TRUE PRAYER
Excerpted (with minorediting) from John Bunyan, Prayer (The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965), 13–22

“I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.”
(1 Corinthians 14:15)

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul toGod, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, forsuch things as God hath promised, or according to His Word, for the good of thechurch, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.

In this description are these seven things. Prayer is (1) a sincere; (2) asensible; (3) an affectionate, pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ;(4) by the strength or assistance of the Spirit; (5) for such things as Godhath promised, or, according to His Word; (6) for the good of the church; (7)with submission in faith to the will of God.

Prayer must be Sincere

1. For the first of these, it is a sincere pouring out of thesoul to God.

Sincerity is such a grace as runs through all the graces of God in us, andthrough all the actings of a Christian, and has the sway in them too, or elsetheir actings are not regarded of God. David speaks particularly of sinceritywhen he mentions prayer: “I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolledwith my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”(Ps 66:17–18). Part of the exercise of prayer is sincerity, without which Goddoes not accept it as prayer (Ps 16:1–4). “Ye shall seek me, and find me,when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jer 29:12–13). The want ofthis made the Lord reject the prayers of those mentioned in Hosea 7:14, whereHe says, “They have not cried unto me with their heart,” that is, in sincerity,“when they howled upon their beds.” It is rather for a pretence, for a show inhypocrisy, to be seen of men, and applauded for the same that they pray.Sincerity was that which Christ commended in Nathaniel, when he was under thefig tree. “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (Jn 1:47).Probably this good man was pouring out his soul to God in prayer under the figtree, and that in a sincere and unfeigned spirit before the Lord. The prayerthat has this in it as one of the principal ingredients is the prayer that Godregards. Thus, “The prayer of the upright is his delight” (Prov 15:8).

And why must sincerity be one of the essentials of prayer which is accepted ofGod? Because sincerity carries the soul in all simplicity to open its heart toGod, and to tell him the case plainly, without equivocation; to condemn itselfplainly, without dissembling; to cry to God heartily, without complimenting. “Ihave surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and Iwas chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke” (Jer 31:18). Sincerity isthe same in a corner alone, as it is before the face of the world. It knows nothow to wear two masks, one for an appearance before men, and another forprivate use. It must have God, and be with Him in the duty of prayer. It is notlip-labour that it regards, for sincerity, like God, looks at the heart, andthat where prayer comes from, if it be true prayer.

Prayer must be Sensible

2. It is a sincere and sensible pouring out of the heart orsoul.

It is not, as many take it to be, a few babbling, prating, complimentaryexpressions, but a sensible feeling in the heart. Prayer has in it asensibleness of diverse things; sometimes sense of sin, sometimes of mercyreceived, sometimes of the readiness of God to give mercy.

(a) A sense of the want of mercy, by reason of the danger of sin. The soul, Isay, feels, and from feeling sighs, groans, and breaks at the heart. For rightprayer bubbles out of the heart when it is overcome with grief and bitterness,as blood is forced out of the flesh by reason of some heavy burden that liesupon it (1 Sam 1:10; Ps 69:3). David roars, cries, weeps, faints at heart,fails at the eyes, loses his moisture (Ps 38:8–10). Hezekiah mourns like a dove(Isa 38:14). Ephraim bemoans himself (Jer 31:18). Peter weeps bitterly (Mt 26:75).Christ has strong cryings and tears (Heb 5:7). And all this from a sense of thejustice of God, the guilt of sin, the pains of hell and destruction. “Thesorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I foundtrouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD” (Ps 116:3–4). Andin another place, “My sore ran in the night” (Ps 77:2). Again, “I am bowed downgreatly; I go mourning all the day long” (Ps 38:6). In all these instances, youmay see that prayer carries in it a sensible feeling, and that first from asense of sin.

(b) Sometimes there is a sweet sense of mercy received; encouraging,comforting, strengthening, enlivening, enlightening mercy. Thus David pours outhis soul, to bless, and praise, and admire the great God for Hisloving-kindness to such poor vile wretches.

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and allthat is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forgetnot all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thydiseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee withloving-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things,so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Ps 103:1–5).

And thus is the prayer of saints sometimes turned intopraise and thanksgiving, and yet is still prayer. This is a mystery; God’speople pray with their praises, as it is written, “Be careful for nothing; butin every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request bemade known unto God” (Phil 4:6). A sensible thanksgiving for mercies receivedis a mighty prayer in the sight of God; it prevails with Him unspeakably.

