Prayer is the natural overflow of meaningful time in the Scriptures. Prayer to God completes the fellowship element in your relationship with Him. Respond back to God in prayer after He speaks to you through His Word. In this manner, you share your heart with the One who longs for your companionship.

Prayer is how the power of God is unleashed. Personal battles and battles for others are won in prayer and the cause of Christ is thus furthered.

Through prayer you have the power and the privilege to be used for God to help change lives. We do not avail ourselves of this power today primarily due to unbelief. The disciples of the first century knew how to pray and claim in faith the power of our omnipotent God to help change the course of history. We serve the same God today.

1. What Is Prayer?

a. Prayer is simply communicating with God. It is a dialogue between two who love each other -- God and man.

b. As children of God, we are invited to approach the throne of grace with confidence.

2. Who Can Pray?

a. Those who belong to Christ.

Man instinctively prays -- even if only to false gods. There is danger in "ignorant" prayer. Man assimilates the moral character of the object he worships.

It is important that we worship and pray to the only true, righteous, holy and loving God in order that we be transformed into His likeness.

b. Those who come to God in the authority and the name of Jesus.

Jesus claims to be the only way to the Father.

Jesus is the only mediator between God and us.

Jesus promises to give us anything if we ask in His name. Praying in His name means more than a good-luck charm. It means we can petition the Father with all the authority of Christ! We ask in His name on the basis of who He is, not in our own name on the basis of who we are.

c. Those who come to God with a clean heart.

d. Those who have a forgiving spirit. One of the most frequent hindrances to prayer is an unforgiving spirit. If we hold anything against anyone, we must forgive him in order that the Father may forgive our sins.

e. Those who come in faith. We must have a believing heart if our prayers are to be answered. Our faith grows through the Word of God. As we learn more of the faithfulness of God and His Word, the more we can trust Him; and the more we trust Him, the more we experience the reality of His love, grace and power in prayer. We cannot conjure up faith. It is only given from God as we rely on His Word and His faithfulness.

3. Why Are We to Pray?

a. To glorify God.

b. Because God commands it. We should pray because our loving Father has commanded us to pray without ceasing and because He delights in our fellowship.

c. To communicate with God. Prayer is not just an "escape hatch" for the Christian -- to get out of trouble and gain his own selfish ends. It is his line of communication with God. We've got to communicate with a person to stay in love with that person. The same is true between us and Christ. If we are going to keep our love from growing cold, we'll have to communicate with Him. Prayer and Bible study are not ends in themselves but rather a means to an end -- communication with our Lord.

d. To have fellowship with God. God waits for us to come to Him in prayer. It is incredible that God wants our fellowship.

e. Because of the example of our Lord. Jesus Christ made prayer a priority. If He was so dependent upon this fellowship in prayer alone with His Father, how much more should we be.

f. Because of the examples of the disciples and others. The lives of the disciples, and the biographies of great Christians through the centuries, all testify to the necessity of prayer.

g. To achieve results for the glory of God. Prayer does change things. Prayer is the divinely ordained means whereby God moves in the accomplishment of His mighty operations on this earth. The Bible records that weather was changed and people were released from prison because of prayer. God is still in the business of answering prayer. Prayer is the means of becoming a fruitful witness for Christ. The divine order is first to talk to God about men, and then to talk to men about God.

h. To achieve spiritual growth. Just as a child needs food to grow physically, so we need food to grow spiritually. Prayer, which involves our talking to God and God talking to us through His Word, is our major source of spiritual food. We can miss a day without apparent ill effects, but if we continue this practice, we shall become undernourished, losing the strength to live a victorious life and to maintain boldness for a vital witness for Christ.

4. To Whom Do We Pray?

a. We pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Our prayers are validated by Christ and are interpreted to God the Father by the Spirit.

b. Scripture teaches us that we are to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9; Nehemiah 4:9; Acts 12:5) and to the Son (Acts 7:59; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 12:8,9). As we are praying, who intercedes for us?

5. When Should We Pray?

a. There is a sense in which we pray without ceasing -- talking to God hundreds of times in the course of the day about everything. We need to see everything in relation to God, and to converse with Him about it.

b. We should also set apart specific times each day for prayer.

Reading and studying the Bible help to prepare us for prayer. Therefore, pray with an open Bible. Talk to God, allow Him to talk to you through His Word.

c. Group prayer should also be a vital part of the Christian's prayer life.

Group prayer meetings are often dull and unattractive because Christians who participate have not had a vital prayer life. In spontaneous or conversational prayer, each one prays briefly about one area of praise or petition at a time. Each one may pray several times as directed by the Spirit. For example, the prayer may begin, "Lord I love you." Another follows, "Thank You that You are here today and that we can talk to You, knowing that You hear us." Another may say, "Thank You for Your love that sent the Lord Jesus to die for my sins." One quotes the psalmist, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised... thank You that I am here and that You have spoken to me." Another petitions, "I pray that You will draw my friend, Jim, to Yourself, so that he may experience the new birth and become a vital witness and disciple for You." Another agrees, "I agree with this prayer, Father. Show us how we can approach him with the Gospel soon." The same person may feel impressed to pray a number of times. However, each prayer should be short, to the point and based upon the Word of God. Don't be afraid of silent pauses.

6. What Should Be Included in Prayer?

The first letters of the following four words form the word "ACTS." Using this as a mental guide for prayer can be a help in maintaining a balanced prayer life.

A - Adoration

Acknowledging God's character and attributes. It is reflecting on God Himself. Praise Him for His love -- His power and majesty -- His wonderful gift of Christ.

C - Confession

Confessing your sins to God. (Some prefer to do this first.) Admitting to God where you have sinned. Be honest and humble. Remember He knows you and loves you still.

T - Thanksgiving

Tell God how grateful you are for everything He has given -- even the unpleasant things. Your thankfulness will help you see His purposes.

S - Supplication

Asking God for things. Making specific requests. Pray for others, pray for yourself.

7. How Can We Pray with Confidence?

Four imperatives must be followed before we can expect answers to our prayers:

ABIDE

If our lives are yielded to Him and His Word abides in us so that we know His will -- we can ask for anything we wish, because our will is to do His will. Abiding is walking in the Spirit with no sin unconfessed and with a spirit of total availability to God.

ASK

BELIEVE

God does not require us to have a great faith. We simply are to have faith in a great God. What if we doubt?

You must be in tune with the Holy Spirit. You cannot be on the throne of your own life and still pray in faith. A life of faith is experienced only by those who walk in obedience. You will never meet a person who has faith in a great God who refuses to obey the God in whom he is commanded to place his trust.

RECEIVE

By faith receive the answer to your request. If you know you are abiding in Christ, that you are controlled by the Holy Spirit and that you are praying according to the Word and will of God, you can expect God to answer your prayer, so be prepared to receive the answer. Realize that right now you are receiving the answer to your request, and begin to thank God for answering your prayer.

Sincerely believe that God will enable you to accomplish all that He has commanded you to do. Enthusiastically act upon that for which God leads you to pray. Mobilize yourself and others to be obedient in making disciples as commanded in the Great Commission.

Thought Questions