The Essentials of Prayer that God Desires

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 33:3 

Verse to Memorize: Jeremiah 33:3 Reference: Psalm 66:18, Matthew 6:26-28 Goal: to provide believers with better understanding of the essentials of the prayer God wants and help them to pray fervently with their hearts Jesus prayed very fervently and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down upon the ground. When we think about how Jesus prayed, we can understand how closely prayer of the heart is related to posture in prayer. 

We can gain insight into how fervently people pray by just observing their posture. By praying earnestly even putting his face between his knees, Elijah brought down rain that hadn't poured for three and a half years. He offered up prayer God is pleased with and He wants. Here in this lesson, we are going to learn about the essentials to the kind of prayer God wants us to offer up.  

• 1. The essentials to the kind of prayer with which God is pleased

1) You must pray with all your heart 

To pray with all your heart is praying with your heart, mind, might, and dedication. If you pray with all of them, you can't help but pray with good posture and you will pray earnestly with all your heart. To pray for a long time doesn't necessarily mean that you pray with your heart. Even if you pray for a short period of time, it is important to pray in concentration. You can also pray with your heart when you believe that God is watching you and listening to your prayer. 

If you feel God's attention that is paid to your prayer you can't pray in meaningless repetition or doze off. You need to understand the heart of God better under the guidance of the Spirit and pray earnestly for the kingdom of God with the thanks for His grace. Furthermore, you have to pray with faith and love and without the feeling of being coerced in order to you give prayer with the heart. When you pray with all your heart, it will be delivered to God, and if you ask God with your heart and by faith, then there is no reason that you can't receive whatever you ask from God who is love itself and who gives good things unsparingly to you. Thus, you must pray with all your heart and please God by believing in the almighty power of God for whom nothing is impossible. 

2) You must cry out in prayer 

Although Jesus is the Son of God He still cried out in prayer such that His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. He didn't pray quietly, but He cried out in prayer. This is because it is the will of God to call out to Him in prayer. Jeremiah 33:3 reads, "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." This is God's promise. The reason that God tells us to cry out in prayer is we can drive away idle thoughts and tiredness by calling to Him and we can also pray with our hearts. 

But some people misquote Matthew 6:6 and say, "The Bible tells us to go into an inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret!" or "God knows our every need. Why do we have to cry out in prayer?" However, nowhere in the Bible is there found mention of anyone who prayed in an inner room. Jesus prayed on a mountain or in a secluded place as described in Luke 6:12 and Mark 1:35. Peter went up on the housetop to pray as written in Acts 10:9, and Apostle Paul prayed in a place of prayer at the riverside as read in Acts 16:13. The real intention of 'Going into an inner room and praying' is that you have to offer up prayer from the heart. When you go into an inner room and close the door, you will be cut off from the outside and it will lead you to be quiet and concentrate more on praying. 

In other words, praying in an inner room means casting away idle thoughts and worries and asking in prayer with the heart. If you pray quietly in meditation without crying out it's not easy to pray with the heart. At night it leads to drowsiness and tiredness or to worldly worries and idle thoughts. You might just fight with such things and fall asleep. Only when you pray with an earnest heart and in a loud voice, can your prayer penetrate the camp of Satan which is the ruler of the kingdom of the air and be delivered up to the heavenly throne. Then, you are filled with the Spirit and trials and afflictions will go away. And all kinds of problems will be solved no matter how big or small. 

3) You must pray with faith

 If you open your heart and accept Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will come into you and you will be sealed as God's child. As you try to act in the Word of God by keeping the Sabbath and praying, your faith will increase. In accordance with your measure of faith, God answers your prayer. Then, if you pray with faith and don't sway in any kind of situation, God will give a greater answer by seeing your faith and cause all things to work together for good. If we accumulate earnest prayers, we can get rid of sin and evil more simply because we can receive strength from above. In addition, to the extent that we resemble the Lord by living according to the Word of God, we can enjoy overflowing blessings.

