Why Pray?

One of the many questions Christians have concerning prayer is why do we have to pray anyway? If God knows everything, is everywhere and is all powerful why does he need us to pray to him? There are many ways this question can be answered but I will choose three responses to give a general broad picture of why we need to pray. For a more detailed response click here to get your free comp of “Why we need to Pray: A Detailed Review”

The very essence of prayer is a relationship with God. Together with this prayer in its most basic form involves praying the will of God and getting answers to pray for our personal needs. Let us examine these three areas as they relate to understanding why we need to pray to God.

1. Build a Relationship with God

Before we begin this study, we need to realize one very important point: God desperately wants to be among his people. In the Old Testament we see God dwelled in the tabernacle of Moses to be among his people. In the New Testament the spirit of God dwells within us bringing us closer to God. However, we still need to pray with the help of the Holy Spirit because God wants to build a relationship with us.

In the Old Testament before the Spirit of God was released into the world men and women who knew God were called Friends of God:

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have calledyou friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 ESV“And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him asrighteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23 ESV“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:14 ESV“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 ESVBut you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; Isaiah 41:8 ESVThus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Exodus 33:11 ESV

After the Spirit is given, we are called Children of God

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 ESV“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1-2 ESV)“But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-50 ESV)

It can be seen from the scriptures above that God wants a close relationship with his people, either as friends or family. To develop a close relationship, we need to communicate. How do we communicate with God? Through prayer. So, we see that prayer is built on a relationship we have with our heavenly Father. Therefore, it can be said that “Our prayer life is a reflection of our relationship with God.”

How do you build a relationship with anyone? You spend time with them, getting to know them and understanding what they like and dislike, what makes them happy or sad. Building a relationship takes time and energy, and commitment. Thus, building a relationship with God is at the heart of what prayer is all about.

We build a relationship by praising God, thanking Him, and telling Him how much we love Him. We can enjoy His presence and tell Him what is going on in our lives. We can make requests, seek guidance, and ask for wisdom. This is all our privilege as children of God.

Our prayers should be more than reciting written prayers. We need to invite Him into our life, sharing our life challenges and issues with Him. We need to also celebrate with him our victories and accomplishments. If we ask him, he will guide us to make important decisions. When we fall short, he is there, forgiving us if we ask. The more we share our lives with God, the stronger and more personal our relationship will be developed.

King David was called a man after God’s heart. This is because David constantly wanted to develop a deep intimate relationship with God. David wanted to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and sought to dwell in his house all the days of his life. He wanted a relationship with God

“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire [a]  in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV)

The first and major reason we pray is to build a relationship with God.

2. Find out the will of the Father and pray His will.

One of the most important things to realize when we pray is that we should always strive to pray for the will of the Father. The following scripture reveals this fact: 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 NIV)

In order to pray according to God’s will, we need to find out from Scripture the following two things concerning his will:

1. What is God’s will for who, and what to pray about?

2. What is God’s will for how to pray?

The following list gives us an idea about who and what to pray about. This is not an exhaustive list but a guide to point us in the right direction.

God’s Will for Who And What To Pray About

• Pray for our enemies. (Matthew 5:44)

• Pray for God to send missionaries. (Luke 10:2)

• Pray we do not enter temptation. (Matthew 26:41)

• Pray for ministers of the Word. (Colossians 4:3) (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

• Pray for government authorities. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

• Pray for relief from affliction. (James 5:13)

• Pray for the healing of fellow believers. (James 5:16)

• Pray for the salvation of Israel. (Romans 10:1)

• Pray for mercy and forgiveness when you have sinned. (Psalm 51:1-2)

• Pray for boldness to witness. (Acts 4:29)

• Pray for wisdom. (James 1:5)

• Pray for God’s kingdom to come, for daily provision, for the forgiveness of sins and forgiveness of our debtors, and for guidance and deliverance from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13)

God’s Will for How To Pray

• Pray with the help of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:26-27) (Jude 20)

• Pray with the right motivation. (James 4:-2-4) (Matthew 6:5-6)

• Pray with a spirit of forgiveness toward others. (Mark 11:22-25)

• Pray with Thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2-4) (Philippians 4:4-7)

• Pray with persistence. (Luke 18:1) (Thessalonians 5:16-22)

The second major reason we pray is to find out the will of the Father regarding certain situations. Much of his will is revealed in his word. As we pray according to His word, we are praying that “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

3. communicating our feelings and desires with God.

The Bible says that God knows what we have need of even before we ask him.

7  “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.  8  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:7-8 ESV

However, he still requires us to ask him for all our needs.

7  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  9  Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  10  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  11  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV)

We pray to receive from God as he is our heavenly father who loves to give, and He is the giver of all good gifts. God delights in answering our prayers. Paul relayed this thought to the Philippians when he wrote:

4  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  5  Let your reasonableness [d]  be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 4:4-7 ESV)

When we communicate our feelings and desires with God, he is delighted because it shows our dependence on Him. This gives God great pleasure.

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

The third reason we pray is that He gives us the desires of our hearts. However, we need to delight ourselves in Him first. One of the primary ways we delight ourselves in Him is through prayer.