At some point in our lives, we feel the need and grow our relationship with God. In the modern day, some people feel like, prayer defines how holy you are, hence they do it to make people feel like they are holy and in a proper relationship with God but, that’s not what prayer is about.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer simply put means to speak to God. It is to communicate with your creator. Prayer can be carried out in various ways, but prayer involves some key parts; prayer involves adoration, praise, thanksgiving, repentance, request and intercession.
WHY SHOULD WE PRAY
Prayer strengthens our faith: faith is Faith is a supernatural gift of God, which enables us to believe without doubting whatever God has revealed. When our is faith is strengthened, our lives become better in general, we tend to focus on God, irrespective of what is going on around us, we are able to pray to our father and creator.
BIBLE VERSES THAT DEAL WITH PRAYERS
Below are some verses in the bible about Prayer:
- Hebrews 4:16 (NIV): “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Explanation: This verse encourages believers to approach God boldly in prayer. It emphasizes that we can come to God’s throne with confidence, not because of our own merit, but because of God’s grace. We can seek His mercy and find help in our times of need through prayer.
- Matthew 6:5–8 (NIV): “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him.”
Explanation: Jesus teaches about the sincerity of prayer. He advises against showing off one’s prayers for public recognition but rather emphasizes private, heartfelt communication with God. He also underscores that God already knows our needs, so there is no need for lengthy, repetitive prayers.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV): “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Explanation: In these verses, Paul instructs believers to maintain an attitude of joy, unceasing prayer, and gratitude in all situations. This reflects God’s desire for our lives and demonstrates trust in His sovereignty.
- 1 John 5:14–15 (NIV): “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
Explanation: John affirms that when we pray according to God’s will, He hears us, and we can have confidence that our requests are granted. Effective prayer aligns our desires with God’s purpose.
- Matthew 6:9–13 (NIV): “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'”
Explanation: These verses contain the Lord’s Prayer, a model prayer given by Jesus. It highlights the importance of acknowledging God’s holiness, seeking His kingdom, aligning our will with His, asking for daily provision, forgiveness, and guidance, and seeking protection from temptation and evil.
- Mark 11:24 (NIV): “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Explanation: Jesus emphasizes the significance of faith in prayer. He encourages believers to have unwavering faith when they pray, trusting that what they ask for will be granted.
- James 5:16 (NIV): “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Explanation: James underscores the power of prayer within the Christian community. Confession, intercession, and righteous prayer have a potent impact, including spiritual healing and transformation.
- 1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV): “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people.”
Explanation: Paul urges believers to engage in various forms of prayer, including petitions (requests), intercession (praying for others), and thanksgiving, for the well-being of all people. This demonstrates God’s heart for the salvation and welfare of all humanity.
- Ephesians 6:17–18 (NIV): “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Explanation: In the context of the armor of God, Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer as a spiritual weapon. Believers are encouraged to pray in the Spirit, being vigilant and interceding for fellow believers.
- Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV): “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Explanation: Paul advises believers not to be anxious but to bring their concerns to God through prayer and thanksgiving. In return, God’s peace, surpassing human understanding, will guard their hearts and minds. This verse underscores the power of prayer in finding peace amidst life’s challenges.
WHEN TO PRAY
There is no timing for prayers; there is no time that is good or bad for prayers. In fact the bible says, in “1 Thessalonians 5:16-18” rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Here we are advised to pray without ceasing.
HOW TO PRAY
The bible has teaches us how to pray, it says in Matthew 6 vs. 5-13 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one; this prayer is popularly known as the lords prayer.
In the Lord’s Prayer, we see the various aspect of prayer come to play; the first part Jesus exalted the name of God the father, he praised his holy name. In the second part, he talked about request and our petition. In the third part, he talked about repentance and forgiveness of sins.
TIPS FOR PRAYERS
ADORE AND PRAISE THE LORD
Just like Jesus did when taught the disciples to pray, he said our father, who art in Heaven, “Hallowed be your name”. Which means let His name be worshipped, exalted, honored, and adored on earth as it is in heaven.
THANK THE LORD
Thank the lord with all your heart; there is always something to be grateful for, irrespective of all that might be going on in your life. Remember if you say thank you after receiving, there is a greater chance of receiving again.
ASK THAT GOD’S WILL BE DONE.
As we see in the Lord’s Prayer, which is our model for prayer, we hear our lord Jesus say your will be done on earth, God always has the best plans for us, he wants nothing bad to happen to us, we may not know it but if we have faith and believe in God, and ask that his will be done in our lives and situations, all will definitely be well.
MAKE YOUR PRAYER REQUEST.
Tell God what your heart desires are and believe that he willdo it for you.
ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. (REPENTANCE)
Ask the lord to forgive you, while you do your best with the grace of God to forgive those who have offended you.
HAVE A PRAYER PARTNER.
There is power in agreement when we pray in Jesus’ name. When I have an urgent need to take before the throne of God, I will often call a friend to pray with me. If you don’t already have one, make finding a trusted prayer partner one of your goals in 2023.
PRAY FOR THE OTHERS
It is very important to remember others in prayers, when we do this, it makes the world a better and less selfish place.
PRAY WITH THE WORDS FROM THE BIBLE.
Jesus did the same when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (see Luke 4:1-12). He was the Son of God, but he did not use his divine authority. Instead, he used the authority of the Scriptures.
KNOW THE SCRIPTURE BY HEART
The most important key to a vibrant prayer life is to understand our spiritual authority in Christ as explained in the Scriptures. The only way to do that is to become intimately familiar with the Bible. Even a few minutes a day in the Word of God will add strength and authority to your prayers in 2023.
WHAT WE SHOULD NOT THINK ABOUT PRAYER
A lot of people have various reasons in mind for their prayers, some pray for god things to happen and some for things, however prayer should never be about the following:
Never feel like God is too busy for you, he is always listening and never too tired for you He longs to hear from you, never feel like you are just one person in a world of over 7 billion people and how can God see you, its not so. God loves you and he sees you always.