Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Singapore Moses
The need of prayer as a preparation for Revival cannot be overemphasized. Prayer here is more than just asking God to send a revival. It means self-examination and confession of sins. Self-examination means we let the Lord turn His searchlight on us and reveal to us our carnality, corruption and casualness (Rev 2:23). And it's a time of remembering our broken vows before the Lord (Eccl 5:1-6); and the wrongs we have committed against others (Mt 5:23,24). Prayer leads to true humility because it is in His presence we realize our nothingness and His holiness (Isa 6:1-5). Prayer is also an expression of our inability and inadequacy and therefore a pleading for His strength and power (Mt 26:41). God is pleased with such sacrifices and His fire will invariably fall on them (Psa 51:17-19). When Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord, the fire fell. God breaks and makes His men on their knees. When Jesus prayed, Heaven was opened (Lk 3:21). When the early Church prayed, the place was shaken (Acts 4:31). Prayer releases the power of the Spirit to affect the earth. I believe we have preached enough about revival and published enough about revival, but have not prayed enough for revival. The more we pray for revival the more we will long for it, and the more we long for it the more we will pray for it. Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) rightly says, "One main reason we have no revival is that we have learnt to live without it!"
Meluleki Maphosa
True prayer is inspired by the Holy Spirit to vocalise those thoughts that God wants us to think. Prayer was designed by God to lift our thoughts to meet His thoughts. (Luk 11:13) As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Jesus said this after teaching His disciples how to pray. I could be wrong but Jesus was simply saying pray for the Holy Spirit and God will definitely answer your prayer. Then (Mat 6:33) Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. Jesus prayed and communed with God regularly and consistently. We need to do the same if we are to live in the footsteps of Jesus. There is no other formula for a successful Christian life. Prayer is not asking God for material things. Prayer is asking for the will of God to be shown to us and for strength and faith to do the will of God.
Jennifer Rothnie
Supporter
There are many reasons for prayer: * To appeal to God's mercy.(Luke 18:7, Psa 6:9) * For forgiveness (1 Kings 8:30-34, II Chron 6:24-25, Jer 36:7) * For various requests concerning the body of Christ and other believers (Eph 6:18-20, II Cor 9:12-15) * For intercession (Acts 8:24, II Samuel 12:23, James 5:16) or the reverse of not praying to intercede (Jer 7:16-19, 1 John 5:16) * So that our hearts are humbly turned towards God (Hosea 7:14) * Because God finds it pleasing (Rev 8:3-4) * For adoration of God/glorifying God: (Matt 6:9-13, II Chron 29:11, Psalm 66:3) * For confession: (James 5:16, * For thanksgiving: (II Cor 9:12, Eph 9:19-20) * To determine God's will: (Judges 6:39) * For discernment: (Luke 21:36) * For reprieve from oppression or affliction (Psalm 10:17, Psalm 119:134) * To turn our hearts from troubles or anger to trust in God and a righteous response: (Psalm 77; Psalm 4) This is hardly an exhaustive list! Prayer could be summarized the 'conversation' part of our relationship with God, through Christ our mediator. As we present our prayers and petitions to God, we grow closer to Christ, better understand the will and character of God, and change our mindset to one of humility, thankfulness, and trust.
Shelia Coleman
Prayer is to deepen our relationship with God. Communication with the Master enable us to assess directions from heaven to guide our work here on earth. In communion through prayer we can go to the throne room boldly to worship and adore Him, confess our sins, thank Him for His grace and ask for supplications for others and ourselves. Without a deepened relationship through prayer and studying the Word of God, we cannot get to know Him and the destiny He has for our lives.
Ben Amanambu
Supporter
We pray because it is a privilege to ask and receive from God. As we do so we deepen our relationship with God. It may be true that we can receive what we have not asked for because God knows our needs before we ask, but then we will not have the relationship with the father. Gods desire is not that we might have certain things, but also that we might pray and commune with him and develop that relationship and have the joy of seeing what we asked for been fulfilled. This is the purpose of prayer. There are also somethings which are part of Gods will for us which we may not receive if we do not pray. James 4:2. It is true that you can not receive any thing if it is not according to Gods will. It is also true that there are many things in Gods will which we will not receive if we do not pray
Rita Lovett
Thanking God for His wisdom and the daily benefits that He loads on us is just plain gracious! Falling in love with our Lord and Savior is so beneficial to our health, wealth, and abundant life! Nothing should take us away from our time with the Lord in prayer as it could be considered idolatry! Let us pray without ceasing as if our life depended on it because it really does!
