Longing for God: The Art of Prayer

 

Summary

In the midst of Job's profound suffering, his deepest yearning was not for relief from his physical ailments or the restoration of his lost possessions, but rather for the presence of God. This longing reflects the heart of a true believer who, when faced with trials, instinctively seeks refuge in God. Unlike the hypocrite who resents divine discipline, the genuine child of God embraces it, seeking solace in the very presence of the one who disciplines. Job's desire to find God was intensified by the failure of earthly comforts and the unkindness of his friends, who only added to his grief. This teaches us the invaluable lesson that the emptiness of worldly consolations magnifies the preciousness of the Creator.

Prayer, as illustrated by Job, is not a casual endeavor but a profound exercise requiring preparation and order. It is not merely about uttering words but involves a deliberate approach, akin to a petitioner presenting a well-prepared case before a judge. The ancient saints understood this, treating prayer as a serious and mighty business. They approached God with premeditation, understanding the gravity of standing before the King of Kings. This involves recognizing God's presence, acknowledging our unworthiness, and pleading through the merits of Christ.

Furthermore, effective prayer is characterized by filling our mouths with arguments, not just words. These arguments are not to inform or persuade God, but to demonstrate our earnestness and understanding of the grace upon which we rely. Arguments in prayer serve to deepen our fervency and clarify our needs. They remind us of the promises of God, His attributes, and His past faithfulness. By pleading God's promises and His great name, we align our desires with His will, ensuring that our prayers are not only fervent but also in accordance with His purposes.

Ultimately, prayer is a divine art taught by the Holy Spirit. It is a means of communion with God, a way to cast off burdens, and a path to spiritual vigor. As we learn to order our prayers and fill our mouths with arguments, we find our mouths filled with praises, for God is faithful to answer those who earnestly seek Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. The True Refuge in Trials: In times of suffering, the genuine believer instinctively seeks refuge in God, recognizing that earthly comforts often fail. This longing for God's presence is a testament to the soul's deep connection with its Creator, highlighting the preciousness of divine communion over worldly relief. [00:57]

2. The Art of Ordered Prayer: Prayer is not a casual act but a deliberate and ordered approach to God. Like a petitioner before a judge, we must prepare our hearts and minds, recognizing the gravity of standing before the Almighty. This involves acknowledging our unworthiness and pleading through Christ's merits. [09:02]

3. Filling Our Mouths with Arguments: Effective prayer involves filling our mouths with arguments, not just words. These arguments demonstrate our earnestness and reliance on God's grace, reminding us of His promises, attributes, and past faithfulness. This deepens our fervency and aligns our desires with His will. [24:58]

4. The Power of God's Promises: Pleading God's promises in prayer is a powerful argument. When we remind God of His promises, we align our prayers with His will, ensuring that our requests are grounded in His purposes. This gives us confidence in His faithfulness to fulfill His word. [31:52]

5. Prayer as Communion and Transformation: Prayer is a divine art that transforms us as we commune with God. It is a means to cast off burdens, gain spiritual vigor, and experience the highest point of Christian health. Through prayer, we embrace the deity within our souls and find our mouths filled with praises. [28:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Job's Longing
- [00:30] - The True Refuge in Trials
- [01:11] - Seeking Shelter in God
- [01:52] - The Failure of Earthly Comforts
- [03:01] - The Preciousness of the Creator
- [04:00] - The Worst Grief: Absence of God
- [05:24] - Intensified Desire for God's Presence
- [06:09] - Overcoming Distance to Reach God
- [07:20] - Job's Desire to Pray Before God
- [08:49] - The Art of Ordered Prayer
- [12:14] - Holy Carefulness in Prayer
- [18:42] - Distinctness in Supplication
- [24:11] - Filling the Mouth with Arguments
- [31:06] - Pleading God's Promises
- [46:14] - The Power of Christ's Name in Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Job 23:3-4
- Psalm 42:1-2
- James 5:13-16

