Why Do We Pray?
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Commanded to Pray
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Prayer Comes From Relationship
Christ gives access
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Spirit intercedes
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
c. Follow the Christ and the Holy Spirit’s example
But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”
3. Prayer Changes Circumstances
a. God physically provides
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
b. God strengthens us
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
c. God seeks the lost
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
d. Hears when we are overwhelmed
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
4. Prayer Changes Us
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
5. Seek and Verify His will
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
6. Prayer is Effective
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.