Prayer

A prayer is communication with God.

Why is a prayer so important and why should we pray?

Genesis 4:26 first mentions that ‘men began to call on the name of the Lord,’ and Revelation 22:20 closes the Bible with the prayer, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (compare 1 Corinthians 16:22). The entire history of redemption is framed in prayer. In between these terminal references we find a database about prayer that is so large it requires description beyond simple definition.”1 Why do we pray? Here are a few key reasons

1. We love Him. Just as a man and woman in love desire to be together and communicate, so we, if we love God, will desire to be with Him and to fellowship with Him in proportion to our love for Him.
2. We depend on God. He is our source. He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Through prayer, we receive the comfort, strength, and all the other resources we need in life, both naturally and spiritually. Prayer—relationship with God—is as necessary to the spiritual life as air is to the natural life.
3. Prayer allows us to resist temptation. Jesus warned His disciples to “watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41, NKJV). Living a life without prayer can leave us weak and exposed, giving an opportunity for the enemy to gain ground and potentially lure us into sin.
4. Prayer is necessary for people to invite God to act in salvation. God gave the earth to Adam and his descendants, so we must invite God to work here. If no one invites Him to work on earth, Satan—the “god of this age” because of humanity’s universal rebellion (2 Corinthians 4:4)—will dominate human affairs, and eventually the judgment of God will come. By inviting God to intercede often and specifically, multitudes can be saved who would otherwise be lost.
5. God commands us to pray. In Colossians 4:2, Paul writes: “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (NKJV). Jesus also encouraged His followers to pray: “Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1, NKJV).

How, When and where to Pray
Mathew 6:5-8

1 Thessalonians says: "pray continually;"
Ephesians 6:18 says: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
4 - Who Should Pray
Matthew 6:6 says: "But when you pray" ... not if you pray. As believers it is the breath of our spiritual life to spend time in prayer with our Heavenly Father.
Again...in our focal verse for this Bible study on prayer - Ephesians 6:18, Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer.
5 - For Whom We Should Pray

• The saints - Ephesians 6:18 - "keep on praying for all the saints." (believers in Christ)
• Our enemies - Matthew 5:44 - "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"
• Everyone including leaders - 1 Timothy 2:1-2 - "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

The Importance Of A Prayer

++Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Psalm 145:18

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Acts 2:42

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Ephesians 6:18

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

James 5:13

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

John 17:1-26

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. ...

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing,

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 18:1

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 21:22++

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”

Who has benefited from a prayer

1 Hannah was the unfortunate barren second wife, ridiculed and humiliated by the wife who easily bore children. So Hannah pleaded with God for a son, promising to give him back to the Lord: *“O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” *(1 Sam. 1:11). 
Sure enough, Samuel became the greatest prophet in Israel’s history, who maintained direct communication with God throughout his life. In addition to Samuel, God gave Hannah three more sons and two daughters. When we are willing to give our best to God, He blesses us with more

**2. Peter is in prison for preaching the gospel; the church prayed for his release.
**After the Christian faith began to take root, the religious Hebrew governor, King Herod Agrippa, arrested Peter and put him in prison. *“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” *(Acts 12:5) 
One night, an angel appeared in Peter’s jail cell and led him out of the prison, through doors and past guards. Peter arrived at Mary’s house, where the church was gathered praying; the servant girl was so surprised, she forgot to let him right in the house. Sometimes, God answers our prayers so quickly, it surprises us!


**3. Jerusalem is under siege, so Hezekiah prays to save his people.
**The powerful Assyrian king Sennacharib had laid siege to Jerusalem. King Hezekiah, who told his people to keep their faith in God, prayed for delivery from their enemy: ‘Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God’” (2 Kings 19:19). 
That night, the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, which compelled the rest of the army to return home without a fight. Whenever God’s people follow His plan, He wages war on their behalf!

18. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,
19. and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

A prayer can change a life (save a life)

Hebrew 5:7
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared