This is a copy of my talk given at Ayia Kyriaki and Saint Stephen’s in the Anglican Church of Paphos on Sunday 21 June 2026. The Bible Reading was Psalm 86:1-11.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your word.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit,
May You speak to my heart,
And change my life.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.  

Introduction

A man who worked as a messenger got a text on his phone instructing him to pick up a package at an unfamiliar company with a long, difficult name. He looked skyward and exclaimed, “God, where am I supposed to go?” Just then, a text appeared with the client’s exact address. A man nearby, who witnessed this, raising his arms to the heavens, cried, “Why don’t you ever answer me?”  Do you ever wish prayer worked like that? You pray and instantly a voice gives you the answer you’re looking for! That is, of course, if you actually do pray!

A survey carried out by the CofE in 2022 (the most recent one available) found that only 18% of Anglicans pray on a weekly basis (compared to 72% of non-Anglican church goers – Christianity Today). 28% Of Anglicans pray once a month, 4% pray now and again and 50% of Anglicans never pray outside of church services (whereas 92% of non-Anglicans do!). It should come as no surprise that churches stagnate when God’s people aren’t seeking his heart. Are you one of the 18%, 28%, 4% or 50%?

And if it’s true that 50% of Anglicans simply don’t pray apart from the liturgy they use in services, the question to ask is why? Is it because our view of God is too small? Is it because we think too much of ourselves that we don’t need God? Is it because we think prayer is a waste of time? Is it because we are spiritually dry? Is it because …

We all need guidance on how to pray more effectively and Psalm 86 gives us some great pointers. The main lesson is simple: Our great needs should drive us to pray to the great God … This morning I want to ask four questions: Why should we pray? To whom should we pray? How should we pray? What should we pray?

1. Why Should We Pray?

We should pray because we have great needs. David begins (86:1), “Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.” The fact that he cries out for God to save him (86:2) shows that David knew that he could not save himself. In addition, 86:7 he mentions “When I am in distress.” David was deeply aware of his great need, which drove him to earnest prayer. It sounds obvious to say that great needs should drive us to prayer.

Abraham Lincoln became a Christian as a result of the trials and burdens he faced during the American Civil War. He said: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go.”

But the truth is, our pride blinds us to how needy we really are, so that we rely on ourselves or on other people to get us out of our troubles. When nothing else has worked, we say, “We’ve done all that we can do. The only thing left to do is pray!” It’s our last resort. But prayer should be our first resort! The main reason that people do not cry out to God to save them from their sins is that they do not see their great need as sinners before the holy God. They see themselves as basically good they aren’t evil sinners! They compare themselves with criminals and terrorists and think, “I’m doing okay.”

But even once we become Christians, we fall into this same trap. We’re oblivious to the power of the enemy, who prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8). We overlook the deep-rooted sin that lurks within us (Gal. 5:17). We don’t recognize our own selfishness and anger which undermines our relationships within our family and friends and the family of the church. And so, we don’t pray. So perhaps our first prayer should be: “God, show me my great needs that only You can meet.”

2. To Whom Should We Pray?

We should pray to the only true God, great in power, love, grace, and mercy. This psalm shows that David knew the God to whom he was praying. Knowing God’s attributes and His promises gives us hope and endurance in prayer. Here, in 86:5, David uses it to appeal to God to answer his prayer: “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Since this is God’s repeated revelation of Himself to us, it provides us with a sure basis to approach His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in our times of need (Heb. 4:16).

If you’re struggling with overwhelming problems beyond your ability to handle, God invites you to come as you are to His throne of grace to receive mercy and grace to help in your time of need. And in case you’re worried that your problems are too great, He repeatedly reminds you that His love is abundant! You can’t exhaust His love!

When I led Messy Church in my last parish we used to sing a song Have we made our God too small? It’s a kiddies song about prayer and to be bolder in our prayer requests. But I think many adults have made their God too small when it comes to their prayer life.

God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy should motivate us to come to Him in prayer with all our needs, whether great or small. If you’ve sinned, He’s ready to forgive. If you feel you don’t deserve His blessing, grace is for the undeserving. He is abundant in love to all who call upon Him. So, we should pray because we have great needs.

