19 - HOW TO PRAYFebruary 26, 1961
Henry F. Kulp
Ephesians 6: 18, 19 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Notice the Lord says here, praying always—and then, with all prayer. After you have all the armor on, there is something that must never be omitted. It is praying always. For you see, that the armored believer is utterly dependent upon God, and prayer is the source of his dependence. The important thought is praying always. The trouble with many of us is that we pray only when we get into difficulty. When times are hard and circumstances are going against us. Then we remember that God says we are to pray.
1/ God declares in His Word that He will not hear the prayer of the wicked, Needless to say, He will not hear the prayer of those who are unsaved. You say, prove that God does not answer the prayer of the unsaved. In this dispensation, God says we are to pray in the Spirit. How can an unsaved person pray in the Spirit, when he does not have the Holy Spirit? It is impossible for an unsaved person to pray in the Spirit. But then, notice, it is impossible for a believer to pray if he is not praying in the Spirit. Certainly, I cannot pray in the Spirit, if I am harboring a grudge against my brother, if I have unconfessed sin in my life. I can only pray in the spirit when I am walking in the Spirit and living in the Spirit.
2/ There are many believers who say very boastfully and loudly—I believe prayer works because I’ve had prayers answered. But then, when a serious episode occurs in their life, when things start going against them, they begin to be in doubt because their prayers are not answered the way they think they ought to be answer, and so the only thing they can do is doubt the efficiency of prayer, but of course, the answer is, we must pray in the Spirit. Oh, that men and women would only understand in this day and age what prayer is in this present dispensation.
3/ It is necessary for us to see that prayer is not the same in every dispensation.
Matthew 21: 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
For notice, all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall have it. Ye shall receive it. That is not the order of the day.
First of all, we know it is not the order of the day for God has not promised us physical, worldly things. He has not said that if we pray for physical, worldly things, He will promise us to have them.
Let us compare this to Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
In the other He says, whatsoever we shall ask—here it is we do not know what to ask for, again it is praying in the Spirit, because the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, our weakness. What a difference exists in this prayer in this dispensation over the Kingdom age when things were worldly, when things were material.
4/ At a very early age I was taught the folly of not rightly dividing the Word. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I can remember the time when my mother became desperately ill, and I begged her to get a doctor, but she said, No, we do not need a doctor, we are just going to have faith in God. And I can remember the woman who was a Bible teacher, who had misled my mother. She came to our home, and with my father they read, Matthew 18: 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
What a wonderful promise! I saw this woman and my father pray that way, believing. But my mother, instead of getting better, got worse. It was only at the very desperate part she called in a doctor and had health restored. I did not understand then, I was unsaved, but I did believe the Bible was the Word of God, and I can remember at the time my faith in the Bible was shaken. The answer is this Scripture is not for our present day and age by correct interpretation.
5/ With this in mind, let us go back to Ephesians 6: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
At the end of the word, prayer, is the idea of a wish. At the root of the word, supplication, is the idea of the word, fear. There is a difference here. It is not a matter that if two of us agree on something and ask God for it, and God will give it to us, but we have the word, prayer, that has been the idea of the word, wishing. We wish this to be true, but we do not demand it of God. We do not say, Lord, this is what it has to be. This is very clear when we turn to Philippians 4: 6, 7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Where it tells us, but in everything by prayer, that means wish, and then supplication which has the thought of fear in it, let your requests, not your demands, but your requests, be known unto God. What a difference! No praying, Lord, heal! No praying, Lord this is what I want. NOT AT ALL.
6/ So prayer has in it the idea of pouring out of one’s heart desire. The word, supplication, with the idea of fear, is the expression of a need. So we have a need, and we let it be made known unto God, but we do not demand anything from God.
7/ Now, praying always. Paul could certainly say he prayed without ceasing. During that time when Paul was covering the sea and land, preaching the gospel, founding the churches, working with his hands, suffering hardship for the truth, he prayed without ceasing—without leaving off. Now, it is good to kneel or stand when we pray. It is good to close our eyes and fold our hands. It is good to turn aside, to withdraw to a quiet room to pray, but all these may be dispensed with. Paul would pray as he walked, and he talked, as he worked. He could pray without ceasing, without closing a watchful eye, or folding the laboring hand. Let us not confound true prayer with mysticism. To kneel for a long time in silence may be to some folks the highest form of worship, but I do not believe so. We should be in an attitude of communion with God, that is praying always without ceasing.
8/ Of course, it is folly to pray if we have sin in our lives. In the very first chapter of Proverbs we have a principle that runs throughout the entire Bible.
Proverbs 1: 24 - 31 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: or that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
How many times this has to happen to a believer because he refuses to walk with God. When calamity comes he cries out to God, and the Heavens are as brass. What I am driving at in this day and age, when we walk contrary to God, when we pray then we find no comfort at all in prayer. You can’t be out of sorts with God, out of fellowship with God, and then in a moment’s time when you are in a calamity, just turn to God and expect to find comfort in prayer. There can be none. First you must set your house in order, confess your sins and flee from your sins, and then go to God in prayer.
9/ Again folks say anyone can pray. God will hear the prayer of anyone. Ask Elijah if that is true. Remember when Elijah had the prophets of Baal praying, and he mocked them in their praying? He said, you are not praying to the real God, you are praying to the devil.
