I am asked quite often how one can pray effectively. This
article will show you the way the Word of God tells us to pray.
We are going to look at the Greek word pray (prayers, praying
and prayed) proseuche and proseuchomai but only in the Mystery
Epistles of Paul, Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians.
The Greek word proseuche appears in the New Testament 37 times
in 37 verses and proseuchomai appears 90 times in 82 verses,
this is quite an abundance of uses so I want to limit the study
to just the three books of the Apostle Paul also know as the
Prison Epistles.
We must first start our study with some Greek grammar lessons,
very basic for now. When the words proseuche or proseuchomai are
used as verbs, or as nouns the verbs that are used with them,
are always in the present tense. The present tense represents a
simple statement of fact or reality viewed as occurring in
actual time and in most cases this correspond directly with the
English present tense.
Another characteristic of these verbs are that they are in the
middle voice. The middle voice indicates the subject performing
an action upon himself (reflexive action) or for his own
benefit. E.g., "The boy groomed himself." Many verbs which occur
only in middle voice forms are translated in English as having
an active sense; these are called "deponent" verbs, and do not
comply with the normal requirements for the middle voice. A
different way to look at “deponent verbs” is that they occur
with passive or middle voice forms but with active voice meaning
The Greek middle voice meaning is still applicable, action is
done for ones own benefit, this is very apropos to prayer.
The third characteristic of these verbs is the mood. These verbs
for the most part are in the participle mood. The Greek
participle corresponds for the most part to the English
participle, reflecting "-ing" or "-ed" being suffixed to the
basic verb form. The participle can be used either like a verb
or a noun, as in English, and thus is often termed a "verbal
noun."
We must therefore conclude that even when the word prayer is
used as a noun it is a verbal noun and indicates some action by
the subject. This being said let us now take a look at the
verses where these words are used and it will become clear as to
how prayer is to be done. Eph. 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for
you, making (present tense, middle voice) mention of you in my
prayers; proseuche (verbal noun).
Eph. 6:18 Praying proseuchomai (present tense, middle voice,
participle mood) always with all prayer proseuche (verbal noun)
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Phil. 1:9 And this I pray proseuchomai (present tense, middle
voice, participle mood), that your love may abound yet more and
more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;
Phil. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
proseuche (verbal noun) and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.
Col. 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, praying proseuchomai (present tense, middle voice,
participle mood), always for you,
Col. 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do
not cease to pray proseuchomai (present tense, middle voice,
participle mood) for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;
Col. 4:2 Continue proskartereo (present tense, middle voice,
imperative mood) in prayer proseuche, and watch in the same with
thanksgiving;
Here the mood of the verb “continue” changed from participle to
imperative. The imperative mood corresponds to the English
imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to perform a
certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding.
The Apostle by virtue of the God breathed Word is commanding the
Colossians to actively pray with thanksgiving.
Col. 4:3 Withal praying proseuchomai (present tense, middle
voice, participle mood), also for us, that God would open unto
us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for
which I am also in bonds:
Col. 4:12 Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ,
saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers
proseuche, (verbal noun) that ye may stand perfect and complete
in all the will of God.
Lastly I would like to share with you a verse that uses another
Greek word, dessis for the English word prayer.
Phil. 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation
through your prayer deesis, and the supply of the Spirit of
Jesus Christ,
Dessis has its roots in the word deomai which is a verb and
guess what the characteristics of this verb are; you got it,
present tense, middle voice, participle mood. Is the Word of God
incredible or what?
So when it comes to prayer and praying we see a theme; that is
that pray is something we should do consistently and constantly.
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