Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Sermon on Prayer and the Holy Spirit

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the end goal of salvation according to Ephesians 2:18?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the end goal of salvation is access to the Father. He states: "The greatest benefit of all that we derive from this great fact of salvation is that we have access to the Father. That is, I say, the end of salvation. That is the grand object behind everything that God has done in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died to bring us to God." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this access to God is the ultimate purpose of Christ's death and sacrifice.

What are the common difficulties people face in prayer according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several common difficulties in prayer: 1. Difficulty of realizing the presence of God because "God is spirit" and "unseen" 2. A sense of unreality in prayer, feeling like it's "just a psychological procedure" 3. Problems with concentration - "our minds wander in every direction" 4. A sense of unworthiness and sinfulness 5. Doubts and questions that are "insinuated into the mind" He notes that these difficulties arise because "prayer is the supreme activity of the human soul" and therefore faces significant spiritual opposition.

What does it mean to pray "in the Spirit" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, praying "in the Spirit" means prayer that is vital, personal, and Spirit-led rather than merely formal or mechanical. He explains: "Prayer really means my spirit in communion with God. It's personal. It is this fellowship, this immediate fellowship, and nothing less than that." He contrasts this with "saying prayers" or "repeating phrases" without the Holy Spirit's involvement. True prayer in the Spirit creates a living communion with God that goes beyond forms, postures, or set times, and is characterized by freedom, spiritual eloquence, and enjoyment.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the Holy Spirit's role in prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Holy Spirit's role in prayer includes: 1. Creating a spiritual mind within us 2. Showing us our need and our sin 3. Revealing our need for God's mercy and blessing 4. Revealing God in His glory to us 5. Revealing God as our Father 6. Keeping our eyes on Jesus Christ 7. Leading us to understand God's promises 8. Giving us the spirit of adoption instead of bondage 9. Making intercession for us "with groanings which cannot be uttered"

He emphasizes that "without the Holy Ghost, we can't truly pray" because the Holy Spirit is essential for real communion with God.

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticize the phrase "saying our prayers"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes the phrase "saying our prayers" because it suggests a mechanical, formal approach to prayer rather than genuine communion with God. He states: "There are certain phrases and expressions which we should never use. It seems to me that this teaching about the Spirit in prayer should mean that we should never talk about saying our prayers... What they mean by that is that they're reciting a phrase. You can't say a prayer when you're having communion with God." He believes this terminology reflects an immature approach to prayer that remains at the childish level of "saying prayers" without developing into true spiritual communion.

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the relationship between the Trinity and prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that all three persons of the Trinity are involved in our prayer life. He states: "Here we are reminded that the three persons in the blessed Holy Trinity are concerned about us, are concerned in our salvation, and play their part in our salvation." Specifically regarding prayer, he emphasizes that we pray to the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ as mediator, by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. All three persons are essential - we cannot approach the Father without Christ's mediation and the Spirit's enabling.

How does the Holy Spirit transform our experience of prayer according to the sermon?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the Holy Spirit transforms prayer from being formal, difficult, and lifeless to becoming "free and glorious and the supreme enjoyment of the soul." The Spirit creates in us a desire for God, reveals Christ to us in fresh ways, gives us freedom to approach God as "Abba, Father," and helps us when we don't know what to pray. The Spirit-led prayer is characterized by enjoyment, freedom, and being "carried out of yourself in prayer" to the point where one finds it "difficult to stop" praying. He asks his congregation: "Do you know what it is almost to desire to go on praying forever and finding it difficult to stop? That's praying in the spirit when it's reached its greatest height."

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "recollection" in prayer?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes "recollection" as an important first act in prayer that the church fathers emphasized. He explains: "The first act in prayer always should be what the fathers used to call recollection. There should always be an act of recollection. It is so wrong to rush into the presence of God with petitions without realizing what we are doing. We stop, we pause, we meditate, we remind ourselves of what we are doing." This is a deliberate pause to become mindful of what prayer actually is - entering the presence of God - rather than rushing thoughtlessly into petitions.

What is the relationship between liturgical prayer and free prayer according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones acknowledges both liturgical (set prayers) and free prayer but emphasizes that the vital element is the Spirit's work regardless of form. He notes that historically, "in every great period of revival... people begin to shed the forms and the liturgies and indulge in extemporary free prayer." While not condemning liturgical prayer outright, he warns that forms carry a greater danger of becoming mechanical. However, he also cautions that "even the extemporary doesn't guarantee that you'll not become mechanical and tired." The key principle is "not to put your emphasis upon form or beauty or perfection of diction... but upon the fact that it is in the Spirit."

What should Christians do when they feel dry or unable to pray according to the sermon?

When Christians feel dry or unable to pray, Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommends going directly to the Holy Spirit for help. He advises: "Go to him in your dryness, in your deadness. Tell him that you feel ashamed of yourself. Tell him that you want to know God. Tell him you want to enjoy God. Tell him you want to know this freedom in the Spirit. Ask him to make it possible and go on until it does happen." He reassures believers that the Spirit already works in them, creating even the desire to pray, and will certainly respond to sincere requests for help with prayer.