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Prayer and Recognizing God's Sovereignty in Action

Prayer is understood as direct communication with God, an "intercourse of the soul with God" that involves addressing Him directly rather than merely contemplating or meditating on Him [1]. It can take various forms, including oral or mental, spontaneous or structured, and can be expressed through actions such as "beseeching the Lord," "pouring out the soul," "crying to heaven," or "bowing the knees" [1, 4]. The act of prayer inherently assumes a belief in God's personal nature and His willingness and ability to engage with humanity [1].

Scripture commands believers to pray, as seen in passages like Isaiah 55:6, Matthew 7:7, and Philippians 4:6 [4]. Prayer is directed toward God the Father (Psalm 5:2), Christ (Luke 23:42, Acts 7:59), and the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 3:5), and is offered through Christ (Ephesians 2:18, Hebrews 10:19) [4]. The Bible describes prayer using vivid imagery, such as lifting up the soul or heart (Psalm 25:1, Lamentations 3:41), pouring out the heart or soul (Psalm 62:8, 1 Samuel 1:15), calling upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 12:8, Acts 22:16), and crying to God (Psalm 27:7, 34:6) [4]. The gesture of stretching out hands is also associated with worship and prayer [10].

The concept of God's sovereignty is central to understanding prayer. God's power is described as one of His attributes, characterized as great, strong, glorious, mighty, everlasting, sovereign, effectual, irresistible, and incomparable [7]. This divine power is expressed through His voice, finger, hand, and arm [7]. The Bible does not offer a theoretical explanation for the "mystery" of prayer's efficacy, particularly when considering the tension between general laws governing the world and human agency [2]. However, it consistently affirms that God hears and answers prayers (Psalm 10:17, 65:2, 99:6, Isaiah 58:9) [4].

The Lord's Prayer, taught by Jesus to His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4), serves as a model for prayer [6]. It is a succinct expression of faith, compressing a wide variety of needs and requests into a few petitions [6]. This prayer contrasts with the "vain repetition of pagan prayers" and is a model of simplicity [9]. Jesus' frequent address to God as "Father" was notable, as it was less common in Jewish prayer at the time [9]. The petition "may your name be kept holy" acknowledges that God's name can be profaned by human sin [9].

Recognizing God's sovereignty in action through prayer involves acknowledging His ultimate control and power. When believers pray, they are engaging with a God whose "arm of the Lord" is understood as Christ or God Himself, who is always "awake to do them good" [13]. This understanding encourages a public-spirited approach to prayer, focusing on the concerns of God's church and kingdom, as seen in the psalmist's prayer for deliverance [11]. Even in judicial and governmental matters, God's supreme presidency and power are asserted, indicating that all authority is under His eye and hand [12]. The "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man" is said to "avail much," moving the hand of God who governs the world [5]. This highlights that prayer is not an attempt to change God's mind against His will, but rather an alignment with His sovereign purposes, trusting that He will act in accordance with His character and promises [3, 8].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
  2. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — The object of this article will be to touch briefly on-- + The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer; + Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer; + Its types and examples of prayer. + Scripture does not give any theoretical explanation of the mystery which attaches to prayer. The difficulty of understanding real efficacy arises chiefly from two sources: from the belief that man lives under general laws, which in all cases must be fulfilled unalterably; and the opposing belief that he is master of his own destiny, and need ”
  3. Psalms “Psalms 105:45 (BSB) — that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Effectual prayer — Occurs in Authorized Version, James 5:16. The Revised Version renders appropriately: "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working", i.e., "it moves the hand of Him who moves the world."”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Prayer — the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays."--Lange. "This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion,--sentiments which”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- Ps 62:11. Expressed by the Voice of God. -- Ps 29:3,5; 68:33. Finger of God. -- Ex 8:19; Ps 8:3. Hand of God. -- Ex 9:3,15; Isa 48:13. Arm of God. -- Job 40:9; Isa 52:10. Thunder of his power. -- Job 26:14. Described as Great. -- Ps 79:11; Na 1:3. Strong. -- Ps 89:13; 136:12. Glorious. -- Ex 15:6; Isa 63:12. Mighty. -- Job 9:4; Ps 89:13. Everlasting. -- Isa 26:4; Ro 1:20. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:21. Effectual. -- Isa 43:13; Eph 3:7. Irresistible. -- De 32:39; Da 4:35. Incomparable. -- Ex 15:11,12; De 3:24; Job 40:9; Ps 89:8.”
  8. Psalms “Psalms 105:1 (BSB) — Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.”
  9. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
  10. Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 44:20: A solemn appeal to God to witness their constancy. stretched out . . . hands--gesture of worship (Exo 9:29; Psa 88:9).”
  11. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 108:6: We may here learn how to pray as well as praise. 1. We must be public-spirited in prayer, and bear upon our hearts, at the throne of grace, the concerns of the church of God, Psa 108:6. It is God's beloved, and therefore must be ours; and therefore we must pray for its deliverance, and reckon that we are answered if God grant what we ask for his church, though he delay to give us what we ask for ourselves. "Save thy church, and thou answerest me; I have what I would have." Let the earth be filled with God's glory, and the prayers of David are ended (Psa 72:19, Ps”
  12. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 82:1: We have here, I. God's supreme presidency and power in all councils and courts asserted and laid down, as a great truth necessary to be believed both by princes and subjects (Psa 82:1): God stands, as chief director, in the congregation of the mighty, the mighty One, in coetu fortis - in the councils of the prince, the supreme magistrate, and he judges among the gods, the inferior magistrates; both the legislative and the executive power of princes is under his eye and his hand. Observe here, 1. The power and honour of magistrates; they are the mighty. They are so”
  13. Isaiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Isaiah 51:9: In these verses we have, I. A prayer that God would, in his providence, appear and act for the deliverance of his people and the mortification of his and their enemies. Awake, awake! put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Isa 51:9. The arm of the Lord is Christ, or it is put for God himself, as Psa 44:23. Awake! why sleepest thou? He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; but, when we pray that he would awake, we mean that he would make it to appear that he watches over his people and is always awake to do them good. The arm of the Lord is said to awake when ”
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