Practical points on Prayer

By Nick Bibile

This is not a lengthy expose on prayer but very short practical points on prayer.

What is prayer? Prayer for the believer is calling upon the true living God. It is not the quantity that counts in prayer but quality. What I mean is, not the hours you spent on prayer but your heart, motives and attitude in prayer.

First thing we need to understand is that there is a powerful enemy, who doesn’t want you to pray. Do not underestimate your enemy's power. Our forefather Adam failed in his human power when he confronted Satan.

We should not come in our power, even thinking I prayed for 2 hours. When we come head to head with the enemy the devil can knock you down.

We need divine power, a conqueror who triumphed  over Satan, that is our beloved Lord and Savior Jesus.

We need to come in his name as Jesus told us to pray in his name. Jesus is the mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)  Also he is our High Priest in heaven interceding for our prayers. Hebrews 4:15-16)

We should have the right attitude in prayer. Not an attitude of pride of how good we are, how great we are, how spiritual we are or in any haughty attitude.

Remember we are praying to our heavenly King in heaven, we need to come in humility, in our unworthiness even to approach our heavenly King, come in weakness, come in our powerlessness, like the tax collector who prayed in the temple asking for mercy (Luke 18)

Prayer should be honest. Sometimes when people go to a doctor they will not tell the truth, sometimes half the truth and the doctor cannot prescribe the correct medicine. We are coming to God in heaven who knows everything even before you pray as God can see your heart, motives, so why not tell the Lord everything without hiding anything.

Tell the Lord of your worst sins, sins that you are struggling, pour out your soul like Hannah (1 Samuel 1) be sincere and honest do not hide anything from the Lord.

You don’t have to use fancy, sugar coated lofty words to the Lord in prayer as God doesn’t look to your education but at your heart. Anyway no one can bribe God with fancy or repeated words.

God looks at your heart and sometimes we don’t know even how to express the right words as we get lost in prayer. Do not worry, the Holy Spirit of God comes to our help in groaning and the Holy Spirit of God will intercede for us. (Romans 8:26-27)

Lastly pray that the Lord’s will be done in your prayer and have confidence and faith that your prayer being heard, without faith it’s impossible to please God.