What is Prayer?
Definition: Prayer is when someone talks to God, whether it be through devotion, praise, confession, thanksgiving, or just talking to Him like how you would with a friend, like telling Him about your day, etc.
Why Pray?
Because God tells us to...
- Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak."
- Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the spirit in all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
- Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful."
- Philipians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "16 Be joyful always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
He will give us what we ask...
- Matthew 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
- Luke 11:9-10-13 "9 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given unto you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpian? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
- Luke 18:7-8 "7 And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly..
- John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked me for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
- James 5:13-16 "13 Is any one among you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone 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. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. 16 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."
It will draw us closer to God making it less likely for us to fall into temptation...
- Just as you are with friends, the more you both talk to each other the more you know them. That's kind of like with God, you talk to God and you know Him better and draw closer to Him.
- Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
- Luke 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
- Luke 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.