The title of our little devotional this evening is “Four Kinds of Prayer” similar to “How to Pray.” But that can leave as bad a taste in one’s mouth – as bad as “12 Ways in which to Lead People to Christ.” It might be as silly as a book on “The Methods of Breathing.” And yet, if someone really wanted to, he could make a list of different ways to breathe. There is gasping for breath, wheezing, deep or shallow breathing, puffing, panting, huffing and so on. And we probably should have a paragraph on “holding one’s breath” as well. We don’t usually think about breathing, until we are asked to describe someone breathing.
As I was thinking about prayer, I came up with four kinds or methods of prayer.
Is PRIVATE PRAYER the most important?
Matthew 6:5-8 – “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
The man who longs to be seen in prayer or to be heard praying is NOT a man of prayer. When Jesus said “but thou” in verse 6 he was stressing the superiority of private prayer to public prayer. This is one area where the hypocrite is separated from the holy man. There are demands in private prayer which some people aren’t willing to meet? The Lord speaks of three things – separation, seclusion and secrecy. He suggests a special place, a specific time, and unspoiled seclusion. Don’t “inner chamber” and “shut the door” suggest special place – maybe even a regular place? As a general rule, if personal prayer is not methodically practiced, it will be methodically postponed. I proven that to be true. But when we have a special place and a regular time for prayer, it is conducive to a stronger prayer life. The logical place might be your bedroom or a study, den or family room when the family is not there. It could be the kitchen table, if and when it is possible to be alone there. It should be some place that can be yours alone to some time regularly every day. It might have to be the bathroom – when its not being used as a bathroom.
There should be also be a set and specific time. For most people the morning is best, because we are usually most alert then – less likely to fall asleep. But there might be better time for other people. How long? How much time should be set aside for this season of prayer? The length of time may not be as important as the regularity and the seriousness we invest.
And what should that prayer time include? There are no rules found in the Bible, so we just have to let the Lord answer that question. Should it have some more regularity and symmetry to it? What about reading a some scripture, permitting the Lord to speak to you before you speak to Him. Speaking of symmetry, perhaps beginning with 1 or 2 points of thanksgiving – different things each day. I need the help of a prayer list, because I often focus on one or two things and forget others. And while you pray about the temporal needs you and others have, perhaps deliberately concluding with spiritual things would be a blessing. And somewhere in there pray for me “that utterance may be given unto me, that I may speak the Word with boldness.”
I have found that when I have regular private prayer in my life, the other kinds of prayer take on new life.
A second variety we might call EXPLOSIVE PRAYER.
I wasn’t able to spend a lot of time researching this message, and I couldn’t think of specific scriptures. But I hope that you’ll be able to visualize this kind of prayer. This is that instantaneous call to God at some moment of special crisis or need. Your unsaved acquaintance has raised some theological question or a difficult subject has come up. You hesitate to answer as your heart reaches out to God, “Lord help me to say the right thing!” Or maybe you have tripped on a rock and you are heading to the ground, “God help!” Why is it that people sometimes sense time going into slow motion in those moments of crisis? Could it be that the Lord is giving you time to call out His name? But then again, perhaps your heart doesn’t have time to verbalize its need; it just inwardly shouts, “Help!”
I’m not sure we can have this kind of prayer in us, if we aren’t experienced in private prayer and the method which I’ll address next.
The Bible clearly teaches the possibility of PERPETUAL PRAYER.
Of what is I Thessalonians 5:17 speaking if it isn’t of perpetual prayer? “Pray without ceasing.” How can I pray while I am preaching the Word of God? I can see how I could pray while I’m brushing my teeth or taking a shower; that’s easy. And maybe I can pray while driving the car and walking through the parking lot to the grocery store. But how can I pray when my mind is being forced to focus on some important instructions? How can I pray while I’m reading that history book on the early Baptists of Kentucky? I think it comes down to a recognition of the Lord’s continual presence with us. When we learn that we are never out of the presence of our Lord…. When we come to realize that the Lord is monitoring every thought and every step we take…. When we run every thought and word through the scanning equipment of the Holy Spirit… When we learn to put our every sentence and thought into the presence of the Lord…. Then all those thoughts, words and sentences take on a holiness and sanctification which bring them and us into the throne room of the Lord.
Perpetual prayer doesn’t require a specific time or place; it doesn’t require time at all. There is no necessity for specific “prayerful” words – visualization and verbalization. But it does require personal experiential salvation. It involves the filling of the Holy Spirit and constant repentance, self-surrender and humility. 98% of us are too filled with ourselves to be very consistent with unceasing prayer.
Our fourth variety of prayer is the PUBLIC kind.
Matthew 18:19-20 – “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. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Which is the most important method of prayer? Wouldn’t we have to answer that without a good solid private relationship with the Lord, the others would not be worth much? Even if that is true, it doesn’t mean that we should neglect public prayer.
Years ago, in one of my other churches, a member asked me not to call on him in prayer. He had been a sailor most of his life, and he said that when he gets nervous, words unbecoming a Christian sometimes pop out of his mouth. I never called on him to lead in prayer. But what was the cause of his problem? Didn’t it reflect on his lack of current spirituality, not his former sinfulness?
Christ encourages group prayer – semipublic and public prayer. That can be in church and in the family – and elsewhere. Doesn’t He suggest that where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is enthroned there? It is implied that these people are gathered together for the purpose of worship and prayer. It is suggested that they are willing to do the Lord’s will both in the asking and in the fulfilling of those prayer requests. The context of Matthew 18 is a church.
What should be the characteristics of Public Prayer? There should be some distinctness and definiteness – some purpose and deliberation. We should pull out that personal prayer list and perhaps a group prayer list as well. Many people so generalize their prayers until they are vaporized. Should there be a difference in our boldness between private and public prayers? Should we be any less submissive and humble when we are praying in public? Should we be dramatic and demonstrative?
In each of these kinds of prayer we need to be submissive to the Lord’s will. We should be willing to seek the Lord’s will; pray for the Lord’s will; and do the Lord’s will. A father found his little boy kneeling in an attitude of prayer, mumbling away. He came up closer to try to hear what his son was saying. He heard, “A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I……W, X, Y, Z.” When he was finished, Dad asked, “What were you doing just now?” The little boy said that he didn’t know what to pray about… “So I was giving God all the letters and letting him put them together any way He wanted.” Maybe that is an illustration of submission to the Lord in our prayers.
Philippians 4:6 reminds us to always include thanksgiving. Other scriptures tell us to beseech God in the Name of the Lord, ie. Reaching out to divine authority. And of course, another message should be dedicated to praying in faith – trusting God for answers according to His will. And then our concluding point ought to be “without fainting.” You may have been praying about some subject or some person for years. Don’t quit. Faint not.