Topical Encyclopedia In the context of the Bible, a petition is a form of prayer where an individual makes a request or plea to God. It is an expression of one's needs, desires, or concerns, presented with humility and faith. The act of petitioning God is a fundamental aspect of the believer's relationship with Him, reflecting trust in His power, wisdom, and benevolence.Biblical Basis for Petition The practice of petitioning God is deeply rooted in Scripture. Philippians 4:6 instructs believers, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." This verse highlights the importance of bringing one's needs before God while maintaining a heart of gratitude. In the Old Testament, the Psalms are replete with examples of petitions. David, in particular, frequently cried out to God for help, guidance, and deliverance. Psalm 86:6-7 states, "Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer, and attend to my plea for mercy. In the day of my distress I call on You, because You answer me." Jesus and Petition Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry, emphasized the importance of petitionary prayer. In the Lord's Prayer, He taught His disciples to ask for their daily needs: "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). This model prayer underscores the legitimacy and necessity of bringing personal and communal needs before God. Moreover, Jesus encouraged persistent petitioning. In Luke 18:1-8, He shared the parable of the persistent widow to illustrate the value of continual prayer and not losing heart. The widow's relentless pursuit of justice from an unjust judge serves as a metaphor for the believer's need to persist in prayer, trusting in God's righteous character. The Role of Faith in Petition Faith is a crucial component of effective petitionary prayer. Hebrews 11:6 declares, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Petitioning God requires a confident belief in His ability and willingness to respond. James 1:5-6 further emphasizes this, stating, "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." Petition and God's Will While believers are encouraged to present their requests to God, it is essential to align these petitions with His will. 1 John 5:14-15 assures, "And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him." Jesus Himself modeled this submission to God's will in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing imminent crucifixion, He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). This demonstrates the balance between earnest petition and humble submission to God's sovereign plan. Petition in the Early Church The early church exemplified the practice of petitionary prayer. Acts 4:29-31 records a collective prayer for boldness in the face of persecution: "And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." Their petitions were met with a powerful response, as they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to proclaim the word of God boldly. Conclusion Petitionary prayer remains a vital aspect of the Christian life, fostering a deeper reliance on God and a more intimate relationship with Him. Through petition, believers are invited to bring their needs before a loving and attentive Father, trusting in His perfect wisdom and timing. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.2. (n.) A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; -- in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document. 3. (v. t.) To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor. 4. (v. i.) To make a petition or solicitation. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia PETITIONpe-tish'-un: Used in English Versions of the Bible only as a noun, usually as representing the Hebrew she'elah (Psalm 20:5, mish'alah), from the common verb sha'al, "to ask." The noun, consequently, has no technical meaning, and may be used indifferently in the active (Esther 7:2) or passive (1 Samuel 1:27) sense, or for a petition addressed to either God (1 Samuel 1:17) or man (1 Kings 2:16), while in Judges 8:24 Job 6:8 Psalm 106:15, it is rendered simply "request." Otherwise "petition" represents the Aramaic ba`u (Daniel 6:7, 13), the Greek aitema (1 John 5:15), and deesis (1 Maccabees 7:37, the Revised Version (British and American) "supplication"), and the Latin oratio (2 Esdras 8:24).ru with the Pteria of Herodotus i.76 (identified with Bog-haz-keui, the great Hittite capital in Cappadocia, in ancient times called Hattu). Greek 1783. enteuxis -- a petition, ie spec. supplication ... 1782, 1783. enteuxis. 1784 . a petition, ie spec. supplication. ... 1 Jn 4:17). Word Origin from entugchano Definition a petition, ie spec. supplication ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1783.htm - 8k 5241. huperentugchano -- to intercede, to make petition for 155. aitema -- a request 1162. deesis -- a need, entreaty 1793. entugchano -- to chance upon, by impl. confer with, by ext. ... 154. aiteo -- to ask, request 1189. deomai -- to want, entreat 2171. euche -- a prayer Strong's Hebrew 1159. bau -- a petition... 1158, 1159. bau. 1160 . a petition. Transliteration: bau Phonetic Spelling: (baw-oo') Short Definition: petition. Word Origin (Aramaic ... /hebrew/1159.htm - 6k 4862. mishalah -- request, petition 7596. sheelah -- request, thing asked for 1156. bea -- to ask, seek 8467. techinnah -- favor, supplication for favor 2603. chanan -- to show favor, be gracious 6030a. anah -- to answer, respond 1246. baqqashah -- request, entreaty Library The Petition The Next Petition Is, Forgive us Our Debts. ... Which is the First Petition? Which is the Second Petition? Which is the Third Petition? Which is the Fourth Petition? Which is the Fifth Petition? Which is the Sixth Petition? The First Petition Is, Hallowed be Thy Name. ... Second Petition of the Same, Sent from Chalcedon to Theodosius ... Thesaurus Petition (33 Occurrences)... to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to ... /p/petition.htm - 19k Injunction (8 Occurrences) Interdict (6 Occurrences) Entreat (55 Occurrences) Ask (1255 Occurrences) Address (8 Occurrences) Wish (141 Occurrences) Intercession (12 Occurrences) Entreaty (12 Occurrences) Persian (4 Occurrences) Resources Is prayer to saints / Mary biblical? | GotQuestions.orgSilent prayer - is it biblical? | GotQuestions.org What is the meaning of Philippians 4:6? | GotQuestions.org Petition: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Petition (33 Occurrences)Luke 1:13 John 15:16 Acts 23:15 Ephesians 6:18 Philippians 4:6 Judges 8:24 1 Samuel 1:17 1 Samuel 1:27 1 Samuel 2:20 1 Samuel 25:35 1 Kings 2:16 1 Kings 2:20 1 Kings 12:7 1 Chronicles 16:4 Esther 5:6 Esther 5:7 Esther 5:8 Esther 7:2 Esther 7:3 Esther 9:12 Psalms 38:1 Psalms 70:1 Jeremiah 7:16 Jeremiah 11:14 Jeremiah 36:7 Jeremiah 37:20 Jeremiah 38:26 Jeremiah 42:2 Jeremiah 42:9 Daniel 6:11 Daniel 6:12 Daniel 6:13 Daniel 9:3 Subtopics Petition: Right of, Recognized by Pharaoh Related Terms |
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