The Importance of Prayer
By-Crickettt
James 5:16 ESV
[16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Philippians 4:6 ESV
[6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Matthew 6:6-15 ESV
[6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [7] “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [9] Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. [10] Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread, [12] and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [14] For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 ESV
[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. [19] Do not quench the Spirit. [20] Do not despise prophecies, [21] but test everything; hold fast what is good. [22] Abstain from every form of evil.
Luke 18:1 ESV
[1] And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Matthew 18:18-20 ESV
[18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 21:21-22 ESV
[21] And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. [22] And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Romans 12:12 ESV
[12] Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
[14] if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV
[11] For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. [13] You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.29.11-13.ESV
What is Prayer and why is it so important to God you may ask? The scriptures above are examples found in the Bible regarding prayer. The Bible is filled with verses of scripture in both the Old and New Testaments on the reasons for praying to God and its importance. Not only is prayer the key to receiving from God, but it is also responsible for the working of miracles that occured throughout the Bible and for today. In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed intently in the garden for us all before He went to the cross and died a most horrific death for our sins. Throughout His ministry, Jesus prayed and taught on the importance of prayer and listening for the Father's directions. He knew that by our staying connected with God, we would learn how to live a righteous life in Him. Jesus would often go away from the crowds to be alone and talk to His Father in prayer. Through prayer, He drew strength from God. Jesus would become physically exhausted while working miracles of healing. Crowds of thousands would follow Him to hear the good news of salvation and be healed from sickness, diseases and infirmities. Prayer was a crucial part of His life while on the earth.
Prayer must include the operation of faith within us. The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6 ESV) [6] And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Faith is developed the more we remain in His Word and apply it to our daily lives. Jesus said, we would find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts. We approach His throne of grace and mercy by faith and the belief that He does hear us when we pray and will answer. God wants us to learn how to lean on Him everyday just by trusting in His Word. His Word is alive and active. When we speak His Word out of our mouths, we not only cause the enemies (Satan and his demons) to flee, but we put His Word into action on our behalf. Jesus was being tempted by the devil while in the wilderness and each time Satan spoke to Jesus, He would use the Word against Satan. There is power in prayer and in the Word of God. Prayer draws us closer to God so we can learn what His Will is for our lives. He says in Jeremiah 33:3- Call on me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you know not of. When we call on God he lifts us up out of the dark holes in our lives and puts the pieces back together again. Because He Can! When we call on God, He has compassion on us and knows the intent of our hearts. He goes to work on our behalf which increases our trust and faith in Him as a loving Father.
Prayer is being able to talk directly to God. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were not able to go before God themselves because of their sinful nature. God is Holy and therefore, sin could not be in His Holy presence without destruction. A High Priest who was anointed by God would go on their behalf into the Holy of Holies to offer up the atonement of sins for them. An animal sacrifice would be made first because there had to be a shedding of blood. Then, after going through an extensive bodily cleansing process, he was able to pass behind the veil where the Holy of Holies was and into the presence of God. He would sprinkle some of the blood from the sacrificial animal offering onto the holy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Then, the High Priest would make an atonement for their sins and wait patiently for a word from God to give the people. This was the only way their sins could be forgiven.
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, God's only Son became the perfect sacrifice once and for all. When Jesus died, that veil was torn in half allowing anyone direct access to the Father through Jesus. Jesus Christ, God's Holy Son who knew no sin became sin for us. We deserved death because of our sins, but He alone became the atonement for all our sins. Because of Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross, we can approach the Father for forgiveness of our sins and be able to offer up to Him our prayers. The Bible teaches us that God always invites us to come know Him. He truly desires us to commune with Him as a loving father. He already knows our hearts and needs even before we ask. He wants us to come and ask.
Prayer is such a vital part of a Christian's life. It not only deepens our relationship with God, but it also keeps our focus on living right before our Holy God. He comforts, counsels and gives us peace. He blesses us and desires to meet our needs. God instructs His children to ask for Wisdom because He will give generously to those who ask. When we ask, we are to ask by faith without doubting because a person who doubts should not expect to receive anything from God. He also said, we are to ask for wisdom, understanding, knowledge and discernment in all things. Wisdom comes from reading and learning His Word. Understanding comes when we know how to apply His Word in our lives. Knowledge is gained by learning Who God is and how He operates. We learn to discern what is right and wrong in our lives and in the world around us by continually meditating on His Word. We can discern between good and evil actions and which doctrines are true or false.
In order for you to become part of the body of Christ, you must seek God earnestly in prayer, recognizing you are a sinner who needs His forgiveness of your sins. You recognize and believe that Jesus Christ is His only Son who died on the cross for you. He paid the ultimate price so you would not have to. He was buried and arose from the grave on the third day. He sits at the Father's right hand in His Kingdom. He has prepared a place for you to be with Him one day throughout eternity. Jesus' gift of salvation is free for anyone who will believe. You did not have to earn it to receive it. It is by faith alone in Jesus that you are set free. All your old sin is passed away and you become a new person in Christ Jesus. The Bible says, Your sins are cast away as far as the east is to the west to be remembered no more. You are cleansed and can now start a new life in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you do not know Jesus as your Savior, I sincerely invite you to go before the Father in prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart as mentioned above. The time for salvation is now. We are not guaranteed our next breath. Get a Bible and start reading the book of John, it will teach you about Jesus and His great love for you. Then, read Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts. These books of the Bible will teach you about the birth of Jesus, His ministry, His death, burial and resurrection. Start praying and asking God to show you what His Will is for your life. Give Him every burden. Jesus said, "Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest". He also said to cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Talk to Jesus about whatever is on your mind. Just as you would talk to a friend or family member you love, God desires a close relationship with you. As you diligently seek Him, you will begin to hear His direction for your life. He wants to give you a good life when you are following after Him. He wants to bless you and help you each day.
Praising and worshiping God is the greatest gift we can give back to Him for Who He is and all that He has done for us. He desires our Praise and Worship. God is worthy of it all! When you become saved, He gives you His Holy Spirit. He comes to live inside you and will guide you into all truth because He is the Spirit of Truth. He will teach you how to understand the Word of God and help you in your prayers. He is called your guide and teacher,
What is the importance of prayer? It is a form of recognizing God through Worship and Praise. It is also our recognition to God of our inability to do things on our own. We need Him in every aspect of our lives. In Christ, we know just how much we are loved because He is with us through every struggle, and when we mess up. He is there in times of joy and when life is hard. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Staying connected to Jesus will keep you grounded in your Christian walk. When we go through trials, and we all will, He has promised to be with us and help us.
Read your Bible every day and find a true Bible believing church that teaches from the Word of God. There are also great online ministries for those who want to learn more. Charles Stanley with In Touch Ministries (YouTube sermons), Jack Hibbs with Real Life on YouTube/pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills California, Dr. David Jeremiah with Turning Point Ministries (YouTube sermons), John Hagee Ministries and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Ministries all have YouTube sermons. You can also find all of them online. These are just a few true Bible teaching pastors.
Stay in the Word of God and be diligent in your prayer life. Prayer does change things and you will see God working in your life. God Bless you always in your journey through His Word and in your prayer life. May He fill you with Wisdom and Blessings. Amen
©Copyright Crickettt’s Sanctuary 2024/Author- “Crickettt”. All Rights Reserved. All written materials in personal blogs, websites or network pages cannot be used, reproduced, copied to a CD, sold and distributed or altered in any way without permission from the owner. Thanks for your cooperation and God Bless.**All scripture quotes in each blog originates from their various Bible translations listed.