(c) In prayer there is sometimes in the soul a sense of mercy to be received.This again sets the soul aflame. “Thou, O LORD of hosts,” says David, “hastrevealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house; therefore hath thyservant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee” (2 Sam 7:27). Thisprovoked Jacob, David, Daniel, with others, not by fits and starts, nor yet ina foolish frothy way, but mightily, fervently, and continually, to groan outtheir conditions before the Lord, as being sensible of their wants, theirmisery, and the willingness of God to show mercy (Gen 32:10–11; Dan 9:3–4).

Prayer must be Affectionate

3. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, and an affectionate pouring out ofthe soul to God.

(a) O, what heat, strength, life, vigour, and affection thereis in true prayer! “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth mysoul after thee, O God” (Ps 42:1). “I have longed after thy precepts” (Ps119:40). “I have longed for thy salvation” (v. 174). “My soul longeth, yea,even fainteth, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh crieth out forthe living God” (Ps 84:2). “My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath untothy judgments at all times” (Ps 119:20). O what affection is here discovered inprayer! You have the same in Daniel. “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord,hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God” (Dan 9:19). Everysyllable carries a mighty vehemency in it. This is called the fervent, or theworking prayer, by James. And so again, “And being in an agony he prayed moreearnestly” (Lk 22:44). He had his affections more and more drawn out after Godfor His helping hand. O how wide are the most of men with their prayers fromthis prayer! Alas! The greatest part of men make no conscience at all of theduty; and as for them that do, it is to be feared that many of them are verygreat strangers to a sincere, sensible, and affectionate pouring out theirhearts or souls to God. They content themselves with a little lip-labour andbodily exercise, mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. When the affections areindeed engaged in prayer, then the whole man is engaged, and that in such sortthat the soul will spend itself, as it were, rather than go without that gooddesired, even communion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saintshave spent their strength, and lost their lives, rather than go without the blessing(Pss 69:3; 38:9–10; Gen 32:24, 26).

All this is too, too evident by the ignorance, profaneness, and spirit of envythat reign in the hearts of those men that are so hot for the forms, and notthe power of praying. Few among them know what it is to be born again, to havecommunion with the Father through the Son; to feel the power of gracesanctifying their hearts. For all their prayers, they still live cursed,drunken, whorish, and abominable lives, full of malice, envy, deceit,persecuting of the dear children of God. O what a dreadful judgment is comingupon them! a judgment from which all their hypocritical assembling themselvestogether, with all their prayers, shall never be able to help them against, orshelter them from.

Prayer is a pouring out of the heart or soul. There is inprayer an unbosoming of a man’s self, an opening of the heart to God, anaffectionate pouring out of the soul in requests, sighs, and groans. “All mydesire is before thee,” says David, “and my groaning is not hid from thee” (Ps38:9). And again, “My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall Icome and appear before God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul inme” (Ps 42:2, 4). Mark, “I pour out my soul.” It is an expression signifyingthat in prayer there goes the very life and whole strength to God. As inanother place, “Trust in him at all times: ye people, pour out your heartbefore him” (Ps 62:8). This is the prayer to which the promise is made, for thedelivering of a poor creature out of captivity and thraldom. “If from thencethou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him withall thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut 4:29).

Again, prayer is a pouring out of the heart or soul to God. Thisshows also the excellency of the spirit of prayer. It is the great God to whichit goes. “When shall I come and appear before God?” And it argues that the soulthat thus prayeth indeed, sees an emptiness in all things under heaven; that inGod alone there is rest and satisfaction for the soul. “Now she that is a widowindeed, and desolate, trusteth in God” (1 Tim 5:5). So says David,

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust:let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness and cause meto escape: incline thine ear to me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation,whereunto I may continually resort:… for thou art my rock and my fortress.Deliver me, O my God,… out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. Forthou art my hope, O Lord GOD, thou art my trust from my youth (Ps 71:1–5).

Many speak of God; but right prayer makes God the hope,stay, and all. True prayer sees nothing substantial, and worth the lookingafter, but God. And that, as I said before, it does in a sincere, sensible, andaffectionate way.

Again, prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart orsoul to God, through Christ. This “through Christ” must needs beadded, or else it must be questioned, whether it is prayer, though inappearance it be never so eminent or eloquent.

