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Prayers (1162) (deesis) refers to urgent requests or supplications to meet a need and are exclusively addressed to God. Deesis prayers arise from one's sense of need (which reflects a humble heart) and in knowing what is lacking. This individual's plea is in turn made to God to supply for the need. Deesis in the New Testament always carries the idea of genuine entreaty and supplication before God. It implies a realization of need and a petition for its supply. In Classical Greek deesis (in contrast to the Biblical uses) was not restricted to sacred uses, but was employed of requests preferred to men.
Deesis is used 18 times in the NT (click for all verses) (See Torrey's Topic "Intercessory Prayer") There are 54 uses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) (1 Ki. 8:28, 30, 38, 45, 52, 54; 9:3; 2 Chr. 6:19, 21, 29, 35, 39-40; Esther 4:17; Job 8:6; Job 16:20; 27:9; 36:19; 41:3; Ps. 5:2; 6:9; 17:1; 22:24; 28:2, 6; 31:22; Ps 34:15; 39:12; 40:1; 55:1; 61:1; 66:19; 86:6; 88:2; 102:1, 17; 106:44; Ps 115:18; 119:169; 130:2; 140:6; 141:1; 142:2, 6; 143:1; 145:19; Isa 1:15; Jer. 3:21; 11:14; 14:12; Lam. 3:56; Dan. 2:18; 4:33; 9:3, 17, 23)
Deesis was used by the angel who assured the godly father of John the Baptist,
Do not be afraid (stop fearing indicating he already was fearful), Zacharias (means "Jehovah remembers"), for your petition (deesis - specifically their need for God to open his wife's womb) has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth (means "my God is an oath") will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John (means “Jehovah has shown grace”) (Luke 1:13).
Luke uses deesis again of the disciples of John the Baptist, who were said to “often fast and offer prayers (deesis)" (Luke 5:33).
Deesis was used by Paul of his “prayer for the salvation of his fellow Israelites...
Brethren, my heart's (deepest, consuming) desire and my prayer prayer (deesis - conveys idea of pleading and entreaty, of persistent petition) to God for them is for their salvation. (Ro 10:1-note).
In Paul's letter to the saints at Philippi, he wrote these encouraging words...
I thank (eucharisteo > Eucharist used of Lord’s Supper when believers give thanks to God in remembrance of Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross) my (reflects Paul's deep intimacy) God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer (deesis) with joy in my every prayer (deesis) for you all, in view of your (joint) participation (with me) in the gospel from the first day (when Lydia opened her home for the preaching of the Word) until now. (Php 1:3 4 5-note)
In fact Paul used deesis two more times in the short letter to Philippi once of their prayers for him and the last use encouraging believers to pray instead of worry...
For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers (deesis) and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Php 1:19-note)
Be anxious (stop fretting and worrying - implying you already are - about even one thing) for nothing (absolutely nothing because Nothing is outside of God's sovereign control or too difficult for Him to handle), but in everything by prayer (proseuche = the essence of this word for prayer is worship) and supplication (deesis - definite requests issuing as a cry for personal needs) with thanksgiving (instead of a spirit of rebellion against what God allows) let your requests (such prayer is the antidote to worry and cure for anxiety) be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6-note)
Comment: Be anxious in nothing, prayerful in everything, thankful for anything
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blessed;
Finding, as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest.
(Play Like a River Glorious)
by Frances Ridley Havergal
In Paul's first epistle to Timothy he wrote...
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties (deesis) and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. (1Timothy 2:1 2)
And once again in this first letter to Timothy...
Now she who is a widow indeed, and who has been left alone (Gk verb = monoo = perfect tense = completely and permanently alone, forsaken, desolate and without resources) has fixed her hope (permanently) on God, and continues (perseveres constantly) in entreaties (deesis - petitions for her needs) and prayers night and day. (1Timothy 5:5)
Deesis is used to describe the character of our Lord's prayers, the writer of Hebrews recording that...
In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers (deesis) and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. (Heb 5:7 see note)
In a well known verse on the effect of prayer, James writes...
Therefore (marks a turn from speaking to individuals to the entire congregation - confess is plural), confess (present imperative = we are to continually confess our sins. Thus confession is not optional but is necessary to cleanse one's soul) your sins (paraptoma = slips, false steps, offenses, sins) to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective (energeo = gives us word energy) prayer (deesis) of a righteous man can accomplish much (literally “is very strong”; Amplified = "makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]")." (James 5:16)
John MacArthur comments on this passage in James writing that...
Weak prayers come from weak people; strong prayers come from strong people. The energetic prayers of a righteous man are a potent force in calling down the power of God for restoring weak, struggling believers to spiritual health. To further demonstrate the power of righteous prayer and provide an illustration that captures the essence of his discussion, James turns to ...Elijah. (Macarthur J. James. Moody)
From a review of these NT uses of deesis one can see that one of the main characteristics of this type of prayer is that it originates from one's needs such as: Zacharias' petition for his barren wife Elizabeth (Lk 1:13), Paul's prayer for the salvation of his fellow (Ro 10:1 see note), righteous men praying for those who have " trespassed" God's boundaries (James 5:16)
How is your intercessory prayer life?
