Prayer is simply talking to God, but its benefits are powerfully limitless. In fact, as Christians, we cannot do without prayers.
If you want to ensure success as a Christian in every aspect of your life – spiritually and physically – then prayer is a must.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of prayer according to the Bible. We will look at Bible heroes that immensely helped with the power of prayer.
Why is prayer important?
Prayer is important because God wants to hear from you. He wants to know how you are doing, what is on your mind, and what you need. When we pray, God listens to us and answers our prayers.
We can pray for anything we want in life, but it’s best to pray for things that are truly needed in our lives because prayer does not change the past or future but changes the present moment.
The Bible says that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). This means that when someone prays with faith and reverence, they will positively impact their life and those around them.
Prayer can also help us deal with difficult situations in our lives. For example, if you are going through a hard time in school or dealing with financial problems at home, prayer can help you get through these tough times by giving you the strength and courage to face them head-on.
After reading this post, you’ll start taking your prayer life seriously.
So with that said, let’s dive right in!
Importance of Prayer in The Bible
The Importance of Prayer in The Bible is a topic you might be interested in. The Bible frequently mentions how God wants us to pray. It also states how important it is for us to pray, and how it’s the easiest way to communicate with God.
1. Prayer Helps You Build A Strong Relationship With God
Imagine always having a father with you, but you don’t communicate with him. How will it be possible to build a relationship with him?
When you pray to God, you can pour your hearts into him as you do to your friends.
You can tell him your ideas, problems, and fears, thank him for his goodness, and much more.
Praying connects you to God unlike any other spiritual activity – in such a way that you can feel his presence around you.
In prayers, you can acknowledge God as your father; Matthew 6:9 says, “Pray, then, in the way: Our Father who is in heaven….”
2. Prayer Guarantees Success in Future Endeavors
Prayer and success can never be separated as Christians, and it’s a beautiful practice to always pray to God to make us successful.
Abraham’s servants prayed to God for success before looking for a wife for Isaac. He prayed, “God…makes me successful today, and show kindness to my Abraham…”.
If you want success in all you do, you should ask God for it.
Queen Esther prayed for three days before confronting Persian King Ahasuerus.
Even though king David was recorded to inquire of the lord nine times in the Bible, he would always seek God’s permission to chase his enemies – which guaranteed him success.
Furthermore, Jesus urged his disciples to consistently fast and pray if they wanted to succeed in casting out demons.
Also, after the ascension of Christ, ” they (disciples) went up into the upper room where they all continued in one accord in prayer and supplications…” (Acts 1)
3. Prayer Guarantees Divine Provision
What kind of father will not provide for his household? Certainly not God.
Throughout the Bible, God had always answered his children’s call for divine provision.
After the Israelites – being tortured in Egypt – cried unto God intensely, he provided Moses to them as a divine deliverer.
Hagar – the mother of Ishmael chased away by Abraham and Sarah – also prayed to God for the provision of water after she had exhausted her water jar meant to keep her and her son alive. And God provided the water.
Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive…” (Matthew 7:7).
We can tap into God’s divine provision via prayers.
4. Prayer Will Equip you for God’s Work.
“He (Jesus) commanded them( his disciples) that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the father…”.
You can not work for God except if you are equipped to do so.
As Christians, we should never embark on anything with our power – God should be involved through prayer.
Some of the greatest heroes of faith equipped themselves with prayers and fasting. They include Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, who prayed and fasted for 40 days and nights.
If Jesus acknowledged equipping himself with prayers, how much more are you and I?
When you are divinely equipped, you’ll operate in the spirit as a vessel of God, and nothing could be more peaceful to know.
5. Prayer Activates Spiritual Gifts
James 4:2 reminds us, ” You do not have because you do not ask God.”
God cannot impose his spirit or gifts on people; we are to desire it, ask for it, and then receive it!
As Jesus said, “Ask that your joy may be full…” this is where prayer comes in.
There are numerous gifts of the spirit you could ask for if you greatly desire them.
Words of wisdom are one, and we saw young King Solomon asking God for his wisdom.
We, too, should ask God for the things we want, for ” As you have spoken in my hearing, so I will do to you.”
6. Prayer Activates God’s Miracle
“I am the Lord, is there anything hard for me?”, “…what is impossible with man is possible with God…” (Jeremiah 32:27, Luke 18:27)
If we need a miracle in our lives, we can get it through prayers. The two scripture above has assured us that nothing is impossible to God.
Prayer enabled Ananias to restore Saul’s sight (Act 9:10-19).
Eutychus, who fell three stories to the ground through a window and died, was brought back to life by the apostle Paul, thanks to prayer (Acts 20:7-12)
Apostle Peter was miraculously freed from prison because of the believer’s prayer for him.
Prophet Elijah prayed that the rain should cease and caused it to rain again after many years of famine.
7. Prayer Helps You Fight Spiritual Battles
Prayer energizes the spirit of believers to wage against the evil spiritual force.
As Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12, our battles are against spiritual wickedness in high places, rulers of darkness, principalities, and powers, etc.
These powers seek to kill, steal, and destroy, but we can nullify their efforts with prayer.
In Luke 22:32, Jesus prayed against the devil over the life of Peter, who would have otherwise been sifted like wheat by Satan.
“Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion…” (Amos 6:1). Believers should never be at ease. Instead, we should “…call on the Lord day and night…and give him no rest…” (Isaiah 62:6-7).
Prayer is a mighty weapon that every believer should take advantage of.
8. Prayer Gives you the Strength to Bear Persecutions and Overcome Temptation.
Persecutions and temptations are inevitable in the life of believers. Therefore, we must pray that we come out victorious in this aspect of our lives.
Matthew 6:3 teaches us to pray that God “…do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from all evil”.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, so we should always ask God to keep strengthening our weakness to live a victorious Christian life.
9. Prayer Breaks Generational Curses
The tribe of Reuben was suffering from the curse placed on their original father, Reuben, by Jacob. So anytime the Israelites went to war, they usually lost the most men, decreasing their population significantly.
However, Moses broke that curse through a prayerful and prophetic declaration saying, ” Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men are few.”
After that prayer, the powerful curse placed on that generation was broken.
We might also have lingering curses that run through our generation, especially the curse of sin on all mankind, but with a simple prayer, curses can be broken forever.
10. Prayers Help Us Thank God
God has done a lot for us as Christians, and we can thank Him in numerous ways.
Through offerings, sacrifices, praises, and indeed, prayers.
Yes, asking is not the only importance of prayer in the Bible. For example, “Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good and his mercies endureth forever” is a prayer of thanksgiving made by King David.
When you go down on your knees to talk to God, you should thank him for all you’ve done. You might not shout, you might not cry, but from the depth of your heart, in the silence of your voice, tell home, Thank you.
Bottom Line
Prayer is big! It does lots of amazing things. We cannot replace it with anything else.
Prayers are a powerful tool to receive from God, give Him thanks, offload our burdens, and maintain a healthy Christian life.
Make sure to start and end your day with prayers.
