Topical Bible: The Law of God: Saints: Pray to Understand

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The Law of God, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, is a central tenet of the Christian faith, serving as a guide for righteous living and a reflection of God's holy character. The saints, those who are set apart for God's purposes, are called to not only obey the Law but to seek a deeper understanding of it through prayer. This pursuit of understanding is a spiritual discipline that aligns the believer's heart with God's will and wisdom.

Biblical Foundation

The importance of understanding God's Law is emphasized throughout the Bible. In Psalm 119, a chapter dedicated to the beauty and necessity of God's statutes, the psalmist repeatedly prays for insight and comprehension. Psalm 119:18 states, "Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law." This verse highlights the need for divine illumination to grasp the depth and richness of God's commandments.

Similarly, in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul underscores the necessity of spiritual wisdom and understanding. In Colossians 1:9 , Paul writes, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Here, Paul models the practice of praying for the saints to be filled with knowledge and understanding of God's will, which is intricately connected to His Law.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in helping believers understand the Law of God. Jesus promised that the Spirit would guide His followers into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit illuminates the Scriptures, enabling the saints to discern and apply God's Law in their lives. This divine assistance is essential, as human wisdom alone is insufficient to fully comprehend the spiritual truths contained in God's Word.

Prayer as a Means of Understanding

Prayer is the means by which believers seek understanding of God's Law. It is an act of humility and dependence, acknowledging that true wisdom comes from God. James 1:5 encourages believers, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." This promise assures the saints that God is willing to grant wisdom to those who earnestly seek it through prayer.

Examples of Saints Praying for Understanding

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of saints who prayed for understanding of God's Law. King Solomon, known for his wisdom, famously prayed for discernment to govern God's people and to distinguish between right and wrong (1 Kings 3:9). His prayer pleased God, who granted him unparalleled wisdom.

Daniel, another exemplar of faith, sought understanding through prayer and fasting. In Daniel 9:2-3 , he turned to the Lord in prayer and petition, seeking insight into the prophecies concerning Israel. His earnest prayers were answered with divine revelation.

Practical Application for Believers

For contemporary believers, praying to understand God's Law remains a vital practice. It involves a commitment to regular prayer, study of the Scriptures, and openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By doing so, the saints can grow in their knowledge of God, align their lives with His commandments, and live out their faith with wisdom and discernment.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 119:18
Open you my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Putting God to Work
... He interferes in earth's affairs in answer to the praying of His saints. ... Or Almighty
God may answer prayer working through the course of natural law. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/ii putting god to work.htm

The Prayer of the Regenerated.
... Holy Spirit prays because the prayers of the saints are imperfect ... It does indeed
change his state before God at once ... the one hand, "I delight in the law of God ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xlii the prayer of the.htm

Against those who Fancy that in the Judgment of God all the ...
... say, will yield them to the prayers of His saints, who will ... seek to establish their
own righteousness by the law, the righteousness of God is not ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 24 against those who fancy.htm

Fenelon -- the Saints Converse with God
... THE SAINTS CONVERSE WITH GOD. ... when you prefer your own will to His, and make His
law yield to ... the coming of His reign, and do not desire that God should grant ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/fenelon the saints converse.htm

Prayer and the House of God
... is where God dwells, where He meets with His people, and He delights in the worship
of His saints. ... So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly and ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xiv prayer and the house.htm

Walking with God
... Paul to Timothy); And this book of the law, (says God to ... Watch, therefore, I pray
you, O believers, the motions of God's ... And such honor have all God's saints. ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/walking with god.htm

Sirs, what must I do to be Saved? and they Said, Believe on the ...
... nothing left in the mind contrary to the law of God ... An individual may love God perfectly
and eternally, and yet his ... As the saints in glory see more and more of ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/sirs what must i do.htm

The Irish Articles of Religion. AD 1615.
... they be shut forth from the communion of saints and the liberties of the people
of God. ... Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and ...
/.../the irish articles of religion.htm

The First Commandment --On the Honor and Invocation of Saints
... history of the Israelites, to whom God first gave the law. ... look upon all as the children
of God, and pray ... to the pictures and images of Christ and His saints? ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 31 the first commandmenton.htm

Thirty-First Lesson. Pray Without Ceasing;'
... supplication in the Spirit for all the saints and for ... are the creatures of time,
under the law of growth ... be conquered, and the harmony between God's Spirit and ...
/.../thirty-first lesson pray without ceasing.htm