 That is because we receive the living faith, which is given by God and makes it possible for answers and blessings to come down upon us. The 'living faith' that is given by God is spiritual faith that is accompanied with deeds. If we diligently obey the Word of God, practice it, and pray with it, God will give us the living faith, namely, spiritual faith. In this way, when we receive the spiritual faith, we can have the assurance in receiving answers to our prayers. So, because this God-given spiritual faith carries strength with which nothing is impossible, it also means we have already received the answer. Thus, we must not doubt at all and we should pray until such assurance is given to our hearts just as Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." By doing so, we have to become a blessed person who receives all things we ask in prayer as recorded in Matthew 21:22. 

4) We need to pray with a goal 

When we set a specific and clear goal, we can push ahead with it more powerfully and achieve it fast. On the contrary, if your goal is not clear, you are not sure about what to do in many cases. Then, you forget why you have to do what you are doing even when you are faced with difficulties. It is the same in praying to God. If we have already set a goal in receiving answers to our prayers, we need to pray with more earnest and patience. And as recorded in 1 John 3:21-22, which says that we can receive whatever we ask from Him if we have nothing to be condemned and we have confidence before God, we have to possess the heart in which there is nothing to be condemned by God. This is because God knows our every need, sees our inner hearts, and fills our needs. 

5) You must pray in love 

Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." If we believe that our prayer will be answered and rewarded, we don't feel tired or difficult in praying. Just as Jesus prayed fervently to give His life for all people's salvation, we also can pray fervently with love for many souls. When we love others in deeds and truth, we naturally come to seek others' benefits rather than our own. The prayer of love that God wants us to have is the prayer of seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness and the prayer for the shepherd and souls. 

This prayer of love also manifests different power according to what kind of hearts each of you have. It is the prayer offered up with true love; this prayer contains hunger and thirst for righteousness, and love for the church, the shepherd, and souls. In other words, we need to have spiritual love, realize the will of God, and pray to accomplish the kingdom of God. Let's think about the prayer for the construction of the sanctuary. If you love the sanctuary which is the body of Christ, you will pray more fervently and with more dedication than when you are building your own house. 

So, you come to ask whatever is needed in detail for the construction one by one such as the land, finance, workers, and technologies with love for it. With love for God and all mankind, Jesus prayed very fervently to fulfill the will of God. Through it, the way of salvation was opened and we could gain the right to become God's child. Now that you have received such grace, I hope you will achieve the heart of goodness and love like that of the Lord and offer up the beautiful aroma of prayer all the time.

Mambo Muhimu ya Maombi Anayotaka Mungu

Usomaji wa Maandiko: Yeremia 33:3

Mstari wa Kukariri: Yeremia 33:3

Rejea: Zaburi 66:18; Mathayo 6:26–28. Lengo: kuwasaidia waumini kuelewa vizuri mambo muhimu ya maombi anayotaka Mungu na kuwaombea kwa bidii kutoka moyoni. Yesu aliomba kwa bidii sana, na jasho Lake likawa kama matone ya damu yaliyoanguka chini. Tunapotafakari jinsi Yesu alivyoomba, tunaweza kuelewa uhusiano wa karibu uliopo kati ya maombi ya moyo na mkao wa mwili wakati wa kuomba.

Tunaweza kuona jinsi mtu anavyoomba kwa bidii kwa kutazama tu mkao wake. Eliya aliomba kwa dhati, hata akaweka uso wake katikati ya magoti yake, naye akaleta mvua baada ya miaka mitatu na nusu bila mvua. Alimtolea Mungu maombi yanayompendeza na ambayo Mungu anataka. Katika somo hili tutajifunza mambo muhimu ya maombi ambayo Mungu anataka tumtolee.

• 1. Mambo muhimu ya maombi yanayompendeza Mungu

1) Omba kwa moyo wako wote.

Kuomba kwa moyo wote ni kuomba kwa moyo, nia, nguvu na kujitoa kwako kote. Ukiomba kwa hayo yote, utaomba kwa mkao mzuri na kwa bidii kutoka moyoni. Kuomba muda mrefu hakumaanishi moja kwa moja kwamba unaomba kwa moyo. Hata ukiomba kwa muda mfupi, jambo muhimu ni kuzingatia maombi. Unaweza pia kuomba kwa moyo ukiamini kwamba Mungu anakuona na kusikiliza sala yako.

