Prayer Impacts Relationships
Prayer strengthens our relationship with God. Since no relationship can be healthy without genuine and regular communication, prayer grants us ready access to the heavenly throne. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6, NKJV).
Prayer strengthens our relationships with those with whom we pray. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing .... Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:11-18).1 Conversely, strained relations hinder prayers (1 Pet. 3:7).
Prayer strengthens our relationships with those for whom we pray. “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you .... For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you ...” (Col. 1:3-9).2 How could the Colosse saints not be encouraged by this realization? “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).
Prayer Impacts Spiritual Health
Prayer benefits those who pray. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6-7). It’s comforting to know that no one has to carry life’s burdens alone. There are many things we don’t understand or know how to deal with that we can just turn over to God. We ought to feel better when we pray. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might .... praying always with all prayer and supplication ...” (Eph. 6:10-18).3
Prayer Impacts Circumstances
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16b).4 The specifics of how this works, however, is beyond our comprehension, which is why we trust God, who is infinitely smarter and more powerful than we are. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
We can and should know God’s will as revealed in scripture (the other side of communication), so we pray accordingly—not for selfish or petty or ungodly things. And we have confidence in God hearing and answering our prayers according to his providential will. We may not be able to specifically pinpoint the how, the what, and the when, but we can be assured that he has our best interests at heart. His ways are infinitely better than we even know how to ask (Rom. 8:26-28).
Conclusion
Whether or not we ever figure out all there is to know about prayer, we do know that Jesus and the early church considered it essential. It is something God expects us to take seriously and practice routinely. We can’t be faithful in our Christian walk without it.
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 2:20-21).
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 See also Acts 2:42; 4:23-31; 6:4, 6; 8:24; 12:5, 12; 14:23; 20:36; 21:5.
2 See also Rom. 1:8-9; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3-4; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 3:9-10; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:3.
3 See also Matt. 6:6-13; Luke 11:1-13; Acts 16:25; 22:17; 27:35-36; 28:15.
4 See also James 5:15-18; Gen. 25:21; 2 Sam. 21:14; 24:25; 2 Chron. 33:12-13; Psa. 102:17; Acts 12:5; 28:8; 1 Tim. 2:1-4.
Related Posts: God Answers Prayer, The "Acts" of the Apostles
Related articles: Caleb Colley, 'Answered Prayer' Research
Image credit: https://www.umc.org/en/content/making-prayer-a-way-of-life
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