Prayer is something that is still "in" for many people in our culture today. While being a committed student of the Bible won't necessarily win you popularity points at school, praying at certain times is still pretty well accepted. NFL players kneel to "pray" in the end zone after scoring a touchdown, and then publicly thank God after a big win. Even people who don't claim the name of Jesus will readily tell a suffering friend: "My thoughts and prayers are with you." So, telling someone you're "praying for them" will not necessarily make you seem strange or out of touch. But, having a disciplined, committed LIFE of prayer is something completely different. Prayer for those who follow Jesus is about much more than brief, sporadic "shout–outs" to God, or comforting phrases directed at friends who are grieving. Those who love and obey Jesus are called to disciplined lives that are filled with prayer…and this is not always easy.

Why Should We Pray?

We should pray because our God is PERSONAL.
We should be absolutely blown away by the fact that prayer to God – from sinful people like us – is even possible! The infinitely powerful and infinitely holy God of the entire universe should not even be approachable by fallen human beings. Yet, the God who reveals Himself to us in the pages of Scripture is a very PERSONAL God. He wants to draw near to people, and have them live their lives — forever — in a close relationship with Him. How is that possible? How is it possible for sinful people to be in a close relationship with a holy God who will not tolerate sin?

Listen to the words of Hebrews 10:19–22:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Personal interaction with God is ONLY possible through the blood of Jesus, which was shed to wash our sins away. Notice that the body of Jesus, which was broken for our sin in our place, is described in this passage as a "curtain." The picture put forward is Jesus, through his death, pulling back all that divides a holy God from sinful people, and allowing them to approach God. In Christ, then, this approach doesn't even have to be timid; it can be done "in full assurance of faith." We can confidently approach God's throne — not only for salvation, but for prayer! In other words, prayer is a PRIVILEGE. It is not a chore, not a good luck charm, and not something to pull out of your pocket when something bad happens. It is a personal interaction with your Creator — and your access to Him has been bought with no smaller price than the very blood of Jesus Christ the Lord. Take advantage of this privilege! This is where we must begin when we discuss prayer. It is not a duty, but a delight, to be able to approach a holy God in prayer through the sacrificial blood of our Savior. We should feel deeply honored, humbled, and thankful every time we bow our heads to pray. Our approach to God's throne was bought with Jesus' blood.

We should pray because it helps us practice SUBMISSION to God.
You've probably heard the old cliché: "Prayer doesn't change God, but it changes us." It's a bit well-worn and corny, but there's a lot of truth to it. Prayer does something to our hearts as we actively and humbly approach the throne of the Almighty God. We are forced — if we pray with the correct attitude — to ultimately bend our wills to the will of God…to submit to Him! A habit of prayer will begin to affect our submission to a sovereign God, as we are reminded each time we pray that God is the one in control. Prayer is, at its core, an exercise in humility. Opening our mouths to pray to God is an implicit acknowledgment that we do not have the power to change people, circumstances, or even our own hearts. Prayer is reliance on God — submission to Him. As prayer affects our hearts, then, it also gives us strength and commitment to fight against the sin in our lives. Prayer forces us to move toward a "God's–eye perspective" — we are reminded when we pray to consider how God looks at our actions, words, and thoughts. This brings a great sense of accountability, as prayer reminds us that God is ever with us, and always aware of every part of our lives.

We should pray because Prayer is POWERFUL.
Listen to the words of James 5:16: "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Amazingly, God's Word says that our prayers — the prayers of weak and sinful people who are declared "righteous" in Jesus — have "great power." Now, let me tell you a secret. God doesn't NEED our prayers. Our prayers do not function as God's "fuel" — like the fairy in Peter Pan whose strength is powered by the belief and hand-claps of children. God doesn't "run" on our prayers; he's not desperate for us to pray because his hands are tied without our powerful words. But, here's the amazing thing: God chooses to use us and our prayers to accomplish his sovereign purposes in the world! God — in his grace — chooses to work in and through our prayers to do his marvelous work. So, by God's grace, our prayers do have great power…power that is given and provided by God himself.

We should pray because Our God COMMANDS it.
The Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, gives this command: "Pray without ceasing." Not a lot of "wiggle room" in that instruction! Prayer is commanded by God for his people; they are to practice prayer not occasionally, but "without ceasing." In other words, a disciplined life of prayer is not an OPTION for Christians who want to walk with Jesus. Prayer is not just for "super–Christians" who are really "on fire" for the Lord. It is the disciplined, constant, and steady practice of all who desire to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

How Should We Pray?

