Prayer is...?
- Sep 6, 2024
- 6 min read
Philip Yancey says, “If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer. Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes: why doesn’t God act the way we want God to, and why I don’t act the way God wants me to. Prayer is the precise point where those themes converge.”
The concept of prayer is clear throughout the whole of the Bible. The word PRAYER or expressions of prayer can be found in 61 of the books with over 1,100 specific references to prayer and with actual prayers recorded for us.
Check out when you have time, that over 240 prayers are noted in the Old Testament and in the New Testament over 140 prayers are recorded.
Prayer was instituted by God. He determined that prayer would be the way we would work in cooperation with Him. Prayer is His idea, not ours, so it’s only logical that we come to God on His terms, not ours.
Prayer is to Communicate with God.
It begs a question for all of us. Do we pray to learn more about God and to worship Him, and as a consequence discover more about ourselves and the amazing plans He has for our lives, or are our prayers simply a list of all the things we want God to do for us?
Dr C Wittman defines prayer: “Prayer is, for the most part, an untapped resource, an unexplored continent where untold treasure remains to be unearthed. It is talked about more than anything else, and practiced less than anything else. And yet, for the believer it remains one of the greatest gifts our Lord has given us outside of salvation.”
If prayer is going to be real and meaningful, we must understand that prayer is more than just stopping for a couple of minutes every day to share our requests; it is connecting with and coming into the presence of our almighty Father God. So, at the centre of our prayers must be a desire for a relationship with God, and for such a relationship to go deeper.
When we pray, we are opening up our hearts to Him and He is able to work in us and through us. James 4:8 says,"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." How amazing is that?
Max Lucado says, "Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don't prepare to pray. Just pray. Don't read about prayer. Just pray. Don't attend a lecture on prayer or engage in discussion on prayer. Just pray... Better to pray awkwardly than not at all. And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that's okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day."
Prayer must be Central to our Christian life.
Paul writes to Timothy, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim 1:1-2).
Paul urges Timothy to lead the church in ‘first of all’ prayers!
Christians are commanded to pray “continually” (1 Thess 5:17) as we seek God, and to grow in our relationship with Him.
Prayer is something we should do every day. Like any relationship, if you don’t spend time with that person the relationship will suffer. Prayer is a powerful way for us to spend time with God, to connect with Him and to align our hearts with His. By the way, it’s a two-way line of communication!
Philippians 4:6-7 says: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
What we do, or seek to do, will be through prayer. My friends it’s your highest privilege and greatest responsibility, do you know why? Wonderfully it places into our hands God’s sovereign power. Today, such power can be tapped into, to change lives; heal lands; restore hearts; release kingdom life. Faith-filled prayer releases power for the lost, the marginalised, the sick and suffering.
Listen to this text, let it soak in:"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14 -15).
Albert Einstein was once delivering a lecture on the campus of Princeton University. A student asked the famous scientist "What is there left in the world for original dissertation research?" With considerate thought Einstein replied, "Find out about prayer. Somebody must find out about prayer."
Can I suggest you ‘find out about prayer’ in your life with God.
Prayer Changes Things!
Adrian Rogers said: "There’s nothing in life outside the reach of prayer. If it concerns you, it concerns God. We sometimes try to divide life into two separate categories: the secular and the sacred. We say, “This is the sacred part of life. We’ll pray about this. But this over here is secular. I’ll handle this myself.” But for the child of God, everything that concerns us, concerns Him."
Can I just clarify the statement ‘Prayer changes things’. The power doesn't come from us and our prayers. Only God can change things, but He is graciously willing to do so through prayer. Prayer can bring about that change, but ONLY GOD can actually change things and often it is us He changes!
Jesus tells us to pray and that when we pray, we are to believe we have received it! Really? “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matt. 21:22).
James tells us that, “The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with” (James 5:16, MSG).
Or my ‘go to’ text is found in Ephesians 3:20-21 - “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Prayer is a Challenge
A reporter stopped and asked Mother Teresa a question, “Mother Teresa, your prayers must be very special. What exactly do you say when you pray to God?” Her quick response, “Oh, I don’t talk much. I mostly listen.”
Prayer can be a challenge in giving and spending time in God’s presence.
Stop for a while
Martyn Lloyd—Jones said: “Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul… man is at his greatest and highest when, on his knees, he comes face to face with God.”
What if you were to set time aside right now to pray and come face to face with God? Just sit or kneel in God’s presence and invite Him to speak to you, then just listen!
Another challenge to prayer can be unanswered prayers and it can leave you wondering, or even doubting whether prayer really does make a difference? You may have heard it said, if God is ultimately in control of all things and our days are already planned (Psalm 139:16), what’s the point of praying? Listen, prayer is about your relationship with God first and foremost, not about results!
Jesus himself knew, especially when challenges came, He would withdraw to the mountainside alone and pray to His Father.
J Packer said: “Knowing that our Father God is in heaven, or (putting it the other way round) knowing that God in heaven is our Father, is meant to increase our wonder, joy, and sense of privilege at being his children and being given the “hot line” or prayer for communication with him. “Hot line” it truly is, for though he is Lord of the worlds, he always has time for us; his eye is on everything every moment, yet we always have his full attention whenever we call on him. Marvelous! But have we really taken it in?”
I don’t know about those of you read this blog, but I found myself quite frequently coming before God and just cannot find words, my head is blank with what I feel is adequate words to praise a mighty God. I don’t know whether to tell him that, because that makes rhe beginning of prayer about me, not God, sit quietly hoping God will talk to me, and fight the instinct to just stop. Sometimes I just stop, focus on a piece of scripture, usually it’s be still and know that I am God. There are a few passages here that I have pondered on, and rhe verse draw near to God and He will draw near to you c…