Read the Bible and you will see that God is asking His people to pray. The proof is, “to pray unceasingly,” as indicated by 1 Thessalonians 5:17. This passage from Thessalonians already reflects the idea of the importance of prayer in Christianity. If not, why will the Lord ask us to pray unceasingly; if prayer was not so important in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
In fact, the Bible presents prayer as a means to follow, a duty to fulfill, an activity to carry out in order to maintain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is therefore fitting that this theme deserves to be addressed.
It is obvious also that we ask ourselves these wise questions: What does prayer mean in a relationship with Jesus? How important is prayer?
It is with great attention that Preacher Thomson Dablemond devotes his pen in this article to the answer to these previous questions. Without further ado, let’s tackle the subject by trying to define the prayer.
I – Definition of Prayer
Prayer is the channel through which we communicate with God. It’s “our pen and our sheet” that we use to send a letter to God. It is the means by which we ask for help, assistance, mercy, grace, and the intervention of God in our life. It is the means of exchange between the Creator and his creature; Father and son; the Master and the disciple; the Teacher and the student: prayer is, therefore, a conversation, communication between us and God. Let’s see how the Bible defines prayer.
– It is invoking the name of God: Genesis 4: 26 / Genesis 12: 8 / Zephaniah 3: 9
– It’s an appeal to God: Psalms 4: 1-3 / Psalm 17: 6
– It is to seek the face of the Lord: 2 Chronicles 7:14 / Psalm 27: 8
– It is to seek the LORD: Psalms 34: 4 / Isaiah 55: 6
– It’s crying out to God: Psalms 3: 4
– It is to raise to God his soul: Psalms 25: 1 / Psalm 86: 4
– It is raising one’s hands to God: Psalm 28: 2 / Psalm 141: 2
– It is approaching the throne of the grace of God: Hebrews 4: 16
– It’s approaching God: Hebrews 10: 22
Speaking of the importance of prayer in Christianity, it is good to seek to know the different types of prayer.
II – The Different Types of Prayer
1 – The Prayer of Praise and Gratitude or Thanksgiving:
It is a prayer that serves to praise God. In this prayer, it is a question of praising God, of recognizing the merits of God and His greatness, of elevating and glorifying God. (See Matthew 11: 25-26 / Psalm 150 / Psalm 136 / Philippians 4: 6). The importance of the prayers of gratitude is that it draws God’s eyes and favor more on us. I knew this experience in which I understood this: The more you recognize that God has his hand in your life, the more he will have his hand in your life.
2 – The Prayer of Repentance
It is a prayer in which we recognize our sinfulness. First, to confess one’s sins and ask for the blood of Jesus to cleanse and sanctify sins – then ask God to give us a pure heart, a willing mind; and the strength to overcome sin and to have victory over sin by the power of the Holy Spirit – then, to claim the presence of the Holy Spirit to love the laws of God and the will of God And finally, thank God for the forgiveness of your sins through the sacrifice and merits of Jesus Christ. (See Psalm 51 / Matthew 6:12).
As for the importance of the prayers of repentance, it allows us to get closer to God. Through it, the Lord Jesus plunges us into his blood and justifies us by his sacrifice on the cross. Through the prayer of repentance, we always remember that we are sinners and Jesus is our only savior. It draws our attention to the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
3 – The Petition Prayers
It is a matter of asking for the intervention of God in our favor in the face of a situation we are going through. It is a prayer that serves us to share with God our needs. (See Philippians 4: 6,19 / Matthew 7: 7).
The importance of the petition prayers is that it allows us to come into possession of the blessings and promises of God at our disposal. Let me tell you that anyone who asks nothing from God will always think that God does nothing for him.
4 – The Intercession Prayer
It is a prayer where we pray for others: for worries, problems, concerns, situations, etc. Other, others (family, relatives, strangers, enemies, community, court neighbors, colleagues, brothers in Christ, the Church, etc.) See Numbers 14: 19-20 / 1 Timothy 2: 1-2.
We must understand that the importance of intercessory prayer lies in the fact that it allows us to break our egocentrism and selfishness. It reminds us that we must care about others and that life is made of sharing; we must, therefore, think of the well-being of others. It is also an expression of our love for our neighbor.
5 – The Consultation Prayer
The prayer of consultation is the prayer in which we expose our will, our orientations, our projects, our ambitions, our decisions, our visions, our motivations, etc. at the foot of God by submitting to them. Here, it is a question of consulting God, of asking him to do what is good for us and at the right time. Note that the prayer of consultation serves to seek the approval of God at all times and in all things.
We ask for Advice and Orientation before any initiative or decision, and business, etc. In this prayer, we seek the approval of God by asking him to fulfill his will and help us to recognize his will and above all to submit to his will. (See Matthew 26: 39,42). Here is the importance of the prayer of consultation, we give the wheel of our life and all that belongs to God. We show that we trust God’s kindness, justice, wisdom, plans, and will for us. Only the humble, pious Christians make the prayer of consultation. It is also proof of submission and faith in God.
