Text: I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (John 17:9)
Tweet: My definition of prayer is: Partnering with God, in both the carrying out of His plans and purposes in this world, as well as in the fulfilling of His good, acceptable, and perfect will in people’s lives. Prayer is not, as most folks believe, choosing for ourselves whom to pray for and what to pray about, and then proceeding to attempt to persuade God to do what we want Him to do about that chosen something or for that chosen someone. Our Savior, who taught us how to pray, both by explanation and example, prayed targeted prayers; that is, prayers for those His Father had chosen and in partnership with His Father’s sovereign will and divinely preordained plans and purposes. For us to pray otherwise, by praying outside of these parameters, is for us to pray amiss and in opposition to God rather than in partnership with God.