"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matt. 21:22).

Of the many positive reinforcements of our Christian lives, perhaps none are more strengthening and encouraging than seeing answers to prayer. Yet practically speaking, we see much less of this than we should. This article will not seek to go into the many faults and failures of our prayer life - rather, it will seek to encourage saints to pray more, and to 'pray believing.' It is most gratifying to note from Scripture that the persons of the Godhead, in their own individual capacity and way, are collectively very interested in our prayer life and are waiting and ready to hear us pray, help us pray, understand fully our burdens in praying, and answer them, according to the will of our gracious God.

The Heavenly Father Knows (Matt. 6:8)

The Lord, in His tremendous message from the mount concerning His kingdom, touches almost every aspect of kingdom living; and so many of the instructions, as to the character of kingdom saints, are meant to touch our lives in a special way today, therefore it is no wonder He deals with prayer. He chides the hypocrites for public praying for self- glorification, and meaningless repetitions that waste both God's time and that of the supplicants. Then after He instructs them to pray in secret (with a promise of open reward), and before He gives His disciples the great format for prayer, He makes a remarkable statement, "Your Heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask Him." Rather than general requests and all-inclusive prayers, perhaps we should be a people bringing to our Heavenly Father specific needs and requests. God wants us to trust Him, not only in the major dilemmas and catastrophes, but perhaps more importantly in the small, individual and specific needs of each exacting moment of our everyday lives. This is what Solomon had in mind when he wrote "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart... in all thy ways acknowledge Him (Prov. 3:5-6). James says, "Ye have not, because we ask not" (Jas. 4:2). May we bring more and more before a loving Heavenly Father, who knows our every need before we ask him! In so doing, we entrust Him with an increasing part of our lives and ourselves, and the more God-conscious we become. We then learn more of His will for our lives, and will recognize in ourselves and others the same needs He recognizes in us. It is then that we can more intelligently and moment-by-moment pray to our Heavenly Father, who knows.

The Holy Spirit Understands (Rom. 8:26-27)

John Bunyan once said, "When thou prayest, rather let thy heart be without words than thy words without heart." Have you ever fallen on your knees in great burden of heart and exercise before the Lord, and found that you didn't know exactly how to pray, or even what to say? Child of God, be encouragaed in this great fact, the Holy Spirit, in the times of our deep distress, is making intercession for us with groanings that words cannot express. It is an encouragement to us to pray believing that the Spirit Himself is carrying the burdens of our hearts directly to the Father, and is praying for the saints according to the will of God. The word translated 'infirmities' means our sicknesses, weaknesses and frailties; it is the same root word and medical term 'asthenia', which means a lack of strength and energy. How comforting to know that in the often seeming weakness of our prayers, the Holy Spirit who understands, helps! And again, it is the Father who knows, searches the hearts of the saints, and knows fully the mind of the Spirit. He then allows the Holy Spirit, who fully understands our every weakness, to make intercession for us.

The High Priest Cares (Heb. 4:14-16)

The writer to the Hebrews takes great care throughout his book to develop the truth that in every way, the Lord Jesus is greater than anyone the Hebrews had ever known before. And in his dealing with the subject of the Lord's service as our Great High Priest, we find some of the most comforting and beautiful language in Scripture. The high priest in Israel's camp was constantly moving about in his duties, conscious of the never-forgiven sins of the people, and carrying their names on his breastplate. Probably foremost in his mind as well was the fact that he was one of them, and subject to the same failures and sin. But when he carried the blood of an unwilling sacrifice into the holiest, he came before a God who 'could not be touched,' and offered a symbol which at best could only cover sins, but never put them away permanently.

How wonderful to see contrasted in the Book of Hebrews, our great High Priest, who truly cares for His people. This Man can be and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (same word). He was here, and became one of us, apart from sin, and not only carries our names on His heart, but bore our infirmities on the cross (Matt. 8:17). This willing and totally spotless sacrifice who offered His own blood, and Himself to God, is now actively interceding for us in the presence of the Father. And best of all, He cares! Robert Murray McCheyne put it this way, "If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. He ever liveth to make intercession."

When you feel that no one cares, remember that our High Priest does. He is able to be touched (the only time in the N.T. this exact word is used) with our infirmities, He is sympathetic to our feelings, He has compassion on our weakness, and He cares. No wonder Peter could say, "Casting all your care (worries, concerns and anxieties) on Him (as rolling onto Him a heavy burden), for He careth for (it matters to Him about) you" (I Pet.5:7).

Fellow saint, may we all, the writer most of all, learn more 'to pray believing!' The Godhead is vitally interested in our prayers and is working together in all for which God stands, to hear and deal with our requests in interest, care, sympathy, intelligence, and love. May we moment by moment lay specific prayers before God, for our Heavenly Father knows our every need! May we come and unburden our hearts even when we are not sure how to pray, because the Holy Spirit understands! And may we take courage that there is a perfect Man in the Glory who has been down this same road before, sin apart, and who has now gone back to plead for us in the throne-room of Heaven, His own shed blood and finished work having rent the veil and gained us access into God's very presence! May we rest in this great truth as well, knowing we have a High Priest who cares!

When the glory of the Father
Is the goal of every prayer,
When before the throne in heaven
Our High Priest presents it there,
When the Spirit prompts the asking,
When the waiting heart believes,
Then we know of each petition,
Everyone who asks, receives.