The great question troubling my mind in this festive season is, who taught Nigerians to pray the way they do? It is share hilarious theatre to see and watch Nigerians when they assemble to pray in their huge amphitheater and particularly on Facebook and YouTube.
My main concern is not to put down or ridicule those engaging in this unique form of worship due to a lack of knowledge and understanding. But the purpose of this short comment is to nudge Nigerians towards setting themselves free from the hardhearted group of Nigerians called religious leaders. It is sad to say that these religious leaders are holding Nigerians down and in bondage mainly for selfish interest as bread and butter.
Let us ask ourselves, how do Nigerians pray?
Do Nigerians pray like the heathens, pagans, gentiles, idolaters, worldly, and other nations contrary to the advice given by the Teacher of Galilee?
Do Nigerians engage in any of the following practices when they pray?
•babbling like pagans;
•babble on and on as people of other religions do;
•heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do;
•use vain repetitions like the pagans;
•use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do;
•vain repetitions, as the heathen do;
•babble like the idolaters;
•say meaningless things like the unbelievers do;
•babble repetitiously like the Gentiles;
•verbose like the heathen;
•ramble like heathens;
•use vain repetitions as the worldly do;
•speak much, as the heathens;
•use vain repetitions, as those who are of the nations; and
•use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do.
The above phrases are culled from the various versions of translation of Matthew 6:7 in the Bible. (See reference below)
The Great Question
Again we ask, who taught Nigerians and Africans to pray the way they do?
Would Nigerians/Africans be humble enough to reread and meditate on Mathew 6 in order to relearn how to pray?
We know this is the season of prayer and a very good time for “prayer warriors” to prosper on the gullibility of fellow Nigerians/Africans. We need to break away from the yoke and the ungodly ways of our religious oppressors.
The onus is still on each of us to set ourselves free now and forever from the deliberate miseducation that has led us sheepishly into the nets of our oppressors and hence into religious corruption, which is the mother of all corruptions in the country/continent.
Tackling religious corruption is the foremost and the real fight for freedom and spiritual deliverance of Nigeria and Nigerians. This is the most important area where Nigerians need to focus their New Year resolutions, wishes and prayers; Nothing more and nothing less. Each of us must find answer to the question, how can I set myself free from the religious hell on earth that is under the control of gatekeepers of hell who are not keen to go to paradise but are clogging the way for the innocents?
Without a onerous focus by everyone to dethrone the gatekeepers of hell in Nigeria, Nigerians are going nowhere good in the foreseeable future. The issue of prayer and how we pray need to be addressed sincerely and truthfully.
Mathew 6: 5-15 is very clear on how to pray in private with less words and more in silence in order to hear what the spirit has to say to you.
If you are still in the dark about how to pray and what to say in prayer, ask the spirit of truth to teach and to guide you on this important aspect of communication with the divine.
It is very important for each of us to address our lack of knowledge and to redress our age long miseducation about the spiritual area of our existence. This spiritual engagement of seeking and searching for the truth of life will surely stop the waste of time and psychic energy in the fruitless, self-promoting engagements that are hitherto called prayer in Nigeria.
References
New International Version
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words;
New Living Translation
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
English Standard Version
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Berean Study Bible
And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
Berean Literal Bible
And praying, do not use vain repetitions like the pagans, for they think that in their many words they will be heard.
New American Standard Bible
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
King James Bible
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.
International Standard Version
“When you are praying, don’t say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy.
NET Bible
When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.
New Heart English Bible
And in praying, do not use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And whenever you are praying, you shall not be verbose like the heathen, for they think that they are heard by speaking much
GOD’S WORD® Translation
“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot.
New American Standard 1977
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
Jubilee Bible 2000
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the worldly do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
King James 2000 Bible
But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
American King James Version
But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
American Standard Version
And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard.
Darby Bible Translation
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as those who are of the nations: for they think they shall be heard through their much speaking.
English Revised Version
And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Webster’s Bible Translation
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Weymouth New Testament
“And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words.
World English Bible
In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
Young’s Literal Translation
‘And — praying — ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard.
SAM ABBD ISRAEL 