“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Eph.6:18
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7
The prayer of supplication or petition is another kind of prayer.
To supplicate means to plead, entreat or plead humbly to someone in power
(in this case God) for favour or help either for ourselves or for someone else.
Examples of references to supplications in the Bible include: “In the first year
of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the
word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish
seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord
God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and
ashes:” Daniel 9:2-3. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
Phil.4:6. “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being
watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth
boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,” Eph.6:18-19. For many
reasons this prayer needs to be prayed several times. Secondly, like other
kinds of prayers what we are supplicating for must be in line with the
word/will of God. The other rule guiding this kind of prayer is presenting to
God your strong reasons why God should grant your plea. This will be in form
of reminding God of His promises. “Put me in remembrance: let us plead
together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” Isaiah 43:19. ““Present
your case,” says the LORD. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of
Jacob.” Isaiah 41:21. In this kind of prayer you should picture yourself like a
lawyer in the law court arguing his case. You should do this in humility and
not arrogantly. God keeps His promises and His covenants. He watches over
His word to perform it. Daniel used this in his supplication in Daniel 9. We also
see this in many areas the prayer of supplication is used in the Old
Testament.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Do not let what your physical eyes see determine what your heart believes.