The word prayer is used 619 times in the King James Version of the Bible. That tells me that prayer is important. The fact that Jesus spent much of His time on Earth in prayer also tells me that prayer is important. Yet according to one Barna survey…. the average Christian spends only 1 minute a day in prayer… and the average Pastor only spends 5 minutes. In my opinion, this is the reason the church is no longer relevant in America. It’s time we get back to praying about EVERYTHING.
Purpose of Prayer – Communication with God
The ONLY purpose for prayer is communication with God. We sometimes think it’s to ask for stuff or to give thanks or the list goes on. Until we communicate with God we are not praying. AND communication has to be a two-way process. We need to spend more time listening to God than talking to God when we pray. Our prayer life will be much more fulfilling when we do. I fear that many do not have a daily personal relationship with Him and find it difficult to recognize His voice among all the other noises that are trying to get our attention.
Position
While some argue that there is a correct position for prayer, I don’t find any command in the scripture about the position of prayer. The verses below give us a couple of positions that Jesus and Peter prayed in and certainly, these are acceptable but dictating a particular position for prayer would be a mistake. Those who are confined to bed or wheelchairs are not able to comply. Let’s not dwell on a particular position.
Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Luke 22:41
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
Acts 9:40
But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
Place
If we get hung up on having to be in a particular place to pray then we miss out. There are so many opportunities to have conversations with God. IF He is everywhere (and He is), then we can pray anywhere and of course any time.
Matthew 6:6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 14:23
And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
Mark 1:35
[ Preaching in Galilee ] Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
Luke 6:12
[ The Twelve Apostles ] Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Acts 10:9
[ Peter’s Vision ] The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
Acts 16:13
And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
Acts 22:17
“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance.
Promise – Anything you ask
Some take these scriptures out of context and preach the “name it and claim it” doctrine. It is MOST important to consider the model prayer of Jesus when we pray. Jesus said we should always pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. With this in mind then the verses below take on new meaning. We have to realize that He will never give us something that is out of His will.
Matthew 21:22
And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Power – Moves God to act.
If you are feeling powerless as a Christian you should consider that prayer is the missing act that will give you the power to make a difference in the world. Consider the verses below and I think you will realize the AWESOME power of God that prayer releases.
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
James 5:15
And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:17
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
