The Purpose of Prayer

“…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” – Matthew 6:32 (NKJV)

If God already knows everything we need, then why is prayer necessary? Do you know the true purpose and benefit of praying?

I have two daughters whom I love very much and there are basic things I do for them just because I am their Dad. There are, however, additional things that I do for them that I would not do if they did not ask. They do not receive everything they ask for, but if they ask for things that will enhance their lives and encourage them towards good, I do my best to make sure they get them. That is how prayer works. There are basic things we all receive from God because He loves us and we are His children, but what we could receive through prayer is incomparable.

There are several reasons to pray:
1. To tap into the supernatural
2. To demonstrate our dependence upon God
3. To expand our faith in God
4. To tap into God’s provisions, blessings, and protection
5. To ask God to intervene in our lives and in the lives of others
6. To praise and give God glory
7. To show our appreciation to God

There are customers waiting to do business with you whom God wants to release to you, but you must ask. There are people looking to partner with you whom God wants to bring your way, but you must ask. There are difficult situations that you are facing that God wants to ease for you, but you must ask. There is potential in your staff that God wants to release, but you must ask. There are witty ideas in you that God wants to release, but you must ask. There is a God who wants to commune with you, but you must invite Him in through prayer.

Whatever the issue or concern, God wants to address it, but without you asking, He will not interfere. If nothing else, praise Him through prayer for who He is, praise Him through prayer for what He has done, and praise Him through prayer for what He has yet to do. Do it daily throughout the day as often as you can. You can never pray too much.

Here is a story about the impact of prayer from The Essential Guide to Prayer: How to Pray with Power and Effectiveness by Dutch Sheets:

“When George McCluskey married and started a family, he decided to invest one hour a day in prayer because he wanted his kids to follow Christ. After a time, he expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Every day between 11:00 a.m. and noon, he prayed for the next three generations.

As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor.

The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates. During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into ministry. The others didn’t. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology.

He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day. The man’s name – James Dobson.”

The impact of prayer is not just immediate, but it is far-reaching and can even be multi-generational. Go ahead, take the time now to pray to God about whatever is in your heart, and trust that He will move.

My prayer for you today is that you would have a consistent prayer life, trusting for God’s will to be done in your life and in the lives of others.