The Sacrifice of Prayer

1 John 5:14-15
¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Many bring great utterance to God that is well mingled with fear, pain, heart ache, ultimatums, tantrums, conditions, unbelief, broken zeal, broken hope,…you name it, the text above has prescribed that you must only know( eido- be aware) that God hears you and must know (eido-be aware) that you already have what you desire, with this truth, by implication, your utterance remains a heart of gratitude considering you already received even before you speak. Even with all the destructive emotions, still know God’s heart and receive your petition like Jesus.
(Hebrews 5:7)

(Read: Jonah 4)

Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Sacrifice can relate with prayer.
The Greek word for praying is proseuchomai and proseuche for prayer. The Greek word ” pro” is closeness /by  implication coming close to God in seeking Him and the other word euchomai is to speak or express a vow, request, petition, worship. Also submission, confession, petition, intercession, supplication, praise and thanks giving. It means to come forward or face to face with God..

The ancient sacrifices we know attached to them a need, desire and a vow. They involved giving. Like a sacrifice, prayer comes with a cost, David committed not to give God that which doesn’t cost Him anything ( 2 Samuel 24:24).
Prayer is more than Lord give me this, give me that, rather a point of closeness to God, Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer, in his ministry, it was first prayer then ministry , and this closeness with God made His ministry easy, when you are in touch with God, everything falls in place, get beyond the place of wanting to a place of intimacy with God.

Hebrews 5:7
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Prayer as a the sacrifice holding with it petition, Samuel made a burnt offering and victory was granted to Israel, Elijah made an offering and God responded, fire consumed the offering (1 Kings 18:36-39) ,
Prayer as a sacrifice of thanks giving/ peace.
The Peace offering was attached to the votive offering in relation to a favor or a simple voluntary act of worship made in joy or even distress (Leviticus 7:16-17) as well as , thanks giving  ( voluntary) sacrifices ( Lev 7:12-15).It was optional, by choice , out of free will. The peace offering closed with a meal, in which the priests (representing God), the worshipper, and his or her friends ate together.
When Jonah was stuck in the belly of the fish, swallowed in his pride he made a prayer attached to it a vow as He said; I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord ( Jonah 2:9) and thus was delivered…
Every good and perfect gift comes from God so He deserves the thanks giving. The choicest parts were consumed, every good thing we have is for the service of the Lord. The Lord wants our best not the left overs of your time or your resources.
Prayer carries with it  the essence of sacrifice for a higher life in close relationship with God, it is meant to draw you towards GOD. We notice that sacrifices were made with the attitude of a need already fulfilled,  acceptance, even vows, thanksgiving….this also explains why paul encourages us to pray(worship) without ceasing, in all seasons.
1 Thesalonians 5:16-17
¹6Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing.

When your flourishing pray, when your joyful pray, when your grieved pray, a prayer now secures for you a good future.
Have a prayer Bank, have a word bank so your utterance to God is pleasing, be fully insured in Him.

‘Invest in intimacy with God and any storm will be like dew to nourish you’

Prayer is a sacrifice , self-centeredness is ignored in preference for devotion unto God, remove from focusing on yourself to focusing on God, prayer engages your heart too, Hannah prayed from the heart even the mind (1 Samuel 1:13). In prayer you vanish in God, It is not the sacrifice but the You that God needs , Jesus says love the Lord your God with your heart, soul and mind, strength, He fully described what a sacrifice is and we are taught by the word, God delights not in simple sacrifices but in the You being offered in obedience.

Prayer, gives us access to the spiritual, a sacrifice opens spiritual portals(you are the sacrifice), it’s a bridge between physical and the spiritual realms. Jesus lay on the cross uttered a prayer and heaven responded (Mathew 27:50-54), as Steven was being stoned to death he uttered his last words seeing heaven open ( Acts 7:56).

Pray always, draw more into His presence, let the heavenly realm respond to You, awake, arise in the depth of prayer.

Prophetic Utterance:

He makes haste unto me; gives ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee, my prayer is set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Guiding Text:

Psalms 141:1-2
¹Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.²Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening