What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Challenges of Prayer?

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe prayer as difficult rather than simple?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, prayer is not simple or easy as some suggest. He identifies three main difficulties in prayer:

1. Prayer means entering the very presence of God - "Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest." This is an awesome reality that should overwhelm us with the magnitude of approaching the holy God.

2. Prayer requires dealing with an accusing conscience - "Having a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience." Our own consciences accuse us when we try to pray, making us feel unworthy to approach God.

3. Prayer confronts us with our inward pollution of sin - "Our bodies washed with pure water." The corrupting effect of sin on our nature makes us feel unfit for divine communion.

As Lloyd-Jones states: "In many ways, prayer is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. And we need to be taught how to pray."

What is the "new and living way" that Lloyd-Jones mentions for approaching God in prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ has opened "a new and living way" for believers to approach God in prayer:

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having an high priest of the house of God, let us draw nigh."

This new way is: - Superior to the old covenant system with its animal sacrifices and mortal priests - Permanent rather than temporary ("living" rather than dying) - Based on Christ's incarnation ("a body hast thou prepared me") - Consecrated through Christ's death (the shedding of His blood) - Maintained by Christ's resurrection and ascension as our eternal High Priest

Lloyd-Jones uses a modern analogy: "It helps us to understand it. What these people, you see, in essence were doing was something like this. Here we are today in this world of motorways, bypasses... What would you think of a man who ignored the motorway, the direct route, and still persisted in meandering and wasting his time... in going along the old roads?"

How does Lloyd-Jones say we should overcome the devil's accusations when praying?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that we can overcome the devil's accusations through the doctrines of salvation, particularly Christ's sacrifice:

"How do you answer him? And you can't answer him except in these terms. The new and living way. The great doctrines of salvation that are to be found in the Bible and especially in the New Testament."

He quotes Revelation: "They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony."

Lloyd-Jones also quotes John Newton's hymn: "Be thou my shield and hiding place, that sheltered near thy side. I may my fierce accuser face and tell him thou hast died."

As Lloyd-Jones explains: "That's the only way to settle the devil and to silence him. Tell him that Christ has died for you and he's speechless. He'll argue with you to his heart's content and he'll beat you at your arguments. But you mentioned the blood of Christ to him. Tell him that Christ has died for you, and he'll give it up."

Why does Lloyd-Jones emphasize the importance of doctrine for effective prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly asserts that true prayer is impossible without sound doctrine. He says:

"The idea that you can maintain your Christian life irrespective of what you believe, is to deny the whole of the New Testament. All the Christian life and living in detail comes out of our central belief, our central faith. And if that becomes shaky, everything becomes shaky."

He challenges the popular ecumenical notion: "People who are interested in this so-called ecumenical movement, they say, 'We mustn't discuss doctrine together. That divides,' they say, 'but we can always pray together.' That's the argument. As if prayer were simple."

Lloyd-Jones argues that only with correct understanding of: - Christ's atoning sacrifice - Our position in Christ - God's promises to believers - The work of the Holy Spirit

can we pray with "boldness" and "full assurance of faith." As he states: "You cannot resist the devil without doctrine, it's impossible. That's why doctrine is essential."

What attitude does Lloyd-Jones teach we should have when approaching God in prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that believers should approach God in prayer with:

1. A true heart - "Let us draw near with a true heart." This means complete honesty and sincerity before God, not hiding or concealing anything: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

2. Boldness - "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest." This doesn't mean casual familiarity but confident access through Christ.

3. Full assurance of faith - "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." This means absolute confidence in God's promises and provisions.

4. Reverence - While we come boldly, we must remember God's holiness: "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. Why? For our God is a consuming fire."

As Lloyd-Jones summarizes: "Let us therefore go, and come with boldness into the holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus, this glorious, new and living way. Go to him in full assurance of faith, and he'll hear you, and he'll answer you, and he'll make you more than conquerors."