Young People's Group

“Lifting Up Holy Hands”

by Mitchell Tan
September 02, 2016

THE KIND OF LIFE WE LIVE MATTERS IN PRAYER

Praying to God is not just about how we pray and what we pray. There is more to it than prayer itself. The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2 had written to Timothy about the priority of prayer and the need to pray for all men. And yet, making prayer itself was not the only thing that God was looking for. Paul was challenging Timothy to encourage people to pray. When people pray everywhere, it is best done when people live righteously. The Lord looks at our life and evaluates how we are living. Behind the practice of prayer is the principle of how prayer must be backed up by the life we live. There are three features to consider.

1. HOLINESS MATTERS IN PRAYER

“That the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands”
1 Timothy 2:8

The lifting of hands during public prayer was a posture that the servants of the Lord took in the Lord’s house (Psalm 134:2). Paul saw how important it was for those praying that their hands were clean and holy. The hands are a representation of deeds. Our hands should be involved in holy deeds rather than evil ones. The Psalmist also wrote about this in Psalm 24 concerning those who can draw near to the Lord and stand in His presence. They were to have clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:4). Young people, do you have clean and holy hands and a pure heart when you pray? Let’s ensure that we do.

2. SELF-CONTROL MATTERS IN PRAYER

“Without wrath”
1 Timothy 2:8

Another important element in prayer is our spirit. We need to have a right spirit in prayer. If we have a problem of not having self-control and let wrath take the better of us, we may sin against the Lord. When we regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear us (Psalm 66:18). Let’s seek to have a humble spirit before the Lord. Let’s learn to pray with a right and gentle spirit before the Lord.

3. FULLNESS OF FAITH MATTERS IN PRAYER

“Without wrath and doubting”
1 Timothy 2:8

Prayers must also be made with fullness of faith. There should not be any doubt in our heart as we pray. If we doubt, God is not going to hear our prayers (James 1:6-7). We are to ask in faith having no doubt at all. Those who doubt are like the wave driven and tossed by the sea. He is double-minded person and unstable in all his ways. He will not receive anything from the Lord.

DEVELOPING OF OUR LIFE AND PRAYER LIFE

The principle of praying from a holy life matters in prayer. On the one hand, God hears prayers based on His mercies and grace. On the other hand, He hears when a fervent, righteous man prays (James 5:16). How we live our life counts to God each time that we pray and intercede for someone. Let’s seek to develop our life and our prayer life even more. God regards even more the prayer of a person who walks in His ways. Let’s seek to lean to walk righteously before Him. Let’s pray in faith because the Lord does hear the effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man.

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