What is a prayer of Supplication

1. A prayer of Supplication – 13th
March 2017
“Maymy supplicationcomebefore you; deliverme accordingto yourpromise.” (Psalm119:170).
Supplicationisone of several wordsinthe Bible referringtoprayer. The fact thatthe wordsupplication
has the wordsupple at itsroot providesgreatinsightforusinunderstandingaprayerof supplication.
The word Supplication isfound60timesinthe Bible:Itisa synonymof "prayer."Althoughsupplication
isprayer,it musthave a specificmeaningtoitself. Accordingtothe wordhistoryof supplication,itrefers
to a bendingdownandindicatesabowingorkneelinginsubmission.Tosupplicateistoask forhumbly
and earnestly.Itrefersmosttothe attitude of ourprayer.
We come to God inprayer fora varietyof reasons—toworshipHim, toconfessoursinsandask for
forgiveness,tothankHimfor Hisblessings,toaskforthingsforourselves,andtopray forthe needsof
others. People prayinmanydifferentways.Some are veryformal andwill presenttheirprayersinsuch
a way that theylookandsoundlike theyare petitioningthe Queenof Englandtointervene intheir
affairs.Otherspraythe same prayerover andoveragain until itbecomesnothingbutwordsrollingoff
theirtongue.Still others,prayinsucha waythat theirprayerssoundlike they’re talkingtoafriend.
However,there isone thingaboutprayerthateveryone shouldkeepinmind.Thatisprayingwith
supplication. The HebrewandGreekwordsmostoftentranslated“supplication”inthe Bible mean
literally“arequestorpetition.Therefore aprayerof supplicationisaskingGodforsomething.Unlikethe
prayerof petition,whichisprayingonbehalf of others,the prayerof supplicationisgenerallyarequest
fromthe personpraying.
The Bible includesmanyprayersof supplication.Numerousexamplesare foundinthe Psalms. Fromthe
bible we canlearnthat David’spsalmsare filledwith differentformsof prayersof supplication.For
example we canreadof a prayerof supplicationformercyin Psalm4:1, “Answerme when I call to you,
my righteousGod.Give me relief frommy distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”(NIV). We
can read of a prayerof supplication forleadinginPsalm5:8, “Lead me, LORD,in your righteousness
because ofmy enemies—makeyour way straightbefore me.” A prayerof supplication fordeliverance
inPsalm6:4, Turn, LORD, and deliverme; save me because of yourunfailinglove.” A prayerof
supplication forsalvationin Psalm7:1,“LORD my God,I take refuge in you; save anddeliver me from all
who pursueme,” and we can come across many suchin the bible.
In the NewTestament,Jesustellsustoaskfor our dailybreadin the Lord’s Prayerin Matthew 6:11,
“Giveus todayour dailybread.” We ask God humblyandearnestly. Thisalsofallsintothe categoryof a
prayerof supplication. We canalsoread of a formof supplication inPhilippians4:6,“Do not be anxious
aboutanything,but inevery situation,byprayer and petition,with thanksgiving,presentyour
requests to God.”Sometimesourprayersof supplication don’tgetaresponse fromGod.We can derive
an understand whenre readJames4:3, “ Whenyou ask, youdo not receive, because you ask with
wrong motives,that you mayspend what youget onyour pleasures.”
Perhapsthe bestwayto approach supplicationsistoask God inall honestyaschildrentalkingtotheir
kind-heartedlovingFather.We needtoaskhumblyandearnestly butendingwith"Yourwill be done"
because ourprayersof supplication are directedtoGodfor Hisprovision infull surrendertoHiswill. We
can learnat the gardenof Gethsemane we canlearnof the humble supplicationprayertoGod:Goinga
little farther,he fell with hisface to the groundandprayed, “MyFather, if it ispossible,maythis cup
be taken from me. Yet notas I will,but as you will.”(Matthew26:39).

2. We can learn where Apostle Paul exhortedthe Ephesians(andus) toremainalertandto pray inthe
Spirit,“makingsupplicationforall the saints” asstatedin Ephesians6:18, “Andpray inthe Spiriton all
occasionswithall kinds ofprayers and requests. Withthis inmind,be alert andalwayskeep on
prayingfor all the Lord’s people.” Clearly,prayersof supplicationare partof the spiritual battle andas
such all Christiansare engagedin same.Paul furtherexhortsthe Philippianchurchtorelieve their
anxietiesbyremainingfaithful inprayer,especiallyprayersof thanksgivingandsupplication.This,he
concludes,isthe formulaforensuringthat“the peace of God, whichpassesall understanding,will guard
your heartsandyour mindsinChristJesus.We can readthis in Philippians4:6-7,“Do notbe anxious
aboutanything,but inevery situation,byprayer and petition,with thanksgiving,presentyour
requests to God.7
And the peace of God,whichtranscends all understanding,will guardyourhearts
and yourmindsin ChristJesus.”
Here we see anothercrucial aspectof the prayerof supplication—the necessityof faithinthe LordJesus
Christ. It isour FaithinJesusChristthat enablesus the peace of God,whichtranscendsall
understanding,will guardyourheartsandyourmindsinChristJesus. Those whobelongtoChristalso
have the indwellingHolySpiritwhointercedesonourbehalf.Because we oftendon’tknow whatorhow
to pray whenwe approachGod, the Spiritintercedesandpraysforus, interpretingoursupplications.
We can learnthisfrom Romans 8:2, “Inthe same way, the Spirit helpsus inour weakness. We do not
know what we oughtto prayfor, but the Spirit himselfintercedesfor us throughwordless groans.”
Because,whenwe are overwhelmedbytrialsandthe problems of life, the HolySpiritcomesalongside
to lendassistance withourprayersof supplicationasHe sustainsusbefore the throne of grace.