Prayer is a gracious gift of God that allows us to walk right into His presence and talk to Him as our father. Every child of God has that right and privilege.

Praying is the speaking part of our relationship with God. Our relationship with Him depends upon our birth; our fellowship with him--the quality of our relationship--depends upon our behavior.

About Prayer That Works

Understanding prayer requires a focus on both the act of praying as well as the prayers being said. To have "prayers that work” is to master the art of leaving things undone to focus on God. The time we have in our day is precious, and we often fill it to the brim with important tasks and activities. So we need to decide how valuable our time with God is, and put aside other “important” things to strengthen this relationship.

How to Pray

So where do we start when we meet with God? Find a place and time for such an important conversation. While we can engage in “prayer” all day long, time set aside to visit with the King removes any distractions that come up. Scheduling this divine appointment on the calendar can help incorporate it into a busy day.

Jesus can teach us to pray. He often got up before daybreak to meet with his Father as illustrated in Mark 1:35. Sometimes, a little sacrifice on our part, like setting the alarm clock fifteen minutes earlier each day, is just what we need to focus on our important relationship with our father. Quality relationships take time and energy to develop; our focused prayer time with God is no exception.

Remember Jesus’ Prayers for Us

As much as we focus on praying to God, we must never discount the prayer ministry of Jesus Christ. Once we realize that the Godhead--God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit--is involved in the prayer life of the believer, a new confidence is born in our hearts. The ministry of our great high Priest is shown in the Bible in the book of Hebrews 5:4-7. 

This passage reminds us to feel confident in approaching a holy God with our requests. It also shows us that not only does Jesus pray for us, He prays with us. He is infinitely concerned about those we love as well as those we pray for, and He wants to pray with us for them.

What is Prayer?