Ukifahamu kwamba Mungu anaangalia maombi yako, hutaomba kwa kurudia maneno yasiyo na maana wala kusinzia. Kwa mwongozo wa Roho, unapaswa kuuelewa moyo wa Mungu zaidi na kuomba kwa bidii kwa ajili ya ufalme Wake, huku ukishukuru kwa neema Yake. Pia omba kwa imani na upendo, bila kuhisi unalazimishwa. Unapoomba kwa moyo wote, sala yako itamfikia Mungu. Ukimwomba kwa moyo na imani, hakuna sababu ya kukosa kupokea unachomwomba Mungu aliye upendo mwenyewe, anayekupa mema bila ubahili. Kwa hiyo, omba kwa moyo wote na umpendeze Mungu kwa kuamini uwezo Wake mkuu, ambao hakuna lisilowezekana Kwake.

2) Mlie Mungu katika maombi.

Ingawa Yesu ni Mwana wa Mungu, alimlilia Mungu kwa maombi hata jasho Lake likawa kama matone ya damu yaliyoanguka chini. Hakuomba kimya, bali alimlilia Mungu. Hii ni kwa sababu mapenzi ya Mungu ni tumwite katika maombi. Yeremia 33:3 yasema, “Niite, nami nitakuitikia, nami nitakuonyesha mambo makubwa, magumu usiyoyajua.” Hii ni ahadi ya Mungu. Anatuambia tumlilie kwa sababu tunapofanya hivyo tunaweza kuondoa mawazo yanayotangatanga na uchovu, na kuomba kutoka moyoni.

Watu wengine hunukuu vibaya Mathayo 6:6 na kusema, “Biblia inatuambia tuingie chumbani, tufunge mlango na kumwomba Baba yetu aliye sirini,” au, “Mungu anajua mahitaji yetu yote. Kwa nini tumlilie katika maombi?” Hata hivyo, Biblia haisemi kwamba kuna mtu yeyote aliyeomba akiwa ndani ya chumba cha ndani. Yesu aliomba mlimani au mahali pa faragha, kama inavyoelezwa katika Luka 6:12 na Marko 1:35. Petro alipanda juu ya dari akaomba (Matendo 10:9), na mtume Paulo aliomba mahali pa kusali kando ya mto (Matendo 16:13). Maana halisi ya “kuingia chumbani na kuomba” ni kutoa maombi kutoka moyoni. Unapoingia chumbani na kufunga mlango, unajitenga na mambo ya nje, unakuwa kimya na kuweza kuzingatia maombi zaidi.

Kwa maneno mengine, kuomba ndani ya chumba ni kuondoa mawazo na mahangaiko yanayotangatanga na kumwomba Mungu kwa moyo. Ukiomba kimya kimya kwa kutafakari bila kumlilia Mungu, si rahisi kuomba kwa moyo. Usiku unaweza kusinzia na kuchoka, au kuanza kuwaza mambo ya dunia na mawazo yasiyo na faida. Unaweza kuhangaika nayo tu kisha ukalala. Ni tunapoomba kwa moyo wa dhati na kwa sauti ndipo maombi yetu yanapoweza kupenya kambi ya Shetani, mtawala wa anga, na kufika kwenye kiti cha enzi cha mbinguni. Kisha tunajazwa Roho, majaribu na mateso huondoka, na matatizo ya kila namna hutatuliwa, makubwa kwa madogo.

3) Omba kwa imani.

Ukiufungua moyo wako na kumkubali Yesu Kristo, Roho Mtakatifu atakuja ndani yako na kukutia muhuri kuwa mtoto wa Mungu. Unapojitahidi kulitenda Neno la Mungu kwa kuitunza Sabato na kuomba, imani yako itaongezeka. Mungu hujibu maombi kulingana na kiwango cha imani yako. Ukiomba kwa imani na kutoyumba katika hali yoyote, Mungu ataona imani yako, atakupa jibu kuu zaidi na kufanya mambo yote yatende pamoja kwa wema. Tunapokusanya maombi ya dhati, tunaweza kuondoa dhambi na uovu kwa urahisi zaidi kwa sababu tunapokea nguvu kutoka juu. Kadiri tunavyomfanana Bwana kwa kuishi kulingana na Neno la Mungu, ndivyo tunavyofurahia baraka nyingi.

