Do We Pray Because: We Have To, Want To or Should?
Do We Pray Because: We Have To, Want To or Should?
By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
The question in the title is somewhat easy to answer for many of us. We pray at times because we have to because at times there is no other option for us. Life seems to be out of control at times so we kneel in deep prayer for strength, comfort or trust in God for His intervention. Sometimes we pray because we desire to communicate to God how much we love and adore Him. Sometimes we want His advice on a life situation and wish He could impart some wisdom for us to make a decision that is critical to our life or the life of another. There are also times when we are confused about a situation we are facing or are dealing with great struggles and trials which seem insurmountable and we know we should pray to our Heavenly Father about our situation. There are also those prayers of worship and praise in which we wish to thank God for His great love, the empathy He has for us, the thankfulness we have for His intervention in our lives.
Prayer in the life of a Disciple of Christ is a great necessity if we wish to foster a close relationship with God; the Father, Son and Spirit. What an honor it is to be able to pray in simple or complex words and even in just emotional moments were we are speechless because of the events that are taking place in our life.
I can’t imagine what our life would be like as a Child of God without the privilege we have to communicate in such an intimate manner.
I want to list below some scriptures and quotes that should motivate, encourage, challenge and convict you to seek God in prayer. As you build the depth and frequency of your prayer life I KNOW you will be blessed, have more peace, be amazed at how your relationship with God will grow a hundred fold.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20
“The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him.” Oswald Chambers
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him?” Deuteronomy 4:7
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:8
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
“[We should pray] because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking Him for them.” Heidelberg Catechism
“How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?… I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:12, 17
“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:4-5
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20
Other reasons to pray…
“On reaching the place, [Jesus] said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:40
“Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 4:1
“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:13-16
“Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” Jeremiah 42:3
“Turn your loneliness into solitude and your solitude into prayer.” Elisabeth Elliott
If we look at the life of our Savior and Lord; Jesus Christ we see prayer was a SIGNIFICANT part of His spiritual life and ministry. He is not just our Savior…He is our example to live our life as one of His Disciples.
“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
“On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” Matthew 14:6-13
“At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.” Luke 4:42
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else — to the nearby villages — so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” Mark 1:35-39
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32
Jesus prayed when He faced an insurmountable problem.
“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:39-44
When Should We Pray?
“Our whole life should be a life of prayer. We should walk in constant communion with God. There should be a constant upward looking of the soul to God. We should walk so habitually in His presence that even when we awake in the night it would be the most natural thing in the world for us to speak to Him in thanksgiving or in petition.” R. A. Torreye
Should Pray As Much As Possible – Possibly having an attitude of Prayer CONTINUALLY!
“Pray continually.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kind of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18
PRAY In the Morning!
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3
PRAY In the Afternoon!
“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.” Acts 3:1
“Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me.” Acts 10:30
PRAY three times a day!
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel 6:10
“But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.” Psalm 55:16-17
PRAY In the evening!
“And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.” Luke 1:10
“After [Jesus] had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” Matthew 14:23
PRAY Before meals!
“If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:30-31
“[Jesus] told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so.” Mark 8:6
WHERE Should We Pray?
“Pray alone. Let prayer be the key of the morning and the bolt at night. The best way to fight against sin is to fight on our knees.” Philip Henry
PRAY In Private
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6
PRAY before going to Bed
“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:6
PRAY near a River
“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.” Acts 16:13
PRAY On the Seashore
“But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.” Acts 21:5
PRAY at a Well
“Then [Abraham’s servant] prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.” Genesis 24:12-13
PRAY in God’s house, the Church
“There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Luke 2:36-37
PRAY On the Battlefield
“On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies.” Joshua 10:12-13
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Additional Quotes from well-known Christians who Recommend Prayer
“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.” Max Lucado
“True prayer is a way of life, not just for use in cases of emergency. Make it a habit, and when the need arises you will be in practice.” Billy Graham
“Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between his will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer.” Elisabeth Elliot
“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Corrie ten Boom
“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther
“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” Mother Teresa
“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.'” Billy Graham
“True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that – it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth.” Charles Spurgeon
“Let no one profess to trust in God, and yet lay up for future wants, otherwise the Lord will first send him to the hoard he has amassed, before He can answer the prayer for more.” – George Muller
“I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right; but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation may be on the Lord’s side.” Abraham Lincoln
“I firmly believe God continues to answer the prayers of His people even after He has taken them to heaven. Never forget that God isn’t bound by time the way we are. We see only the present moment; God sees everything. We see only part of what He is doing; He sees it all.” Billy Graham
“Prayer is not only asking, but an attitude of mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural.” Oswald Chambers
“To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.” Billy Graham
“In the morning, prayer is the key that opens to us the treasures of God’s mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that shuts us up under his protection and safeguard.” Billy Graham
“Rather than set aside daily time for prayer, I pray constantly and spontaneously about everything I encounter on a daily basis. When someone shares something with me, I’ll often simply say, ‘let’s pray about this right now.'” Thomas Kinkade
“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” Corrie Ten Boom
“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.” Mother Teresa
“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” Abraham Lincoln
“If you believe in prayer at all, expect God to hear you. If you do not expect, you will not have. God will not hear you unless you believe He will hear you; but if you believe He will, He will be as good as your faith.” Charles Spurgeon
“God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil.” Mother Teresa
“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” Mother Teresa
“It is not well for a man to pray cream and live skim milk.” Henry Ward Beecher
“Prayer makes a godly man, and puts within him the mind of Christ, the mind of humility, of self-surrender, of service, of pity, and of prayer. If we really pray, we will become more like God, or else we will quit praying.” E.M. Bounds
“You cannot pray for someone and hate them at the same time.” – Billy Graham
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I used to frequent yard and garage sales as well as flea markets for treasures of one sort or another. One time I was looking through a bunch of old Christian books. One was a very thin and well-worn hymnal. As I read some of the hymns I came across one that hit my heart, mind and soul. It spiritually hit me so hard I had to buy the hymnal because of that one hymn. Here are the words to that song that challenged and convicted me and was the main reason I bought the hymnal.
Have you prayed all night Till the break of day
- Have you prayed all night, till the break of day,
And the morning light drove the dark away?
Did you linger there, till the morning dew,
In prevailing prayer, did you pray it through?
Refrain
Did you pray till the answer came,
Did you plead in the Savior’s name?
Have you prayed all night till the morning light,
Did you pray till the answer came?
- Did you pray it through, till the answer came?
There’s a promise true for your faith to claim,
At the place of prayer, Jesus waits for you,
Did you meet Him there, did you pray it through? [Refrain]
- As the Master prayed in the garden lone,
Let your prayer be made to the Father’s throne,
If you seek His will, He will answer you,
Are you trusting still, have you prayed it through? [Refrain]
Author: William C. Poole
William C. Poole was born and raised on a farm in Maryland. His parents belonged to the Methodist church. He graduated from Washington College and became a Methodist minister in Wilmington, Delaware area. He was pastor of McCabe Memorial, Richardson Park and other churches. In 1913 he was superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League of Delaware. He wrote about five hundred hymns. The writing was done as recreation and a diversion from his pastoral work. His goal in writing as well as in being a minister was to help people.
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Any time you want or need to talk with God, that’s when you should pray. Any place you need to feel the influence of His love, that’s where you should pray. You don’t have to wait for the perfect time or place (or the perfect you). Just pray.