We are told in the Bible that our God will meet all our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). So how do we get those needs met? Well Philippians 4:6 tells us do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (NIV). We pray to God and ask Him, through His son's Holy name, for those things we need in life. We may know this as Christians, yet many do not know why we need to pray. "Doesn't God already know what I need?" The answer is yes, He does. However, there is a very real reason why we must ask.
When God created this world, He gave it to Adam to watch over and subdue. When Adam sinned and obeyed Satan, he gave the rights to this earth to him! By obeying someone other than God, he relinquished his authority. And as we know, that is how sin entered the world. Well, because this earth belongs to Satan, it is run by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) for anyone who does not know Jesus. Now some would ask, "If God is all-powerful, why didn't He just take back control for Himself?" A very logical question. In short, He did - but not as the world expected. He sent His own Son Jesus to take back all authority by paying for all sin. But ONLY for those who believe in Him and accept His sacrifice. In His perfection, He honors the plan and schedule He put in place because He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). He gave the earth to Adam (and mankind) to rule for a set amount of time which is unknown to us as humans.
He created humans to have free will and make their own decisions so that our love for Him may be genuine. So when Adam decided to sin and give up his rights to this earth, God had to stick to His word and let the world live out its lifetime under Satan.
That does not mean that God is not really here or that things are hopeless! He is alive in us since the death and resurrection of His son Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. So how does this relate to prayer again? Well, to allow God to come into situations and reign on earth, we must invite Him. We pray to God in the authority we have been given in Jesus' name to allow Him to come change our circumstances and meet our needs.
And prayer really works! It changes things! God listens to the cries of His people. He heals us and He steps in and saves us when we ask Him for it. The word tells us that the Lord wants everyone to be saved and that we should be praying for them. Jesus tells us to intercede praying on others' behalf. He tells us to pray without ceasing. This praying thing is really a big deal.
1 Timothy 2:1-5 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity Christ Jesus (HCSB)
2 Kings 20:5 I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look I will heal you. (HCSB)
John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. (NKJV)
James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (NIV)
Because praying allows God to intervene in our lives, it is important to know what to pray for. This starts by knowing the word and praying accordingly. It doesn't mean God will answer your prayers for anything whether it aligns with His will and His Word or not because you asked "in Jesus' name." But what if we don't know what to pray for? What if we don't know what God wants? Some prayers are more specific than "healing" or "salvation." Some prayers are so specific to our lives that we cannot find the answers in the Bible! For example, knowing which job to take or what college to apply to. The Bible just isn't that specific to our particular circumstances.
For these occasions, there is an answer more specific than "Your will be done." The more specific our prayers the better. So when we don't know what God wants in our lives, we pray in the Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to speak in other tongues that are not known to this earth. It is the language of the angels (1 Corinthians 13:1). When we pray like this, it allows God to actually speak through us the things that need to be done. We may not always know what we are saying, but that's okay. We were never meant to know everything God knows.
One thing that I will mention is that praying in the Spirit is to benefit us. There is a proper way to approach it. It isn't to be done in public except on rare occasions when the Spirit moves us to speak and provides an interpretation by another member of the body. But in general, we are to pray in the Spirit privately for our own benefit. Imagine coming into a new church where everyone is speaking different languages that you couldn't understand. How crazy would you think them? Especially if you'd never heard of the gifts of the Holy Spirit or didn't know Jesus! Even if you were comfortable with them, what benefit is it for us to speak in tongues that no one understands? Well we are told that it is of no benefit in that circumstance. These things are laid out in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14.
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 14:18-19 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. (NIV)
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (NLT)
Lastly, our prayers are important to God because that is how we communicate with Him! Praying isn't complicated. It should be like talking to our best friend or our spouse or our fathers. All of which is who God is to us. You wouldn't talk to those people all proper and holy, so why would you do that to the One who knows you better and loves you more than anyone on this earth? He cares about every detail in our lives and wants to hear all about it! Take some time to just talk to Him. And remember to listen. A conversation is two ways! I hear God speak to me more when I am praying than any other time. He wants to talk with us! Spend some time with Him today.
