Prayer Ministry - First Lutheran Church of White Bear Lake

(3) The Lord God Almighty hears the prayers of His children. He commands us to pray, and He promises to listen when we do. “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” (Psalm 18:6).

(4) The Lord God Almighty answers prayer. “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me” (Psalm 17:6). “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). Sometimes the Lord answers our prayers in spite of our own lack of faith. In Acts 12, the church prays for Peter’s release from prison (v5), and God answers their prayer (v7-11). Peter goes to the door of the prayer meeting and knocks, but those who are praying refuse at first to believe that it is really Peter. They prayed, but they failed to expect an answer to their prayer.

The power of prayer does not flow from us - it is not special words we say or the special way we say them or even how often we say them. The power of prayer is not based on a certain direction we face or a certain position of our bodies. The power of prayer does not come from the use of artifacts or icons or candles or beads. The power of prayer is based on Who hears our prayer and answers it. Prayer places us in contact with the Almighty God, and we should expect almighty results. As Oswald Chambers put it, “What happens when saints pray is that the power of the almighty is brought to bear upon the one for whom they are praying.” Amen.

Question: "Why pray? What is the point of prayer when God knows the future and is already in control of everything. If we cannot change God's mind, why should we pray?"

Answer: Why pray? Why pray when God is already in perfect control of everything? Why pray when God knows what we are going to ask before we ask it?

(1) Prayer is a form of serving God (Luke 2:36-38). We pray because God commands us to pray (Philippians 4:6-7).

(2) Prayer is exemplified for us by Christ and the early church (Mark 1:35; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31; 6:4; 13:1-3). If Jesus thought it was worthwhile to pray, we should also.

(3) God intends for prayer to be the means of obtaining His solutions in a number of situations:

        a) Preparation for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13)
        b) Overcoming demonic barriers in lives (Matthew 17:14-21)
        c) The gathering of workers for the spiritual harvest (Luke 10:2)
        d) The gaining of strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41)
        e) The means of strengthening others spiritually (Ephesians 6:18-19)

(4) We have God's promise that our prayers are not in vain, even if we don't receive specifically what we asked for (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26-27).

(5) He has promised that when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15).

Sometimes He delays His answers according to His wisdom and for our benefit. In these situations, we are to be diligent and persistent in prayer (Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8). Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God's will done on earth. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own.

In situations for which we do not know specifically what God's will is, prayer is a means of discerning God’s will. If Peter had not asked for Jesus to call for him to come out of the boat and onto the water, he would have missed that opportunity (Matthew 14:28-29). If the Syrian woman with the demon-influenced daughter had not prayed to Christ, her daughter would not have been made whole (Mark 7:26-30). If the blind man outside of Jericho would not have called out to Christ, he would have still been blind (Luke 18:35-43). God has said that often we go without because we do not ask (James 4:2). In one sense, prayer is like sharing the gospel with people. We do not know who will respond to the message of the gospel until we share it. It is the same with prayer: we will never see the results of answered prayer until we pray.

A lack of prayer demonstrates the a lack of faith and a lack of trust in God’s Word. We pray to demonstrate our faith in God, that He will do as He has promised in His Word, and will bless our lives abundantly more than we could ask or hope for (Ephesians 3:20). Prayer is our primary means of seeing God work in others' lives. Because it is our means of "plugging into" God's power, it is our means of defeating a foe and his army (Satan and his army) that we are powerless to overcome by ourselves. Therefore, may God find us often before His throne, for we have a High Priest in heaven who can identify with all that we go through (Hebrews 4:15-16). We have His promise that the fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (James 5:16-18). May God glorify His name in our lives as we believe in Him enough to come to Him often in prayer.

Question: "What is the proper way to pray?"

Answer: Is it best to pray standing up, sitting down, on your knees, or bowing down? Should my hands be open, closed, or lifted up to God? Do my eyes need to be closed when I pray? Is it better to pray in a church building or out in nature? Should I pray in the morning when I get up or at night before I go to bed? Are there certain words that I need to say in my prayer? How do I begin my prayer? What is the proper way to close a prayer? These questions, and others, are common questions we receive about prayer. What is the proper way to pray? Do any of the above things even matter?

Far too often, prayer is viewed as some form of “magic formula.” If you do not say exactly the right things, or pray in the right position, God will not hear and answer your prayer. This is completely unbiblical. God does not answer our prayers based on when we pray, where we are, what position our body is in, or in what order we word our prayers. First John 5:14-15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of Him.” Similarly, John 14:13-14 declares, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” According to these, and many other, Scriptures, God answers prayer requests based on whether they are asked according to His will and in the Name of Jesus (to bring glory to Jesus).

So, what is the proper way to pray? Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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.” The proper way to pray is to pour out your heart to God. Be honest and open with God, as He already knows you better than you know yourself. Present your requests to God, but keep in mind that God knows what is best and will not grant a request that is not His will for you. Express your love, gratitude, and worship to God in prayer, but do not worry about having just the right words to say. God is more interested in the content of your heart than the quality of your words.

The closest the Bible comes to giving a “pattern” for prayer is the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Please understand, though, the Lord’s Prayer is not a prayer we are to memorize and recite to God. It is an example of the things that should go into a prayer—worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for the things the Lord’s Prayer talks about, but use your own words and “customize” it to your own journey with God. The proper way to pray is by expressing your heart to God. Sitting, standing, or kneeling; hands open or closed; eyes opened or closed; in a church, at home, or outside; at morning or at night – these are all side issues, subject to personal preference, conviction and appropriateness. God’s desire is that prayer be a personal and real connection between us and Him.