The Prayer of Petition
In the literal sense, a petition is a formal
written plea with legal demands. A petitioner writes according to legal
guidelines and makes his request in such a way as to convince the one he is
presenting his petition to. It is also defined as a solemn entreaty; a
supplication or request appealing to an authority, or an earnest
or humble appeal for something or to someone.
The prayer of petition does entail much
seriousness; it’s an earnest request accompanied with a great deal of
intensity. However, its effectiveness or efficacy doesn’t necessarily have to
do with lengthiness. You can make far-reaching impact in your world and turn
circumstances around in just a few minutes through the prayer of petition.
“I exhort therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all
men” (1Timothy 2:1).
The word ‘supplications’ here also means ‘petitions’
or ‘entreaties.’ So, put differently, Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy to
make petitions a priority in his prayers.
Praying According To The Will Of God
Another passage of Scripture that talks about
‘petition’ is 1 John 5:I4–15:
“And this is the confidence that we have in
Him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we
know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him.”
Since praying according to the will of God is
the key ingredient for success in the prayer of petition, it is important for
us to understand exactly what it means to “ask according to God’s will.”
Many Christians have assumed, mostly as a
result of their misconception of the Scriptures, that the reason they didn’t
receive answers to their prayers was because such prayers weren’t in line with
God’s Will for them. They assume God didn’t want them to have what they were
asking for. But this is an
erroneous interpretation of God’s Word in the
context of prayer. Let’s look at the Scripture again:
“And this is the confidence that we have in
him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we
know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14-15).
Those who hold that mistaken notion that their prayers
weren’t answered because they didn’t pray according to God’s will fail to
understand that the Holy Spirit’s emphasis in this scripture isn’t primarily the
consistency of their request with God’s will, but their exclusive privilege of
having a hearing with God. Furthermore, when He tells us to ask according to God’s will, He isn’t talking about “WHAT” we ask for, but “HOW” we
ask for it. In other words, the way and manner we present our petitions ought
to
be consistent with God’s stipulated pattern. It’s
important to know, therefore, how to ask the Father according to His will for
asking.
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it
you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that
your joy may be full…At that day ye shall ask in my name…” (John 16:23-24, 26).
Jesus, at this instance, introduced the exclusive deal—the
new, acceptable way of asking from God. When you make requests to the Father in
Jesus’ Name, you’re actually functioning in Jesus’ stead. It’s as though Jesus
were the one making that request.
You know, some religious folks consider praying directly
to the Father a sacrilege; they’d rather resort to intermediaries such as Mary,
or the Apostles, or some “saint.” Some others think the best they can attain to
is commune with Jesus, who will then intercede for them with God. But that’s
exactly what Jesus said He won’t do: “In
that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;
for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed
that I came
forth from God” (John 16:26-27).
The Father doesn’t need anyone to plead with Him before
He does something for you or grants your request. He loves you unconditionally!
And all He wants is for you to ask according to His will—in the Name of Jesus—and
it’s yours. His will for asking therefore is in the Name of Jesus.
(For further teaching on praying in
the Name of Jesus, get my book titled Praying The Right Way.)
CHAPTER THREE STILL TO COME!!!!!
CHAPTER THREE STILL TO COME!!!!!
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