Prayer Principles

Prayer Principles

Prayer is simply communicating with God. This can be through spoken words, written words, tongues, meditation, or song.

God desires us to talk to Him and prayer is one way of doing so. Prayer is not for us to selfishly ask God for things, but to honor and glorify God by spending time with Him.

Prayer is a command of God and is to be practiced both in public and in private. Such a command brings those that have the spirit of prayer into great intimacy with God. Prayer will ensure great things from God, both for the person that prayed and for those who are prayed for.

Many people think of prayer as being a one way communication. Yet prayer can and should be both ways, with us also listening to what God has to say. God can speak to us through the Bible, through others, through circumstances, but especially through His Holy Spirit. God can place specific words and thoughts in our minds and at times speaks to us in an audible voice.

Through prayer we actually experience a relationship with God. The quality of our prayer life determines the quality of our relationship with God.

Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God.

Prayer can take many forms such as worship, confession, thanksgiving, praising, asking for things, waiting silently and listening. Prayer is not simply saying words. It is not repeating formulas. God is looking for a heartfelt relationship.

We pray because we love God. We spend time with God in prayer and communion because we love Him. Just as a man and woman in love desire to be together and communicate, so we desire to be with Him and to fellowship with Him in proportion to our love for Him.

We pray because we depend on God. God is our source. Through prayer we receive the comfort, the strength, and all the other resources that we need in life both naturally and spiritually. We need to pray because God commands us to pray.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” – Colossians 4:2

Jesus prayed constantly and was always in perfect communion with the Father. He always knew what the Father wanted, what the Father was saying, and what the Father was doing.

The Call To Prayer

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

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God’s people have a responsibility to acknowledge their sins and repent. If we want to be reconciled to God we need to be in right standing with Him.

In the above context, God is speaking only to His people. That places an enormous responsibility on believers because they carry the seed of healing for their entire nation.

When unbelievers see disasters come upon them they can cry out and they will want God to hear them. But unlike true believers they have no assurance that God will hear them. Clearly this promise does not belong to them.

Promises are the backbone of the believer and shape the whole character of the church. God's promises reveal the way He has promised to work with His people. Through Jesus Christ we now know on what basis God can forgive His people their sins.

This promise applies to all believers today and if we follow these instructions we can release a spiritual revival in the church and in our nation.

The prerequisites are:

• We need to be a people called by His name

• We need to humble ourselves

• We need to pray

• We need to seek His face

• We need to turn from our wicked ways

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All these steps are necessary and can only happen in this order.

Be bold

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

This passage of Scripture is a priestly expression used in the Old Testament for priests in their approach to God. Only certain people had this privilege. But now we who are in Christ can all draw near to God in worship and prayer.

All believers have the priestly privilege of access to God. This can be done boldly without fear or rejection. We have freedom to approach God without hesitation or inhibition because of the blood of Jesus.

Have a secure place to pray

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” – Matthew 6:6