Did you know not all prayers are heard? God does turn His ear away sometimes. A prayer can contain many different aspects to it and does not have to follow specific guidelines. However, we can learn from the Bible appropriate and inappropriate ways to pray by learning different elements of prayer.
Prayer is not a sure fire protection against error for the reason that there are many kinds of prayer and some of them are worse than useless. The prophets of Baal leaped upon the altar in a frenzy of prayer, but their cries went unregarded because they prayed to a god that did not exist. The God the Pharisees prayed to did exist, but He refused to listen to them because of their self-righteousness and pride. From them, we may well learn a profitable lesson in reverse. In spite of the difficulties we encounter when we pray, prayer is a powerful and effective way to get right, stay right[,] and stay free from error.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
All things else being equal, the praying man is less likely to think wrong than the man who neglects to pray.
“Men ought always to pray, not not to faint.” (Luke 18:1)
AW Tozer Sermon, Prayer and Faith
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ACTS…
It can be pretty intimidating to think that not all prayers are accepted; unfortunately, the Bible does make continual references to the Lord turning His face away or not listening when those making requests are not living in right relationship with Him. A state of humility and awe are never out of season.
A helpful mnemonic device can be used to guide our prayers as well as remind us of who we are praying to and why.
ACTS. Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication.
The first 3 are all pretty self-explanatory and present an order of importance we should not ignore. Starting with adoration is another way of honoring the 10 Commandments, it is ensuring we put God first, that He is who He say he is and is as powerful and mighty as we know Him to be.
To confess is to come with humility with a right understanding of who you are, especially in comparison to God. We sin, even unintentionally, and need to admit that to God, to rightly see Him as the one we sinned against.
To offer up thanksgiving shows respect, an understanding if you will that displays everything you have has been gifted by Him; even that every trial has been for your ultimate benefit.
Finally, supplication, when you ask God for something. This is last for a reason. It is not wrong to request or plead with God to change things; there are examples of this throughout the Bible. Coming to God only when we want or need something, as though He is a genie to grant reprieve and an easy life is the wrong approach. Nor is it representative of the God of the Bible (or what our attitude should be toward Him).
Solomon’s prayer…
Solomon had just finished building God’s temple, a permanent place for God to dwell on earth. A symbol, if you will, for people to look toward that God was with them. It took the place of the temporary tent structure they took with them in the desert that housed the ark.
When it was complete, Solomon held a huge celebration and brought the ark to its home and God filled the temple with His presence.
He offered up a prayer of dedication that includes the elements of prayer (ACTS) throughout. Not only that, but if we jump back to 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon’s request for wisdom was granted. He rightfully understood his place compared to God and made a humble request.
Again, we see at this point in Solomon’s life that he understood his place compared to God; he not only dedicated the temple but taught the Israelites a foundation to approach the Lord with requests.
And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
1 Kings 8:30-53, emphasis added
Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
1 Kings 8:59-61, emphasis added
There are many if-then statements for a reason; it serves as a guide for an aligned heart to make requests for God to hear and act.
Answers to prayer…
God answers our prayers, period. It can be an immediate ‘yes’, a delayed ‘yes’, or even a ‘no’. In these sets of chapters, we see the answer to some of Solomon’s prayers already answered!
Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.
1 Kings 8:59-60, emphasis added
Shortly thereafter, the Queen of Sheba visits after hearing of his fame. He blows her away with the wisdom God granted him.
Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.
1 Kings 10:9
In the following verses, 14-23, we are shown that God heard Solomon’s request for wisdom, answered ‘yes’, and then He fulfills his ‘yes’ with abundant extras. The elements of prayer with a humble heart are well-received from God.
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
1 Kings 3:10-13, emphasis added
Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield. And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
1 Kings 10:14-23, emphasis added
In addition to the answer Solomon received to his prayer request (1 Kings 8:59-60) from the Queen of Sheba, again God showcases His ‘yes’ answer.
And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.
1 Kings 10:24
A future ‘yes’ answer…
A foreshadowing, if you will, also occurred in King Solomon’s prayer of dedication:
If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
1 Kings 8:46-53
The period of Israel as it’s own nation living in the land God gifted them was short-lived, as prophesied here. The period of the Kings ended with a remnant being taken captive to a foreign land. They would eventually return (Ezra and Nehemiah) to rebuild the temple and dwell again in the land the Lord had given them.
The elements of prayer…
The elements of prayer help train our minds to see God in rightful place within our relationship.
Solomon’s words best offer a rightful attitude when approaching the throne of God:
The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. … Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.
1 Kings 8:57-58,61
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