Have you turned the spigot on?

Posted on May 14, 2007 

Filed Under Christian Growth, Weylan Deaver

by Weylan Deaver

Paul the Apostle wrote about prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, saying, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (King James Version).

Four Greek words descriptive of prayer are used. In the Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, William Mounce observes, “To emphasize that prayers should be made for all people, Paul adds four types of prayers one after another…Although each of these words can describe slightly different types of prayers, that is not the point here. The point is that all prayers, of all types, should be for all people” (p. 79).

The first Greek word, deesis, is translated as “supplication.” This word means “a seeking, asking, entreating” (The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, p.126). “The word was a regular term for a petition to a superior and in the papyri it was constantly used of any writing addressed to the king” (Linguistic Key To The Greek New Testament, pp. 618-619). When we pray, we are making a request of the ultimate power—God—to take action on our behalf.

The second Greek word, proseuche, is translated as “prayers.” According to Thayer, this word means “prayer addressed to God” (p.545). We do not pray to Mother Nature, the gods, a particular god among the gods, or merely to some higher power. Rather, we pray to the one and only living God—the creator and sustainer of all.

The third Greek word, enteuxis, is translated as “intercessions,” and, per Thayer, means “a falling in with, meeting with; an interview, a coming together…a conference or conversation” (p. 218). W.E. Vine says it means “seeking the presence and hearing of God on behalf of others” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, p. 330). When we make “intercessions” in prayer, we are conversing with God, and most likely on behalf of someone else, such as family, the sick, friends, leaders, the lost, even enemies.

The fourth Greek word, eucharistia, is translated as “giving of thanks,” and, literally, means just that. The New Testament brims with passages encouraging us to offer thanks to God; and, what other response could there be from a heart that recognizes his gifts (cf. James 1:17)? As the psalmist put it, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?” (Psalm 116:12).

Now, look again at the words Paul used: supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks. Take the first letter of each word and you have “spigot,” which is another term for faucet. God is willing and able to pour down blessings of all kinds on his faithful children who ask. In fact, the Lord challenges us to test his generosity. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). Sometimes the pipeline of heavenly blessings is shut off because we are not being faithful (1 John 1:7), and sometimes it is closed because we are not asking God in prayer (James 4:2). Prayer is the spigot to the free flow of divine blessings. Have you turned the spigot on?

(To give credit where due, the idea for this article came from my wife, Cheri, who first noticed the acronym—Weylan)

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