Why Prayer Is So Important

 

Luke 18:1(NLT) tells us, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Our Lord and Master has given us instruction that sets the priority for our spiritual lives. As God’s children and followers of Christ, we must be a praying people. This characteristic, probably more than any other, sets us apart from the world. We are commanded to talk to our Heavenly Father often, and to do so with a reverence and honor for who God is. We are to recognize that He has all power in His hands, so not only is He able to bless us, He is willing to do it. He loves us and wants only the best for His people.

Life, in and of itself, is a spiritual journey. God created us in His image. He is Spirit, and we are spiritual beings. Everything that you and I can ever need comes from our relationship and fellowship with God. But we must also know that we live in a world where there is constant opposition to keep us from having the kind of relationship with God that He desires. These oppositions are sent our way by satan, and if we are not anchored in God through Christ, we might fall for satan’s tricks and plots against us.

Many of us do indeed fall prey to darkness. We are sometimes outsmarted by the temptations of the devil, and we are overwhelmed by his schemes to bombard our physical senses with quick and temporary pleasures of the flesh. The reason it’s very important to know about these temptations is because they cause us to miss out on God’s blessings. They are tricks, causing us to think we’re getting something good, but in the end, we’re deceived and trapped in situations that undermine our spiritual journeys in Christ.

2Corinthians 4:4(NLT) gives us a very clear indication of the devil’s tactics. It says, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” It is unsettling to think that the enemy can mess with our heads, but he is crafty and does it subtly; without many people suspecting anything is wrong. God tells us many times in His Word, that He doesn’t want us to be ignorant of the devil’s devices. God tells us to guard our hearts and to renew our minds to His Word. So, yes, there are attempts by the enemy to mess with our minds and to plant seeds of doubt and negativity in our hearts. But God has given us everything we need in Christ to stand strong and to be wise, so that we will not be outsmarted by evil.

All dysfunction comes from satan. It is rooted in fear and confusion. Many people have convinced themselves that this stuff comes from God. It does not. Our God is committed to helping us overcome all darkness and dysfunction through Jesus Christ. Prayer is our most effective tool towards this end. Heavenly Father tells us in 1Thessalonians 5:17(NLT), “Pray without ceasing.” Understand that the reality of our daily routines and need to handle certain things isn’t lost on our brilliant God. He knows that life has requirements, but He is conveying in 1Thessalonians 5:17 that prayer is a very necessary practice that can’t be put on the backburner just because we have busy schedules.

Prayer is intimate and reverent communication with God. It not only includes our petitions for blessings and to have our needs met, but it also should include our adoration for God. Communication is a two-way street. We talk to Him, and He talks to us. He has many ways to speak to us. He can speak to us through others, through our everyday experiences and encounters, and He speaks to us as we read His Word. He also speaks to us Spirit to spirit. This spiritual communion with God requires that we develop a habit of listening for His voice. The more we pray, the more familiar with God’s communication we become. Prayer allows us to have an open channel with our Creator.

As we grow in Christ, it is inevitable that our desire to walk in God’s purpose and to be a blessing to others will increase. God’s love is not stagnant. It is the greatest power that exist, so we will not be content to idly sit by. We will be motivated by the love of Christ to impact the lives of others. This is where we see the power of prayer manifest in phenomenal ways. Our prayers are the bridge to miracles when we’re doing the things that are most aligned with the example and ministry of Christ.

Prayer is extremely important to our lives because it opens the door for God’s healing, provision, and blessings. He has commanded us to pray as often as we can, and this tells us all we need to know about how important it is to Him and how important it should be to us. He tells us in Philippians 4:6(NLT), “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” There is no question that these are indeed challenging times, but if we keep the line of communication and communion open with God through prayer, we will have the courage and faith to stand strong as God brings us through any trouble we are facing. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Why Prayer Is So Important”, written for Christian Encouragement and Inspiration© 2021. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.