Vital Questions About Prayer
Q: What Is Prayer?
Simply put, prayer is communicating
with God. Real prayer is expressing our devotion to our heavenly Father,
inviting Him to talk to us as we talk to Him.
Q: Who Can Pray?
Anyone can pray, but only those who
walk in faith and obedience to Christ can expect to receive answers to their
prayers.
Contact with God begins when we
receive Jesus into our lives as Savior and Lord (John 14:6). Praying with a
clean heart is also vital to successful prayer. We cannot expect God to answer
our prayers if there is any unconfessed sin in our life or if we are harboring
an unforgiving spirit (Psalm 66:18; Mark 11:25). For God to answer our prayers,
we must have a believing heart and ask according to His will (Matthew 9:29;
21:22; 1 John 5:14,15).
Q: Why Are We to Pray?
God's Word commands us to pray (Luke
18:1; Acts 6:4; Mark 14:38; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 2:1,2).
We pray to have fellowship with God,
receive spiritual nurture and strength to live a victorious life, and maintain
boldness for a vital witness for Christ.
Prayer releases God's great power to
change the course of nature, people, and nations.
Q: To Whom Do We Pray?
We pray to the Father in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. when we pray to
the Father, our prayers are accepted by Jesus Christ and interpreted to God the
Father by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26, 27,34).
Q: When Should We Pray?
God's Word commands us to "Pray
continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We can be in prayer throughout the
day, expressing and demonstrating our devotion to God as we go about our daily
tasks.
It is not always necessary to be on
our knees, or even in a quiet room to pray. God wants us to be in touch with
Him constantly wherever we are. We can pray in the car, while washing the
dishes, or while walking down the street.
Q: What Should We Include in Our
Prayers?
Although prayer cannot be reduced to
a formula, certain basic elements should be included in our communication with
God: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (ACTS).
A-Adoration
To adore God is to worship and
praise Him, to honor and exalt Him in our heart and mind and with our lips.
C-Confession
When our discipline of prayer begins
with adoration, the Holy Spirit has opportunity to reveal any sin in our life
that needs to be confessed.
T-Thanksgiving
An attitude of thanksgiving to God,
for who He is and for the benefits we enjoy because we belong to Him, enables
us to recognize that He controls all things - not just the blessings, but the
problems and adversities as well. As we approach God with a thankful heart, He
becomes strong on our behalf.
S-Supplication
Supplication includes petition for
our own needs and intercession for others. Pray that your inner person may be
renewed, always sensitive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pray for others
- your spouse, your children, your parents, neighbors, and friends; our nation
and those in authority over us. Pray for the salvation of souls, for a daily
opportunity to introduce others to Christ and to the ministry of the Holy
Spirit, and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
