Habakkuk 3:1-15
In the past century, much has been written and said particularly about “the prayer of faith.” Sinclair Ferguson remarks: “The focus has been on mountain-moving prayer by which we simply “claim” things from God with confidence that we will receive them because we believe that He will give them.”
But what exactly is the prayer of faith?
Interestingly, it is in the New Testament letter of James (This will be our next NT book to preach through on Sunday mornings.) that the term occurs. It climaxes the marvelous teaching on prayer that punctuates the entire letter (see 1:5–8; 4:2–3; 5:13–18).
What is even more striking is that the significance of the phrase seems to be illustrated by the experience of one individual, the prophet Elijah. Sinclair Ferguson writes that “In [Elijah’s] case, the prayer of faith was instrumental in shutting the heavens. Perhaps it is not surprising, therefore, that the phrase has come to be associated largely, if not exclusively, with dramatic, miracle-like events—with the extraordinary rather than the daily.”
Yet this misses the basic thrust of James’ teaching, notes Ferguson. He then explains why James cites the example of Elijah.
“The reason Elijah is used as an example is not that he was an extraordinary man; James stresses that he was “a man with a nature like ours” (James 5:17). It is his ordinariness that is in view.
“Elijah’s praying is used as an example not because it produced miracle-like effects but because it gives us one of the clearest of all illustrations of what it means for anyone to pray with faith: it is believing God’s revealed Word, taking hold of His covenant commitment to it, and asking Him to keep it.” (You can read the article in its entirety here.)
In our passage this week from Habakkuk 3:1-15, Habakkuk is praying in faith. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones remarks:
“The whole of the chapter is a record of the prophet’s prayer. Prayer is more than petition, and includes praise, thanksgiving, recollection and adoration. The very invoking of history, as we find the prophet doing here, is often an essential part of prayer. The great prayers of the Bible are those of men who reminded God of what He had done in the past. They based their petitions upon those facts. This entire chapter, then, is a great prayer.”
What should be the Christian’s attitude at a time of trouble or crisis? In Hab. 3:2 Habakkuk provides us a model. Today we are confronted by a world situation not wholly unlike that of Habakkuk’s. As he noted, our problem is again: Why doesn’t God intervene? Why does God allow these things? Why are the ungodly so successful? Why doesn’t God come to revive the Church? In the face of these things our attitude should be that of the prophet.
This Sunday we will consider the attitudes that lead to prayer of faith. Do you pray great prayers? Would you like to learn how you can? Join us this Sunday morning as we look at Habakkuk 3:1-15.
For His Glory,
Pastor Wayne
P.S.
On Sunday nights we engage in Kingdom prayer! As we gather to pray, what happens?
“What happens at the prayer meeting? God hears prayer (Ps 65:2)! He listens! He accomplishes His sovereign will through the prayers of the saints (Rev 5), and He responds to their pleas (2 Sam 24:25). He does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20), and He builds and strengthens His church through prayer (2 Cor 1:11).” (copied)
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