Petition (Not Pray)
Why “Prayer” Is a Pagan Term
The term “prayer” is widely used, but few examine its origin, usage, and meaning. Contrary to Scripture, it traces back to pagan traditions — not the covenant communication taught by Yahusha and the prophets. This page exposes the truth behind the term and restores the original scriptural pattern.
The Origin of the Word “Prayer”
The English word “prayer” comes from Latin precari, meaning “to beg” or “plead,” linked to prex — used in Roman idol rituals. It’s a religious term developed outside of the Hebrew language and worldview.
It reflects ritual begging, not covenant-based speaking to the Most High.
Pagan Usage Across World Religions
“Prayer” is central in:
- Roman Catholicism (rosaries, saints)
- Islam (ritual times, directional chants)
- Hinduism and Buddhism (mantras, beads)
These practices violate YaHU’aH’s instructions:
“Learn not the way of the nations…”
“Prayer Hands” Are Not Scriptural
The Pagan Roots of Pressed Palms
The Origin of Pressed Palms
The gesture of pressing palms together — commonly seen in religious traditions — does not come from the scrolls. It is a ritual posture inherited from pagan customs, not from the covenant of YaHU’aH.
Hebrew Model: Calling, Crying Out, Speaking
The Hebrews didn’t “pray” — they called upon YaHU’aH, cried out, and petitioned. These were real, urgent conversations — not rituals.
| Scriptural Action | Hebrew Term | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Call upon | Qara | To summon, cry out (YarmiYAHU 33:3) |
| Speak with | Dabar | To speak plainly (Barashith 18:33) |
| Petition | Sha’al | To ask or request (1 Shamu’AL 1:17) |
| Cry out | Za’aq | To wail or cry aloud (Shophatim 6:6–7) |
| Seek | Baqqash | To search out, seek urgently (2 Dabar Hayamim 7:14) |
Yahusha’s Instruction: Secret, Sincere, No Ritual
Yahusha never used or taught ritual “prayer.” Instead, He said:
“But you, when you fast, anoint your head… and when you call upon ABaH, do so in secret…” MattithYAHU 6:6–8
He rebuked vain repetition, comparing it to the way pagans “pray.”
YaHU’aH Rejects Religious Lip Service
YaHU’aH condemned religious routines that appear righteous but are empty at the core.
“These people draw near with their mouths… but their hearts are far from Me.” YashaYAHU 29:13
What to Say Instead of “Prayer”
Use terms rooted in truth and Scripture:
- “I will call upon YaHU’aH” (Tahilliym 18:3)
- “Speak to Him”
- “Cry out to Him”
- “Seek His face” (Tahilliym 27:8)
“Lift up my voice to Him” (Tahilliym 77:1)
Why Some Receive While Petitioning in JC: The Captivity Principle
The Deception of Credit
Many claim they were “blessed” or “delivered” by calling on the name JC (the Greek-Christian substitute for the true Anointed One). But this is a misplaced credit.
What they fail to understand is that their deliverance did not come because of that name — it came in spite of it.
Captivity Petition: A Pattern in the Scrolls
Throughout the scrolls, the chosen people cried out to YaHU’aH while in captivity, confusion, and even pagan compromise — yet He heard them. Why?
Because of His covenant. Not because of their correctness.
Scriptural Proof: YaHU’aH Heard Them
While They Were Still Defiled
- In Mitsrayim (Egypt) — Serving Idols, But Heard
“So I said, I will bring you out… Then they rebelled against Me… Yet I acted for My Name’s sake.”
“And the children of Yashar’al sighed… and they cried out; and their cry came up to AL’uah.”
Even though they had adopted pagan practices in Mitsrayim, YaHU’aH heard their cry and delivered them — not because of ritual purity, but because of His covenant with Abaraham.
- In Babylon — Still Defiled, Yet Heard
“Set your face… and cry to YaHU’aH, though we have walked according to the stubbornness of our heart.”
“In their affliction they will seek Me early.”
“And I heard a voice… saying, I have surely seen the oppression… and I have come down to deliver them.”
YaHU’aH responded when they cried — even though they were surrounded by Babylonian worship, false customs, and pagan temples.
The Reason: His Covenant, Not Their Accuracy
He hears the cry of the broken, not because of their perfect doctrine — but because He promised to remember them in exile.
“If they confess… then I will remember My covenant with Ya’aqob.”
“When you are in tribulation… if you turn and seek Him, you will find Him.”
Misplaced Glory: JC Didn’t Answer — YaHU’aH Did
The deception today is this: people receive mercy while unknowingly using the false name JC, and they credit the wrong name. But what truly happened is this:
YaHU’aH heard the inward cry.
He saw the sincerity. He honored His covenant.
But now that He is awakening His people, He commands them to stop calling on lies.
“How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
“My people shall know My Name…”
Final Word: Mercy in Captivity Is Not Permission to Stay There
YaHU’aH heard the cries of His people while they were still confused. But once He revealed the truth, they were no longer excused to stay in deception.
“Truly, these times of ignorance AL’uah overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”
Deliverance came not through JC, but through YaHU’aH’s covenant mercy — even in defilement. The time has come to call upon Him by His true Name, in truth and in set-apartness.
The When, Where, Why, and How of Petitioning YaHU’aH
As Taught and Demonstrated in the Scrolls
Petitioning YaHU’aH is not a religious act — it is a covenant response. The scrolls do not teach ritual prayers or stylized gestures, but living demonstrations of how the righteous cried out, humbled themselves, and were heard. To understand true petition, we must return to the ancient pattern: when they petitioned, where they did it, why it mattered, and how it was done.
Return to the True Pattern of Petitioning YaHU’aH
The term “prayer” is not only inaccurate — it is rooted in the religious systems of the nations that YaHU’aH commanded us to reject. Pressed palms, interlaced fingers, and ritualized language all come from pagan worship, not from the scrolls. These forms were inherited from Hinduism, Roman custom, Buddhism, and Christianity — never from the covenant of YaHU’aH.
Yet many today believe their deliverance came through petitioning in a false name. What they don’t realize is this: their breakthrough did not come because of JC — it came in spite of it. Just like the ancestors who cried out in captivity, while still practicing defilement and idolatry, YaHU’aH heard their voice because of His compassion and covenant — not their accuracy.
“I have surely seen the oppression of My people… and I have heard their cry.”
In Mitsrayim, in Babel, in defilement — the chosen cried out. And YaHU’aH responded. But He also called them to leave the false ways and return to the truth.
Now, He is doing the same again.
The scrolls show us when to petition (in affliction, repentance, or when seeking understanding), where to do it (in private, exile, or facing the land), why it matters (because it activates covenant response), and how it must be done (with lifted hands, bowed bodies, clean hearts, and truth — never pressed palms or repeated chants).
It’s time for the remnant to stop begging before idols with borrowed words — and return to the way of the ancestors: the covenant way of calling, crying out, and speaking directly to YaHU’aH.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free…”