What Happens When We Pray

As I sat in church a few weeks ago I was asking God to tell me what topic He needed me to speak on. For two weeks I kept asking, it almost seemed like pleading, I would ask for guidance during the week and during service I would intensify my internal dialogue with the Lord. I really had to pay attention to the Spirit to understand what I was being told.

I would mention my upcoming time to speak and my wife would say “pray about it”. While in the service listening to others speak I would get these thoughts of, I have to pray about what to say. This is not my message, I am just the vessel. I took notice of when the strongest thought patterns would arise, especially during service. It was always right before or after we have prayed. I realized I was being told to speak on prayer.

Once I understood the big concept God narrowed what I needed to focus on. We are always told to pray about something. Over and over it’s always, we need to pray. Good, bad, huge, small, just pray about it. We have all been peppered with this foundational tool. What is not explicitly explained on a regular basis is, what happens when we pray. Once I understood and accepted the task given to me, a weight was lifted and I was ready to get going. That was three weeks ago.

Next God taught me another lesson. I knew where I wanted to go with the message, He said no. All of my research and scripture reading lead me to nothing like what I wanted to say. Humility was setting in, Go was telling me His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways. Normally by this time in my preparation I would be stressing out. I am catching on to how I need to be with God and the Holy Spirit, waiting for Him to move in me so that I can produce what the Heavenly Lord deems is necessary. I keep being taught, during teaching prep, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

I have not become stressed during this time and right on time, as always, the Lord moves and He gives me what I need to pass along. Every time I prepare and speak I am amazed at the physical difference I feel within my body and how God makes everything that seemed jumbled a train of coherent information. I may not be the best but, I am getting better at speaking and I am really enjoying the feeling I get when I place myself in the path that God tells me to “go and do” in.

What is Prayer?

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Prayer

Dialogue between God and people, especially His covenant partners.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Prayer

Communication with God, primarily offered in the second-person voice (addressing God directly). May include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Prayer

The addressing and petitioning of God. Prayer to a god or gods is a feature of many, if not all, religions, but here attention will be restricted to the biblical teaching and some of its implications. A classic definition of Christian prayer is “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies”

Lexham Theological Wordbook Prayer

Prayer is intentional communication with God and can be spoken or written. It is often petitionary in nature, though it may take many other forms, as well. Both the OT and the NT assume that God hears and responds to the prayers of his people.

Now we have a definition of what prayer is, by these selected works. We each have our own understanding of prayer.

There are different types of prayer. The Bible is full of scripture on prayer.