False Beliefs on Prayer

The title of this podcast is False Beliefs on Prayer. I am going to address three false statements made in regard to prayer. These are false statements if have heard over the years and I heard from a specific person not too long ago. Sadly, when I tried to share with them what they were saying was not biblical, they said something similar to, “I know what God has shown to me, so it is what I believe.”

“I know what God has shown to me, so it is what I believe.”

Before we tackle the false beliefs on prayer, I want you to think about what this person said. It is a statement I here over and over again when some Christians are challenged that what they believe is not biblical. “I know what God has shown to me, so it is what I believe.” What they are overall saying is that it does not matter what the Bible says, “God showed me, God told me” is what matters. The proof that this is true is when you ask them where in the Bible does it say what they are saying and they have no answer. When you show them Scripture that counters what they are saying, their response is never a Bible passage. It is instead ‘Well I know what I believe is true because Jesus spoke it to my heart, because God showed me, I feel it in my spirit.” Their belief system is based upon emotions and feelings.

Listen, as Christians our belief system is line up with Scripture, not feelings or emotions. We certainly do not build doctrine, claims something is truth, based upon emotions and feelings. Listen what you believe about prayer is not based upon emotions and feelings, it is based upon what the Bible says about prayer, it is to be based upon biblical principles found in Scripture.

Three False Statements

1. You only need to pray once about a certain situation, to pray more than once shows lack of faith and not trusting God.

2. You do not need to pray specific prayers, no need for detailed prayers. Just throw up a prayer to God and He will answer.

3. We should only pray in our secret place, there is no need or no such thing as corporate prayer, or going as far as saying corporate prayer is unbiblical.

I will address these specific false statements individually, but all three of these statements can be proven false just by one Bible passage, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. But before we look at the this passage I am going to make a bold statement. If a person builds a doctrine on prayer based upon these false misconceptions regarding prayer more than likely they will not see amazing answers to prayer. One main reason is because overall they are not going to be a person of prayer. They most likely lean into an extreme belief of the Sovereignty of God, God is going to do whatever He wants and just trust Him. I will go as far to say that such a person most likely is ‘spiritually lazy’ in their walk with the Lord. They most likely are not going to be a person that presses into relationship with Jesus. More than likely they have a powerless life of Christianity.

I would say if you believe these misconceptions about prayer, take a deep look into your life and ask yourself “Do I vibrant life in Christ?”

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Jesus has the discipled to go with him to Gethsemane to pray
Luke 22:39-46
³⁹ And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰ Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.” ⁴¹ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, ⁴² saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” ⁴³ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground]. ⁴⁵ When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, ⁴⁶ and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.”

Matthew 26:42-45
⁴² He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.” ⁴³ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵ Then He came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 

Mark 14:32-24
³² They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” ³³ And He *took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. ³⁴ And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 

Misconception One
Only need to pray once on a specific subject because God hears your prayer.
Luke 22:41 Jesus kneels down to pray
Luke 22:44 praying fervently
Matthew 26:42 He went away again a second time and prayed
Matthew 26:44 and went away and prayed a third time.

Misconception Two
You do not need to pray specific prayers
Luke 22:42 if you are willing remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours
Matthew 26:42, 44 My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done
Luke 22:40, 46 pray you do not come into temptation

Misconception Three
Corporate prayer is not biblical

Luke 22:40 pray that you do not enter into temptation
Luke 22:46 why are you sleeping, get up and pray
Matthew 26:45 are you still sleeping and resting
Mark 14:33-34 Jesus takes Peter, James, John with him as he prays and tells them to keep watch, implying staying awake and praying.

Upper Room Experience

About 120 Christ Followers are in the upper room and they are praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5
⁴ Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:13-15
¹³ When they had entered the city, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying, that is, Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these were continually devoting themselves with one mind to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. ¹⁵ At this time Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a group of about 120 people was there together), and said,  Western vs Eastern religious practice

Misconception One
Only need to pray once on a specific subject because God hears your prayer.
Acts 1:13-15 Continually praying up to 120 praying, they obviously prayed more than once on one subject.

Misconception Two
You do not need to pray specific prayers
They were certainly praying many things, but they were also clearly praying a detailed prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5
⁴ Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Misconception Three
Corporate prayer is not biblical

Acts 1:13-15 Continually praying up to 120 praying, they obviously prayed more than once.

There are many examples in Scripture of praying about something more than once, of detailed prayers, and of public/corporate prayer.

Praying more than Once-Detailed Prayers-Corporate Prayers

Abraham intercedes for Sodom, Jacob’s prayer for protection from Esau, Hannah’s prayer for a child, Moses intercession for Israel.
Acts 4:29-31(AMP) has a very detailed prayer that certainly was prayed more than one time and was a corporate prayer.
²⁹ And now, Lord, observe their threats [take them into account] and grant that Your bond-servants may declare Your message [of salvation] with great confidence, ³⁰ while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders (attesting miracles) take place through the name [and the authority and power] of Your holy Servant and Son Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.

Private/Public/Corporate Prayer

Some teach we should only pray privately, just us and God. This doctrine is based upon one passage of Scripture that is taken out of context.

Matthew 6:5-6
⁵ “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶ But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

This passage is specifically in regard to the Pharisees regarding their desire to be seen as religious, holy men. Their hearts were in the wrong place, that is what Jesus was addressing not that they were praying publicly. Throughout Scripture there are Bible passages of individuals praying publicly and not rebuked. Jesus prayed publicly.

There are examples in Scripture of Corporate Prayer, godly leaders and God Himself calling for Corporate Prayer:
Solomon called the people to pray, King Jehosophat called the people to fast and pray, Esther called the Jews to fast and pray, the disciples prayed throughout Acts.

Summary

It is okay to pray for something more than once. Keep praying until God gives you release to no longer pray about something.

If you want specific prayers answered, you need to pray specifically. Side note, when we pray in detail in specifics, it is even more clear that God has answered our prayer and it builds faith for us and others.

There is power in corporate prayer.

It is not either/or, but both. Let’s use wisdom and discernment so that our actions do not bring disdain to the Gospel, and unnecessary harm to another individual.

False Beliefs on Prayer Podcast

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