But, what about the importance of prayer in Christianity in general?
III – The Importance of Prayer in Christianity
1 • Prayer is life-changing communication
Indeed, communication is the foundation of any relationship. A relationship without communication cannot be stable. Communication with God is very important and even indispensable for us. Communication changes life: that is, prayer changes a life. Through prayer, our life and our relationship with Jesus take on another dimension that is better and stronger.
It is for this reason that the Bible tells us “pray without ceasing ” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), ” do not worry about anything; but in all things make your needs known to God by prayers and supplications, with thanksgiving “(Philippians 4: 6).
In a personal relationship with Jesus, prayer is a means of communication. How can we say with an intimate relationship with someone if we do not have contact with them? As you read this article on the importance of prayer in Christianity, do you not know that communication is the basis of all relationships? It is the same in the case of prayer, it is essential to lead a successful Christian life.
2 • Prayer Brings Us Closer and Closer to God.
Prayer is a chain that binds us with Heaven and allows us to keep in touch with Heaven. Through prayer, we, therefore, weave bonds with God, from whom flows all the excellent grace and every perfect gift descending from above, from the Father of Enlightenment (James 1: 17). This is the importance of prayer in Christianity: it allows us to have intimate bonds with God. It is the thread that keeps us in touch with God. The more we do not lead a life of prayer, the more fragile we are to the connection we have with the Lord. Yet the more time we give to prayer in our relationship with Jesus, the more we maintain a perfect connection with Him.
3 • To Pray Is to Give Permission to God to Act in Our Life.
One cannot speak of the importance of prayer in Christianity without noting this aspect: Prayer is a powerful key that can open all doors: the gates of joy, the doors of blessings, the gates of healing and so on. In a word, prayer decries every situation. Prayer is power; it changes situations; it makes the impossible possible. Prayer is a power that is at our disposal (Acts 12: 5-12 / Acts 16: 23-26).
O, man! Do you still want to know about the importance of prayer in Christianity? Consider this point: Through prayer, we empower God to act and manifest in our favor. Through prayer, we stay in touch with God, we remain connected to God (Luke 6: 12).
4 • Prayer, a Weapon, a Force, a Source of Spiritual Progress for the Christian.
One of the reasons that Christians easily succumb to temptation is because they do not pray enough. Prayer has been given to man as a weapon, a force, a source of spiritual progress. Did you make that remark? It’s a reality. When we do not have a life of prayer, we become easy prey for Satan. One of the problems of Christians is that they do not know how to use this force, this weapon: prayer.
How much are we to make prayer a priority in our relationship with God? Yet prayer must be a priority for a Christian who wants to maintain a lasting, stable, and intimate relationship with God. If Christians were aware of the importance of prayer, they would indulge in this unrestrained spiritual activity.
Through prayer, we gain the strength to overcome the trials, obstacles, and even pitfalls of Satan. In addition, Prayer is the strength of the Christian. A Christian life without prayer is a barren life and easy prey for the devil. Prayer is the driving force of all Christian life. The Christian’s first resort to difficulties or situations is to pray: to fix eyes on Jesus. Our joys, our sorrows, our gratitude, our worries, and our needs, etc. must be carried by prayer to God.
Moreover, prayer is a source of progress in our faith in our relationship with Jesus. Indeed, the Prayer reveals our desire and expresses our trust in God. Through prayer, we are approaching Him, of whom we seek to support and help. Prayer brings us comfort, joy, confidence and makes our faith grow; it allows us to fix our gaze on God, to depend on God, to root and solidify our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
So far, do you understand the importance of prayer in Christianity? To pray is also to maintain one’s relationship with God, through communication: always in touch with Jesus. Since to pray is to remain connected to Jesus. To pray is to incline the heart and the ear of God to us. To pray is to call on the hand of God on our behalf. To pray is to make room for God in our life. To pray is made by God the master and the shepherd of our souls.
Here are tips of love that I would like to share with you who read this blog:
“Are you in joy? Pray. Are you sad? Pray. Do you have questions that do not have an answer? Pray. Do you go through a delicate situation? Pray. Do you feel alone or abandoned? Pray. Are you looking for who you entrust? Pray. Are you disoriented or discouraged from life? Pray. Are you desperate? Pray. Are you in plenty? Pray. Are you in want or hunger? Pray. All around you seem darker or are you missing strength? Pray. Do you aspire to a better future? Pray. Does everything seem to go under good wheels in your life? Pray. ”
Prayer is the water of the spirit. As much as the human body needs water to work better. As much as you need a life of prayer as part of your spiritual life. Prayer is very important. That’s why I’d like to talk to the one who’s reading this blog now: ” Do not do anything without praying. Do not pray without doing anything. The prayer above all, after all, during everything. Prayer in all things and at all times. ”
Have you understood the importance of prayer in Christianity? You only have one thing left to do: Pray. Pray. Pray. And never stop praying. May God bless us and give us a life of prayer for the glory of His name, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Read also an article How to Pray to God
Or even better read the book: How to Pray: The Importance of Prayer