Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that you would never bring home and introduce to your parents.
Last year, I read a book that argued that prayers of petition, supplication, and intercession are nothing more than “begging God to be good.”
The author asserted that such prayers are a waste of time and energy because they assume God isn’t good unless we beg Him to do something nice in our lives or in the lives of others. (In other words, unless we pray.)
The logic goes like this:
God already knows what you, your friends, and your loved ones need. And God is good. So it doesn’t make sense for you to pray. To pray assumes God isn’t good unless you beg Him to be a good boy by asking Him to do something good for yourself or for someone else.
According to this author’s calculus, petition, supplication, and intercession all demonstrate that we believe God won’t pay attention to us or our needs (or the needs of others) unless we beg Him to do so (i.e., pray).
For this reason, it’s wrong to ask people to pray for us. And it’s wasteful to pray for ourselves or anyone else.
I won’t mention the name of this author or his book because doing so is to promote it. (All the critics of Pagan Christianity didn’t catch on to the fact that they sold more copies of the book by railing against it.)
But I’ll give you the main argument. I’m calling it the “farewell to prayer” perspective.
I’ll respond to it in typical Frankie V. fashion.
We can put the “farewell to prayer” perspective on two levels in the form of two questions:
Question 1: Does Jesus, Paul, and the rest of the New Testament support the “farewell to prayer” viewpoint?
Question 2. If the New Testament DOES NOT support the “farewell to prayer” view, then why would God ask us to pray? What’s the spiritual logic behind prayer?
Let’s get into it.
MY ANSWER TO QUESTION 1: The “farewell to prayer” perspective contradicts the teachings of Jesus.
Listen to Jesus for yourself:
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. Matthew 6:5
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6
And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Matthew 6:9
Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Matthew 9:38
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Matthew 14:23
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. Matthew 19:13
He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’ … Matthew 21:13
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Matthew 21:22
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” Matthew 26:36
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35
And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. Mark 6:46
And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Mark 9:29
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened. Luke 3:21
But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Luke 5:16
Does it sound to you like Jesus thinks prayer is a waste of time?
The angels do not agree with the “farewell to prayer” perspective either:
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard …” Luke 1:13
The first disciples don’t agree with it:
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer … Acts 1:14
And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all … Acts 1:24
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42
Here are exhortations for believers to pray in the Epistles:
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:18
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2
Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:1
MY ANSWER TO QUESTION 2: Prayer is God’s power-sharing instrument. It’s the vehicle by which we come to know Him more deeply and participate in His work as co-laborers.
The Lord has arranged the universe in such a way that He involves us in His interventions.
Therefore, we aren’t “begging God” to do something when we pray. Rather, we are co-working with Him to accomplish His will in the earth.
For we are God’s fellow workers. 1 Corinthians 3:9
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them … Mark 16:20 *
This principle explains why Scriptures both exhorts and exemplifies prayer.
God didn’t set up the world so that He could be a solo act.
He wired into His creation an invitation for the participation of humans, to co-labor with Him in bringing His will to pass.
This gets back to the commission that God first gave to Adam, which was to police the earth.
It also relates to how Jesus – and His body – take up that role today as the New Humanity (Ephesians 2:15).
There are complexities here that have to do with human will and spiritual warfare, which I’ve treated elsewhere. (I dedicate an entire chapter to the question in my new book Hang On, Let Go.)
One final observation: People are wide open to latch onto the “farewell to prayer” perspective when they ask God to change situations that hit close to home and their prayers aren’t answered.
I suppose that’s a better way to react than to use Whit-out on God and erase Him from existence due to unmet expectations (which is how many atheists are born).
Nevertheless, the “farewell to prayer” perspective isn’t sound.
Until next week,
fv
Recent articles you may have missed:
How to Pray for Hopeless People
Will the Revolution Be Televised?
P.S. If someone wanted to change your life and zealously forced this blog post on you, you can appease them by subscribing here. It’s gratis and comes with a dozen Super Fire Hot Wings … the kind you can only eat after you sign a set of release forms. (No lemon suckers please. They won’t understand the humor
* I realize that the consensus among contemporary scholars is that Mark 16 isn’t authentic. That may be true, but we cannot be absolutely certain since we don’t possess the original New Testament manuscripts. The chapter has been quoted since the second century by a number of Church Fathers, and what’s found in it is confirmed by other parts of the New Testament. So I have no problem quoting from it.
Conanjay
As always Frank, this was super hot fire and a great way to answer those questions!
EBENEZER BIMI NFOR
Thank you Frank for the great work you’re doing in the Kingdom. More grace.
That was a great response there to the place of prayer in the Kingdom.
I pray those with misconceptions will learn.
Pete
This is one of the best explanations of why we should pray I’ve ever read. Theologically sophisticated, but simply stated. Brilliant! I’m referring to the end part although the whole piece is great. Game changer.
Frank Viola
Thx.
Kyle
Great article, Frank. I’m so glad you started up again. I listen to the podcasts (which are awesome), but I love the blog. Always fresh.
Justin
Excellent article! Very insightful. (Love all your introductions too, Lol!)
Keith
Good response to a good question! Thanks!
Sierra
I’m sharing this. So good! I have friends who have bought into this idea.
Armando
Excellent article on prayer! Thank you Frankie V. Any position that promotes and encourages us not to pray can only be a message from the throne of Satan.
Dustin
Another brilliant post (with great humor too!). Your case is air-tight. Another reason why I love reading your stuff.
Frank Viola
Thx for “getting” it.
Bärbel Kreher
I read a book/heard messages about prayer-petition/supplication too. But there the logic goes a little bit different: You don´t need to ask God for things because most of it he has already given us through the finished work of the cross. So to ask God for instance for health or provision is asking for something he has already given us through the finished work of the cross. And this makes God sad. So, instead of begging God to do things for us/others we should just “take” the things which are already there and give thanks to him. What would you say about that?
Frank Viola
Carefully read ALL the references in this blog post (including the post-resurrection texts) and ask yourself if you can square all those texts with this concept.
Btw/ I’m not sure where these people get the idea of “begging” God to do anything. I don’t see that in the long list of texts in this post and it’s not been my experience.
John Strickland
Exactly.
I have a fellow elder that gets upset at fellow disciples “continually pestering God over things He already knows about!”
God can and does know everything, but that didn’t stop Him from telling us we “have not because we ask not.” God expects His children to come to Him with humility and dependent gratitude while in this life.
Hardly pestering!
Kyle
That view can’t be supported by the scriptures Frank posted.