The problem with prayer is that people have learned everything they know about it from the wrong places. They have either read a book or heard a message on prayer. While that in itself is not bad, it becomes bad when it is not backed up by Scriptural truth.
Wait, it gets worse. In the worst offenses against "truth in prayer" the Bible itself is used as the starting point for the teaching. "How could that be bad?" you ask. It is bad because while they may start with the Word, instead of going into the truth of the text, they launch out into fantasy. These false teachings are repeated over and over until they eventually become doctrine.
To begin again,
I don't hate cats--the furry little vermin--although my attitude towards them is in fair approximation to their obvious disdain for me.
I hate CATS.
The dreaded teaching that "Prayer is Confession, Adoration, Thanksgiving and Supplication."
It is obvious but not certainly trite to say, words have meanings. Each one of these words have a meaning, their own individual meaning.
Confession is not thanksgiving, adoration is not supplication. Go through all of the permutations and you end up with:
Prayer is NOT Confession, Adoration, Thanksgiving or Supplication.
What is prayer? - Prayer is ASKING.
By mixing in the activities which go along with prayer the most important (from our perspective) fact concerning prayer is obfuscated- the answer to prayer is RECEIVING.
With that understanding clear in our minds we can move on to an effectual prayer life and avoid all of the pseudo-spiritual maneuverings and Oprah book of the month plans and search out the true teaching and meaning of prayer from the source- God's Word.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints Ephesians 6:18
