The Importance of Prayer: 10 Reasons Why We Pray

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The importance of prayer is often overlooked. Most of us just pray for God to help us, or to bless us. And most of the time because of our busy lives, prayer is like an afterthought. But why is prayer important? In fact, what is prayer? In this article, we look at the definition of prayer and 10 reasons why we pray. Then, we can understand the power of prayer that God has so lovingly bestowed upon us. 

What is Prayer?

Christian prayer is our way of communicating with God. Just like how a child talks and listens to their father, prayer is how we as Christians and children of God converse with Him. And everyone’s conversation with God is different. That is why prayer is the most intimate form of communication that directly connects us to God on a personal level. 

Praying to God is simple – all you really have to do is speak to Him with a genuine heart. And the Bible also makes it clear that prayer is really that straightforward. If we call upon the name of the Lord and come to Him in prayer, God listens to us. (Jeremiah 29:12). Prayer is freely given to us by God, which is why we need to understand the importance of prayer. I like a quote by Hudson Taylor that captures the true importance of prayer – “When you work, you work. But when you pray, God works.”. 

10 Reasons To Know The Importance of Prayer 

1. Praying to God Helps Us To Grow Closer To God

If I can sum up the importance of prayer into one big reason, it would be this: prayers help us grow closer to God. When we pray, we are welcoming God to be in every part of our lives. The more you spend time talking and listening to God through prayer, the more we draw closer to Him and know more of Him. And thus, God naturally draws close to us too. 

If God is close to us, what else do we have to fear? What else do we have to achieve? Nothing! Just like Paul, we can live fearlessly and courageously because we know that our mighty God is for and with us. 

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

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2. Prayer Helps Us To Align Ourselves with God’s Will

When we pray, we are also aligning ourselves with God’s will. We are asking Him to lead us and help us in our journey through life. Prayer is a way for us to surrender our lives to God and trust that He will lead us down the path He has planned for us. When we take the time to pray, we are opening up a dialogue with our Creator. We are able to hear from Him and understand His heart for us.

Additionally, through prayer, we are able to discern the will of God for our lives. As we spend time talking to God and listening for His guidance, He will begin to reveal His plans for our lives. And as we surrender our plans to Him, He will begin to work in ways that we never could have imagined because His plans and ways are higher than ours. That is the importance of prayer. 

Philippians 4:19  And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

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3. Prayer Shows You That Your Life is Not About You

​​Not only will praying help us to align to God’s will, but it also helps us come to terms with reality – life is indeed not about us after all. It has and always been about God and fulfilling His will on earth as it is in heaven. Prayer helps us to acknowledge that God is the center of the universe and in control.

Prayer is important because it also helps us to realize that others’ needs can also come before ours, especially when we pray for others. When we do so, we are putting others at the forefront of our minds. In a world that propagates self-centeredness, the importance of prayer cannot be slighted. It helps us to be humble and compassionate toward others. 

John 17:15  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

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4. Prayer Gives Us Strength and Hope

It can be easy to feel like we are alone when things are tough, but God is always with us. When we pray, we are reminded that He is in control and will help us through whatever situation we are facing. Prayer for strength can help us get through anything life throws our way because God is always there for us. He will always give us the strength and hope we need to get through anything. So don’t be afraid to pray, because God is always listening and ready to help. 

If you’re feeling lost or scared, take a few minutes to pray and ask God for strength and hope. Take some time to also pray the Armor of God prayer daily to help us overcome our battles. 

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

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5. Praying Gives Us Wisdom and Guidance

Sometimes we pray to seek God’s wisdom and guidance, especially during times we need to make an important decision. When the going gets rough and we don’t know what to do, it’s important to remember that we can always seek guidance from God. Prayer is the perfect way to welcome God to help us. When we pray for wisdom, we are asking God to help us understand what we should do in a certain situation. And when we pray for guidance, we are asking God to show us the path that we should take. 

James 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

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6. Prayers Will Increase Our Faith

Another importance of prayer is that it puts our faith into action. We are acknowledging that God is real and that He is in control. That even though we have not received the answers yet, we are already believing that it has been done because God has already answered it. When we make time to talk to God, it helps us keep our focus on Him and His promises instead of our circumstances.

But bear in mind that prayer is not just about us asking God for things. It’s also about us listening to what He has to say. We can learn so much about His will for our lives when we take the time to be still and listen to Him. When we hear from God, it gives us the courage to step out in faith and obey His commands. So if you are looking for ways to increase your faith, start with prayer. It is one of the best things that you can do.

