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Shiana’s life was not what she wanted it to be. She never felt that she was good enough or slender enough or likable enough. She wanted to follow God, but something was missing. One day, while reading a magazine article, she found that missing piece. The article presented a challenge: to spend time praying first thing in the morning. Shiana had never prayed a lot. What would she say to God?
Shiana decided to take the challenge to pray every morning. She reached out to her friend Kayla, asking Kayla to be her accountability partner in the challenge. Each morning, they would call one another when their alarms went off at 6 AM. After briefly praying together, they would hang up their phones and take time in personal prayer to God.
Shiana still remembers that first morning: “I didn’t know if I could pray for more than a minute! Five minutes felt so long!”
But as time went on, it became easier. She began opening her heart to God, finding an outlet for pent-up emotions. She could share with God everything that was going on in her life, including her struggles with self-worth.
The change in her life didn’t happen overnight. But one day, she paused to reflect and realized that she had a renewed sense of peace. God had become a precious friend to her—the One she could turn to. Shiana shares, “That year was a turning point in my life. I will always see it as the year that my relationship with God became real to me.”
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
Prayer can seem like a nice practice, but is it essential? Does it really make a difference in the life of a believer? Let’s explore this in the Bible.
1. What are followers of God invited to do?
Hebrews 4:14–16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus is our High Priest in heaven who can understand us and relate to us. Though we can’t literally go to His throne
right now, we can do so through prayer. There, we will find the mercy and help we need for every situation.
The Bible has countless verses about prayer and stories of people who prayed. Just look at the Psalms—they are full of David’s prayers to God! He turned to God in every situation, whether he was joyful, thankful, sad, or angry. We should likewise see prayer as a way to develop a deeper relationship with God. We can talk to Him about our daily lives just the way we would share with a friend.
2. What is one of the purposes of personal prayer?
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Philippians 4:6–7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Personal prayer time gives us the opportunity to cast all our cares upon God. We can tell Him what we may not want anyone else on this earth to hear. Prayer also allows us to open our hearts to Him, asking Him to search us and reveal areas of our lives that need to change. See Psalm 139:23–24. He also speaks back to us through the Bible; that’s why we should combine our personal prayer time with Bible study.
3. Why do we sometimes miss out on God’s blessings?
John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Matthew 7:7–8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
God has so many blessings He wants to give us: the Holy Spirit, victory over temptation, peace, joy, courage, and more. But we won’t be able to receive these blessings if we don’t ask for them! Often, it’s in the asking that God prepares us to receive the gifts He wants to give us.
1. What else should we pray for?
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
We are to pray for others—this is sometimes called intercession. Though we can most definitely pray for our needs, intercession for others shifts our focus from ourselves to how we can benefit those we are praying for. We may even find that praying for someone difficult in our lives changes our attitude toward them!
2. When should we pray?
Psalm 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.
Though the Bible doesn’t prescribe prayer at certain times, it does encourage having a habit of prayer each day. Beginning the day with God helps us to put our priorities in the right place and seek His strength for the day ahead.
3. How should we approach God?
Matthew 6:7–8 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them.
God wants to hear from our hearts; He doesn’t want us to just repeat ritualistic prayers. We should approach Him with a sense of reverence for who He is, but at the same time, we can confide in Him the way a child confides in a loving parent.
Remember, our goal in prayer is not simply to get answers. It is also to know the heart of the One who answers prayer.
4. What are the conditions for answered prayer? See if you can spot the principles in the following verses.
An undivided heart that isn’t cherishing sin
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Praying according to God’s will
1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Asking unselfishly
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Faith
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.
Persistence (fervency)
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
If you find that your prayer isn’t being answered, take time to evaluate it according to these principles. Remember, our goal in prayer is not simply to get answers. It is also to know the heart of the Prayer Answerer.
SUMMARY
Following the Bible’s prayer guidelines is essential for enlivening our experience with God and deepening our relationship with Him.
COMMITMENT
I choose to give quality time to prayer daily and seek a closer walk with God through it.
All verses quoted are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
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