Why We Should Pray

Everybody has said a prayer, at least, once in their life. We say a prayer in our time of need. We say a prayer when we are in a church service. We say a prayer around the dinner table, but do we really know why we should pray?

God commands us that we pray to Him. Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” Colossians 4:2 also tells us that we should continue in prayer. Prayer is our way of communicating with God. Without communication, we would have no relationship with God. Can someone say, “Oh yeah, I know Katie really well. No, I’ve never talked to her before, but she’s my best friend”? No! You cannot have a relationship with someone and not talk to them. That is why God commands that we are to continue in prayer.

We are told to be examples of Christ, and Christ prayed! Hebrews 5:7 says, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” Jesus prayed before He fed the four thousand. (Mark 8:6) Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, before His Crucifixion. (Matthew 26:42) If Jesus prayed to His Father, then we are to pray to our Father too.

Prayer has the power to do many things! Prayer can defeat the Devil. (1 Peter 4:7). Prayer can bring back a person who has been backsliding (James 5:16). You can glorify God through prayer! Revelation 8:3-4 says, “… and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden alter which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came up with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.” That verse says that our prayers are incense, which is something sweet smelling. One day, our prayers will be a sweet smelling savor to our Savior!

Prayer has the power to give you what you need and to reveal the will of God (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9-10). (Prayer has the power to keep someone from sinning. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  We have this power of prayer because of the Holy Spirit who lives in us! Prayer is of God, and without God, we are nothing.

Prayer is not just something you do every now and then. Prayer is an important part of your relationship with God! The next time you pray to God, make sure you thank God for His awesome gift of prayer.

Did you know that Haylie LOVES sea turtles?!

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Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Paige Cunningham.