Why aren’t our prayers more effective?
When the minister, Norman Vincent Peale, was a boy, he found a big, black cigar. He slipped into an alley, and lit up. It didn't taste good, but it made him feel very grown up, until he saw his father coming. Quickly he put the cigar behind his back and tried to be casual. Desperate to divert his father's attention, Norman pointed to a billboard advertising the circus.
“Can I go, Dad? Please, let's go when it comes to town.”
His father's reply taught Norman a lesson he never forgot.
“Son,” he answered quietly but firmly, “never make a petition while at the same time trying to hide a smouldering disobedience.”
Jesus’ Promise
On the subject of prayer Jesus has said,
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” John 15:7
Unfortunately for many this is not our experience. Prayer meetings across the churches in Britain tend to be poorly attended and they often quickly change into a time of worship, which usually means singing, or a social. Could it be that there are other factors that we have overlooked?
The context of this statement by Jesus was given after he and the disciples had left the upper room for Gethsemane. The context was the story of the true vine and the branches that Jesus told his disciples.
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
Jesus continued,
“No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:5
If you read on from verse 7, the meaning becomes clear – Jesus is still talking about us ‘bearing fruit’.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish , and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:7-8
The question needs to be asked, ‘What does Jesus mean by ‘bearing fruit’? Jesus is about to send his disciples out into the world as witnesses to him. This was their last training session before his execution. Jesus longs that his Church will grow. He then mentions the effect that a loving community will have on making his church attractive but he finishes this section with,
“You did not choose me, but I chose and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” John 15:16
It is clear that this fruit is winning others, it is not the fruit of a godly character that Paul later describes in Galatians 5:22-23. That list that starts with ‘Love, joy, peace, patience . . .’ all of which are characteristics that bind people together. The disciples had to ‘go out’ into the world to win people for God.
In this training session Jesus then explains that the disciples will face opposition as they go about teaching people that Jesus is God’s Son, come in the flesh, that he is therefore Lord of everyone and everything.
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.” John 15:18
Then comes a great reassuring promise, they will be aided in their mission to the world by the Holy Spirit. Here they are again reminded how they will produce fruit, how they will win people for God by telling them about Jesus.
“ . . . the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27
Old Testament Fruit
Jesus so often picks up on ideas from the Old Testament and there fruit is sometimes referred to as those people in the world who are won for God. At other times the fruit of righteousness is mentioned, meaning a godly character and actions.
Isaiah talks of Israel becoming a fruitful vineyard that is carefully cultivated by the Lord God. He continues,
“In the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27:6
Isaiah is surely not talking here about the fruit of a Godly character but the effect they have on others in the world. A proverb makes the same point.
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
In these examples the fruit are new worshippers of the true God.
Jeremiah takes up the idea of Psalm 1 and contrasts those people who trust in man with those who trust in God. He writes,
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream . . . It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
Ezekiel had a vision of God’s new kingdom. He saw water flowing from the temple as a river. This is a picture of the Spirit of God flowing out from God’s presence. On the banks of this river were a great number of fruit trees. The fresh water river flows down into the Red Sea where abundant fish grow.
“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12
The trees represent the many people of God that are being nourished by his Spirit and who regularly produce fruit. This picture is also taken up by John in the book of Revelation (22:2 on). This all begins to make sense. When Jesus first called his disciples from being fishermen into being his followers, he said,
“Don’t be afraid, from now on you will catch men.” Luke 5:10
The Great Commission repeated this emphasis,
“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . .” Matthew 28:18-19
Some have tried to argue that this commission was only given to those who would become apostles but the following sentence shows that the commission passes on to all subsequent generations of Christians,
“. . . and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:20
Jesus reminded them of this commission shortly before he ascended into heaven.
“ . . . and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The gift of the Holy Spirit received on the Day of Pentecost was given to all the followers of Jesus and was witnessed by everyone present. The evidence they saw was of all the Christians going about explaining the gospel of Jesus to people in their own languages. This is what the true gift of tongues means and we must beware of meaningless imitations
Unanswered Prayer
This brings us back to the question why so many seem to think that prayer doesn’t work and the evidence for this is that they boycott local church prayer meetings. Could it be that our problem is that we are not ‘remaining in him’? If we arenot fully committed to fulfilling the commission we, as his followers, were given - to win people for Christ, are we remaining in him? The other condition is ‘and my words remain in you’. The only way we know what Jesus said was because the apostles recorded his words for us in the NewTestament. If as individuals and in our churches we have neglected to study, teach and put into practice what Jesus and his prophets and apostles taught, is it surprising that prayer becomes an onerous chore, with little to see for its use?
How often do we pray for individuals we have talked to about the Lord Jesus, urging that God’s Spirit will apply our words to their heart and draw them to Christ. Are we even talking to others about how they stand before God? Are we praying for our preachers and home group leaders that they will make the Bible live to people’s minds and consciences? God bless Aunt Maude and her bad knee is not the prime purpose of prayer - it must remain for the glory of the Lord Jesus and the advancement of his kingdom.
In a letter John wrote he mentions this condition for seeing answered prayer on two occasions.
“Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.” 1 John 3:22
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
BVP
June 2022
PS. An extended version these ideas can be found in the book ‘The Duty of a Disciple’ published by Christian Focus.
