Is Praying Really Important?
Updated: Aug 25, 2022
"At no point should we ever stop praying. We should be even more unyielding in our prayer life when we are going through trying circumstances."
“When God’s people are on their knees praying something happens that does not happen when we do not pray.”- Mark Finley
Ever since I was a child I've heard folks talking about prayer and I often wondered, “What really is prayer?” I can remember attending church and school and repeating either the Lord's Prayer or The Shepherd’s Psalms, Psalm 23, which was treated like a prayer. For me back then saying a prayer was no different from reciting a poem or singing a nursery rhyme. However, as I grew into maturity I often listened to individuals of faith expressing themselves; they often emphasized the value and importance of prayer. However, my question is thus, “Is praying really important?
“The bible tells us to pray without ceasing which means we should maintain an active and continuous prayer life. At no point should we ever stop praying. We should be even more unyielding in our prayer life when we are going through trying circumstances. It is ironic that many of us get discouraged and pray less when we are going through trying times which is amazing. How can we afford to lose our grip at this point? Christ not only calms the physical seas, but he can also calm the seas within our minds and souls”- (Whitney Hinckley)
Scripture reminds us that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord. Many have learned to be more courageous; many have had their faith increased immensely and countless others have been drawn closer to God as a result of adversities. “When God’s people are on their knees praying something happens that does not happen when we do not pray.”- Mark Finley
Our God is a loving God who doesn’t impose himself on us. He respects our freedom of choice which He will never ever violate. In fact He’s to some extent limited to act as a result of that freedom of choice. Surely He knows our needs and our desires, but it’s for us to place them before Him to may act on our behalf. It means thus, whenever we pray the Lord respects that freedom of choice and in response to our requests and desires He pours out his conduit of blessings as a result.
Philippians 4:6 explicitly states, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
It is somewhat surprising that there are so many, even within the religious world, who refuse to pray saying they don’t understand how prayer works. The reality is, we don’t need to know everything about something to fully appreciate that very thing. We need only to accept what the Bible says by faith. For example, let’s suppose there’s a pizzaiolo in Italy who is an expert at baking pizza. On the other hand there’s a youth in Japan who loves eating pizza. This youngster knows nothing about making pizza, while the pizzaiolo masters the art of making pizzas. Let’s suppose both sit down to eat a slice of pizza. Who do you suppose would receive the most nutrients from their slice of pizza?
What is your payer life today? Almost everyone today owns a cell phone. This device is such that throughout the day there is a plethora of emails, phone calls, SMS and other messages, that keeps flooding in, that we need to answer. Add to that the countless other activities that clamour for our time and attention. It means therefore, that it’s even more impossible to be alone with God. As such, we have to be deliberate in our efforts in seeking God.
As humans, with a fallen nature, when we refuse to pray, we are refusing the mighty power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the evils of this sin ravished world. Spending time in prayer allows God to imprint his character in us so we can reflect his character. Thus, our mental faculties become in tuned to God.
We need to understand the power of prayer and what it can do for us.
It was prayer and faith in God that divided the Red Sea so that people could walk over on dry land.
It was their prayer of faith that that cooled Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace so that the three Hebrew boys were not consumed.
It was Daniels prayer of faith that took away the appetites of those hungry lions and locked their jaws.
It was Jonah’s prayer of desperation that nauseated the whale so he would vomit out from his stomach.
It was fervent prayer that caused the sun to stand still and the moon got hung up over the valley of Ajalon (Joshua 10:12).
Prayer is very powerful; it has conquered devils, sobered up drunkards, restrained adulterers, confounded infidels, healed the sick and has brought deliverance in my life and the lives of so many believers throughout the ages.
It has been seen that every revival in scripture has been bathed in prayer. If we should follow Jesus’ example then we will see the vitality of prayer as recorded in Mark 1:35-39 and dedicate the first hours of the day to prayer. Prayer provides the strength to overcome the tests and trials of the day, power to do the tasks before us as well as the compassion necessary to display love and compassion to others. Being constant in prayer is the weapon needed in the Christian’s armoury.
There are five principles to Jesus’s prayer life that we would do well to emulate.
Jesus set apart time for communion and fellowship with the Father. Mark 1:35
He rose early in the morning before the sun was up and spent much time in prayer. He knew He would be powerless without His daily infilling of the Holy Spirit. He ensured to meet with the King of the Universe before he faced the world. It was a time to be nourished. It was a time to be alone with God.
A time when he could listen to the voice of God.
A time that nothing or no one interrupts.
He was never too busy or active to pray. He was consistent in His prayer life. Luke 5:16, Luke 9: His prayer was not on and off, but it was consistent and continuous. We need to get up early in the morning and pray.
Jesus had a place to pray (Mark 1:35)
Jesus quite often went to the Garden of Gethsemane where he knelt to pray. That was his special place of prayer. Whenever, he wasn’t in Jerusalem He often went into the fields of the Galileans and there He prayed.
Do you have a special place to pray? Do you often get up early and go there to pray? My prayer place interestingly, is my kitchen.
While Christ prayed in secret he never necessarily prayed in silence. Matthew 26:29
Jesus prayed aloud. We are not to be afraid to pour out our hearts to God. It helps to encourage those who are listening. The disciples heard (Hebrews 5:7) him and asked him to teach them how to pray. Praying aloud also prevent our mind from wandering. It’s like the clutch which engages the engine. The devil and his angels tremble and flees at the sound of our prayers. – “At the sound of earnest prayer Satan and his hosts tremble and flee” -Testimonies for the church Vol. 1 page 106
Jesus prayed for all by name.
By being specific in prayers we know whether or not our prayers are answered. The devil sends his angels to destroy us and our family. However, when we pray for them the Lord dispatches his angels to their defense and deliverance. – 1 John 5:14
Jesus often prayed with others. Luke 9:28.
There’s power in united prayer. Matthew 18:18 When we are united in prayer then we become strengthened and empowered. Also, angels present themselves to minister unto and strengthen us in our struggles.
Is prayer really important? Yes it is. Let’s endeavour to be constant in prayer. Will you commit your prayer life to Jesus today?
“The devil and his angels tremble and flees at the sound of our prayers. – “At the sound of earnest prayer Satan and his hosts tremble and flee” -Testimonies for the church Vol. 1 page 106
Comments