Why is it so important for Christians to pray?
To answer this question, it is important that we should first examine the Greek word for ‘prayer’ to obtain its full meaning, as Greek is the main language that the New Testament was originally written in and translated from.
The main Greek word used for prayer in the New Testament is ‘proseuche’ (pronounced pros-yoo-kay), which is made up of two words, ‘pros’ and ‘euche’.Pros is a preposition and means toward or with (being with or close to) and denotes a sense of personal closeness and intimacy between two people.
Euche is a noun and means ‘a prayer of desire or passion, or a vow’.
Bearing this in mind. we now see that when the New Testament writers (under the power of the Holy Spirit) speak of prayer, it means that when we pray it is designed to draw us intimately near to God and enable us to verbally share with him our earnest desires and passions for whatever it is we want to talk to him about.
Prayer, for a born-again Christian, is intimate conversation between believers in Jesus as individuals, and God our creator and Heavenly Father. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit in us that we are enabled to pray in the Father's will fervently and effectively! The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us in all truth!
John 16:13 (NKJV)
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
James 5:16 (NIV)
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
One on one prayer to God is designed to help believer to build a close, intimate, and personal relationship with the Father in Christ Jesus. It is talking to God and having a conversation with Him.
As a conversation between two people is a two-way stream, when we pray it is just more important for us to listen to what God has to say to us as well. When you pray, make time to wait upon the Lord and be still so that you can hear His voice in your heart!
Why do we pray?
To build a close relationship with our Father in Christ Jesus
Prayer helps us to strengthen our love relationship with Jesus and thus with God the Father. Let’s have a look at an example of this through one of the apostle Paul’s prayers for the Church in Ephesus:
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
In verse 14 above we see that the Apostle Paul is praying to the Father in the name of Jesus. From verse 16 his prayer, because the church is God’s family, takes on the essence of true love. He starts to pray that God would strengthen the Ephesian believers in their hearts (the inner man) through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In verses 17 through 19 Paul encourages the Church to cultivate our faith, grounded in Jesus, a deeper and deeper love for Jesus so that we may experience the fullness of God that the world cannot understand. This is how the Church will be unified in the Spirit to move powerfully in the ‘world’ and do even greater things than Jesus did to His glory. Moving in the love of God, the grace of Jesus and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the Church will be an undefeatable force in the world and signs and wonders, miracles and healings will follow us as the did with Jesus and the Apostles.
This is certainly the kind of relationship that Paul had with God and we would do well to emulate it! Paul encourages us to, as well!
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT)
And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
When we face the trials and temptations of life, we need to press into God more earnestly, move into Him and not withdraw from Him as we often tend to do, and he will strengthen us to overcome all things the ‘devil and his world’ throw at us in Christ Jesus.
Jesus himself is our prime example of this just before he was arrested and crucified:
Luke 22:39-44 (NIV)
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
And the Apostle John says this:
1 John 5:3-5 (NIV)
3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
It helps us to find out God’s will for our lives and to gain Godly wisdom
It is impossible for any believer to know God’s will for their life unless they are talking to him in prayer. That’s just plain common sense!
But let’s strengthen our common sense with scripture, and no better scripture than this one with Jesus once again as our prime example:
Luke 6:12-13 (NIV)
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he (Jesus) went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
In these verses we see that Jesus has a big decision to make. From the many disciples he had at the time, he needed to decide which of them would be the chosen twelve apostles. To be able to make the right decision Jesus knew he needed to seek the will of God the Father’ so he took himself aside and prayed all night.
Only then, once he knew the will of the Father, was he able to make the decision of which of his disciples he would choose as the twelve apostles – even the one that betrayed him was the will of the Father. A decision that would rock the world of the time!
We, as disciples of Jesus, always need to pray about all things!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
In order for us to make right decisions we need to know the will of the Father and have the wisdom of God to implement our actions and good works in Christ Jesus. We can’t do this unless we are communicating with God in prayer! But in all our prayer we must have faith that it will come to be, don’t doubt, as long as it is in the Father’s will!
James 1:5-8 (AMP)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].
And then – rejoice always!
Prayer helps us to achieve the work God wants us to do
Once we know (through prayer) the works that God wants us to do, we will also need to ask Him in prayer how we can achieve them.
John 14:12-14 (NIV)
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
When we lead an active prayer life our spirits are lifted up to be with Jesus in the throne room of God.
When this happens changes not only happen within us but in those around us as well. Prayer brings revival - miracles, signs and wonders occur!
Revelation 8:3-4 (NIV)
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
The prayers of God’s children in Christ Jesus reach His throne room. They then have a profound effect on what happens on earth under God’s hand, especially now in these end times!
Revelation 8:5 (NIV)
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
An important part of our spiritual awakening comes to the fore when we start praying for others (called intercessory prayer) as Jesus prays for us. We need to always follow the example Jesus sets for us.
Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
When we intercede for others as Jesus intercedes for us, we help others to live their lives in accordance with the will of the Father and to receive all His promises and benefits. This is how the family of God ought always to be towards each other in their prayer lives, daily!