Christ is the way through whom the soul hath admittance to God (Jn 14:6), andwithout whom it is impossible that so much as one desire should come into theears of the Lord of Sabaoth. “If ye shall ask any thing in my name”;“whatsoever ye shall ask [the Father] in my name, that will I do” (Jn 14:14,13). This was Daniel’s way in praying for the people of God; he did it in thename of Christ. “Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, andhis supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that isdesolate, for the Lord’s sake” (Dan 9:17). And so David, “For thy name’ssake,”—that is, for thy Christ’s sake,—“pardon mine iniquity; for it is great”(Ps 25:11). But now, it is not every one that makes mention of Christ’s name inprayer that does indeed, and in truth, effectually pray to God in the name ofChrist, or through Him. This coming to God through Christ is the hardest partof prayer. A man may more easily be sensible of his condition, and sincerelydesire mercy, and yet not be able to come to God by Christ. That man that comesto God by Christ must first have the knowledge of Him; “for he that cometh toGod must believe that he is” (Heb 11:6). And so he that comes to God throughChrist, must be enabled to know Christ. Lord, says Moses, “shew me now thy way,that I may know thee” (Ex 33:13).

This Christ, none but the Father can reveal (Mt 11:27). And to come throughChrist is for the sinner to be enabled of God to hide itself under the shadowof the Lord Jesus, as a man hides himself under a thing for safeguard (Mk16:16). Hence it is that David so often terms Christ his shield, buckler,tower, fortress, rock of defence (Pss 18:2; 27:1; 28:1). Not only because byHim he overcame his enemies, but because through Him he found favour with Godthe Father. And so God says to Abraham, “Fear not,… I am thy shield” (Gen15:1). The man then that comes to God through Christ must have faith, by whichhe puts on Christ, and in Him appears before God. Now he that has faith is bornof God, and so becomes one of the sons of God; by virtue of which he is joinedto Christ, and made a member of Christ (Jn 3:5, 7; 1:12). And therefore, he, asa member of Christ, comes to God; I say, as a member of Christ, so that Godlooks on that man as a part of Christ, part of His body, flesh, and bones,united to Him by election, conversion, enlightenment, the Spirit being conveyedinto the heart of that man by God (Eph 5:30). So that now he comes to God inChrist’s merits, in His blood, righteousness, victory, intercession, and sostands before Him, being “accepted in the beloved” (Eph 1:6). And because thispoor creature is thus a member of the Lord Jesus, and under this considerationhas admittance to God; therefore, by virtue of this union also is the Holy Spiritconveyed into him, whereby he is able to pour out his soul before God.

Prayer must be in theSpirit

4. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate, pouring out of the heart orsoul to God through Christ, by the strength or assistance of the Spirit.

These things so depend one upon another that it is impossible that it should beprayer without a joint concurrence of them; for though it be never so eloquent,yet without these things, it is only such prayer as is rejected of God. Forwithout a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God, itis but lip-labour; and if it be not through Christ, it falls far short of eversounding well in the ears of God. So also, if it be not in the strength and bythe assistance of the Spirit, it is but like the sons of Aaron, offering withstrange fire (Lev 10:1–2). That which is not petitioned through the teachingand assistance of the Spirit cannot be “according to the will ofGod” (Rom 8:26–27).

Prayer must be according
to the Will and Promise of God

5. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart, orsoul, to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of theSpirit, for such things as God has promised (Mt 6:6–8).

Prayer is only true when it is within the compass of God’s Word; it isblasphemy, or at best vain babbling, when the petition is unrelated to theBook. David therefore in his prayer kept his eye on the Word of God. “My soul,”says he, “cleaveth unto the dust; quicken thou me according to thy word.” Andagain, “My soul melteth for heaviness, strengthen thou me according unto thyword” (Ps 119:25, 28; see also verses 41, 42, 58, 65, 74, 81, 82, 107, 147,154, 169, 170). And, “remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hastcaused me to hope” (v. 49). And indeed the Holy Ghost does not immediatelyquicken and stir up the heart of the Christian without, but by, with, andthrough the Word, by bringing that to the heart, and by opening of that,whereby the man is provoked to go to the Lord, and to tell Him how it is withhim, and also to argue, and supplicate, according to the Word. Thus it was withDaniel, that mighty prophet of the Lord. He, understanding by books that thecaptivity of the children of Israel was nearing its end, then, according untothat word, he makes his prayer to God. “I Daniel,” says he, “understood bybooks,” viz., the writings of Jeremiah,

the number of the years, whereof theword of the LORD came to Jeremiah…, that he would accomplish seventy years inthe desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the LORD God, to seek byprayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes (Dan 9:2–3).

