What is Prayer?

Now I’m going to repeat a phrase in this study many times because I want you to get it in your mind, and keep it there, and remember it. That phrase is, PRAYER IS THE BREATH OF THE NEW NATURE. Just as the Word is the food upon which the new nature must feed, so prayer is its breath. And breath sustains life as well as food, doesn’t it?

1. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. The act of breathing isn’t our constant concern. Well, what do we do about it when we’re sleeping? And so with prayer, we don’t need to worry about what it is, and we don’t need to worry about what it ought to be. We need not worry when it should be made, or about how it should be attempted or conditions under which it should be made. Just as breathing is the obtaining of pure air, and making use of it; so prayer should be a natural occupa­tion of the new nature. Be sure you have the new nature!
   
   
2. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. It doesn’t need any artificial props and helps --- anything of that kind. And you don’t have to put it on. It should be a spontaneous function of the new nature. Prayer is fellowship and conversation with God.
   
   
3. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. In fact it may be breathed and not spoken. It may be a groaning as with Israel in bondage. It may be a cry as with David. It may be even an inward, unheard cry. It may be a thought. It may be a moving of the lips as in the case of Hannah, who was unable to utter words aloud; she was so engrossed in what she wanted, and so anxious about it. Of course, the high priest saw her lips moving, and he thought she was drunk. Prayer may be a strong desire of the new nature, and it should be.
   
   
4. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. The new nature is a spirit that is in man. And it’s with this spirit that’s in man that the Holy Spirit witnesses that we are the children of God, as we find in Romans 8. This spirit should be occupied in prayer to God, that would be its natural inclination. And as with breathing, we should pray always, without ceasing. Don’t cease breathing! Don’t cease praying!
   
   
5. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. Would this make man [in the old nature] lower than the beasts? Yes it would. God has said as such is the estate of man. In Isaiah 1:3, God says that His own chosen People Israel do not know as much as the ox and the ass, because they know where the master’s crib is, but He says, “My People doth not consider.” So again we repeat, be sure you have the new nature!
   
   
6. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. It isn’t that God needs something, that isn’t the object. It’s not to help Him in any way. He has no need of us, and our prayers, and He isn’t ignorant of our needs and desires either. It’s our need, not His that’s under consideration.
   
   
7. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. It is not to change God. His mind and purpose is not to be changed, and they don’t. He’s ever willing and ready to give all the good gifts --- my how He’d like to! Parents can’t give a child a bicycle until he learns some of the rules of traffic, and how to take care of it, and keep out of the street, and so on. And that’s why God doesn’t give us all the good gifts because we aren’t ready to receive them --- we aren’t mature enough. And so the question is, are we ready to receive those good gifts? That’s the question! Of course you see, it’s we that need to be changed and not God. Prayer changes things, we hear, but it doesn’t change God. It changes the one who prays. It gets us in condition, the right mind to receive the things that God would give us. Now first, the one who prays must realize he’s helpless, and has no strength. He must realize that in his flesh, his old nature, dwells no good thing. And he must know that the most righteous things he could do are only filthiness in the sight of God. He must know this. So prayer shows us what we are, and how helpless, and so then by means of prayer we’re prepared to receive what He so longs and desires to give us. I want to make that emphatic! We find from God’s Word that He’d just love to give us blessings on top of blessings, but only when we’re ready to receive them!
   
   
8. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. Prayer should not limit God. Be very careful about that, don’t limit Him! We do not need to pray for Him to help us do something we are doing, but rather that He should perform it as He has promised. So often we say “me and god” , and a small god at that. That isn’t it!
   
   
9. Prayer is the breath of the new nature. So it’s up to us to take the low place, and not tell God how to run His Universe, as we’re so inclined to do, but to be occupied with Him. I think, in connection with this, you should read that little booklet, The Christian’s Greatest Need by Dr. Bullinger.

[From a collection of short studies on Truth For Today tape, 3/29/83. Other Studies on this tape: “Flaming Sword”, “Worship”, “Two Adams”, “Isaiah 6:9 & 10”, “Be Not Dismayed”, & “Profitable”.]