater, richer, and deeper way. He knows my earthly and temporal needs and He cares for me, without my asking. “For it is God who worketh all things after the counsel of His will” Eph 1:11

 

I know the former constant stress I was under when I didn’t know this or count all things as “God things” that are “of God”, placed in my life by God the Father. I see all things are for my good, no matter how awful or unpleasant they may appear to be. So now my “prayer” is one of thanksgiving, and a confession of trusting in His care for me, and for everybody else in my life.

 

Most all of Paul’s prison epistle prayers are noted here below. Each was written chronologically after Acts 28:28 for we who are the members of the Church universal, which is His body (Eph 1:22-23). In each prayer, Paul is principally petitioning the Lord on one consistent and repeated thing; … that the believer’s would come to have knowledge, enlightenment, comprehending with full understanding; to know the love and provision of God by placing us “in Christ”, and “Christ’s life “in the saints”(Eph 1:18); which knowledge is gained only by revelation of the Spirit to the believer’s soul mind (Eph 1:16-23, 3:16-19).

 

When we come to KNOW the truth of our relationship with God, as Paul knew it, comprehending the Father’s perfect love and care for us. God who has provided His Son to be life in us; and as we live under a relationship of unconditional love and 100% grace, we’ll then agree with Paul’s prayers, which are so lofty, elevated, having no petition for earthly provision for our temporal needs. We’ll recognize that these temporal needs are used just turn our often wayward heart to Him; seeking that we might come to know Him and His trustworthiness in an even greater way.

 

For Revelatory Knowledge Of His Inheritance … “In The Saints”

Ephes. 1:16-23 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes (mind) of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The Ephesians Would COMPREHEND All That Is In Christ, Dwelling Within Them, As God’s Fullness

Ephes. 3:14-19 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend (katalambano, seize, possess) with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Praying For Utterance To “Make KNOWN The Mystery Gospel”

Ephes. 6:18-19 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in (according to) the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery (musterion, secret) of the gospel (Gospel of the dispensation of “Christ in the believers” Col 1:26-27),

Praying That Your Love May Abound Yet More And More In KNOWLEDGE And In All Judgment.

Philip. 1:3-6, 9-10 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; … 6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  ⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Petition Is Only For The Purpose Of Unburdening Yourself, To Come To Peace.

Philip. 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayer “That Ye Might Be Filled With The KNOWLEDGE Of His Will In All Wisdom And Spiritual UNDERSTANDING”

Col. 1:9-13 we…, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  <END>

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