Prayer Provides Communication with God

Introduction

Prayer gives you opportunity to praise God and to request His divine intervention in your life and/or the lives of others. Prayer allows you to glorify His name and also provides an avenue for you to be filled with joy (based on Psalm 65:2, 145:1; Matthew 7:7; John 14:13, 16:23-24; Hebrews 13:15; James 1:5; 1 John 5:14-15).

Biblical Truths about God’s Work as it Relates to Prayer

His Listening

He hears prayer (Psalm 65:2) and responds to the cry of those who reverence Him (Psalm 34:15, 145:19);

He knows what you need before you ask (Matthew 6:8, 32);

He delights to hear the prayer of the upright (Proverbs 15:8), which accomplished much (James 5:16);

He is near to those who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18); and

He does not listen when you hold on (harbor, regard) sin in your heart (Psalm 66:18).

His Answering

He answers in response to your asking (Matthew 7:7);

He answers as you continue to obey Him (1 John 3:22);

He answers YES when you ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15);

He answers in greater measure than you can ask (Ephesians 3:20);

He will not give bad gifts as answers to your prayer (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:9-13);

He does not answer when you ask in doubt (James 1:6-7);

He answer NO when your prayer is not according to His will (2 Corinthians 12:7-10); and

He answers NO when His glory and grace is better revealed by your going through a trial instead of your being rescued from it (Matthew 26:39; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Observations from the Gospels about the Prayer Life of Jesus Christ

How Jesus Prayed

He made prayer a priority and a frequent practice (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16);

He prayed knowing the Father heard Him always (John 11:41-42);

He prayed alone (Matthew 14:23); and

He prayed specifically and persistently but always in submission to God and in accordance with the will of the Father (Matthew 26:36-44).

When Jesus Prayed

He consistently prayed in the beginning, during, and at the close of His ministry (Luke 3:21, 5:16, 23:46);

He prayed after ministering all day (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35);

He prayed after ministering through the evening (Mark 1:32-35);

He prayed all night (Luke 6:12);

He prayed in the midst of His own suffering (Luke 23:34);

He prayed before making major decisions (Luke 6:12-13); and

He prayed while in the midst of a trial (Matthew 26:36-44).

What Jesus Prayed and What He Taught about Prayer

He taught His disciples the basics of prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4);

He demonstrated how to pray (John 17);

He prayed for the strengthening of others (Luke 22:32);

He prayed for His disciples and for the disciples who were to follow (John 17:20); and

He prayed for God’s forgiveness of those who were His enemies (Luke 23:34).

Scriptural Teaching to Believers about Prayer

Truths about Your Prayer Life

You sometimes do not know how to pray as you should (Romans 8:26); and

You sin before the Lord when you fail to pray (1 Samuel 12:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 4:17).

Truths about Answers to Your Prayers

You should not expect answers from God when you meaninglessly repeat requests (Matthew 6:7);

You receive answers to prayer when you ask according to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15), when you ask in faith (Matthew 17:20, 21:21-22) and when you ask in the name of Christ (asking just as Jesus would ask) (1 John 14:13-14).

You receive answers to prayer by abiding in Christ and having His words abide in you (John 15:7);

You receive answers and fullness of joy by asking (John 16:24);

You receive answers to prayer when you are obedient to God’s will (1 John 3:22);

Even though you are obedient to the Lord, you will sometimes not receive what you ask for so you may learn more of God’s grace and power (Matthew 26:39; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10);

You will not receive if you do not ask (James 4:2);

You will not receive if you ask in doubt (James 1:6-7) or if you ask with selfish motives (James 4:3);

You should not expect answers in prayer when there is any unconfessed and unforsaken sin in your life (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2; 1 Peter 3:12); and

You are hindered in receiving answers to prayer when you are not obedient to God’s Word in your relationships (1 Peter 3:7; 1 John 3:22).