3. How Should We Pray?

We should pray earnestly, continually, thankfully, in humility, and in faith. David’s close relationship with God permeates the entire prayer. He knew God intimately and personally. So, he felt free to pour out his heart as he does here.

a. Pray earnestly. David’s earnestness and intensity oozes out of the entire prayer. It stems from his awareness of his great need. David cries out from his heart for God to save him from these powerful enemies. Interestingly, David wasn’t just going mindlessly down a prayer list. He prays from his heart.

b. Pray continually. David says (86:3), “For I call to you all day long.” Again, his continual prayers were driven by his intense awareness of his great need. Paul tells us (1 Thess. 5:17) to “pray without ceasing.” He does not mean that we should pray non-stop, which would be impossible. The idea is to keep coming back to prayer over and over again, throughout the day.

c. Pray thankfully. David writes (86:12), “I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” Similarly, right after telling us to pray without ceasing, Paul says (1 Thess. 5:18) “… in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We cannot give thanks to God from the heart unless we are submissive to His sovereign hand in our circumstances and we believe that He is working through our trials for our ultimate good.

d. Pray in humility. David’s prayer is permeated with humility. He doesn’t angrily demand better treatment in light of the fact that he is God’s chosen king. He doesn’t complain, “After the way that I’ve served You all these years, I deserve better than this!” Rather, he prays for God to be gracious to him (86:3). He refers to himself as God’s servant (86:2, 4). He admits that he is afflicted and needy. These were not the type of things for a king to put in print for everyone to read! Kings have an image to maintain. Kings need to convey that they’re in control of the situation. Kings want everyone to think that they know how to solve problems. But David humbly acknowledges his weakness and his need for God’s strength.

e. Pray in faith. David affirms his trust in God (86:2). He knows that God will answer him (86:7).  Faith is not a matter of closing your eyes to reality and leaping into the dark. Rather, faith rests on God’s revealed character and on the many revealed instances of how He has answered prayer in the past. Even Jesus prayed, “yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). But faith rests on God’s power and abundant love. Faith knows that if something is for our good and God’s glory, He will do it.

4. What Should We Pray?

Pray for salvation; for joy in trials; for a teachable, obedient, single-minded, reverent heart; and for God’s glory and supremacy overall. That’s enough for another sermon, but briefly…

a. Pray for salvation. David asks God to save him (86:2), which obviously refers to being delivered from his enemies. But in New Testament terms, pray for God to save you from His judgment. If you’ve never cried out to God for salvation, that is your main need!

b. Pray for joy in trials. David asks (86:4), “Bring joy to your servant, Lord.” That was a bold request. So often in trials, people who profess faith in Christ when things were going well, don’t want to hear about walking in His truth in times of trial. Rather than submitting reverently to God, they rail angrily at Him for allowing their suffering. But these reactions remind us of the Parable of the Sower and the seed sown on the rocky soil which, not having any roots, withers under trials.

c. Pray for God’s glory and supremacy overall. David prophesies that all nations will worship before God and glorify His name (86:9). One reason that God brings trials into our lives is so that we will call upon Him and then glorify Him when He rescues us (Ps. 50:15). So, in all of our troubles, we should be looking for ways to glorify the Lord, so that others will be drawn to Him.

d. Pray for a teachable, obedient, single-minded, reverent heart. Vs11: “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” In any trial, a teachable heart is essential. Most of us instinctively pray for quick deliverance, but David prays that he will learn God’s ways so that he will walk in obedience to God’s truth. He prays that his loyalty will not be scattered or divided, but rather he wants to be wholly devoted to God. And the end result is that he will fear and reverence God’s name.

Conclusion

  • So why should we pray? Because we have great needs.
  • To whom should we pray? To the only true God, great in power, love, and mercy.
  • How should we pray? Earnestly, continually, thankfully, in humility and in faith.
  • What Should We Pray For? Salvation; for joy in trials; for a teachable, obedient, single-minded, reverent heart; and for God’s glory and supremacy overall.

Psalm 86:5“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

May each one of us be encouraged to be more faithful in our daily prayer life as we remember that Our great needs should drive us to pray to the great God.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER The text contained in this sermon (except where stated) is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.

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