What is prayer all about?

What’s the point?

I can’t do it!

I don’t feel like doing it!

I am sure we have all asked those questions and made those comments at some stage. So read on and let’s really get amongst the massive area of PRAYER.

We’ve all been daunted by stories of people who seemingly find it easy to pray. A legend of the early church was once quoted as saying ‘I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer’. I don’t know about you but stories like this don’t really inspire me to pray. It’s difficult enough to set aside 10 minutes each day to pray let alone 3 hours! In fact if all we do is set targets for how often and how long we should pray then all that happens is we end up feeling rotten when we don’t achieve them.

We must begin where the bible does, with an understanding of WHAT prayer actually is. When we begin to understand the wonderful privilege it is to pray to the God who created and controls all things, we will be better pray-ers.  Let’s try and answer 3 big questions

WHAT is prayer?

WHY do we pray?

HOW do we pray?

The Aim – to be legends in prayer

WHAT is prayer? 

Our starting definition is a simple one

Prayer is talking to God

From the story of creation in Genesis 1-3 we learn that Human kind was made to be in relationship with God, to be with him and to talk to him. However this relationship was broken as man rejected all God had done, choosing to live his life his OWN way. The Bible is God’s story of how he restores this broken relationship through Jesus Christ.

Prayer is talking to God as our Father

Have a read of Romans 8v15-17. Here Paul teaches us that it is the wonderful privilege of all believers that we can now once again call God ‘Father’. The Spirit of God that comes to live in the believer confirms that we are now children of God, heirs with Christ and so able to share in all the privileges that belong to Jesus as God’s only true Son. The lines of communication have been restored!

I read that and think ‘Oh alright, that’s okay but it hasn’t made me want to fall on my knees right now in prayer’ Well if that’s you, read on!!

WHY do we pray?

In John 15 as Jesus speaks to his disciples shortly before his death, he points to two reasons WHY we should pray – the POWER of prayer and the PURPOSE of prayer.

1. The POWER of prayer (v7) – If you remain in me and my words remain in you ask whatever you wish and it will be given you

What a promise – God will answer our prayers, yet how does this work out in reality? I’m sure we have all prayed to God at times and seemingly had no reply! It is important we understand that the promise here is made to obedient followers of Jesus, disciples that allow Jesus’ words and teaching to shape their lives. As obedient disciples we will want above all things for God’s will or plan to be fulfilled

That’s a really hard idea to grasp – read that section

Now let’s try to illustrate what Jesus is actually saying in this verse.

Suppose I buzzed off England Football team and desperately wanted to go to the World Cup Finals in Germany in 2006 to watch them.  Can I ask God for England to reach the final and provide me with a ticket to see them win it??  Now you could certainly pray it but you cannot expect it to be answered in the way you want!  Why – Because of those words from Jesus, ‘If my words remain in you’. If the words of the bible are truly affecting the way you live you will pray alongside them, not selfishly for something outside of the promises of God.

As believers we must continue to pray faithfully in the knowledge that God knows best. The answer may not always be immediate yet if it is God’s will it will certainly happen, and at the time when he chooses.

2. The PURPOSE of prayer (v8) – By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

As with all areas of our life the overriding purpose is that God is glorified. He is both the creator and our rescuer, and as such is worthy of all our praise. As God answers prayer, as we become more like Christ and bear much fruit the result is that God is glorified. It is the reason for which we were created, the reason why Christ died, and the reason we now live.

Tricky one this!  - What is it to glorify someone?

Well, it’s simply to honour them rightly for who they really are so as to make them better known.

Your prayers glorify God and as he answers them so he is glorified – honoured and hopefully made better known.

So why pray?

We’ve looked at the power and the purpose, now the people!

You pray – God works.

God works because you pray!

It is amazing to think that God’s will, purpose and plan is carried out exactly as he wishes through the prayers of His people.  That’s you and I!!

HOW do we pray?

Hopefully this basic understanding of prayer will give each one of us a passion to pray. It is at this point that a helpful model can assist us massively when we pray. Remember it is not there primarily to motivate us but to direct our prayers into the right areas. Following a framework such as LOOK that is outlined below, ensures that a right focus is placed primarily upon God and then upon others rather than simply going to God with a shopping list of requests for ourselves which is so often the case.

LOOK UP – To God and praise Him for who he Is! (Psalm 8)

LOOK DOWN – At self and say sorry for all the times you turn you back on God (Matthew 6v12)

LOOK BACK – At all the things that God has made happen and Thank Him (1 Thessalonians 5v16-18)

LOOK FORWARD – To all the plans you have and give them over to God (Matthew 6v25-34)

LOOK AROUND – And pray for others, that they may first come to know Christ and then know him better (Colossians 4v2-6)

At Christians in Sport we make it a focus to pray for friends within our sports teams who aren’t Christians.  We have small cards that are so helpful to remind us to pray.  We want to take our lost friends who we play sport with to heaven and hopefully you do too.

Get in touch with the youth department and we will make sure that we will send you a small card to help your praying

Leaving Thought:

Prayer at times will inevitably be a struggle, as all believers are involved in a spiritual battle. The key to winning that battle is to come back to the cross each day and acknowledge all that God has done for you. Once we understand the wonderful privilege it is of being in relationship with our creator and rescuer then this will help us be legends in prayer.