As the Spirit is the helper and the governor of the soul, when it praysaccording to the will of God; so it guides by and according to the Word of Godand His promise. Hence it is that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself did make astop, although His life lay at stake for it. “I [could] now pray to my Father,and he should give me more than twelve legions of angels[;] But how then mustthe scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Mt 26:53–54). Were therebut a word for it in the Scripture, I should soon be out of the hands of mineenemies, I should be helped by angels; but the Scripture will not warrant thiskind of praying, for that says otherwise.

It is a praying then according to the Word and promise. The Spirit by the Wordmust direct, in the manner, as well as in the matter of prayer. “I will praywith the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also” (1 Cor 14:15).But there is no understanding without the Word. For if they reject the Word ofthe Lord, “what wisdom is in them?” (Jer 8:9).

Prayer must be
for the Good of the Church

6. For the good of the Church.

This clause covers whatsoever tends either to the honour of God, Christ’sadvancement, or His people’s benefit. For God, and Christ, and His people areso linked together that if the good of the one be prayed for, the others mustneeds be included. As Christ is in the Father, so the saints are in Christ; andhe that touches the saints, touches the apple of God’s eye. Therefore pray forthe peace of Jerusalem(Ps 122:6), and you pray for all that is required of you. For Jerusalem will never be in perfect peaceuntil she be in heaven; and there is nothing that Christ more desires than tohave her there. That also is the place that God through Christ has given her.He then that prays for the peace and good of Zion, or the church, asks that in prayerwhich Christ has purchased with His blood; and also that which the Father hasgiven to Him as the price thereof. Now he that prays for this, must pray forabundance of grace for the Church, for help against all its temptations; thatGod would let nothing be too hard for it; and that all things might worktogether for its good, that God would keep His children blameless and harmless,the sons of God, to His glory, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.And this is the substance of Christ’s own prayer in John 17. And all Paul’sprayers did run that way, as one of his prayers eminently shows:

And this I pray, that your love mayabound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approvethings that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till theday of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are byJesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Phil 1:9–11).

But a short prayer, you see, and yet full of good desiresfor the Church, from the beginning to the end; that it may stand and go on, andthat in the most excellent frame of spirit, even without blame, sincere, andwithout offence, until the day of Christ, let its temptations or persecutionsbe what they will (Eph 1:16–21; 3:14–19; Col 1:9–13).

Prayer must Submit
to the Secret Will of God

7. And because, as I said, prayer submits to the will of God, andsay, Thy will be done, as Christ has taught us (Mt 6:10); therefore the peopleof the Lord in humility are to lay themselves and their prayers, and all thatthey have, at the foot of their God, to be disposed of by Him as He in Hisheavenly wisdom sees best. Yet not doubting but God will answer the desire ofHis people that way that shall be most for their advantage and His glory. Whenthe saints therefore do pray with submission to the will of God, it does not arguethat they are to doubt or question God’s love and kindness to them. But becausethey at all times are not so wise, but that sometimes Satan may get thatadvantage of them, as to tempt them to pray for that which, if they had it,would neither prove to God’s glory nor His people’s good. Yet “this is theconfidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to hiswill, he heareth us; And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we knowthat we have the petitions that we desired of him,” that is, we asking in theSpirit of grace and supplication (1 Jn 5:14–15). For, as I said before, thatpetition that is not put up in and through the Spirit, it is not to beanswered, because it is beside the will of God. For the Spirit only knows that,and so consequently knows how to pray according to that will of God. “For whatman knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? evenso the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:11).

[Editor’s note: John Bunyan (1628–1688) was a Nonconformist preacher andwriter who had very little education. He is famous for his Pilgrim’s Progress, which he wrote while in prison forrefusing to stop preaching to the people after the restoration of Charles II.But he wrote many other books too, including this excellent treatise on prayer.Although John Owen would have dissented with some of Bunyan’s later works, hehad such high regards for him as a preacher that he would often go out of theway to hear him preach. When he was once asked by the king why a learned manlike him could go “to hear a tinker prate,” his reply was: “May it please yourmajesty, could I possess the tinker’s ability for preaching, I would willinglyrelinquish all my learning.” So greatly had the Lord gifted this man for thebenefit of the Church, not only in those days of persecution, but in these daysof ease, hardening and apostasy.

—J.J. Lim