How You are to Pray

You are to follow the example of Jesus by praying always in submission to God and in accordance with His will (Matthew 26:36-44; Mark 14:36);

You are to pray specifically (Matthew 7:7-8; John 14:13-14, 16:24);

You are to pray so God may be glorified (John 14:13);

You are to pray with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6);

You are to ask in faith (Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6);

You are to be alert and devoted to prayer (Colossians 4:2);

You are to persist in meaningful prayer (Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:5-10);

You are urged to pray in a variety of ways (1 Timothy 2:1);

You should sometimes fast and pray in times of specific needs (Joel 2:12-13; Matthew 4:1-2, 6:17-18; Acts 9:9-11, 13:1-3, 14:23);

You are to pray through (in, by means of) the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20);

You are to be clear-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer (1 Peter 4:7); and

You are not to pray hypocritically for the approval or notice of man. Rather, you are to pray to the Lord for His hearing and favor (Matthew 6:5-6).

When You are to Pray

You should pray diligently and not lose heart (Luke 18:1);

You are to pray if you are suffering, if you are sick, if you have sinned (James 5:13-16), or if you face any kind of trial, temptation, or trouble (Psalm 86:6-7); 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2); and

You are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

What you are to Pray

You are to praise God (Psalm 111:1, 112:1, 113:1; Psalm 150) for:

His character (Psalm 148:13-14; 150:2; Matthew 6:9),

His works (Psalm 150:2),

His lovingkindness (Psalm 106:1, 108:3-4), and

His mercy through Jesus Christ (Romans 15:8-12).

You are to thank God for:

His goodness (Psalm 106:1, 107:1),

His lovingkindness (Psalm 106:1; 107:1, 8; 108:3-4),

His grace that has been provided through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 9:15),

His effectual working in your life and in the lives of others (Romans 1:8; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3),

Victory over death and the grave through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:50-57, especially verse 57),

The fearful and wonderful way He made you (Psalm 139;14), and

All that is in your life (Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

You are to ask God’s forgiveness (based on Matthew 6:12), confessing your sin to Him, in order to receive His forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).

You are to pray for everything and everyone (Ephesians 6:18-19; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1-12).

You are to pray for necessities of life (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3).

You are to pray for more laborers to enter the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38; Luke 10:2) and are to pray for the Word of the Lord to spread rapidly and be glorified (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

You are to lay your anxious concerns before God when you pray (Philippians 4:6-7).

You are to pray that you may resist or avoid entering into temptation (Matthew 6:13, 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 11:4, 22-40).

You are to pray for others in specific situations (Luke 22:32; Romans 10:1; Ephesians 6:18-19; Philippians 1:19, 4:6).

You are to pray for grace to help in the time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

You are to pray for wisdom (James 1:5).

Unprofitable Practices in Your Prayer Life

You are not to pray thoughtlessly (based on 1 Peter 4:7). Instead you are carefully to consider what you are to pray. For example:

You do not need to plead hopelessly for the Lord to be with you or with any other believer, because He is with you already and has promised never to leave nor forsake you (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Instead, thank the Lord for His continual presence with you (Hebrews 13:6).

You do not need to pray that God will grant you love for another person, because He has already poured out His love within you (Romans 5:5) and has commanded and enabled you to love (1 John 4:7-12). Pray instead for His wisdom (James 1:5) and leading (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:16) to show you how to increase and abound in your life to others (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

As a true believer, you do not need to pray to be freed from the power of sin because you already have been freed (Romans 6:1-14). However, you are to pray to be delivered from evil (or the evil one) (Matthew 6:13) and are to thank the Lord that He has provided you freedom from the power of sin as you keep on presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 6:6-7, 12:1-2).

You do not need to pray for help in either putting of your old self-nature or in putting on the new righteous self, because that was already accomplished at salvation (Romans 6:6-11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:22-24). Pray instead for His wisdom, grace, and help in putting off the practices of the old self and in putting on the new righteous practices (Hebrews 4:15-16; James 1:5).