What is Prayer?

Ps. 95:6 "let us kneel before the Lord our maker"

Simply put prayer is just communication.  It involves listening and speaking.  The following scriptures provide a great place to begin to learn about the different aspects of prayer.

Luke 21:36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Ephesians 6:18 "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"

Philippians 4:6-7  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Jesus admonishes us four times in the New Testament to "watch" and "pray always."  The Greek word translated "watch" litterally means to stay awake.  It also means to... click Read More for the rest of the teaching bottom right.

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It also means to look, listen be vigilant and attentive.  When we consider the examples that King David (Psalm 63:1 & 9) and Jesus (Luke 6:12) set we can understand why watch means to stay awake as we see both of them arising early in the morning to pray or staying up late into the evening. 

Luke 21 also says "and to stand before the Son of Man."  Many think in terms of standing in our Lord's presence in eternity and that is true.  We will!  But the truth is we don't have to wait until we die to stand in His presence.  As we watch and pray continually we have the opportunity to come into His presence then. 

The word translated "pray" in Luke 21 means to bind yourself by request, petition, begging or supplication.  This same Greek word is translated supplication in Ephesians 6:18.  This connection with our God is not just important, it is life itself.  It is so important that our enemy the Devil will seek to do anything and everything to stop you from having this relationship with the Creator of the universe.  God loves you and Satan hates God therefore he seeks to destroy anyone God loves.

The words translated "praying always with all prayer" in Ephesians 6:18 is packed full of meaning.  The word translated "praying" means to pray, worship and supplicate with adoration.  The word translated "pray" is very similar yet different. While most prayer is done privately this word has a corporate application.  It means to offer prayer and worship with a group like in a chapel, along a river bank, a synagouge, or a home, basciallly whereever believers choose to gather.  While prayer is a personal matter it is also important to gather worship and pray together (Hebrews 10:25). 

Philippians 4:6-7 introduces one more concept and that is thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving introduces the concept of gratitude. Being thankful is powerful.  It is important to acknowledge what God has done but it is also a powerful way to speak to your future.  Being thankful speaks to God's goodness and care that is to come upon your behalf because He loves you. 

To sum this lesson up prayer is the means in which we engage our personal relationship with our God.  Our Lord desires that we have a daily ongoing uninterupted communication with Him.  We are to come before Him with worship, adoration and thanksgiving to make our requests alone and in the congregation.  We are to be alert watching to see what He will say or show us.