Prayer XI

In the first article, I wrote on definitions on prayer, when prayer starts and some of the components of prayer. While in the second article I finished my brief exegesis on components of prayer. The third article is centered on those who should pray. The fourth is on some of the reasons why talk (pray) to our heavenly father. The fifth article is on places of prayer while the sixth and seventh centered on occasions that move men to pray unto God. The eight article is on period (time) that men can pray. The ninth article focuses on how we should be praying.

In the tenth article I write on a type of prayer, which is the prayer of thanksgiving. In this article I will continue with the types of prayer that we have in the christian fold.

The second type of prayer that I shall be writing on is the prayer of praise. The prayer of praise is the prayer one offers lifting God up. His kind of prayer has this importance.

a. It shows that God is Bigger than Any Problems: When we offer this kind of prayer unto the Lord, we are telling people, the devil and his cohorts that the Lord is bigger than any problems in the world. This kind of prayer takes us out of the natural to the supernatural. We forget what it is that we may be passing through in the world especially those things that are not palatable.

This is the kind of praise that was associated with Silas and apostle Paul’s prayer when they were imprisoned as could be found in the book of acts 16.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” (Act 16:25)

As they continued in this kind of prayer and praise, what the disciples of Christ never dreamt off happened, which led to the salvation of others alike in the prison custody. (Act 16:26-36)

b. It Makes us Look at God Alone: When we are offering this kind of prayer, we look at God who is the author and the finisher of our faith alone. (Heb. 12:2) (Lk. 2:20; 18:43; 11:2)

Worship is Greek word which is “προσκυνέω”, Romanized form is proskuneō (pronounced as pros-koo-neh'-o) which means crouch to, prostrate oneself in homage, do reverence to someone, adore someone.

While worship in Hebrew is “שׁחה”, Romanized form is shâchâh (pronounced as shaw-khaw') which means prostrate, fall down flat, obeisance.

When we are praying this kind of prayer, we become subsumed in the beauty of the holiness of God such that we cannot withstand his beauty, we cannot withstand his power, his awesomeness and would bow before him, prostrate before him in worshipping him. (1 Sa 19:23-24; (Acts 13:1-4; Lk. 24:52-53)

The fourth type of prayer is the prayer of dedication.

Hebrew word for consecration is “מלּא”, Romanized form is millû' (pronounced as mil-loo') which means dedication.

Dedication in Hebrew is “חנכּה”, Romanized form is chănûkkâh (pronounced as khan-ook-kaw') which means initiation, consecrating. While in Greek it is “ἐγκαίνια”, Romanized form is egkainia (pronounced as eng-kah'ee-nee-ah) which means renewal of religious services.

It is a prayer one prays when one hands over everything unto the Lord.

(a) When there are two or more Godly alternatives: When there are two or more Godly alternatives before us to be chosen from, we pray this kind of prayer, handing the situation over unto the Lord to take control, and let his will be done.

Take as instance when we want to go and preach (evangelize) at a place and another matter of spiritual importance was brought before us, maybe someone is sick who needs our urgent attention to be prayed for as the elder of the church. We shall say let thine will be done oh Lord by choosing one of it to be attended to first.

You can view thins in the light of what happened when Jesus was on earth, the bible says he was sent for by Martha and Mary that Lazarus his friend had taken ill, in the meanwhile he was yet to finish with what he was doing at where he was, showing the people the way of the Lord. The urgency of the message had him deciding for one, telling God to let his will be done, and what he decided for was staying back to finish with what he was doing showing the people the way of Christ before leaving for where Lazarus who had been sick was. On getting there he discovered that he had died. Since he had handed over the matter into God’s hand before, since he has dedicated the matter unto God, he was able to bring back Lazarus to life. (John 11)

(b) When God instructs us to do something which we didn’t expect: This kind of prayer is being used when we again receive unexpected instructions from God. We shall commit everything into his hand by telling him that his will be done.

Gideon receives instruction to go and deliver the people of Israel from their enemies, instead of rejecting the offer, he asks that the will of God be done. After Jesus had finished speaking to people by the sea, he asks Peter to cast his net into the sea, it was an unexpected instruction unto Peter, he did not reject it what he says was at his word he would try to do so and he did do so and miracle followed. (Jud 6; Ex 3; Lk 5)

God will never ask us to do something that would not be fruitful he would not ask us to do something that he has not finished in the spiritual realm, thus when he was given us the instructions he has finished everything ahead of us, what we need to do is telling him that his will be done, if we are not certain of it and taken the step in faith.

(c) Renewal of Religious Services: This is the kind of prayer that is associated with the repentance of Peter after denying Jesus and when he was called by Jesus at the sea to go and feed his sheep. (Mat 26:75; Joh 21)

In this article I have talked about three types of prayers which are, prayer of praise, prayer of worship and prayer of dedication (consecration). I will continue with other types of prayer in the next article.