10/ Of course this is true of all who do not come in prayer to the true God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Just take one of the gods of India—Ram—among the million gods of that country, Ram is one of the most prominent. In a certain city, several hundred years ago, a devotee of this Ram established a trust fund, and the income from this trust fund was to be spent in nothing but prayers to Ram. Twenty-four hours a day in a certain large hall which is open to the gaze of tourists, women gather in the hall in exchange for a bowl of rice, and do nothing but chant the name of this god – Ram – Ram – Ram – Ram. The cry continues day and night, Ram – Ram – Ram – Ram. Several centuries this name has been chanted in cadence, and a preacher who was there timed it as 100 cries to the minute. The name of Ram has been chanted 6,000 times an hour an hour, 144,000 times a day, or 52 million, 560 thousand times a year. Or approximately five and a quarter billion times in the last century. But have they been praying to God? Of course not. They have been praying to the devil, for Ram is a demon god.
11/ Then, notice, Paul says we are to pray for all saints. How selfish it is only to pray for yourself and your loved ones and for their needs. You are not only to pray for your friends, but you are to pray for all the saints. You are to pray for all the saints throughout all of the world, for every saint should be in the battle with Satan and he needs prayer.
And then, how many times do we pray only for people who are our friends, when they are sick or in trouble.
Harry Ironsides told a story of a time when he was sick. He was sick with typhoid fever for six weeks, and the word reached an assembly, and they prayed for him twice a week. They had two prayer meetings a week and their hearts were greatly burdened, but as soon as they found that he was well, they didn’t think about him too much, they didn’t pray for him, they stopped the two prayer meetings a week for him. And so he met one of the leaders of this assembly, and he said, why did you stop praying for me? When I was flat on my back, I did not have any trouble with the devil, but when I am strong and well, and I have to go out and face the foe, I need prayer far more at that time. The leader of this assembly looked at him in amazement and said, I never thought of it that way. Yes, when things are going well, is when people need prayer, from other believers.
12/ And how much trouble could be spared if Christians would pray for one another, rather than criticize one another.
13/ Then notice, in verse 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
(And for me) What modesty and true humility in these words, and for me. Paul said, Be sure to pray for me, I need your prayers.
Now, notice what Paul wants them to pray for. Pray that he might have an open door, that utterance might be given unto him, and that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel. Is it possible that Paul was fearful of opening his mouth? Were there times when he was not bold in proclaiming the truth? Oh yes, I am sure there were times when it was hard for him. I am sure there are times when he was tongue-tied, when he had fear and trembling in his heart. Paul was not God, he was just a man saved by grace, even though a great man for God.
Let us look at some Scriptures to see about Paul.
I Corinthians 2: 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Here he says, he knew what it was to be tongue-tied, to minister with fear and in much trembling. This gives me comfort because this has happened to me many times, and here is this man of God, Paul, he felt the same way. Did Paul ever need assurance that God was with him? Oh, yes. Was Paul ever afraid, absolutely.
Acts 18: 9, 10 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
Notice what the Lords says, Be not afraid, but speak. Was not his fear indicated in the added words, for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee. Of course, Paul was afraid. So are you, but receive comfort from this fact. Paul said, You pray for me, and so we should praying one for another.
14/ I believe Paul was a scholar, and scholars have a disliking for physical contact, for a physical blow. They are super-sensitive to criticism, but yet never turned back, and notice what he says in Philippians 1: 20 That with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. Paul says, you pray that this might be true in my life, that I might be bold.
15/ Then notice, Watching thereunto for with all perseverance and supplication. There must be weariness.
Matthew 26: 40, 41 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The disciples slept when they should have been praying, and our Lord said, What, could ye not watch with Me on hour? Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Spiritual drowsiness opens the gate to the enemy, so let us attend to our prayer—continue instant in prayer.
16/ Notice, he wanted to make known the mystery of the Gospel. Let us compare this where he asked them to pray that God would open a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ.
Colossians 4: 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
The Mystery is something that the world hates, that the devil hates. He does not mind when we proclaim legalism, but He does not want us to proclaim the true grace message that is for today, that Christ is doing something brand new, and that no matter what we do we cannot help ourselves. We have to have the grace of God in our hearts—the devil hates this message, he despises this message. And therefore we need boldness as Paul did to proclaim this truth. How many times we find the devil hates us and has people also who work for him who hate this message.
17/ Then notice, I am an ambassador in bonds. What a remarkable declaration. He was in bonds but he was still an ambassador.
II Corinthians 5: 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
He says that we are to be ambassadors, pleading with men and woman in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. Even though he was in chains, even though he was in prison, he was still an ambassador. Bonds or no bonds, in chains or no chains, he was an ambassador.
18/ Have you ever thought about that phrase, I am an ambassador? In bonds?
An ambassador comes from another country here to Washington, he has his many medals and decorations on him, but here is the ambassador of the highest court of Heaven, and he says, You want to see my decorations? And he points to his chains and he says, I am an ambassador in chains.
Someone has well said, God is not going to look over us for medals or for decorations, but for scars to see what we have endured for Christ’s sake. Paul was suffering, afflicted, and jailed ambassador. What a glorious truth this is.
What type of ambassador are you? You may complain and talk about not having health, money, position. You may not have the intelligence to do great jobs, you may not be able to sing our teach, but God wants you to be an ambassador there in that situation, right where you are.
AMEN
Ref: 02/26/1961 / 19 - HOW TO PRAY / 12/09/2020
