Jesus told the disciples a parable in Luke 18: 1 about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He taught us how to pray in Matthew 6: 9-13; Luke 11: 2-4. The words mean that in prayer, we must show reverence; invoke his will on earth as in heaven; depend on him for our needs; show repentance; seek for conditional forgiveness as we do to others; seek his protection; and totally submit to his authority.
Not all of us obey what Jesus has taught. We make demands with timelines without due reverence. Hebrews 5: 7 enjoins us to show reverence. Daniel supported prayer with fasting, Daniel 9: 3. Prayer demands that we wait on God for his direction because it is communication with him, hence we must be patient after prayer. How then can we be effective in prayer?
We must pray at all times
Paul wrote in Romans 1: 9 for God… is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers. We do so in the spirit, not in the flesh because God to whom we address our prayers is Spirit and hears us in spirit. Ephesians 6: 18 says, pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. He repeated this advice in 1 Thessalonians 1: 2; 2 Thessalonians 1: 11. We use our carnal minds or human intellect to pray in the flesh. However, when we pray in the Spirit, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.
We must be thankful in prayer
Paul said in Colossians 3: 15 be thankful. Prayer is not about requests and complaints, but appreciation and thanks to God for his goodness to us and others even concerning what we do not know. Paul added in Colossians 4: 12, we must always wrestle in prayers and on behalf of others to stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. This means answers to prayers may sometimes delay but we must thank God all the same for he knows why. We must be thankful in all circumstances.
We must be alert in prayer
Paul explained the need to be alert in Ephesians 6: 12, for our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Prayer is a form of spiritual warfare. Jesus said in Matthew 26: 41; Mark 14: 38; Luke 22: 40, 46 stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Jesus enjoins us in Luke 21: 34,36, be on our guard in prayers. What opposes alertness in prayer include laziness, sleep or weakness.
A serious child of God must be a prayerful person. We pray for many reasons, some of which we have already mentioned. Other reasons include as follows;
Prayer makes us align with God
We read from 1 Peter 5: 8-9 discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. Holy prayer builds a constant relationship with God by which we become disciplined and walk in God’s ways. We would be devoured by the enemy without praying for it is one of our tools for warfare.
Prayer unravel God’s mysteries
At the transfiguration when Jesus took Peter, James and John on the mountain to pray in Luke 9: 28 – 35 the three disciples experienced life transforming revelation which no one could unravel in the scheme of prophecies. Matthew 17: 2 says Jesus as transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. They saw how our sinful countenance can be transformed in God’s presence in prayer. Exodus 34: 29 says… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.
Prayer disperses our confusion
Prior to the transformation, the disciples were confused as to Jesus’ true persona. When Jesus asked, who do people say that the Son of Man is? The disciples answered, some said John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah one of the prophets. However at the transfiguration in prayer, God’s truth was revealed above limited human knowledge and precepts. Exodus 40: 34 says then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In true prayer, we are covered by God’s shadow by which he inhabits our prayers in his presence. The confusion that destroys our faith and hope is restored.
Prayer makes us content in God
True prayer makes us satisfied in God. In Luke 9: 33 the three disciples said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. The disciples never thought about themselves but of the others who they considered better than themselves in God’s presence. It was enough to be in the presence of God however they were. In prayer, self-interest is sacrificed in favour of God’s grace. They forgot about worldly pleasures but God’s presence.
Prayer grants us God’s favour
James 5: 14 says are any among you sick?… call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them. When the disciples asked Jesus in Mark 9: 28 why could we not cast it (the epileptic spirit) out? Jesus said, this kind can come out only through prayer. Prayer invokes God’s power to be at work which is our unfailing weapon. Prayer makes the impossible possible. Peter needed prayer to overcome his denial of Jesus. John needed it in order to take care of Mary after his death. James needed it to continue with the mission. We equally need God’s favour in prayer to be worthy of the cross.
Prayer rejuvenates our faith
When the disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 17: 19-20 why could we not cast it (the epileptic spirit) out? Jesus said to them, because of your little faith. Prayer goes with faith as a necessity. Effective prayer is built on righteousness. 1 Peter 3: 12 says for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. James 5: 16 says the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. It is also built on faith, not doubt. James 1: 6-7 say… ask in faith, never doubting… for the one who doubts… must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Philippians 4: 6 says we must not worry in prayer. Doubts destroy prayers. How are our prayers before God?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to devote to prayer. Help us to observe what will make us effective in prayer in your holy name as your Spirit leads us to pray, Amen!!
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