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#### Observation Questions
1. What was Job's primary desire in the midst of his suffering according to Job 23:3-4? How does this reflect his relationship with God? [00:30]
2. How does the sermon describe the reaction of a true believer versus a hypocrite when faced with divine discipline? [01:23]
3. What role do Job's friends play in his suffering, and how does this affect his longing for God? [02:03]
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of "filling our mouths with arguments" in prayer? [24:58]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Job's longing for God's presence in Job 23:3-4 illustrate the concept of true refuge in trials? What does this reveal about the nature of faith? [00:57]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that prayer is a deliberate and ordered approach to God? How does this compare to common perceptions of prayer today? [09:02]
3. How does the sermon explain the importance of aligning our prayers with God's promises and will? What impact does this have on the effectiveness of our prayers? [31:52]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the transformative power of prayer in the life of a believer? How does this relate to the concept of spiritual vigor? [28:43]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you sought refuge in God during a trial. How did this experience deepen your relationship with Him? [00:57]
2. Consider your current prayer life. How can you incorporate more preparation and order into your prayers to align with the sermon’s teaching on the art of ordered prayer? [09:02]
3. Identify a specific promise of God that you can plead in your prayers this week. How does this promise align with your current needs or desires? [31:52]
4. Think about a recent situation where earthly comforts failed you. How did this experience highlight the preciousness of divine communion for you? [01:52]
5. How can you ensure that your prayers are filled with genuine arguments and not just words? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of God's grace and promises? [24:58]
6. Reflect on a burden you are currently carrying. How can you use prayer as a means to cast off this burden and gain spiritual vigor? [28:43]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to cultivate a deeper sense of God's presence in your daily life, especially during times of prayer? [04:00]

Devotional

Day 1: Seeking God's Presence in Suffering
In times of profound suffering, the true believer's deepest yearning is not for relief from physical pain or the restoration of lost possessions, but for the presence of God. This longing reflects a heart that instinctively seeks refuge in God, recognizing that earthly comforts often fail. Job's experience teaches us that the emptiness of worldly consolations magnifies the preciousness of divine communion. When faced with trials, the genuine child of God embraces divine discipline, seeking solace in the very presence of the one who disciplines. This longing for God's presence is a testament to the soul's deep connection with its Creator, highlighting the preciousness of divine communion over worldly relief. [00:57]

Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV): "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally seek God's presence today, especially in areas where you feel earthly comforts have failed you?


Day 2: The Deliberate Approach to Prayer
Prayer is not a casual act but a deliberate and ordered approach to God. Like a petitioner before a judge, we must prepare our hearts and minds, recognizing the gravity of standing before the Almighty. This involves acknowledging our unworthiness and pleading through Christ's merits. The ancient saints understood prayer as a serious and mighty business, approaching God with premeditation and understanding the gravity of standing before the King of Kings. By recognizing God's presence and our own unworthiness, we align ourselves with His will and purposes. [09:02]

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (ESV): "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few."

Reflection: How can you prepare your heart and mind before approaching God in prayer today, acknowledging His holiness and your need for His grace?


Day 3: Filling Our Prayers with Earnest Arguments
Effective prayer involves filling our mouths with arguments, not just words. These arguments demonstrate our earnestness and reliance on God's grace, reminding us of His promises, attributes, and past faithfulness. By pleading God's promises and His great name, we align our desires with His will, ensuring that our prayers are not only fervent but also in accordance with His purposes. This practice deepens our fervency and clarifies our needs, helping us to approach God with a heart full of faith and trust. [24:58]

Isaiah 43:25-26 (ESV): "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right."

Reflection: What specific promises of God can you remind Him of in your prayers today, and how do these promises align with your current needs and desires?


Day 4: The Power of Pleading God's Promises
Pleading God's promises in prayer is a powerful argument. When we remind God of His promises, we align our prayers with His will, ensuring that our requests are grounded in His purposes. This gives us confidence in His faithfulness to fulfill His word. By focusing on God's promises, we shift our perspective from our own limitations to His limitless power and faithfulness. This practice not only strengthens our faith but also deepens our relationship with God as we trust in His perfect plan for our lives. [31:52]

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV): "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

Reflection: What is one promise of God that you can hold onto today, and how does it give you confidence in His faithfulness to fulfill His word?


