Why Prayer Works

    Why does prayer work? Have you ever wondered why saying words, either outloud or in your head, to someone you can not touch or see, changes anything? As Christians we are told to pray. We are promised that God hears us, and will respond according to His will. But at times we wonder is this changing anything, or am I practicing a religious routine? For those who have ever wondered why all this makes a difference, let me remind you why prayer works, in hopes that these reminders will enrich your prayer life. 

What I mean by “prayer”

    A mom and her daughter are reading from the child’s Bible story book. As the mom reads of Jesus going alone to pray, the daughter asks, “Mom, what is praying?” The answer is simple, “Praying is when we talk to Jesus.” This is the first definition of prayer we learn. It is rudimentary, but efficient for young minds. As we mature in age, prayer becomes more complicated. We begin adding categories and subcategories of prayer. We speak of healing prayer, prayers of confessions, prayers of praise. We devise formulas and approaches to prayer. None of which are bad, but let us not forget that prayer, at its foundation, is a child speaking with his or her caring heavenly Father. 

Prayer works because God is real

    1 Kings 18:20-40 relates the epic battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Atop Mount Carmel, the two sides squared off, each intending to prove the supremacy of their god. Each side built an altar, laying a sacrificial animal upon it. Elijah’s ground rules were simple, “you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” (v. 24) From morning until late afternoon the prophets of Baal called out, going to the extreme measures of cutting themselves to get their god’s attention. But, “no one answered, no one paid attention.” (v. 29) 

    Then came Elijah’s turn. After soaking the altar with water, three times. He lifted his voice and called upon God. God answered. “Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (v. 38) God answered because He is real, Baal was not. 

    A foundational beginning to prayer is the existence of God. He is real. When you pray you are speaking to a real being. He is divine. His existence is nothing like yours and mine. He does not dwell on this earth, He is not made of flesh. He exists outside of time and space. But God is real. He is not the figment of imagination, nor is He the result of religious tradition. When you pray, you pray to someone. 

Prayer works because God can 

    God is the most powerful being in the universe. In fact His power is limitless. In theological circles this reality is referred to as God’s omnipotence. Wayne Grudem defines God’s omnipotence as, “God is able to do all His holy will.” When you pray there is nothing that God can not do. Too great a challenge does not exist, because God is all powerful. No marriage is too broken. No sin is unforgivable. No one is too sick. 

    God is all knowing. God is able to accomplish His holy will, and knows exactly how to accomplish that will in the perfect way. 

Prayer works because God will

    Have you ever experienced a time when someone could help you, they just chose not to? No good reason was given, the lack of aid did not serve a greater purpose, simply, that person just did not care enough to help. Prayer works not only because God can, but He will. He cares enough to intervene. 

    The Bible tells us that God is love. Jesus applied this concept to prayer explaining that no father would give his son a rock if he asked for bread, or a snake if the son asked for a fish. God loves us more than our own parents, so, “how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11) Let this sink in - God loves you more than any other person has ever loved you. Some reading this will have been loved deeply, some will have never really experienced healthy love. But God loves you perfectly, because He is perfect. We can only love as perfect as our nature, and since God is perfect, His love for you is perfect as well. 

    God will because He loves you and has promised to act on your behalf. Jesus also said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7) God has promised to act, He will not sit idly by as His children are in need. He does not always act on our time frame, or in the way we think He should. But He will act, and His answer to your prayer will be perfect. 

Prayer works because God is the central figure in prayer, not you

    This fact pushes against ego and inflated self image. You are not the most important variable in the prayer equation; God is. Prayer does not work because you pray well. Nor does prayer fall apart because of your inexperience or lack of spiritual vocabulary. Prayer works because its effectiveness depends on God, not you. 

    Romans 8:26-27 reminds us that even as we pray, one greater than us is at work. “ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” The Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is interceding on our behalf. As we pray, He is perfectly at work, the Spirit connects God’s will and our heart. 

    All of God’s nature convenes to answer our prayer. His perfect knowledge, His limitless power, His loving care for us, all work together to answer our prayer. God is the central figure in prayer. Prayer does not work because we pray well. Prayer works because God answers perfectly. 

   

So, pray

    Search Amazon for books on how to pray. The search will return over 3,000 entries. I am sure many of these books are helpful, and worth the time you would spend reading them. But as you pray, remember why prayer works. Prayer works, not because of you, but because of the one listening.