Charles Simeon observed that...
It is scarcely ever that we can intercede with fervor unless we enjoy habitual nearness to God.
Intercession is standing in other people's shoes
and representing them before God.
If you are discipling someone take Paul's example and write them a note or email to let them know that you are praying for them "night and day" (but only if you actually are) as such a message will encourage them to be all they can be for the Lord.
Teach Me, Lord, to Intercede!
Lord, I see the countless millions
In the land far o'er the sea,
Dying with no hope of Jesus,
Lost through all eternity;
And I feel so weak and helpless
As I view this desperate need,
Humbly, Lord, I do beseech Thee,
Teach me, now, to intercede.
Lord, I see my friends and neighbors
In a death march toward the grave;
Not one thought of Christ, who bought them,
Nor the priceless gift He gave;
Then I feel my own undoneness
Viewing thus this crying need,
And I cry with heartfelt anguish,
"Teach me, Lord, to intercede."
Lord, I have no wealth to bring Thee,
And my talents are so few;
But I long for all to know Thee,
Love Thee as we ought to do.
So while men with brains and talents
Warn the wicked of their need,
I, within my secret closet,
Close to God, would intercede.
—Anna Van Buren Prat, in Way of Holiness
Below are the 18 uses of deesis in the NT. Even a cursory study of the uses of deesis in the context of these NT passages helps give one a sense of the meaning of this word for prayer.
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
Luke 2:37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.
Luke 5:33 And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers; the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same; but Yours eat and drink."
Romans 10:1 (note) Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
2 Corinthians 1:11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 9:14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.
Ephesians 6:18 (note) 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,
Philippians 1:4 (note) always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Philippians 1:19 (note) For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Philippians 4:6 (note) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
1 Timothy 5:5 Now she who is a widow indeed, and who has been left alone has fixed her hope on God, and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.
2 Timothy 1:3 (note) I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
Hebrews 5:7 (note) In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
1 Peter 3:12 (note) "For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Night (3571) (nuktos) defines the period between sunset and sunrise.
Day (2250) (hemera) defines the period between sunrise and sunset.
Night and day - (9 NT uses of this phrase = Mk 5:5; Lk 2:37; Acts 20:31; 26:7; 1Th 2:9; 3:10; 2Th 3:8; 1Ti 5:5; 2Ti 1:3)
This phrase is not literally 24/7 but is a figure of speech re-enforcing the idea that Paul is constantly remembering Timothy in his prayers. Some of Paul's prayers are being offered during the long hours of the night in his dark dungeon, while other prayers for Timothy ascend to God during the day. It is notable that Paul always uses this order --"night and day."
It is good to pray for individuals; it is good also to tell them that you pray for them. Does it encourage you when another saint tells you they have prayed or are regularly praying for you? Imagine how Timothy must have felt knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this great man of God was interceding with the Almighty on his behalf.
Genuine concern for others
is the mark of a great spiritual coach.
It should be noted that some commentators take the night and day as modifying Paul's longing to see Timothy.
The Psalmist David declared...
Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice. (Ps 55:17)
Spurgeon comments: Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray. Often but none too often. Seasons of great need call for frequent seasons of devotion. The three periods chosen are most fitting; to begin, continue, and end the day with God is supreme wisdom. Where time has naturally set up a boundary, there let us set up an altar stone. The psalmist means that he will always pray; he will run a line of prayer right along the day, and track the sun with his petitions. Day and night he saw his enemies busy (Psalms 55:10), and therefore he would meet their activity by continuous prayer.
And cry aloud. He would give a tongue to his complaint; he would be very earnest in his pleas with heaven. Some cry aloud who never say a word. It is the bell of the heart that rings loudest in heaven. Some read it, "I will nurse and murmur;" deep heart thoughts should be attended with inarticulate but vehement utterances of grief. Blessed be God, moaning is translatable in heaven.
A father's heart
reads a child's heart.
And He shall hear my voice. He is confident that he will prevail; he makes no question that he would be heard, he speaks as if already he were answered. When our window is opened towards heaven, the windows of heaven are open to us.
Have but a pleading heart
and God will have a plenteous hand.
Paul practiced what he preached for writing to the Thessalonian saints he commanded them to
Pray (present imperative = commands continual prayer ~ an attitude of prayer), without ceasing. (1Th 5:17-note)
Pray
Without Ceasing
Having trouble praying without ceasing? Not even sure what this description means in a practical sense? A good audio overview is available from Dr John Piper - on the following link right click, select "Save Target As", then save to your computer or Ipod - Mp3 Audio - Pray Without Ceasing.
Unceasing prayer is a frequent theme in the NT...In the following passages related to praying without ceasing, notice the repetitive use of the present imperative and the present tense.
