Lesson 1 - Why Do We Pray?

Adapted by Ruth Mahoney Swaim

 

In my early years I used to wonder why God just didn’t zap things into ‘rightness’. After all, He is God and He sees the problems here on earth. He can do anything. How can He just stand by and allow unfair things to happen? Why are people starving? Why is there violence and evil taking place and He stays His hand?

 

The following teaching will bring an understanding of God’s position.*

Understanding Man’s Dominion

We must first understand why we were put here on earth.

John 5:26, 27 is a key that unlocks the mystery and answers perplexing questions about prayer.
 

Jesus said, “The Father has given him (the son) authority…because he is the SON of MAN.” 

Question: Why was it necessary for Jesus to be the Son of Man in order to have authority on earth? The answer is found in Genesis 1:26. The Lord made man for a divine purpose;

“Let us make man in our image and after our likeness. We will give him dominion (the right to rule) over everything that moves upon the earth.”Genesis 1:26.

The whole earth was given over to man’s rule or dominion. Man was made for that purpose. God made him the head or chief authority over the earth. David confirms this  in Psalms when he speaks of the special position that man has in God’s plan:

“What is man that you would even think of him? You made man to have dominion over the works of your hand, and have put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:4-6.

Man was created to exercise dominion over all the works of God’s hand. He was to rule it all, govern it all, exercise headship of it all. God made man with that intent and for that purpose. In the New Testament, the idea is taken still further:

“What is man that you should think of him…You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him to rule over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet…he left nothing that is not put under him…” 
Hebrews 2:6-8.

God will not Change His Mind.

Romans 11:20 states that “the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” This means God will not change His mind about giving man what He promised. When God establishes something He doesn’t change his mind. He doesn’t reverse Himself. His word will be fulfilled. His word is good – you can count on it.

 

Repentance is a Greek word “Metanoya” – to have a change of mind, reverse direction.

“God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent; hath he said and shall he not do it; or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good?" Numbers 23:19

“And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.” I Samuel 15:29

Man Loses Dominion

“And God said let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over all the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Genesis 1:26

God’s promise of dominion was contingent upon man remaining in His image and likeness, the image and likeness of God. So What Happened?

Satan came into the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and in deceiving Eve, gained access to Adam. In I Timothy 2:14 the bible says that Adam was not deceived. Adam chose to eat of the forbidden fruit and “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men.”   Death reigned (Greek means basileuo, to rule as king).  Death ruled as king by one. That one by whom death reigned was the devil. Romans 5:12, 14, 17.

“..the devil had the power of death” Hebrews 2:14.

A study of the Greek text reveals further insight to Hebrews 2:14. The verse could be paraphrased as “Jesus came to render useless and powerless the one through whom the dominion of death was channeled, the devil himself.”

When Adam surrendered (submitted) to satan’s lie, they came under satan’s dominion.

“…to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness.” Romans 6:16

Thus Adam and Eve handed over to Satan their right to rule – a right given by God. Satan took over that authority and power, and held it fast. And he ruled through Dominion of Death. Adam had everlasting life as long as he obeyed God. That added further authority to his  empirical rule, since it would go on forever. He ruled through the dominion of the power of an endless life. 

In contrast, when Adam sinned and caused …”death to pass upon all men… ” Satan ruled by becoming the channel for the dominion of death. The devil used this dominion to intimidate and dominate mankind – forcing compliance with his will. Man by his sin gave up his headship. When man sinned, the image and likeness of God was marred and his relationship with God was broken.

So then, how was this dilemma to be fixed?

Jesus Had to Come As The Son Of Man

There are more references in the scripture to Jesus as the Son of Man than as the Son of God. He referred to himself as the Son of Man.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man.” John 5:26,27

”so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”Mathew 8:20; Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10; John 3:14…

“For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.”  Hebrews 2:14, 15, 16

Why?

God had given to Man the authority, the dominion, the power of this realm. God would not step back into that which he had delegated and established. His gifts and callings are without repentance, without change of mind. Hence, He came as the son of Man and He had power to execute judgment in the earth because He was the Son of Man. He couldn’t have any authority if He hadn’t been the Son of Man. If He hadn’t been born of man.

Again, why did Jesus come as the Son of Man?

Because God would not go back on His word. He gave the dominion to man. The dominion had been lost by a man, therefore it had to be won back by a man. God is bound by His own predetermined purpose. He will not violate His own will and exercise authority in a realm given to another.

Jesus, having triumphed in His temptation and in the cross, triumphed totally over what Satan had done in the garden and redeemed back to man the dominion that man lost in his sin. Hence, He came as the Son of Man and He had power to execute judgment in the earth because He was the Son of Man.

Remember, God had given man first dominion. Micah prophesies that at a future time that dominion would be given back to the daughter of Jerusalem – the church….