Prayer is the key weapon in Spiritual Warfare
It is important for every new believer and indeed, every believer to know that because we are God’s children, we automatically become the target for God’s enemy, who is Satan or the devil as he is quite commonly known as.
Satan’s mission on earth is to kill and destroy anything that belongs to God and anything that He created. This is primarily us, His Church and mankind in general.
John 10:10 (NIV)
The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
There is much to be said about Spiritual Warfare that warrants it receiving more attention, but that is a topic for another time.
Did Jesus pray?
In a nutshell – most definitely, YES!
Jesus was constantly in prayer to the Father. We should follow his example.
Luke 5:16 (NIV)
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Hebrews 5:7 (NIV)
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Matthew 26:39 (NIV)
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
There are at least twenty-five other scriptures in the New testament that tell of Jesus praying. See if you can find others as you read the Bible. Let the Church do the same, let’s be imitators of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and bring glory to His name!
How do you pray?
Jesus gives us the model prayer in Matthew 6:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
Jesus says in verse 9 that when we pray, pray in this order:
Verse 9: This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Acknowledge that you are praying to the Father in heaven as a child would address its earthy father and recognize that his name is holy and to be revered. The ‘Our’ here indicates that we need to recognize that we are part of a family of God’s children and that as a good Father we should recognize that He loves us all.
Verse 10: your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Make sure that what you are praying for is in accordance with His will and not your will, and ask with the right motive, one that is selfless, so that His kingdom will come on earth.
James 4:3 (AMP)
You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.
Verse 11: Give us today our daily bread.
God is our sole provider. Let your requests for provision be made known to him. You won’t always get what you want, but He will always give you what you need, even the things you didn’t know you needed! And very often you get much more than you ever expected!
Verse 12: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
When we come before God, we need to have a repentant heart. Examine your heart and repent of any unconfessed sin and even more importantly, forgive those that have sinned against you, cleanse yourself of any ill feeling, anger, jealousy, and grudges that you may be holding against others.
Verse 13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
Temptation in this verse can also be translated from the original Greek as ‘trials’. We will all face trials and temptations in life and we need to ask God daily to give us the strength to overcome them in Christ Jesus and to lead us away from them. In Jesus we are overcomers, and we will be protected from evil.
Just quoting the Lord’s prayer verbatim every day is not really prayer, it will just become a mantra. The Lord’s prayer serves as a way for us to prepare ourselves for prayer, to come into God’s presence through Christ Jesus.
If we live our lives according to the Lord’s prayer, we will find ourselves walking closely with him in the Spirit. Prayer is one of the keys to living the life through the Spirit that the Apostle Paul refers to in Romans 8:1-17. Please read this for yourself, it will change your life dramatically for the better!
Praying for others.
The Apostle Paul encourage us to pray and intercede for others and to pray without ceasing.
1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—
1 Thessalonians 5:17:18 (NKJV)
17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
When we pray for others, amazing things happen:
- We participate in God's work. - Ephesians 6:18.
- We put the needs of others before our own - we learn to be like Jesus! - Philippians 2:3-4.
- Praying for others emulates Jesus. - Romans 8:26.
- We share in their burdens. - Galatians 6:2.
- We join the ministry of reconciliation. - 2 Corinthians 5:18.
- We learn to trust God. - Psalm 9:10 and many others verses.
- We are also changed. - James 5:16-18.
- Praying for others glorifies God. - Psalm 69:30.
The below verse speaks for itself very clearly.
John 15:16 (NIV)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
How do we end a prayer time?
Journalise:
Keep a journal in which you can make a note of your prayers and include in your notes a date the prayer was made, what God said to you if anything and when the prayer was answered.
The answering part might be immediate, or it may take a while to be fulfilled. Be patient and don’t give up – sometimes it may even take years!
When you pray, believe and have faith that it will come to be:
The Bible tells us clearly that when we pray, we must believe that we have received whatever it is we are praying for, and we will receive them.
It also warns us not to hold any unforgiveness in our hearts against anybody. The inference here is that if we do, our prayers could be hindered!
Mark 11:24-25 (NIV)
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Matthew 9:27-30 (NIV)
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”
This is probably one of the most important parts of a Christian’s prayer life – giving thanks to the Lord for everything! Especially that he answers our prayers. Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 (NIV)
13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good;
his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.
Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven
Teach me your ways, O Lord, and teach me to pray as you pray. I ask that by your Holy Spirit that you would keep my motives pure in all areas of my life and particularly when I am praying. May my life bring glory to your Name, Lord Jesus. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14; Colossians 4:2; Mark 11:24; Jeremiah 29:12; Romans 12:12; Matthew 6:7; Psalm 145:18; Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 4:16; Matthew 6:6; Psalm 18:6; 1 John 5:15; James 5:16; James 1:6; Acts 16:25; Luke 6:27-28; John 15:16; Acts 1:14; 1 Peter 4:7; John 14:13; James 4:2; 1 Corinthians 13:1
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and
praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article
is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is
flawed the Bible is not!