James 5:13-15 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.(NIV)
When God created this world, He gave it to Adam to watch over and subdue. When Adam sinned and obeyed Satan, he gave the rights to this earth to him! By obeying someone other than God, he relinquished his authority. And as we know, that is how sin entered the world. Well, because this earth belongs to Satan, it is run by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) for anyone who does not know Jesus. Now some would ask, "If God is all-powerful, why didn't He just take back control for Himself?" A very logical question. In short, He did - but not as the world expected. He sent His own Son Jesus to take back all authority by paying for all sin. But ONLY for those who believe in Him and accept His sacrifice. In His perfection, He honors the plan and schedule He put in place because He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). He gave the earth to Adam (and mankind) to rule for a set amount of time which is unknown to us as humans.
He created humans to have free will and make their own decisions so that our love for Him may be genuine. So when Adam decided to sin and give up his rights to this earth, God had to stick to His word and let the world live out its lifetime under Satan.
That does not mean that God is not really here or that things are hopeless! He is alive in us since the death and resurrection of His son Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. So how does this relate to prayer again? Well, to allow God to come into situations and reign on earth, we must invite Him. We pray to God in the authority we have been given in Jesus' name to allow Him to come change our circumstances and meet our needs.
And prayer really works! It changes things! God listens to the cries of His people. He heals us and He steps in and saves us when we ask Him for it. The word tells us that the Lord wants everyone to be saved and that we should be praying for them. Jesus tells us to intercede praying on others' behalf. He tells us to pray without ceasing. This praying thing is really a big deal.
1 Timothy 2:1-5 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity Christ Jesus (HCSB)
2 Kings 20:5 I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look I will heal you. (HCSB)
John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. (NKJV)
James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (NIV)
Because praying allows God to intervene in our lives, it is important to know what to pray for. This starts by knowing the word and praying accordingly. It doesn't mean God will answer your prayers for anything whether it aligns with His will and His Word or not because you asked "in Jesus' name." But what if we don't know what to pray for? What if we don't know what God wants? Some prayers are more specific than "healing" or "salvation." Some prayers are so specific to our lives that we cannot find the answers in the Bible! For example, knowing which job to take or what college to apply to. The Bible just isn't that specific to our particular circumstances.
For these occasions, there is an answer more specific than "Your will be done." The more specific our prayers the better. So when we don't know what God wants in our lives, we pray in the Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to speak in other tongues that are not known to this earth. It is the language of the angels (1 Corinthians 13:1). When we pray like this, it allows God to actually speak through us the things that need to be done. We may not always know what we are saying, but that's okay. We were never meant to know everything God knows.
One thing that I will mention is that praying in the Spirit is to benefit us. There is a proper way to approach it. It isn't to be done in public except on rare occasions when the Spirit moves us to speak and provides an interpretation by another member of the body. But in general, we are to pray in the Spirit privately for our own benefit. Imagine coming into a new church where everyone is speaking different languages that you couldn't understand. How crazy would you think them? Especially if you'd never heard of the gifts of the Holy Spirit or didn't know Jesus! Even if you were comfortable with them, what benefit is it for us to speak in tongues that no one understands? Well we are told that it is of no benefit in that circumstance. These things are laid out in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14.
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 14:18-19 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. (NIV)
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (NLT)
Lastly, our prayers are important to God because that is how we communicate with Him! Praying isn't complicated. It should be like talking to our best friend or our spouse or our fathers. All of which is who God is to us. You wouldn't talk to those people all proper and holy, so why would you do that to the One who knows you better and loves you more than anyone on this earth? He cares about every detail in our lives and wants to hear all about it! Take some time to just talk to Him. And remember to listen. A conversation is two ways! I hear God speak to me more when I am praying than any other time. He wants to talk with us! Spend some time with Him today.
James 5:13-15 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.(NIV)
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