”And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the FIRST DOMINION; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” Micah 4:8

How do we know man lost that dominion and satan had it?

In Matthew 4:9, Luke 4:7, 8 we see the account of Jesus and satans encounter. Satan said to Jesus, all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. The scripture refers to this time as a time of temptation. Jesus, after a long fast was offered these things.

We know satan had dominion. He came to Christ and offered it to him. Satan was not offering a false promise. He had it to offer. He had dominion at that point because he had taken it from Adam. Adam had surrendered it, relinquished it.

 

This was the whole purpose of Christ’s coming. To destroy (render powerless) the works of satan. This doesn’t mean satan isn’t around anymore – but he would be rendered powerless without dominion.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14, 15

Jesus had to die. (this is why He turned in such emphasis to Peter and said “Get thee behind me satan.”) He came to earth to die. Someone who was capable of dying had to come. This is the only way access could be gained into the realm of death. By entering the realm of death, our Savior could gain the access needed to subdue that realm. Messiah could triumph over death and set those, who were held captive, free from death and Hell.

“He became flesh and blood too by being born in human form, for only as a human being could He die and in dying break the dominion of the devil who had the power of death.”  Hebrews 2:14, (different translation)

So Jesus died, went into hell, retrieved the keys of the kingdom, triumphed over satan and made a shew of him openly.

In Bible times when a military leader had defeated an enemy, the winning army would force the opposing General and his troops to walk behind the victorious General in a public parade. The people on the sidelines would heap verbal abuse on them and throw rocks at the defeated.

This is illustrated in the life of David when his son Absalom drove David from his throne. Shimei went along on the hillside over against him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and cast dust. II Samuel 16:13.

Paul says this is what was happening in the spiritual realm when Jesus was crucified. Jesus triumphed over all of the powers of the devil and his demons. Jesus forced the devil and his ruling princes to march in His victory parade for the whole Creation to affirm that JESUS WON! Col. 2:15

Oh, what a wonder this is. We look forward, in eternity, to see that scene played back for us to see Christ’s wonderful victory parade.

So Jesus came to win back our dominion, and of course He did this. Satan had tried to offer it to Him on grounds of disobedience, but He would only get it back on terms of obedience to the Father.

So What Does This Have To Do With Why We Pray?

Well, in effect, God will not work in the earth without someone cooperating with Him and His purpose, without someone knowing what He wants to do and inviting Him in to do it.

“We are laborers together with God; ye are God’s husbandry; Ye are God’s building.” I Corinthians 3:9

God, because he delegated this authority and dominion to man, does not come into the sphere of earth without mans’ invitation. So, knowing what the Father wants to do, we call Him in to do it. Thus, we become, as Paul says in
I Corinthians 2, laborers together with Him.

Example: You have a roofing problem. The great storm came along and blew your roof off, allowing rain and all kinds of debris to flood your house. Now you can have a conference. You can call a committee, discuss the ramifications of the situation, or you can call a roofer who knows how to fix this problem.

In the United States, we have what we call rights of ownership or rights of domain. Without your permission that roofer cannot come onto your property and fix that problem. You must invite him into the situation and abide by his method of repair. You can talk about it all you want, you can discuss it, you can even worry about it, but unless you ASK him to come into the situation, he will not enter.

In this same way, God has given us dominion on the earth. He will not come into a situation without our invitation. He will not overrule our authority. He will abide by his word.

So, let’s recap:

1. Man was created

2. Man fell and lost dominion

3. Satan picked it up

4. Jesus came – triumphed on the cross

5. Jesus went into hell and set the prisoners free – took keys from Satan

6. Jesus gave the keys of the Kingdom to His church

7. Jesus taught them how to pray
”Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, on Earth , as it is already being done in Heaven."

Our dilemma: We are in a dire situation, frustrated, discouraged. Finally we turn to God and begin to pray, seeing that through our own efforts it has failed. Jesus says to the Father, “Father, look, he/she (put your own name in here) is praying, asking us to come into that situation. He/she finally got it! So the Holy Spirit is summoned and because we have given the Godhead invitation to enter into that problem, He (The Holy Spirit, the Action member of the Godhead) goes to work. The father will not send the Holy Spirit into a situation without that invitation. God has purposed to work out His will on earth through you and me.

Without Him we cannot; without us He will not!

And THAT IS WHY WE PRAY.

PRAYER: Our Father, who art in Heaven, I open my heart to you. I invite you into this situation. Please Holy Spirit, go to work, Thy will be done. I will work with you and listen to your voice, and obey your Word. I ask this in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

 

*This Bible teaching is my adapted and edited version of the teaching of Ralph Mahoney (my brother). You may copy and use it (without charge) for free distribution.

Copyrighted by Ruth Swaim to protect it from commercial or other non-approved use.