Hii ni kwa sababu tunapokea imani iliyo hai, ambayo Mungu hutupa na inayowezesha majibu na baraka kutujia. “Imani iliyo hai” ni imani ya kiroho inayofuatana na matendo. Tukilitii Neno la Mungu kwa bidii, tukalitenda na kuomba kulingana nalo, Mungu atatupa imani iliyo hai, yaani imani ya kiroho. Tunapoipokea imani hiyo, tunakuwa na uhakika kwamba maombi yetu yatajibiwa. Kwa kuwa imani hii kutoka kwa Mungu ina nguvu ambayo hakuna lisilowezekana, ina maana kwamba tayari tumepokea jibu. Kwa hiyo tusitilie shaka hata kidogo, bali tuendelee kuomba hadi uhakika huo ujazwe mioyoni mwetu, kama Marko 11:24 isemavyo: “Kwa hiyo nawaambia, Yoyote myaombayo mkisali, aminini ya kwamba mnayapokea, nayo yatakuwa yenu.” Hivyo tutakuwa watu waliobarikiwa wanaopokea yote wanayomwomba Mungu, kama ilivyoandikwa katika Mathayo 21:22.

4) Omba ukiwa na lengo.

Tunapoweka lengo lililo wazi na maalumu, tunaweza kulifuata kwa nguvu zaidi na kulitimiza haraka. Lakini lengo lisipokuwa wazi, mara nyingi hatujui la kufanya. Tunapokabiliwa na matatizo, tunaweza kusahau kwa nini tunafanya jambo hilo. Ndivyo ilivyo katika maombi kwa Mungu. Ikiwa tayari tumeweka lengo la kupokea jibu la maombi, tunapaswa kuomba kwa bidii zaidi na kwa subira. Kulingana na 1 Yohana 3:21–22, tunaweza kupokea tunachomwomba tukiwa hatuna jambo la kutuhukumu na tuna ujasiri mbele za Mungu. Kwa hiyo, tunapaswa kuwa na moyo usio na jambo la kutuhukumu. Mungu anajua mahitaji yetu yote, huona mioyo yetu ya ndani na hutupatia tunachohitaji.

5) Omba kwa upendo.

Waebrania 11:6 yasema, “Pasipo imani haiwezekani kumpendeza Mungu; kwa maana mtu amwendeaye lazima aamini kwamba Yeye yuko, na kwamba huwapa thawabu wale wamtafutao.” Tukiamini kwamba maombi yetu yatajibiwa na tutapokea thawabu, hatutachoka wala kuona ugumu kuomba. Kama Yesu alivyoomba kwa bidii na kutoa maisha Yake kwa ajili ya wokovu wa watu wote, sisi pia tunaweza kuomba kwa bidii kwa upendo kwa roho nyingi. Tunapowapenda wengine kwa matendo na kweli, kwa kawaida tunatafuta faida yao badala ya yetu wenyewe. Maombi ya upendo ambayo Mungu anataka ni maombi ya kutafuta ufalme Wake na haki Yake, na kuwaombea mchungaji na roho za watu.

Maombi haya ya upendo huonyesha nguvu tofauti kulingana na mioyo yetu. Ni sala inayotolewa kwa upendo wa kweli; inajumuisha njaa na kiu ya haki na upendo kwa kanisa, mchungaji na roho za watu. Yaani, tunapaswa kuwa na upendo wa kiroho, kuelewa mapenzi ya Mungu na kuomba ili ufalme Wake utimizwe. Fikiria maombi ya ujenzi wa madhabahu. Ukiipenda madhabahu, ambayo ni mwili wa Kristo, utaomba kwa bidii na kujitoa zaidi kuliko unavyoomba unapojenga nyumba yako mwenyewe.

Kwa upendo huo utaomba kwa undani kila kinachohitajika kwa ujenzi, kama ardhi, fedha, wafanyakazi na utaalamu. Yesu aliomba kwa bidii sana kwa upendo kwa Mungu na wanadamu wote ili kutimiza mapenzi ya Mungu. Kwa njia hiyo, njia ya wokovu ilifunguliwa nasi tukapata haki ya kuwa watoto wa Mungu. Kwa kuwa mmepokea neema hiyo, natumaini mtaufikia moyo wa wema na upendo kama wa Bwana na kutoa harufu nzuri ya maombi daima.