The Purpose of Prayer

What is prayer? For your prayers to have purpose; you must know the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not religious duty, reciting rehearsed cannons or creeds. Find out what prayer really is.

Matthew 6:5-7 Jesus said, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 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. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (NKJ)

Prayer is not begging God nor wishful thinking. Nor is prayer to inform God of what all is going on.

Matthew 6:8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (NKJ)

Most people treat prayer as a way to fret. Why pray when you can worry? But it should be why worry when you can pray? Prayer is giving the problem over to God.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. (NKJ)
Amp Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

It is a command not to worry. Not a suggestion. Worring does not add to your life. It only steals from it.

Matthew 6:25-33 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJ)

Prayer is not to get God in line with your will. Prayer gets you in line with His will.
Matthew 6:9-15  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And  forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Forgiveness is a key part of prayer.

14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (NKJ)

Prayer is communication. It is not about religion but about relationship.

John 15:5-8 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (NKJ)

How can we know God’s will? His Word is His will. So, pray His Word back to Him with praise. What does that look like? Find a promise in His Word that deals with your circumstance.

For example:
Father, I praise you for sending me your Word to heal me and delivering me from all my destructions. (Psalm 107:20) I believe your love for me is greater than my problem surrounding me. I receive your promise by faith in your Word that says, “By His stripes you are healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) Now I roll all of my pain and sickness over on You. (1Peter 5:7) In Jesus name. Amen.