Dear Friends,

            Please allow me rant a bit and love me anyways. It is my love for God and you that compells me to offer what's in my heart for your consideration. There are many misconceptions about prayer among Christians today. We have been guilty of neglecting this staple of authentic spirituality; we rarely teach about it and practice it even less. Is it any wonder that our lives, families, churches and world are such a mess? Think about it. Let's forgo the niceties and get straight to the bottom line: God commands us to pray (everywhere in the Scriptures) - to not do so is SIN. Laziness in prayer is the result of a defiant and rebellious heart. Prayerless Christianity is a masquerade.  Don't like the sound of that? Pray about it. Prayer is the essence of a relationship with Christ. It is the place where our lives and world are transformed. It is the place where we receive the peace and power of God (Philippians 4:4-9). Little prayer equals little power and little peace. Prayer is the hinge on which the door of our heart is opened to Christ - without it he remains outside. True Christian maturity depends on prayer. Maturity has NOTHING to do with age or how long one has been a "Christian" or church-goer. Maturity is ALL ABOUT the acceptance of RESPONSIBILITY. Response - ABILITY; God calls us to RESPOND to his grace (The CROSS of Christ) in PRAYER. It is in prayer that we take responsibility for our spiritual life, circumstances, families, church and world. Failure to respond to the grace of God in prayer is the essence of immaturity; it doesn't matter what else you do "for God." Think about it. Are not many of the struggles we encounter in our lives and churches the result of immaturity?

The following is a critique I wrote of a book simply entitled "Prayer" by O. Hallesby. I found the ideas in this book revolutionary for my prayer life. While one may not have read the book, I discuss some of the highlights of Hallesby's work which may be helpful. May God cause us to truly repent of our prayerless lives.

Please forgive my frankness in this rant. I pray that our current crises and feelings of helplessness drive us to our knees where we will come face to face with a Holy God and the terror of our true selves; it is then we will truly understand the words "Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." Until then, they, along with our "Christianity", are meaningless.                                                                                                                                                                                    

Love In Christ,

Steve

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A Critique of Prayer by Ole Hallesby

Prayer is how we open the door of our heart to Christ; it begins and ends with him; it is the place where our personal lives are transformed and the place from which we participate with Christ in transforming the world. This is the message of Ole Hallesby's classic work entitled Prayer. In his examination of prayer, Hallesby seeks to clear up popular misconceptions as well as to offer practical insights into overcoming the difficulties of prayer.

Hallesby begins by taking the pressure off; Prayer doesn't begin with us, it begins with Christ. Revelation 3:20 reveals that it is Jesus who initiates prayer; He stands at the door of our heart and knocks.[1] Prayer is never accomplished by our own strength; instead, the strength of Christ floods our being when we, in helplessness, simply open the door.[2] There is a mysterious correlation between our inner condition, or "posture", and Christ's ability to act in our lives. Prayer is allowing Jesus to reveal himself in our need. In celebration of this reality Hallesby exclaims:

"The results of prayer are, therefore, not dependent upon the powers of the one who prays. Our intense will, our fervent emotions, or our clear comprehension of what we are praying for are not the reasons why our prayers will be heard and answered. Nay, God be praised, the results of prayer are not dependent upon these things!"[3]

After an examination of several misunderstandings and misuses of prayer, Hallesby launches into an exploration of the true meaning of prayer; prayer is given to glorify God.[4] He states that "Prayer is the appointed way of giving Jesus an opportunity to exercise His supernatural powers of salvation… We should through prayer give Jesus the opportunity of gaining access to our souls, our bodies, our homes, our neighborhoods, our countries, to the whole world, to the fellowship of believers and to the unsaved."[5] This by no means should be taken to say that we should not pray about the seemingly insignificant things in our daily lives. On the contrary, God delights in glorifying himself in the "ordinary."[6] To make this case Hallesby offers Philippians 4:6, "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God."[7]

At this point Hallesby discusses the various forms which prayer can take, some further problems related to prayer, and then begins to bring his study on prayer to a conclusion with a look at the "School of Prayer."[8] To become skilled in the art of prayer, Hallesby argues, one must be apprenticed to the Spirit of Prayer and persevere.[9] He claims that the reason few become competent in prayer is that they quietly drop out – believing that prayer is too difficult.[10] Far from being difficult, true prayer is accomplished by the Spirit of God working in and through the one praying. The actual problem may be that, though prayer itself is not difficult, eventually it takes one deep into uncomfortable territory; repentance, humility, and self-denial are all subjects to be studied and mastered in this school.[11]

Hallesby finishes this work where he began; Jesus standing at the door of our hearts knocking. There is much to be learned in the school of prayer, yet we do not need to become discouraged or overwhelmed; all we must do is open the door and allow the Spirit of Prayer to guide, enable, and accompany us on the journey.[12] We must simply begin to pray. In this helpless way our lives and the world around us is transformed by God's power and for his glory.[13]

In Hallesby's work we are reminded that prayer is essential to authentic spirituality and ministry; prayer is absolutely necessary for the Christian life. Because prayer is the way in which we open the door of our heart to Christ, refusing to make prayer a priority is essentially refusing to make Christ a priority. Because prayer is the gymnasium of spiritual transformation, neglecting prayer negates spiritual strength. Because prayer is the light-switch allowing the power of God to illuminate the world, our "too busy-ness" results in the world's utter darkness. A prayerless life is a dangerous and spiritually unproductive life.

Hallesby makes his message clear; we must pray. Beyond this he sheds light on a profound irony; the very thing which many Christians regard as unnecessary and burdensome, is the very thing which makes possible the words of Jesus:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)