Copyright © 1997 Peter Wade.
From the book, You Are A New Creation, now back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation".
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You Are A New Creation
3. Prayer and the New Creation
An understanding of the greatness of the New Creation demands a fresh look at the subject of prayer. The large range of books about prayer and containing prayers seen in Christian bookstores would seem to indicate a constant dissatisfaction with the believer's prayer life, otherwise these books would not sell. It will be helpful to first consider the popular concept of prayer.
If I wanted a sub-title for this chapter, I would use this phrase, "Practising the Absence of God", to misquote Brother Lawrence. So much that passes for prayer would fit very well under that heading. I remember driving across Indiana on one occasion and since it was Sunday I was listening to various religious programs on the car radio. One preacher on a popular broadcast was talking about prayer. He said that the prayer that moved God was like coming up to a door and knocking so hard and so long that the knuckles were bruised and blood was dripping down the door! I thought that he must have had a different God than I have. I do not see prayer as a knuckle-bruising exercise before results are evident.
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| | | It also worries me when Christians use prayer as blackmail, "Lord, get me out of this situation and I'll do this or that for you, I'll give this or that to you." How can believers possibly think they can blackmail God into action? Surely that is not prayer. I also get concerned when I hear Christians using prayer like a supermarket shopping list, "Lord, give me this, and this, and this." Prayer is surely not a daily visit to the spiritual supermarket. Sometimes I see signs in Christian homes that declare, "Prayer Changes Things." Prayer never changes things; prayer will change you; and when your attitude to "things" changes, then you will see results independent of circumstances.
One further popular concept is particularly damaging, and that is that prayer will change the mind of God regarding a specific matter. Prayer does not alter the mind of God; it will alter your mind towards God. Prayer does not condition the mind of God about your needs; it conditions your mind to receive the supply of all your needs. God already knows what you need, according to Matthew 6:32-33, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Are you a part of His kingdom? Do you have His righteousness? Every believer does, according to New Testament scriptures (Colossians 1:13; II Corinthians 5:21). Then the things that the Father knows you need, you already have -- for you are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10) and are blessed with all spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Prayer, then, does not alter the mind of God. He has already made it plain that He has provided the best for you -- why would any believer want to alter God's mind about that!
The complete book is back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation"!
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57 MP3 Teachings!