CONCERNING PRAYERS PART ONE. WHY WE MUST PRAY

CONCERNING PRAYERS PART 1. WHY WE MUST PRAY  

Prayer is simply communication with God. The man in Christ has a great advantage to speak to God about issues and to speak to issues with the power of God and see things change. All these are forms of prayers. The focus of this write up is THE WHAT of prayers. Before we go into that fully lets look at the WHY of prayers briefly. 

IMPORTANCE OF PRAYERS

 Why must we pray as believers ?  Can’t God just do things on earth ? Why do we have to spend so much time praying ? 

It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to talk to God. It shows us that our Father loves us. Prayer is one way we enjoy fatherhood of God. Prayer is simply communing with God. Prayer can do many things, it can change you and even give you things, but the core of prayer is communing with God. That back and forth with God, sharing and communing is what prayer is. once you understand what prayer is, you would know why you pray.   We will use Jesus as our case study in teaching prayers. This Jesus is fully God. He is God in man. How could he be praying always ?

Luke 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened

Luke 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 

Luke 6 : 12  And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  

 13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Luke 9 

 28  And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.  

 29  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment waswhite and glistering.

Jesus prayed to do all he did. At baptism by John he was praying? Why will he be praying ? It shows us that AS A MAN YOU MUST PRAY. Your survival on earth as a believer is dependent on prayers. Our lives flow in  the direction of our prayer. This is  because the life you have is not yours, how then can you live without talking to the owner of your life? Prayer brings us to dependence on God. Not praying is one of the ways to be rebellious; but one who prays is unable to declare Independence from God. Prayer is our resource, our advantage. Don't live life with carnal resources. Most times people fear because of what they have not seen or heard about their lives. The word of God you hear in prayer is certain and brings assurance. Prayer helps us grasp our spiritual realities with boldness. Jesus In Luke 9 while he was praying he was transfigured into his divinity. This shows us that in prayers we partake of our divine nature.  

In prayer, we can make our request known, not complain or murmur about them, but we make requests. The only prayer God does not answer is the one not prayed. Knowing the nature of God allows us to be receivers in prayer. He is the giving God. Click here to read about the nature of God part 1, part two and part three.

Prayer helps to meet our needs and change things.  We see in Acts 12 Herod arrested James and nothing was done by the church. James was killed by Herod. When Herod proceeded to arrest Peter the Bible tells us that prayer was made for him. 

Acts 12

 1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. note

 2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

 3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

 4  And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

  5  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 

Pray was made without ceasing for Peter. This is how to move things. The next verses shows the supernatural results that follow. An angel appeared and released Peter. This means that prayer releases angelic activities . The way to change things is to pray without ceasing. It is not because God didn’t hear when you prayed ones. But, you must understand that many times it is you using the power of God to change things. Prayer does not allow us live with an unrenewed mind towards issues. Prayer does not give us power, but as you pray, the Lord teaches you how best to use power. When you pray, you allow the spiritual realities in you flow out. God will not touch your everyday life without prayer. In prayer, You allow God legality in your life. Issues are meant to be dealt with. Never get comfortable with them. Tackling issues with the power of God is in the place of prayer. Turn your anxieties to prayers. Instead of being worried why not rejoice first for the eternal things you have in Christ then pray. 

Philippians 4

 6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

James 5

 13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

In the time of issues what you ought to do is to pray until something change. Just like we saw in Acts 12 prayer was made for Peter until he was released. James died because the church didn't take up the responsibility to pray. As Colonel Moyo Akin-ojo said, if you take up the responsibility to pray things will change. It is an awseome responsibility but is a glorious benefit to see things change.  

Apart from praying changing things, prayer changes YOU as a believer. The ministry of the Word is successful with prayer. A ministry of signs and wonders is in prayer. In prayer, you develop in the workings of power. A man of prayer is intelligent with the Spirit. Prayer kills timidity and fear. It emboldens us especially praying in tongues. Prayer makes it easy to minister to the saints and to walk in love towards them for you acknowledge the good things that are in you when you pray.  Impetus for ministry is birthed in prayer. Knowing God's will and being fruitful in it cannot be done without prayer. We see Jesus always  praying and knowing what to do. He prayed and chose his disciples. He know the people to call. He called them and they left all and followed. This is because he has seen them in the night while he prays(Luke 6:12-13). It is not possible to remove God's will from prayer. The one who owns our lives is inside us and we can know His will. 

There are several instructions in the Bible to pray. If prayer is not important I don’t think we will be told to pray That much. 

1 Thessalonians 5:  17  Pray without ceasing.

Prayer is not done because we have time. We create time to pray knowing how important it is. Our life depends on it. Prayer remains the key for every successful endeavour in Christ. 

Having seen some basic importance of prayer what then should we pray? Do we have licence to pray whatever we like? Can we use the nan of Jesus to pray what is against the name ? What prayers was prayed for believers in the scriptures? Watch out for all of these in the next part. What we must pray. Every body knows to pray most times but they don’t  what to pray so they say whatever they like and call it prayers.