Particular Prayers
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.“
1 John 5:14 ESV
It’s been recorded that there are more than 650 prayers to be found in the Bible, along with some 450 answers. Prayers including thanksgiving, worship, intercession, and petition. Some petitions (where one approaches the Lord to ask something of Him), were particular, such as the request of the two blind men in Matthew 20:30-34.
“Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.” (NLT)
Unlike these two men, it’s often the Lord who is more desirous to give than we are to ask. Let’s decide to change that, and boldly tell Him (from our hearts) that we just can’t do it by ourselves anymore, that we need His help. If we come humbly, He will hear us. His answer may not come right away, so let’s be patient and know that our request is now in His hands. Let’s trust Him to answer in His time (and in His way).
In 2 Kings 20, King Hezekiah petitioned the Lord because Isaiah told him that he was going to die. The Lord heard his prayer, and before Isaiah had gone very far, the following message came to him:
“Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.’“ (2 Kings 20:5-6 NLT).“
“I commend to you the importance of particularity in prayer. We ought not to be content with general petitions. We ought to specify our wants before the throne of grace. It should not be enough to confess we are sinners; we should name the sins of which our conscience tells us we are most guilty. It should not be enough to ask for holiness; we should name the graces in which we feel most deficient. It should not be enough to tell the Lord we are in trouble; we should describe our trouble and all its peculiarities. This is what Jacob did when he feared his brother Esau. He tells God exactly what it is that he fears. Genesis 32:11. This is what Eliezer did, when he sought a wife for his master’s son. He spreads before God precisely what he wants. Genesis 24:12.“ J.C. Ryle
Remember that your Father in heaven loves to hear your prayers and He is listening right now for you to draw near.