We should pray CONSTANTLY.
Remember that verse we just looked at from 1 Thessalonians? We are to pray "without ceasing." Now, this can be a difficult command to understand — and to practice! How is it possible to pray constantly? Are we supposed to drop out of school, quit our jobs, and just do nothing but get on our knees and pray? That can't be what Paul means for the church at Thessalonica, because in his next letter to them, he tells them that "if anyone is not willing to WORK, let him not eat!" The command to pray "without ceasing" is not a command to stop all activities that are part of everyday life, but rather to be ready all the time to go immediately and directly to God in prayer. In other words, it is a call to life our lives in an "attitude" of prayer. We ought to be people who live in such close communion with our Savior that daily life often contains spontaneous entrances into prayer with God. Do you silently pray a brief prayer to God for the student in your class who comes in late, looking exhausted and depressed? Are you ready to turn to God in repentant prayer after a harsh word to a friend — or after road rage in your car?

We should pray INTENTIONALLY.
Now, while the discussion of continuing in a constant "attitude of prayer" is helpful, it can also be a little bit dangerous. Here is the danger: we can get so caught up in living our lives with "readiness" to pray, or in an "attitude" of prayer, that we never actually make INTENTIONAL time for focused prayer to God. I will confess that this kind of prayer is hard for me! We're all busy — I know that. But we ought to be making time for prayer to our God — time that is set aside especially for focused prayer with our undivided attention. Even if this is five minutes a day, do it!

We should pray HONESTLY.
God knows your heart. God knows everything about you. God knows your secrets, your hopes, your dreams, and even that secret crush that no human being knows about! If you don't believe me, read Psalm 139. We have nothing to hide from God. So, when you pray, pray like YOU, not like somebody else. Don't imitate your Mom, your pastor, or your favorite Christian artist when you pray. Pray honestly, openly, and truly to the God who knows you better than you know yourself.

We should pray BIBLICALLY.
While we should pray honestly without imitating any other human being, we should also be always learning how to pray as God wants us to pray. To do this, we need to be guided by God's Word in our prayers. Some of you don't pray much at all currently, and frankly, you don't really feel like you know how to pray. The book of Psalms is a great place to start; pray through a Psalm, using the words of the psalmist to guide you as you approach God in prayer. Here are a few other suggestions on how to let God's Word guide our prayers:

• Use the "ACTS" acronym. Start with ADORING God, then spend some time CONFESSING your sins to God, then THANK God for his faithfulness and grace to you, and end by praying for SUPPLICATION — that God would answer your specific concerns or requests.
• Pray the "Lord's Prayer," which Jesus taught the disciples to pray. You can find it in Matthew 6. Pray it word for word, or pray along with the "themes" of the prayer that Jesus prays (asking God's will to be done, asking for God to provide, confessing sin and asking for forgiveness, asking God for help against temptation and sin, etc.).
• Read the prayers of the Apostle Paul that he prays for the people in the churches to whom he writes. We'll look at one of these prayers in a second!

We should pray DEEPLY.
God absolutely does care about your basketball game, your history test, and your aunt's foot surgery! By God's grace, we can go to him in prayer, knowing that he is concerned and aware of every detail of our lives; we will not tire him with our prayers. But, even as we pray about tests, sicknesses, and safe trips, we should be mindful of praying with an eternal perspective. Our prayers should be for practical things, but also for things that are global, spiritual, and eternal. We should pray for someone who is sick, but we should not neglect to pray for their eternal souls as well as their bodies! Listen, for example, to Paul's (long!) prayer for the church at Ephesus that he records for them:

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. — Ephesians 1:15–21

Now, I'm sure there were people with upcoming trips and sick aunts at the church in Ephesus — and maybe Paul prayed for those people! But his chief concern as he prayed for people he loved was their eternal and spiritual good. He wanted them to grasp the gospel — to have the eyes of their hearts "enlightened" as they understood more clearly their eternal destiny and inheritance in Jesus. He wanted them to grow in "wisdom" as they grasped the glory of Jesus more fully. Paul prayed DEEP prayers for the people he loved; so should we.

A Final Note

With prayer, as with your Bible reading — start slowly! If you do not have an intentional habit of disciplined prayer in your life right now, then 5 minutes a day in prayer is a great start! Our gracious God has granted us the privilege of approaching his throne in prayer through the sacrificial blood of his Son Jesus Christ. Let's take advantage of this wonderful privilege, and become disciplined people who PRAY.