Tim Maas
God has known from eternity past everything that would happen until eternity future. However, within that framework, humans are given free will, so that they may be responsible for their own choices, and for the consequences of their actions. This free will is not compromised by God's omniscience, since He is outside of time. God has also given us the privilege of influencing His decisions by prayer, and of coming to Him with our requests, as earthly children would to their father. However, in God's case, this is not done for the purpose of telling Him something that He does not already know. We pray to Him in obedience to His command that we do so; to grow closer to Him; and to make ourselves more receptive to the revelation and performance of His will. (Jesus Himself, although He was God, and knew what the Father's plan was in sending Him to earth, prayed throughout His ministry, and also even asked, if it would be the Father's will, that He might be spared from the ordeal that He would have to go through in His suffering and death.) Nothing that we (or anyone else) may do can "take God by surprise", or affect the ultimate, eternal outcome that God has decreed. Evil will be defeated forever, and God's righteousness will be vindicated. He will accomplish His objectives. It is just a question of whether He will do it with or without our willing cooperation. That is why Jesus taught us to pray that God's will may be done "on earth as it is in heaven" (that is, with the same complete and willing obedience that exists in God's presence).
Linda Stanley
With any relationship their must be communication. As His children, God wants to hear what thoughts, feelings, questions, praise, thankfulness and all that He has created within us. As young "babes" in Christ, sometimes we may not know how to pray, but God sees the desires in our hearts and the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us before Him. As we grow in His word, the Spirit teaches us the attributes of God and how we can please Him with our daily lives. Since we are joint heirs with Christ, our needs will be met....we do not live to gain anything from this world...as it is not our home, but rather seek the Kingdom of God and talk to Him about how you may show His Love to encourage, help or open doors to others who may be in need. Sometimes the needs of others may be merely a seed you plant and maybe, that seed, God will water by answering THEIR prayer. Praying for others needs not only shows caring and concern, but the biggest reason would be the love we have for our God and for others no matter if they are part of our family of God or a sinner who needs to know how much God loves them. With prayer to our Father..our walk within Him can only grow and mature into the vessels of His purpose. I so love my Lord Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit for helping me put my thoughts into words for others. ♥ ~ Linda Stanley
Thomas K M
Prayer is inevitable and essential ingredient for a true Christian life. Prayer is the key to the heart of God. Prayer is the only way to a real and personal relationship with God. Pray acknowledging He is God, and that you accept His gracious gift, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior (Genesis 17:1, Romans 6:16-1). The first and foremost thing is to please the almighty God and for that we must praise Him always. Say 'Hallelujah ' every time when ever we get time. This is what I do. Pray confessing our sins and accepting His forgiveness (Romans 3:23-26). Pray that His will be done in our lives, that His Holy Spirit guide us, and that we be filled with the fullness of all, God has for us. Pray for spiritual understanding and wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-8, Proverbs 3:5). Pray with thanksgiving for all the ways He blesses us (Philippians 4:6). Pray when we are ill, lonely, going through trials or interceding for others (James 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Pray to worship Him (Psalm 95:6-7). There is nothing we can’t pray about. There are abundant references to prayer in the Bible. The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” and “in everything give thanks to the Lord.” When we choose to have a positive attitude, we realize we have received many blessings for which to give God praise. We find intimacy with God through communicating with Him in prayer. We go to Him in faith, knowing that He hears and answers all our prayers (1 John 5:14). Be confident that God knows and wants what is best for us; so ask that His will be done in all we seek from Him. Then, thank Him for it, even though it hasn’t happened yet. Jesus gave his disciples, what we call, “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6) as a model. In addition, Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us we can pray boldly -- “That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.” Prayer is indeed an opportunity to come to know God and build a relationship with Him. However, it is critical to understand that in order to build that relationship we must understand that prayer requires two-way communication. Building a relationship with God is similar to building relationships with people around us, conversations need to go both ways; we talk, and then we listen. It is the same with God. Prayer allows us the opportunity to tell God how we are feeling and ask for guidance. Another reason for prayer is for repentance. Christ atoned for our sins. M Prayer is a means for confessing our sins. We can also pray and ask God to help us find purpose in our lives. He has a plan for us and desires to lead and guide us. Finally, I think one of the most important purposes of prayer is to bring our will into correspondence with God’s will. I think many people pray and then become upset when their prayers are not answered.
Kenneth Heck
We are encouraged to pray to reduce or minimize the evil of events that cannot be prevented from coming, such as wars, plagues and famines. Prophesied events are often shown to prophets in their worst form (as it would be without intercessory prayer) with the object of giving believers the opportunity to pray for lessening the impact of the prophesied event.
Daniel Gaschler
Because without Gods mercy and grace, we would be walking on a path to nowhere, we need to ask and pray for those.
Add your Answer
All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.
A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.
- Adhere to the eBible Statement of Faith.
- Your answer should be complete and stand-alone.
- Include supporting arguments, and scripture references if possible. Seek to answer the "why".
- Adhere to a proper tone and spirit of love and understanding.
- For more info see The Complete Guide to eBible