What Is Prayer?

What is Prayer? Why Pray?
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Prayer is having a conversation with God about anything, everything, anytime, and anywhere. Prayer is a communication process that allows us to talk to God and expect Him the respond! God wants us to communicate with Him, like a person-to-person phone call. Prayer is our direct line with heaven. Prayer is the KEY that unlock ALL doors. Prayer is the key that fits the lock of the door into a deepening relationship with God. "Prayer is one of the greatest tools one can have in the world because it opens the door to a dialogue with God of the Bible. Prayer is a sign of dependency and reliance on God as our source, our sustainer and our help.

To pray you must know to whom you are praying to. Prayer means that you are beginning a dialogue with the One Who created you, the One who never left you, and you are reestablishing that connection within your mind, within your heart, and giving yourself the opportunity to have a deeper experience with the Source. Prayer is the opportunity to transcend the world in any given moment and connect with the only true God, who is True and Real. When one chooses prayer, one is choosing to step aside from all that seems to be happening and seek connection with their Father.

A prayer can be as simple as “Hello, God” or “Thank You, God” or help me Lord! or it can be an unending dialogue about anything you want to share with God. Prayer need not happen in a physical church building, but in the church within you. If you are walking down the street, driving in your car, or shopping in a store, and you have the thought to say hello to God, thank God, or ask for something in as light-hearted and casual a way or as serious a way as you feel led, it is all the same.

Many believe they must be serious and reverent in their prayers with God, and yet that is unnecessary. Remembering God in a happy moment as well as a challenging moment is a wonderful blessing for everyone, and to connect with God in whatever place you are is always welcome.

A. Why Pray? The Importance of Prayer.
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "why would God, the creator of the universe, need me to pray?" And yet, we can see in scripture that God waits for us to pray. In II Chronicles 7:14 it states that "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

John Wesley believed that "God would do nothing but in answer to prayer". He was not alone in that thought. S.D. Gordon has been quoted as saying, "the greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray".

E.M. Bond made the statement that "God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil...The prayers of God's saints are the capital stock of heaven by which God carries on His great work upon the earth. God conditions the very life and prosperity of His cause on prayer."

"Prayer is necessary in the process of hearing God’s Voice. Prayer is what opens the dialogue. One person must start talking for another person to talk back. It does not matter who talks first, what is said, where, how, or anything else, though if two people sit silently, no dialogue will occur. It could be said that God always talks to you, and at some point, you acknowledge that, and you talk back and that is prayer. Then you hear God more specifically because you are now engaged in the conversation. Once you start a conversation through prayer, whatever that looks like, the relationship begins...."

B. The Logistics of Prayer
Cell phones and other devices have become a necessity to some people today. We have Cell phones, Bluetooth devices, blackberries, and talking computers! These are means of communication that allow two or more people to interact, discuss, and respond to one another. Such is praying to God. To many people, prayer seems complicated, but it is simply talking to God. Many people question why pray? Because they desire to pray, but don’t know how. Consider these tips:

Here are some points about what prayer is:

• What Do I Say? Praying is like talking to your best friend! It’s easy to talk to someone when you know they love you unconditionally!
1. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and make you new in Him! “Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins” (Acts 3:19).
2. Tell Him your needs! “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you” (1 Peter 5:7).
3. Thank Him, for He died on the cross at Calvary for us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

• How Do I Say It? Here’s how I have learned to approach the Savior of my life.
1. With confidence and belief that He will deliver: “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome” (Ephesians 3:12). “So, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16).
2. With joy that He can deliver: “You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28).
3. With expectation that He is going to deliver: “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3). “I am praying to You because I know You will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray”

C. What Does the Bible Say about Prayer?
1. Pray for each other: Jesus set an example for us on what to pray. He prayed for His disciples and for every generation to come that would follow Him. His prayer was that God protect and strengthen them as long as they were in this world. Jesus also prayed for those who would come to believe in Him through the Gospel message (John 17).

2. Pray with faith: “Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, God will do it for you. So, I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you. “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

3. Pray with worship and reverence: “Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!” (Psalm 99:5). “‘Yes, Lord,’ the man said, ‘I believe!’ And he worshiped Jesus” (John 9:38).

“You will know with confidence that God can hear you when you pray, so open that line of communication! Pray, knowing that no matter how far you roam, your connection with Him can never be lost!”

“I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding” (Philippians 1:9).

D. What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus?
Praying in the name of Jesus is not just a magical incantation that is tacked on to the end of prayers. People end their prayers with "in the name of Jesus" without understanding all that it entails. The word "in" is a preposition of position and it carries with it a doctrinal truth that all believers need to know. The book of Ephesians could be called the "position book" and the word "in" brings our position into focus. This doctrinal truth is called our "ascension privilege" and it is our position in Jesus Christ. Therefore, our standing before God rests in Jesus Christ and praying in the name of Jesus is the way our prayers are heard.

In the name of Jesus, is an acknowledgment of the believer's position in Jesus Christ and an understanding that our prayers are heard as we approach the throne of grace. It is in obedience to the command of Jesus, for we cannot pray in our own standing, but we pray in His. “God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Praying in Jesus' name means praying according to God’s will, "And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for" (1 John 5:14-15). Praying in Jesus’ name is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus.

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14).

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony” (John 17:20).

“For ‘Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:13).

“We are writing to the church of God in Corinth, you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did all Christians everywhere--whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs” (1 Corinthians 1:2).

“And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

“And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17).

“Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14).

“I am writing to you, my dear children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus” (1 John 2:12).

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

E. How do I learn to pray?
In certain situations, learning to pray comes very quickly. When we are in trouble, the first thing we say is, “God, please help me.” Jesus taught His disciples by example, using the prayer that we now call “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13). This is the model for prayer that we use.