Day 5: Prayer as a Transformative Communion
Prayer is a divine art that transforms us as we commune with God. It is a means to cast off burdens, gain spiritual vigor, and experience the highest point of Christian health. Through prayer, we embrace the deity within our souls and find our mouths filled with praises. As we learn to order our prayers and fill our mouths with arguments, we find our mouths filled with praises, for God is faithful to answer those who earnestly seek Him. This transformative communion with God not only strengthens our faith but also renews our spirit, enabling us to live out our faith with joy and purpose. [28:43]

Colossians 4:2 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

Reflection: How can you make prayer a transformative practice in your daily life, allowing it to renew your spirit and fill your heart with praise?

Quotes

In Job's uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face. His first prayer is not oh that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body, nor even oh that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler, but the first and uppermost cry is oh that I knew where I might find him who is my God that I might even come to his seat. [00:27:19]

God's children run home when the storm comes on. It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul to seek shelter from all ills beneath the wings of Jehovah. He that hath made his refuge God might serve as the title of a true believer. A hypocrite when he feels that he has been afflicted by God resents the infliction, and like a slave would run from the master who has scourged him, but not so the true heir of heaven. [00:65:76]

You will observe that the desire to commune with God is intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation. When Job first saw his friends at a distance, he may have entertained a hope that their kindly counsel and compassionate tenderness would blunt the edge of his grief, but they had not long spoken before he cried out in bitterness, miserable comforters are ye all. [01:10:07]

My brethren nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the creator as when we learn the emptiness of all besides. When you have been pierced through and through with the sentence cursed is he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm, then will you suck unutterable sweetness from the divine assurance blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. [03:03:20]

It is further observable that though a good man hastens to God in his trouble, and runs with all the more speed because of the unkindness of his fellow men, yet sometimes the gracious soul is left without the comfortable presence of God. This is the worst of all griefs. The text is one of Job's deep groans far deeper than any which came from him on account of the loss of his children and his property. [03:30:04]

There is a vulgar notion that prayer is a very easy thing a kind of common business that may be done anyhow without care or effort. Some think that you have only to reach a book down and get through a certain number of very excellent words and you have prayed and may put the book up again. Others suppose that to use a book is superstitious and that you ought rather to repeat extemporaneous sentences. [09:00:40]

The ancient saints were won't with Job to order their cause before God, that is to say as a petitioner coming into court does not come there without a thought to state his case on the spur of the moment, but enters into the audience chamber with his suit well prepared, having moreover learned how he ought to behave himself in the presence of the great one to whom he is appealing. [10:13:36]

It is well to approach the seat of the king of kings as much as possible with premeditation and preparation knowing what we are about, where we are standing, and what it is which we desire to obtain. In times of peril and distress we may fly to God just as we are as the dove enters the cleft of the rock, even though her plumes are ruffled, but in ordinary times, we should not come with an unprepared spirit. [10:37:76]

The true spiritual order of prayer seems to me to consist in something more than mere arrangement. It is most fitting for us to feel what we are now doing, something that is real, that we are about to address ourselves to God, whom we cannot see, but who is really present, whom we can neither touch nor hear, nor by our senses can apprehend but who nevertheless is as truly with us as though we were speaking to a friend of flesh and blood like ourselves. [16:03:19]

The arguments to be used are for our own benefits, not for his. He requires for us to plead with him and to bring forth our strong reasons as Isaiah saith, because this will show that we feel the value of the mercy. When a man searches for arguments for a thing it is because he attaches importance to that which he is seeking. Again our use of arguments teaches us the ground upon which we obtain the blessing. [25:33:84]

The very act of prayer is a blessing, to pray is as it were to bathe oneself in a cool pearling stream, and so to escape from the heats of earth's summer sun, to pray is to mount on eagle's wings above the clouds and get into the clear heaven where God dwelleth, to pray is to enter the treasure house of God and to enrich oneself out of an inexhaustible storehouse. [27:54:32]

The man who has his mouth full of arguments in prayer shall soon have his mouth full of benedictions in answer to prayer. Dear friend thou hast thy mouth full this morning hast thou what of full of complaining, pray the Lord to rinse thy mouth out of that black stuff, for it will little avail thee and it will be bitter in thy bowels one of these days. [49:15:56]

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Transcript
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