Seek (Qal imperative) the LORD and His strength; Seek (Qal imperative) His face continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11)
Ask (present imperative = commands continual asking), and it shall be given to you; seek (present imperative = commands continual seeking), and you shall find; knock (present imperative = commands continual knocking), and it shall be opened to you. (see note Matthew 7:7)
Keep watching (present imperative = commands continual attention to) and praying (present imperative = command to continue in an attitude of prayer), that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) and not to lose heart (Luke 18:1)
But keep on the alert (present imperative = commands continual attention) at all times, praying (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to (imperative sense, present tense - always be prayerful) prayer (See note Romans 12:12)
With all prayer and petition pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life) at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (See note Ephesians 6:18)
Devote (present imperative = commands continual attention to) yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (see note Colossians 4:2)
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray (present tense = continually, as the habit of their life), lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (1 Timothy 2:8)
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit (both verbs aorist imperative = do this now! don't delay!) for the purpose of prayer. (see note 1 Peter 4:7)
Pray without ceasing - Out of approximately 667 recorded prayers in the Bible, there are about 454 recorded answers. This should encourage and motivate us to pray without ceasing!
Guy King comments on this section writing that...
If only we could come to a practical realization of the fact that we cannot do anything greater for one another than to pray! Paul is so thankful to God that, in spite of everything, it still remains possible for him to help his young protégé by praying for him "without ceasing". It is good to notice, in passing, that to pray without ceasing was the very thing he told his converts to do, 1Th 5:17 (see note).
So here is a preacher who practices what he preaches. Would that all we preachers were as consistent: all too many of us, alas, are somewhat like the Scribes and Pharisees of Matthew 23:3, in that we "say, and do not".
To do anything, even to pray, "without ceasing" - with the exception of breathing - seems an impossibility; but an old papyrus letter dug up from ancient Eastern sands helps us to get the meaning. I expect you know that these excavations have, through an inspired discovery of the late Professor Deissmann, thrown a flood of light upon the nature and meaning of the New Testament Greek. In one such, the writer complains of an "incessant cough" - meaning, of course, not that the poor man barked without stopping, but with constant recurrence. It is the same word as Paul uses, and which indicates not that he is continually at it, without interruption, but that he is constantly at it, whenever he gets the chance. (2 Timothy 1:3-7 Grandmotherly Religion)
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Prayer Patrol - I was headed out the door one morning when my wife Sue said, "Don't forget to pray for Julie. She has a big test today." It's not unusual for Sue to give me a reminder like that before I leave. "Don't worry," I replied, "I'll be on prayer patrol!"
In reality, we all need to be on prayer patrol all the time. When we are, we follow in the tradition of patrol members like Daniel, who prayed despite opposition (Daniel 6:10-note); the widow Anna, who prayed night and day (Luke 2:36-37); Paul, who prayed for his friends in Rome (Ro 1:9 see note); and Cornelius, a God-fearing soldier who did double-duty by being in constant prayer (Acts 10:1-2).
God's Word contains our marching orders for being on prayer patrol. Some of them are:
Pray without ceasing (1Th 5:17-note).
Continue steadfastly in prayer (Ro 12:12-note).
Pray morning, noon, and night (Ps. 55:17) (Spurgeon's note)
Pray always and do not get discouraged (Luke 18:1).
It's not difficult to find enough things to pray about. There are needs everywhere. The tough part is following through on our commitment to pray. Remind yourself throughout the day that you have a job to do. People are counting on you. You're on prayer patrol. —Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Commit to pray and intercede--
The battle's strong and great's the need;
And this one truth can't be ignored:
Our only help comes from the Lord. --Sper
Praying frequently will lead to praying fervently.
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Jim Cymbala’s daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could.
But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her.
And someone was. The entire congregation of the church her father pastored was talking to God about her. During their weekly prayer meeting, a member suggested they should all pray for Chrissy.
Two days later, she came home. The first question she had for her startled father was this: “Who was praying for me?” She begged forgiveness and recommitted her life to Christ.
In the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he told the young first-century pastor that he was praying for him night and day (1:3). Timothy was facing some big challenges, so it must have been encouraging to know that Paul was praying specifically for him.
Are there some people we know who are in bondage to sin as Chrissy was, or who are facing a challenge as Timothy was? Are we willing to spend some concentrated time praying for them? Are we confident that God will answer? --Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Who’s praying? We all should be.
Commit to pray and intercede—
The battle's strong and great's the need;
And this one truth can't be ignored:
Our only help comes from the Lord. —Sper
To influence others for God, intercede with God for others.
2TIMOTHY 1:4 COMMENTARY
2 Timothy 1:4 longing (PAP) to see (AAN) you, even as I recall (RPP) your tears, so that I may be filled (1SAPS) with joy (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: epipothon (PAPMSN) se idein, (AAN) memnemenos (RPPMSN) sou ton dakruon, hina charas plerotho, (1SAPS)
KJV: Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
NLT: I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: I have been longing to see you, for I can't forget how moved you were when I left you, and to have you with me again would be the greatest possible joy. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: greatly longing to see you, remembering your tears, in order that I may be filled with joy, (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: desiring greatly to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that with joy I may be filled,
LONGING TO SEE YOU: epipothon (PAPMSN) se idein (AAN): (2Ti 4:9; 4:21; Ro 1:11; 15:30, 31, 32; Php 1:8; 2:26; 1Th 2:17, 18, 19, 20; 3:1)
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