The question why we pray is a way to show us the importance of prayer. If in the Bible God recommended, answered to, expected prayers, and if the epistles the Apostles wrote urge, ask and tell us to pray, then we have good reasons to pray. Biblically and by the needs the fallen world creates, we are obliged to pray. We are giving here only a few of the many reasons why we should pray because of the words that came from God and described in the Bible.
- We Pray because we must thank God for his goodness: like Eve praised and thanked God for enabling her to give birth to a child Genesis 4:2,26, we are asked to give thanks to God in all things, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Because God does so much good for us, we are to thank God in our prayer. Psalm 118:1-3, 28-29
- We pray because we need to solve a problem, we lack the capacity to find the solution. The problem is beyond our capacity of handling. Abraham prayed to save Sodom and Gomorrah because he could not do it himself: Genesis 18: 22-32.
- We pray because we want to know about things we need to have a family when we do not have it. Isaac, Hannah, and Zachariah prayed to have children and God gave them children: Genesis 25:12-18, 1 Samuel 1:9-18, Luke 1:5-17
- We pray because God expects us to pray when we are in need. God is the provider and the healer and the protector: The way we ask for help to God is called; prayer: Exodus 15:25 Moses cried out to the Lord for water. God answered. He also prayed for God to forgive the people of Israel Exodus 33:12-3426
- We pray because God answers prayers and solves our problems: Psalm 65:2 and Jeremiah 33:3 God wants to hear prayers and reveal to us hidden things that we know not. God’s understanding is obtained by the word of God, Holy Spirit, and prayer.
- We pray because our nations are ill and need God’s intervention: 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 when we face pestilence, famine, war, illness and more troubles, we the children of God are required to humble ourselves, pray, seek God and turn away from our wicked ways` God promised to hear, forgive, and heal the nation.
- Matthew 7:7-11 We pray because the Lord Jesus Christ ordered us to ask, seek and knock the door to God’s door, and promised us that God his Father would give us, we will find what is sought and God would open the door. We pray to obtain the provision of our life.
- We pray because God is seeking worshipers who worship Him in truth and in spirit. John 4:21-24 told us to pray to our Father to worship Him: Matthew 6:9-13, the same applies in the prayer the Lord taught us to pray; it starts and ends with worship.
- Matthew 26: 40-41 We pray that we may not fall into temptations: The Lord Jesus told the sleeping disciples (Peter, John and James) to watch, pray that we may not fall into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
- James 4:2-3 We pray so that we receive what we need and when we do not pray, we are broke and receive nothing.
In conclusion, one of the benefits of the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross is to have had the curtain that separated men from the holy place in the temple in Jerusalem, torn from top down, giving open and full access to the people in the holy, holy, holy place: Matthew 27:51.
Hebrews 4:14-16 We pray because prayer gives us free access to come to the throne of God called throne of grace, to obtain grace and mercy in our time of need. we pray as a necessity and as a recommended action by God, because prayer is for the benefit of man who is praying. We gain and win when we pray.
Prayer: Father, I come boldly to your throne of grace to thank you for granting me breath of life, move, being, boundaries to live in, time to spend on earth, and the provision in my life, knowing that I have nothing that I have not received from you. I also know that without you I can do nothing, therefore I come to your presence. Thank you for the forgiveness of my sins, my salvation, and your provision. I come to worship you, to thank you, to praise you for what you have done for me in Christ Jesus. I rejoice in your presence; I will dwell in your presence all the days of life. Amen
Our next section is Why Pray According to God’s Word?