Prayer as Confession and Faith in Action
Prayer is defined as direct address to God, an intercourse of the soul with the divine, which can be oral or mental, spontaneous or formal [1]. It is characterized in Scripture as "beseeching the Lord" (Exodus 32:11), "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:15), and "drawing near to God" (Psalm 73:28) [1, 4]. Prayer presupposes a belief in God's personality, His ability, and His willingness to engage with humanity [1].
Confession, as an element of prayer, involves both an open profession of faith and an acknowledgment of sins [7]. The Bible encourages believers to confess their offenses to one another and pray for each other for healing (James 5:16) [2, 7]. This act of confession in prayer requires sincerity, where the inner attitudes and thoughts of the one praying align with the words uttered [10]. It also implies a commitment to justice, living according to God's laws, and righteousness, relating to others in accordance with God's moral standards [10]. Such prayer necessitates a profound transformation of one's inner life and outward conduct [10].
Faith is intrinsically linked to prayer, as it is the persuasion of the mind that a statement is true, leading to trust [6]. This trust is not a passive assent but a "working reality" that manifests itself through actions [9]. The Apostle Paul, in Philemon 1:6, prays that the "partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ" [3]. This suggests that faith is active and productive, leading to a full recognition of the blessings received in Christ [3]. The "work of faith" implies its complete development [9].
Scripture commands prayer (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6) and indicates that it should be offered to God, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit, always through Christ (Psalm 5:2; Matthew 4:10; Luke 23:42; Acts 7:59; 2 Thessalonians 3:5; Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:19) [4]. God is depicted as hearing and answering prayers (Psalm 10:17; 65:2; 99:6; Isaiah 58:9) [4]. The efficacy of prayer, while a mystery, is consistently affirmed in Scripture, which provides examples and directions for its practice [8]. For instance, believers are exhorted to pray "at every time in the Spirit, and watching to this same thing with all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18 LITV) [5].
Sources
- 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”
- James “Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective. -- James 5:16”
- Philemon “Philemon 1:6 (BSB) — I pray that your partnership in the faith may become effective as you fully acknowledge every good thing that is ours in Christ.”
- 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”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 6:18 (LITV) — through all prayer and petition, praying at every time in the Spirit, and watching to this same thing with all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Faith — Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Confession — (1) An open profession of faith (Luke 12:8). (2.) An acknowledment of sins to God (Lev. 16:21; Ezra 9:5-15; Dan. 9:3-12), and to a neighbour whom we have wronged (James 5:16; Matt. 18:15).”
- 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 ”
- 1 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Thessalonians 1:3: work of faith--the working reality of your faith; its alacrity in receiving the truth, and in evincing itself by its fruits. Not an otiose assent; but a realizing, working faith; not "in word only," but in one continuous chain of "work" (singular, not plural, works), Th1 1:5-10; Jam 2:22. So "the work of faith" in Th2 1:11 implies its perfect development (compare Jam 1:4). The other governing substantives similarly mark respectively the characteristic manifestation of the grace which follows each in the genitive. Faith, love, and hope, are the ”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 4:2: 4:2 As surely as the Lord lives: The correct attitude when offering a prayer of confession and making oaths reflects truth, justice, and righteousness. Truth means that the inner attitudes and thoughts of those praying match the words they utter. Justice means living by the laws of the Lord, who will judge the earth. Righteousness means that people relate to others in accordance with the Lord’s Spirit and the moral standards he has established. This kind of prayer requires a radical transformation of people’s inner lives and outer lifestyle (Gen 22:18; Deut 10:20”