Prayer Motives

PRAYER MOTIVES

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3

When the Philistine and Israelite armies drew up their battle lines across the Valley of Elah they were equipped with armor, javelins, and a mixture of motives.

Goliath’s motive was to defy the ranks of Israel and make them subjects to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:9-10). When David delivered meals to his brothers and asked the men standing near him about this disgraceful Philistine giant, his oldest brother Eliab accused him of having motives that were driven by conceit, wickedness, and curiosity over an upcoming battle (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Saul’s motive was to win, even if it meant sending an untrained boy against a proficient Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:33). David’s motive was that every person that was gathered in that valley would know with absolute certainty that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47).

Scripture records that Goliath came forward every morning and evening for forty days to take his stand and threaten the Israelites. Saul and his army heard Goliath’s repeated intimidation and were dismayed and terrified (1 Samuel 17:11). Although specific prayers aren’t recorded within this story, we can be fairly certain that the valley was probably filled with foxhole prayers – petitions initiated by an extreme crisis and uttered in panic.

David’s prayer motives were pure. He desired to bring glory to the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath defied. Although Saul’s words to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:37), sounded godly and good, his prayer motives were wicked as is seen in the post-victory party. When the women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him (1 Samuel 18:7-8).

Before a word of prayer leaves our lips or is penned in our journals, God is weighing the motives to our requests. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3).

What is the fundamental motive to your and my prayers? Do we have underlying prayer motives to have more possessions, more money, higher status, recognition, approval, significance, comfort, or fame? Or is our pure motive to give glory to God? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, emphasis mine).

Prayer Step: Ask the Holy Spirit to give discernment to your prayer motives today.

That the Father may be glorified in the Son: it is to this end that Jesus on His throne in glory will do all we ask in His Name. Every answer to prayer He gives will have this as its object. Andrew Murray

Grace and peace,

Lenae