• We ask God for mercy and forgiveness for the things we have done that separate us from His holiness.
• We acknowledge that God provides everything that is necessary in our lives.
• We ask for protection from our enemies and from evil.
• We grow in faith as we see God’s hand in our lives.
• The relationship with our Heavenly Father grows as we learn to trust in Him and rely upon His grace and mercy.

God will never leave us or forsake us. He will never let us down, and He always wants what is best for us. I have found that my life has improved beyond comprehension since I asked the Lord into my life and began seeking Him in prayer. Prayer is a living breathing relationship with the Creator of the universe. Try it and see.

F. Here are some simple steps to structure our prayer time.

• Adoration: Spend time praising and worshipping God. Acknowledge who He is. Praise Him for His attributes of faithfulness, goodness, power, mercy, and love. “I will praise him from the bottom of my heart: ‘LORD, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the weak and helpless from the strong? Who else protects the poor and needy from those who want to rob them?’” (Psalm 35:10).
• Confession: Confess our sins to the Lord, because He always forgives us. Confession is a daily cleansing exercise. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).
• Thanksgiving: Give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He has given us. Thank Him for the big and small things in our lives. These are the blessings that we easily take for granted. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).
• Supplication: Present our requests to God with thanksgiving. God is our Father and He is delighted when we come to Him with our requests. “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

The above steps are examples of the many ways we can learn how to pray. Some people like to get up early in the morning to pray, while others prefer nighttime. People enjoy talking to God while they take a walk, and others like to write silent prayers into journals. Many read Bible passages and turn them into prayers. When needs arise in the middle of our busy days, we can whisper a short prayer and God will hear.

I believe that God honors us when we come to Him as we learn how to pray. Prayer takes a whole new meaning when we realize that Christianity is a relationship, not a mere religion. Relationships are strengthened through sharing. Prayer strengthens not only our faith, but our love relationship with Jesus. The only key to an effective prayer is prayer itself. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me” (John 15:4).

G. Practical ways to engage in prayer. How & what should we pray?
As we mature in our prayer life. Here are some practical ways to engage in prayer. Paul gives a brief seminar on prayer in Ephesians 6, where he describes the Christian life as a struggle (battle), not against flesh-and-blood enemy but against spiritual forces, dark forces. He tells us to…

• pray in the Spirit.
• pray on any and every occasion (no matter is too small).
• pray with all kinds of prayers and requests.
• pray alertly – be intelligent in our prayers.
• pray persistently – as one rightful put it: briefly but frequently.
• pray for all of God’s people.
• pray specifically for specific people we know who are in need.

1. Pray with our Bibles open.

• Use the Psalms as a prayer book.
• Read through Paul’s epistles, write out in your own hand some of the prayers you find in his letters. Pray these prayers, referencing people and places you know.
• Read through a prophet (like Isaiah) making note of every reference he makes to God. Begin to develop a list of God’s name and character. Use what you are learning as matters of praise and adoration.

2. Pray for the church, especially for…

• the ministries and activities of the church.
• those individuals in your family, your small group.
• our worship leaders and the person who will be teaching from the Bible on the coming weekend.
• the elders and pastors and other ministry leaders; for our missionaries and those engaged in local and global initiatives.
• our church’s staff, who serve us all with diligence and hard work.

3. Pray with our newspapers open on the table.

• For local and community, national and global events.
• For our local and national leaders, and all those in authority.
• For international leaders, to love mercy and act justly. • For those who are suffering due to war and oppression, natural disasters, famine, poverty or ill-health.
• For God’s kingdom to come, his will to be done, on earth as in heaven.

4. Keep a prayer journal.
Begin to think through and write out your prayers. Begin by using an acronym, if you find it helpful.

• PRAY – praise, repentance, ask (others, then) yourself.
• ACTS – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication (petitions).

Set some simple, measurable goals for deepening your prayer life, and increasing the time you spend in focused prayer. Write them down.

• Are you a morning person? Pray first thing in the morning.
• Are you an evening person? Pray last thing before you go to bed.
• Pray in the shower. Pray while you are preparing meals. • If you are not praying regularly now, set a goal to pray five minutes each day next week. Record your goal and track your progress.
• If you are praying only five minutes daily this week, try ten minutes daily next week.
• Pray five times a day: in the morning, before each meal, in the evening.
• Did a co-worker share a personal struggle with you? Ask them if you can pray for them. Follow up with them in a day, in one week, at the end of the month.

We must become practiced at prayer, so it becomes like breathing: just as we draw breath after breath to supply the oxygen that sustains life, so must we form the habits of prayer, inhaling the breath of the Living God, his very Spirit, into the bones and marrow, tissues and nerves of our spiritual life. Prayers don’t die. They are living. So, you can grow in your prayer life. And begin to pray all kinds of prayer as recorded in the Bible. Ephesians 6:18 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”

Different Kinds of Prayer
1. The prayer of adoration/praise. 1 Chronicles 29:11-14; 1 Kings 8:23-24
2. The prayer of thanksgiving. Psalm 118:19; Psalm 34:1-3; Psalm 138: 1-2.
3. The prayer of confession/penitence/expiation. 1 John1:9; Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 32:5
4. The prayer of supplication. Kings-1 8:28,30; 2 Chronicles 6:19,24,29,35; Philippians 4:6
5. The prayer of petition. Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1
6. The prayer of intercession. 1 Timothy 2:1; Isaiah 59:16
7. The prevailing/persistence prayer. Psalm 40:1; Luke 18:1; Exodus 17:8-16
8. Warfare prayer. 1 John4:4; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians. 6:11-17
9. Travailing prayer. John 11:38; Romans 8:26-27; Isaiah 66:8; Galatians 4:19
10. Praying in the spirit. Jude 1:20; 1 Corinthians 14:14-15