A Brief Theology of Prayer

“Prayer is the essential human act, a priceless point of contact between us and the God of the universe.”  -  Philip Yancey

“God speaks in the silence of the heart.  Listening is the beginning of prayer.”  - Mother Teresa

“Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.”   -  Søren Kierkegaard

“Prayer is a powerful thing, for God has bound and tied Himself thereto”  …  “Pray and let God worry.”   -   Martin Luther

“Avail yourself of the greatest privilege this side of heaven.  Jesus Christ died to make this communion with the Father possible.”  -  Billy Graham 

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”  -  Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

What is Prayer?

Prayer is our direct line with heaven. Prayer is a communication process that allows us to talk to God.  He wants us to communicate with Him. We honor Him when we talk to Him.  Technology has exploded in recent years to help us communicate and connect – and these have become a necessity in today’s society – bluetooth devices, blackberries, iPhones, Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc.   Connecting and communication devices are in abundance to help us interact, discuss, and respond to one another.

Prayer is the device we use with God.  Prayer is simply communicating with God - listening and talking to him. We can simply pray from the heart, freely, spontaneously and in our own words.  In a way, prayer can be like talking to your best, most trusted friend – someone who both knows you and loves you!

As you pray:

  • Pray with faith. “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
  • Pray out of your heart desires. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
  • Pray for others.  Jesus set an example for us on what to pray. He prayed for His disciples and for every generation to come that would follow Him. “I pray for all those who will believe in me … May they be brought to complete unity to let the entire world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20, 23).
  • Pray with worship and reverence. “Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!” (Psalm 99:5)

You can have confidence that God is listening to you when you pray.  All you have to do is open the line of communication.  No matter how far you roam, the connection with God is always there available to you.

How Do We Pray?

  • Genuinely

Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

  • Submissively

Matthew 6:10 – Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 26:42 – He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”

  • Reverently

Matthew 6:9 – This, then is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name.”

Psalm 106:48 – Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord.

  • Persistently

Luke 11:5-8 – Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”

  • Unceasingly

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing;

  • Intentionally

Mark 14:38 – Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

  • Confidently

1 Kings 3:9 – So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

  • Humbly

2 Chronicles 7:14 – If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

  • Repentantly

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

  • Expectantly

Isaiah 30:18-19 – Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed area all who wait for Him! O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you.

  • Individually

Matthew 6:6 – But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

  • Corporately

Acts 12:5 – So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.