From the earliest of times,
human beings have engaged in the practice of praying. Some people chant and
sing, others
pray in simple conversational language, and there are those who engage in
long, structured petitions. But regardless of the format used,
we pray for different reasons. Sometimes it is to praise
and worship God, other times it is to repent and often it is to make
requests. Indeed, our human experience, demonstrates that we have an
innate desire to pray;
especially when facing situations and circumstances that are
beyond our control. Plus, there is the unspoken understanding that
prayer operates in the spiritual sphere. Hence, we know instinctively
that when we pray it is our spirits that make contact with God's divine
Spirit. Jesus
confirms this when He says,
"God
is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 4:24.
What is
Prayer?
Simply
put, prayer is communicating with God; not only with our words but by
listening to Him as well. It is the spiritual conduit
through which the power of God can be released into our circumstances
and situations in life. We pray because God has placed
within us a yearning to worship Him and to seek His help with our needs
and desires. So, although we communicate with words, God, who is omniscient, knows and understands
our motives and what is in our
hearts.
Furthermore, prayer emits a powerful, spiritual force not because of the format we use, or the length of time we
pray but because we tap
into God’s power. Several passages in the
Gospels record Jesus praying in simple language to God, the Father.
We too can do the same. The Lord's Prayer in Matthew
6:9-13 is the most remarkable illustration of the prayer formula
that Jesus said we should follow. First, He shows that we
must acknowledge the supremacy of God and His relationship to us
- "Our
Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your
will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
He then tells us very specifically that God wants
us to pray for both our physical as well as spiritual needs - "Give
us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And
do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For
Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever."
How
does Prayer Work?
Prayer operates in the spiritual realm where God is omnipresent. As such, it doesn't matter
where we pray; in a church, in our cars or at home. God hears us wherever we are
in
this universe and whenever we call. Neither
does it matter if we say long or short prayers. All that is needed is
belief and faith in God's power to answer our prayers. Jesus tells us to "have faith
in God" Matthew 11:22
and that "with God all things are possible".
Matthew 19:26. In these passages He is telling us that God is the supreme
source of power for our faith and our prayers. So when we believe
in God's power "all things are possible". But
our
prayers are futile if we do not believe. Faith and belief are absolute
requirements for getting our prayers answered. Jesus says in Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you
will have them. It is clear that when we pray and
believe in God's almighty power, we will get His answers. Jesus has
also given us the promise that if we stand in faith
without wavering, we will receive only what is good, and in
accordance with God's love. He said -
"If
you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those
who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11.
What Effect Does Prayer have on Our Lives?
Prayer takes us beyond the boundaries of our
limited human
efforts.
Jesus says ..." men
always ought to pray and not lose
heart.", - Luke 18:1.
This
means that prayer not only strengthens our spirits to be
patient while we wait, but also helps us
resist the temptations of doubt and fear- "Watch
and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew
26:41.
Especially,
when facing dire circumstances in life it pays to pray. Prayer is the
greatest stress reliever because if we truly trust God, there will be no need
to become anxious about the present or to worry about the future. Our faith
helps us to accept God's timing and His answer with gratitude, because
He is all knowing. Yet it all
comes down to whether we
really believe that
God, whom
we cannot see, hears and answers our petitions. Ultimately,
this
is a personal decision that we all must make. Yet there is evidence that prayer
works. The bible is filled with numerous accounts of answered prayers
and we have either experienced it or heard similar testimonies from people around us. Even
scientific and medical studies now validate the power of prayer.
In
Matthew 21:21 Jesus said, "And
all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will
receive." Through
the avenue of prayer and release of unwavering faith, we can see the impossible reversed to
what is possible. Jesus said
"The things which are impossible with
men are possible with
God"
Luke 18:27. But the most vital benefit of
earnest prayer is that our spirits are drawn into relationship with God
and we
are assured of His
abiding presence in our lives.