LORD TEACH ME TO PRAY 3:
What Is Prayer?

/ Daily Devotionals /

First of all, let us establish what Prayer Is Not.

  1. Prayer is NOT simply saying words and/or repeating formulae, chanting over and over again. In fact, Jesus warned us not to do that!

Matthew 6:7-8 NLT
“7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”

There is a lot of babbling going on now, exhibiting as prayer!

  • Prayer is also NOT battling with Satan and demons, calling down fire, raining curses on others, etc. In fact, Jesus warned us about that also.

Luke 9:54-56 NKJV
“54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.”

Actually, the best way of dealing with the enemy is to call upon the Lord, cry out to my God and Father.

 Psalm 18:3 NKJV
 “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”
 Psalm 56:9 NLT
 “My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!”
  • Prayer is NOT merely giving God a list of things we need and want done. Jesus’ teaching on prayer, which He summarised in the “Lord’s Prayer,” teaches us that prayer is more than just asking for things. (Matthew 6:9-13)
  • Prayer is NOT a duty or chore we perform for God. It must be a delight of our souls.
  • Finally, prayer is NOT an option, it is important and necessary in the life of every believer.

What Then Is Prayer?

Matthew 6:6 NKJV
“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.”

  1. Prayer, in its simplest definition, is spending time in God’s company and presence, talking to Him and listening to Him. Prayer is a dialogue between God and His children.
  • Therefore, prayer, is a two-way communication or interaction between Father God and His children, either individually or corporately, in order to express love, admiration or thanks, or in order to ask for something or to know the Father’s will and plans, etc.

Jeremiah 33:3 NASBS
“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

  • Prayer is a commandment from God, that we must endeavour to obey. God, through the scriptures, commands us to pray, that is, communicate with Him.

Proverbs 3:6 NKJV
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

  • Finally, prayer is a discipline we must develop. This means that we must develop the habit of talking to God and listening to Him.

Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace
CEO/International President
Women In Tune
Copyright 18 August 2019

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