What is Prayer?

Prayer, put simply, is communicating with God. It is a privilege because our Creator, the Creator of the universe, wants to communicate with us. Prayer can be words spoken out loud in a public or private setting, and it can also be words spoken in our hearts, because God knows our hearts and our thoughts (Psalm 139:1-2). Prayer is a two-way conversation. It is an opportunity for us to express our hearts to God and an opportunity for us to listen and allow God to speak to us.

Prayer is important as a means of connecting and communicating with God.        
 
Matthew 4:4
“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Communication with God is like our spiritual food. We cannot sustain a growing relationship with God without it. We see the importance of prayer throughout the Bible in the lives of men and women of God such as Moses, Daniel, Anna, the disciples, and many others. Even Jesus, who is the son of God, prayed to His father. We see that He would get up early, stay up all night, or go away to be alone to spend time in prayer. The Bible teaches us that prayer is a vital part of our relationship with God.

The Bible tells us to pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray without ceasing,”.
This can sound impossible, because we clearly can’t stay on our knees or closed in a room praying all day. But we can continue in an attitude and mindset of constant communication with God throughout our day. God wants us to share our life with Him and pray about everything!

Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

There is no time or place that we can’t pray, and there is no situation too big or too insignificant to bring to God in prayer. We should continue to pray at all times and in all life circumstances.

Prayer is not about impressing others or looking spiritual (Matthew 6:5-6). It is also not about using the “right” words or big words to impress God or others (Matthew 6:7-8). God knows your heart when you pray, and that is more important to Him than the particular words that you use (Jeremiah 17:10).

Jesus gives us an example of prayer in Matthew 6 where we read what is commonly known as the “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”. We also see other examples of prayers from Jesus and others written in the Bible that we can learn from and even use as prayers of our own.

So when you pray, speak from your heart to God. Honor, praise, and give Him thanks; present your needs and look to Him for provision and guidance; confess your sins and seek forgiveness. You can bear your heart to Him in prayer because He already sees it all anyway, and He loves you regardless.

God wants to hear from any person who sincerely seeks Him. If you are a follower of Jesus who desires to grow deeper in your relationship with Him, prayer is an essential way to draw close and seek Him. Make a commitment to seek God through prayer every day and watch the difference it makes in your life!