The Real New Testament Church
  • Home
  • Contents
  • Preface
  • Real Plan
    • Chapter 1 - In the Beginning
    • Chapter-2-After the Beginning
    • Chapter 3 - Kingdom
    • Chapter 4 - Earth in the Kingdom or Kingdom on Earth
    • Chapter 5 - Original Earth in the Kingdom
    • Chapter 6 - Renovated Earth in the Kingdom
    • Chapter 7 - Kingdom on the Degenerated Earth
    • Chapter 8 - Tribulation
    • Chapter 9 - Kingdom on the Regenerated Earth
    • Chapter 10 - New Earth in the Kingdom
    • Chapter 11 - Covenant
    • Chapter 12 - Major Covenants of the Bible
    • Chapter 13 - Eternal Covenant
    • Chapter 14 - Renovation Covenant
    • Chapter 15 - Covenants for Israel
  • Real Church
    • Real Fundamentals >
      • Chapter 16 - Real Church
      • Chapter 17 - Church Covenant
      • Chapter 18 - Calling
      • Chapter 19 - Parables
      • Chapter 20 - Kingdom of Heaven Parables
      • Chapter 21 - Description
    • Real Legality >
      • Chapter 22 - Law
      • Chapter 23 - Transgression
      • Chapter 24 - Justification
    • Real Life (zoe) >
      • Chapter 25 - Life (zoe)
      • Chapter 26 - Progression of Life (zoe)
      • Chapter 27 - Birth
      • Chapter 28 - Dependent Life
      • Chapter 29 - Sanctification
      • Chapter 30 - Rule of Life
      • Chapter 31 - Return to Law
      • Chapter 32 - Faith
    • Real Composition >
      • Chapter 33 - Headship
      • Chapter 34 - Body
      • Chapter 35 - Women
    • Real Incarnation >
      • Chapter 36 - Function and Form
      • Chapter 37 - Purpose and Mission
      • Chapter 38 - Manifestation
    • Real Doctrine and Practice >
      • Chapter 39 - Apostolic Teaching
      • Chapter 40 - Apostolic Tradition
    • Real Apostolic Teaching >
      • Chapter 41 - Values
      • Chapter 42 - Prayer
      • Chapter 43 - Works
      • Chapter 44 - Giving
    • Real Apostolic Tradition >
      • Chapter 45 - Governance
      • Chapter 46 - Simplicity
      • Chapter 47 - Gatherings
      • Chapter 48 - Supper: Celebration and Sign
      • Chapter 49 - Supper: Apostolic Tradition
      • Chapter 50 - Practice
    • Real Growth >
      • Chapter 51 - Growth
      • Chapter 52 - Exponential Growth
    • Real Warfare >
      • Chapter 53 - Temporal Simulation
      • Chapter 54 - Confirmation of Scripture
      • Chapter 55 - Sovereignty of God
      • Chapter 56 - Warfare
      • Chapter 57 - Utter Defeat
      • Chapter 58 - Freedom
      • Chapter 59 - Incomparable Power
      • Chapter 60 - Armor
      • Chapter 61 - Full Armor
  • Real Reformation
    • Chapter 62 - Law and Life
    • Chapter 63 - From Law to Life
    • Chapter 64 - Divine Reformation
  • Conclusion
    • Chapter 65 - Real New Testament Church
  • Endnotes
  • About
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Chapter 42 - Prayer
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Prayer is an important theme in the New Testament. It was taught, demonstrated and commanded by both Jesus and His apostles. (Matthew 5:44; 6:5-13; 14:23; 21:22; Mark 6:46; 11:24-26; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 6:28; 11:1-13; John 17:1-26; Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42; 10:9; Romans 8:26-27; 12:12; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16; 2 Corinthians 13:7, 9; Ephesians 1:18; 6:18; Philippians 1:9; 4:6; Colossians 1:9; 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:8; James 5:13-18; 1 Peter 4:7)

The early New Testament church valued prayer. In Jerusalem, they devoted themselves to prayer. (Acts 2:42; cf. 1:14; 6:4) The Apostle Paul later commanded the churches in Rome, Corinth, and Colossae to do the same (Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 7:5; Colossians 4:2).

The early New Testament church understood the effectiveness of prayer. James said, “…the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16) As evidenced by their significant influence on the ancient Mediterranean world, the prayer of the New Testament ecclesia was effective.

The New Testament church was a praying church. Prayer was both a primary and intentional activity. It constituted an act of faith that allowed the ecclesia to cooperate with God on earth to fulfill His eternal plan. 
                         
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                                           Divine Origin
 
The prayers of the early New Testament church were not self-derived. They originated from God.

The apostles taught the New Testament church to pray “in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20) Prayer “in the Spirit” originates from the realm of the Spirit according to the will of God. (cf. Romans 8:26-27; John 14:13; 15:7; James 4:3; 1 John 5:14)

By nature, prayer that originates from the realm and power of the indwelling Spirit of God is in conformance with the will of God. Therefore, both heard and answered by God; it is prayer of eternal significance. (1 John 5:14-15)

​The New Testament includes revelation of prayer originating from the Spirit of God. (Ephesians 1:15-19; 3:14-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12; etc.) They provide an example of “spiritual thoughts” revealed through “spiritual words.” (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:13) Rather than earthly, they are heavenly and spiritual by nature.
 
                                                 Faith
 
Prayer “in the Spirit” is an act of cooperative faith. Therefore, it is not “blind” or presumptuous. On the contrary, prayer “in the Spirit”  is distinguished by knowledge, agreement, and trust.

First, cooperative faith is characterized by the knowledge of divine truth as revealed in the word of God, the Bible. Mankind possesses no other source of specific revelation from God in which to exercise its divinely allotted measure of faith. (cf. Romans 12:3)

Second, cooperative faith requires agreement with the will of God. It is possible to believe that the will of God revealed the Bible is true but choose to disagree. However, such a choice constitutes a lack of cooperation and, therefore, is contrary to biblical faith. Agreement with the will of God is cultivated from the prayerful reading and studying of the Bible, intimate fellowship with God, and the counsel of other believers. (cf. Romans 12:1-13)
 

Third, cooperative faith is distinguished by trust, defined as “reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.”[1] To trust God means relying on His “character, ability, strength” without condition. Undergirded by the knowledge of biblical truth and cooperative agreement, it is a personal choice.
​

Fundamentally, effective prayer “in the Spirit” is an act of cooperative faith. It involves knowledge of the word of God, agreement with the will of God, and trust in God that He will act as promised.
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                                                 Fear
 
Too often, prayer is not characterized by cooperative faith. Rather than distinguished by knowledge, agreement, and trust, it is the product of fear and uncertainty. For example, the attitude, “I sure hope God will answer my prayer,” is not demonstrative of cooperative faith but wishful thinking. The uncertainty of wishful thinking originates from fear. It is contrary to cooperative faith.

The prayer of cooperative faith does not entertain wishful or fearful thinking. Instead, it proceeds from a vastly different mindset. For example, “…precious Lord, I choose to trust You. I know with absolute certainty that you will answer my prayer in a manner that serves Your best interest and my own. Therefore, I can say without condition, ‘not my will, but Yours be done.’ Thank You that You love me, deeply care about my every need and desire, and always answer my prayers according to Your will”.

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​                                          In the Spirit​


Prayer “in the Spirit” originates from God, conforms to His will, and is distinguished by faith. Gifted from God, it is an instrument designed to move the church. Therefore, prayer "in the Spirit" serves as a means for finite mankind to cooperate with God to fulfill His eternal plan on earth. 
   

© 2022 James Hiatt
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