The Power of Prayer
By Key Kessens
FWIS Contributing Writer
Prayer is our connection to the divine. Through prayer, we are allowed to communicate with God. Understanding the significance of prayer helps grow our relationship (& faith) with the Lord. There are different reasons we pray.
Growing up, I was not in the church, so I did not have much knowledge about the Lord or how to grow a relationship with Him. On my eighteenth birthday, my grandma gifted me a Bible. Since receiving my Bible, I have learned about how to strengthen this relationship through prayer. The Bible includes many reasons why we pray to communicate with our Heavenly Father.
Grow your Faith
One of the most common reasons we pray is to expand our faith. Matthew 21:22 states, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” All God asks us to do is trust in whatever we request, our faith must outweigh our fear. Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” When praying, we should feel & think as though we already have what we asked for. If we do, we trust that we are capable of whatever we are asking. John 14:13-14, Jesus tells us, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” God sacrificed His only Son for us to be able to grow a relationship with Him despite our sins. If our prayer aligns with God’s will, He will do what we have asked as long as we have faith that things will work out in our favor.
Accept God’s Will
Another cause for us to pray is to learn His will. Jeremiah 29:11, God assures us, “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future.” Learning God’s will is learning what He wants us to do that’s better for us. Sometimes we get too caught up in what our flesh thinks we want, whether or not it is harmful. We must remember that God has His plans for us, & those plans are better than whatever we have in mind. For God is in the business of love, & He would never hurt us. If we don’t truly believe in what we asked for, then it is probably not best. We are allowed to ask what He has planned for us instead.
Receive Guidance
Upon learning God’s plans, we must learn how to do what He is calling us to do. Psalm 25:4-5 encourages us to have the Lord, “Guide me in your truth & teach me, for you are God my Savior, & my hope is in you all day long.” As believers, we must truly trust that God’s plan is better for us, & whatever God tells us to do we must be willing to do so. Whether that is to take action or simply sit & wait, God will tell us what He wants us to do. We can even ask for guidance in dark times. Psalm 107:28-30 says, “[then] they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, & He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, & He guided them to their desired heaven.” Once we sit back & let God, there is no room for worry because we believe He will escort us out of whatever season we are in, into the next one, aligning with His plans.
Ask for Protection
The world can be a scary place. Trusting God to protect us from our worries is another reason for us to pray. Philippians 4:6-7 prompts us to, “[do] not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. & the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & your minds in Jesus Christ.” If we have time to worry, we have time to pray. Our worries are us dreading doom in the future, it hasn’t even happened yet. Most times we are our biggest enemy by letting doubt & fear cast us away from our faith. Nothing is too big or too small for the Lord. God wants the best for us, so of course He can grant us protection, just ask & have hope!
Resist Temptations
Our flesh can get us off track. We may pray to ask the Lord to strengthen us in times of weakness. Matthew 26:41 invites us to, “Watch & pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Sometimes we may look out into the world for whatever we seek when it is inside us. Our flesh can hinder us when we are following God’s path, but our spirit can set us straight because He places our strength against temptations within us. We can find our strength through prayer.
Give a Confession
Sometimes temptations can become too overbearing to resist. God knows we are not perfect humans. We may pray to confess our sins to the Lord so He can forgive us. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other & pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful & effective.” God sees all, He knows our minds, hearts, & spirits. There is no hiding sin from the Lord. He knows we are not perfect, but He does want us to be honest. He aspires to forgive us even when we feel we may not deserve it. Confessing our sins or praying for others who sin can allow the Lord to forgive us because he is a God of forgiveness and grace.
Express Gratitude
God’s blessings are pure, He gives us what we need. Last but not least, we pray to convey thankfulness. Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” God will always love each & every one of His children. He will provide for us and follow us wherever we go as long as we seek Him. There is always something to be grateful for in this life. Even breathing is a blessing. He wants us to tell Him what we are thankful for, He’s behind all of our blessings.
These are the main reasons I have found myself praying. They may also give a basis for someone who wants to start praying but is unsure why they even want to. God encourages us to seek Him, for He loves us and has the greatest plans for us. Knowing the reasons we pray changes the way we communicate with our Heavenly Father. God wants to speak with you but only if you choose to. If you haven’t today, pray.