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.

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7. Prayers Bring Peace and Comfort

The importance of prayer is also evident when trouble comes. In this fast-paced life, we are constantly bombarded with stress and anxiety from work, school, and other responsibilities. Sometimes, it can all feel too overwhelming and we just need a break. That is why we need prayers for peace for the kind of comfort only God can provide. 

Whenever we pray, we are reminded that we are not alone in this world and that God is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:16). So even when everything else seems to be falling apart, we can find hope and peace in Him through prayer. 

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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8. To Seek God’s Forgiveness and Resist Temptation

When we are guilt-ridden because of sin, prayer is the most powerful tool we can use to seek the Lord’s forgiveness as we come to Him in repentance. Prayer allows us to pour our hearts to God, confessing our sins and asking for His forgiveness. When we are sincere in our prayer, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In addition, prayer is essential and is a crucial tool that helps us resist temptation. When we are feeling weak and tempted to sin, we can pray for God’s strength to help us overcome. Additionally, prayer gives us the opportunity to ask God for wisdom on how to avoid future temptations. 

Psalm 86:5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

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9. To Give Thanks and Praise

We pray not only to ask things from God but also to give Him thanks and praise for who He is and all that He has done in our lives. Essentially, prayer helps us to count our blessings. Prayer allows us to remember all of the good things that God has done in our lives, no matter how big or small. We are also able to reflect on His abounding grace and mercy.  

Our gratitude through our prayers is also an act of honoring Him. It is an acknowledgment that everything we have and all the battles that we have won are because of God who loves us so. That is why prayer is important for us to exalt God and show our love for Him.

James 1:17  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

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10. To Experience God’s Miracles

Prayer also gives us an opportunity to experience God’s miracle. It allows us to tap into His infinite power that is much greater than ourselves. When we do that, amazing things can happen. When we pray, we are putting our trust in God and asking him to intervene in our lives. Sometimes, we may not even know the things to pray for. But that’s okay! God knows what we need and he is always ready to answer our prayers. We only need to look around us. 

There are countless examples of people who have experienced amazing miracles as a result of prayer. Whether it’s healing from a serious illness, overcoming addiction, or finding a job when you’re unemployed, God can work wonders in your life if you let Him. This is the importance of prayer.

Job 5:9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

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How To Pray to God

When you pray, you are talking to God. It is a conversation between you and Him. There is no wrong way to pray. Like how Max Lucado puts it, “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.”

If you aren’t too sure how to pray, here are the 15 most powerful prayers in the Bible that you can follow too. But, the one prayer that I always pray is the Lord’s Prayer by Jesus Christ himself: 

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.

7 Steps We Can Learn From The Lord’s Prayer

1. Declaration of God’s identity. Declare and acknowledge God’s rightful place as the Father of us.

2. Prayer of Adoration. Praise God for who He is and all that He has done for us. 

3. Prayer of Surrender and Faith. Acknowledge that it is God’s Will and He is in control of our lives. This is one of the greatest forms of submission.

4. Prayer of Petition. Ask in God’s name for the things that we need such as strength, guidance, and wisdom to overcome whatever circumstance we might be facing. 

5. Prayer of Confession and Forgiveness. We should always confess our sins so that we can receive forgiveness from God.

6. Prayer of Healing and Deliverance. Ask God for protection and help in overcoming our sins, to deliver us from Satan’s temptations so that we may achieve healing.

7. Glorify God’s name. When we glorify God’s name, we are bringing Him honor and He takes delight in that. 

And if you don’t know how to get started, just say a simple prayer like this: 

“Father, I praise You for the magnificent, loving, and merciful God that You are. I thank You for Your Son, Jesus. I confess that I have sinned against You and ask for Your forgiveness. Please help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. I pray that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Please meet my daily needs and help me share the gospel with others. Protect me from evil and give me the strength to overcome temptation. All the glory, honor, and praises are Yours alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Short Prayer Quotes 

“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

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“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

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“The reality is, my prayers don’t change God.  But, I am convinced prayer changes me.  Praying boldly boots me out of that stale place of religious habit into authentic connection with God Himself.” – Lysa TerKeurst

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“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

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“Prayer is simply talking to God like a friend and should be the easiest thing we do each day.” – Joyce Meyer

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