Why do we pray?

Why do we pray? Tony Payne provides a helpful answer to this question in his study book Bold I Approach - The Why & How of Prayer. He demonstrates that in the Bible we are shown how prayer performs four crucial functions in our Christian lives. The following are some sections taken directly from that book.

‘In prayer, we grasp hold of God’s blessings (Rom 10:10-13; 1 John 1:5-2:2; Luke 11:9-13) Since God is a person, and our relationship with him is personal, it is natural that the way we relate to him is by talking. For his part, God speaks to us and makes certain promises e.g. to forgive those who repent and put their trust in him because of the blood of Christ. For our part, we accept his gracious offer by confessing our sin, begging his forgiveness, and asking for the promised Holy Spirit. By simply talking to God, we grasp hold of the blessings that he offers and make then our own.

In prayer, we give thanks for God’s blessings (Ps 107; Eph 1:15-16; Phil 1:3-6; Col 1:3-8). One cannot read the prayers of the New Testament, and especially those of Paul, without being struck by how full they are of thanksgiving. Having called upon the Lord and received all the rich blessing which he offers, Paul never ceases to give thanks to the Father for all that he has received. Since God’s salvation, and all his blessings, come to us through his free and undeserved mercy, the immediate and ongoing response of the Christian is thanksgiving. If we have earned God’s forgiveness, our response might be self congratulation. But since it all comes by grace, our impulse is to congratulate God, to pour out thanks to him. This is true not only of our salvation, but of all the good things that we receive from God’s hand.

In prayer, we grow and persevere (Eph 1:17-19; 6:10-20 Phil 1:9-11; 4:4-7; Col 1:9-12; Rom 8:22-28; Matt 6:9-13). The Apostle Paul is never content simply to thank God for where his people have come to. He always wants to go further. In the context of our weakness and struggle to persevere, we find one of the most important functions prayer has in our lives as Christians, prayer is our ongoing contact with homebase. It is God’s appointed means for our perseverance and growth. As Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, it is God who makes things grow – and so it is to God that we go in prayer to ask for grace in the times of need, to ask for growth in our knowledge and faith, and love, to ask that he keep us firm to the end in Christ Jesus. Prayer is not only how we ask God to help us persevere, but is one of the key ways by which we persevere. As we devote ourselves to prayer, to talking regularly with our Father, we keep our minds on the job.

In prayer, we are God’s fellow-workers (1 Cor 3:5-9; Phil 1:19; Col 4:2-4). Just as prayer is how we grow and persevere, so it is the way we help others grow and persevere. In prayer, we become God’s fellow-workers, participating with him in his grand plan to save his people and bring them into his eternal kingdom.

Prayer, far from being useless or unnecessary, performs all kinds of important functions in the Christian life. It is the way God has appointed for us to relate to him, to grab hold of the blessings that he offers, to thank him for them, to grow and persevere in them, and to work with him in brings others to glory as well.’

David Freeman (Pastoral Assistant)