What Is Prayer

How Hard Is Prayer?

Many people think of prayer as something difficult, but what we discover as we look at the instructions Jesus gave is that prayer is really a very simple thing.

Prayer does not have to be full of fancy words, or quotes from scriptures, nor does it need to last for a long period of time.  Jesus, in Matthew 6:5-8, reminds us that prayer is not about impressing people, nor do we need to try to impress God.

When Jesus taught us how to pray he instructed us to address God as father (Matthew 6:9).  Children do not need to impress their fathers with fancy words and long speeches in order to get food to eat.  All they need do is ask.

That is how simple prayer is.  It is speaking from our hearts, letting our Father in Heaven know what is on our minds.  He is not waiting for the proper words or phrases, nor is He waiting for the proper form.  He is just longing to hear from us.

What if you do not know what to say?  You may face a situation where you do not know how to voice the concerns of your hearts.  The great thing is we are not limited by our ability to put our feelings into words.  In romans 8:26-27 we discover that the Holy Spirit, who knows our heart, and is ready to pray for us with groans that our words could not even express.

Does God Always Answer?

Does God always hear and answer our prayers?  From childhood, I was taught that God answers all prayers.  Sometimes God immediately says yes to our prayers.  Sometimes God immediately says no to our prayers.  Sometimes God says wait for my answer.

Usually we think only of the first type as an answer to prayer.  We have the idea that God has promised that whatever we ask for, then Jesus never would have died on the cross, for He prayed that God would find another way (Mark 14:36).

As our father, we need to realize that God is not going to give us every desire of our heart.  Luke 11:11-13 reminds us that fathers give good things to their children.  Like them, God is going to give us what is good for us.  We may not understand at the time why he says no, but we can praise Him for his faithfulness to us.

The hardest times may be when God says wait for the answer.  We are impatient people, and we want everything now.  But sometimes now is not the right time.

Sometimes the wait may be to teach us to trust him.  The wait may also be that our attitude is wrong.  It may just be that the timing is not right.  If God says wait, we can rest assured that God knows what He is doing.

Is Prayer Selfish?

Sometimes we are afraid to ask God for what we need for fear that we may appear selfish.  WE only need worry about that when we forget what prayer is all about.

In Luke 11: 1-4 Jesus taught His disciples how to pray by giving them the Lord’s prayer.  When we look at this prayer we discover from the beginning that it is not a selfish prayer.  From the very beginning we are instructed to pray “Your kingdom come”.  This is the prayer of one who is seeking God’s will and is willing to submit to that will.

One thing we need to remember as we go to prayer is that we are not trying to convince god of anything or to change His mind.  Prayer is coming to know God’s will as we open our hearts to Him and enter into blessed fellowship.

Mathew 21: 21-22 tells us that prayer is powerful when it is accomplished by faith, but what is the faith that is necessary?  James 5:16 tells us that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful an effective.”  Righteous does not mean perfect in every way.  If that were the case, then none of us would have power in our prayers.  Righteousness points to our surrender to the will of God.

What that means is that the reason a righteous person’s prayers are powerful is that is in prayer they have come to understand God’s will and are praying accordingly. If God wants a mountain moved, then we can pray with the kind of faith necessary to move the mountain.  If that is not God’s will our faith will never be strong enough.

How’s Do I Know God’s Will?

In Acts 16:6-7 we find Paul being guided by the Holy Spirit.  Clearly Paul felt that he knew God’s will.   But how can we know God’s will?

Some things we know are God’s will because they are found in God’s word.  For instance, in the Lord’s prayer we discover two things for which we are to pray.  The first of these is daily bread, or the necessities in life.  Jesus promised in Matthew 6:31-34 that He would supply all we need.  Remember, however, that He is God and He gets to choose how He will supply what we need.

Another thing that we discover is that God’s will is forgiveness and power over sin.  That is God’s will.  You can rest assured that if you ask for forgiveness it is God’s will and He will forgive you.  Also, you can rest assured that it is God’s desire to give you victory over the sin that may plague your life.  Submit yourself to Him and watch as He transforms your life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

But what about things that aren’t clearly shown in God’s word, such as a possible job, or maybe a person to marry, how do you know what god desires?

Often we speak of hearing from God what He desires, such a “I knew this is the job God wanted me to take”.  How does one hear from God?

Those who hear God are those who have developed a relationship with God of submission.  As they pray they not only let God know what they desire, but they also develop the habit of taking time to listen to what God may say.  Usually this is not a loud booming voice, but it is a still small voice that speaks gently to their heart.  Usually this voice is just a calm assurance that comes upon you that you have discovered what God desires.  Until that calmness comes we cannot rest assured that we have heard from Him.

If you desire to hear from God, then begin today to develop the habits that lead to this type of intimate fellowship.  Start by setting aside time each day as you pray to pledge to God your surrender.  Let the Holy Spirit search your heart for any area of your life that is not surrendered to Him.

The next step is to take time each day to listen to God.  As we learn to shut out all else and just listen, we can begin to discover His still small voice speaking to our hearts.

This habit of prayer, however, is not just for a set time of prayer on your knees.  It is a total way of life, every moment of every day.  Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “pray continually.”  What wonderful fellowship there is with God when prayer is as natural as the breaths we breathe.

What a privilege it is to be able to pray.  God has invited us into intimate fellowship with himself.  As we come before him in submission to His will we discover prayer is powerful.  God hears and answers our prayers.  Greatest of all is that we also discover the joy of hearing from Him.

Have you discovered the joys of a life of prayer?  If not, why not begin today.  God is waiting to hear from you, and He is waiting to speak to you as well.