What is prayer? | GotQuestions.org

Today's question is, what is prayer? In this video I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective.

Then afterwards, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.

The most basic definition of prayer is talking to God. Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection, it is direct address to God.

It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.

Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal.

All prayer must be offered in faith, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the power of the

Holy Spirit. As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, Christian prayer, in its full

New Testament meaning, is prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling

Spirit. The wicked have no desire to pray, but the children of God have a natural desire to pray.

Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God's favor, pouring out one's soul to the

Lord, crying out to heaven, drawing near to God, and kneeling before the

Father. Paul wrote, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4, verses 6 and 7. Everything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything.

How often should we pray? The biblical answer is, pray without ceasing, 1

Thessalonians 5, verse 17. We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long.

Some find the Acts formula of prayer helpful, which is prayer that includes adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.

But there is no real special formula for how to pray in the Bible. We should just do it.

We can pray under any and all circumstances. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence on Him.

Prayer is the Christian's way of communicating with God. We pray to praise

God and thank Him and tell Him how much we love Him. We pray to enjoy His presence and tell

Him what's going on in our lives. We pray to make requests and seek guidance and ask for wisdom.

God loves this exchange with His children, just as we love the exchange we have with our children.

Fellowship with God is the heart of prayer. Too often we lose sight of how simple prayer is really supposed to be.

When we make petitions to God, we let God know exactly where we stand and what we would like to see happen.

In our prayers, we must admit that God is greater than we are and ultimately knows what is best in any given situation.

God is good and asks us to trust Him. In prayer, we say, essentially, not my will but Your will be done.

The key to answered prayer is praying according to the will of God and in accordance with His Word.

Prayer is not seeking our own will but seeking to align ourselves with the will of God more fully.

The Bible contains many examples of prayer and plenty of exhortations to pray.

See Luke 18, verse 1, Romans 12, verse 12, and Ephesians 6, verse 18.

God's house is to be a house of prayer. Mark 11, verse 17. And God's people are to be people of prayer.

Dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the

Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love. Jude 1, verses 20 and 21.

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