The Power of Prayer: Finding Peace, Strength, and Connection

Prayer is our strongest connection to God, yet so many Christians fail to tap into the power of prayer. Through prayer we communicate with God and form our relationship with Him. Our relationship with God can be difficult for some to wrap their minds around because He is not visible. However, in order for any good relationship to develop, you must communicate. If you didn't talk to your spouse or your best friend for a week, you would feel very distant from one another. The same applies to our relationship with God. When we don't talk to Him, we lack connection with Him. Today we are going to take a look at scripture to help us understand why to pray and how to pray.

Let's start by defining prayer: a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God. Philippians 4:6 explains prayer, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (emphasis added). God wants us to continually come to Him with everything we need. Again in Hebrews 4:16, we are encouraged to connect with God through prayer, "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Our prayer life is a lifeline to God's mercy and grace. When we connect with Him and share our triumphs and our tragedies, He provides us with what we need to continue on in this life to serve Him.

So why does the God of the universe want to hear from us? He longs to hear from us because we are His children, and He wishes to be close to us. Psalm 145:18 states, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Prayer is primarily seen as a two-way dialogue between you and God. It's not just about making requests but expressing gratitude, confessing sins, and simply connecting with God in worship and adoration. If you have children, you can relate to this relationship. As parents, we want our children to come to us with their problems. We want to be able to help them and guide them as they struggle in this life. Our desire is to make their burdens lighter, so they can be successful. God wants the same for you. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." I don't know about you, but this sounds like a blessing to me! Jesus is offering to take my burdens and inviting me to learn from Him, so I can find rest for my soul.

Now that we know more about why to pray, let's talk about how to pray. Many believe there's a specific formula for prayer, but there isn't one. Prayer is simply talking to God. He values the sincerity of your heart over eloquent speech. There's no need for fancy words or public displays. Pray genuinely, humbly, and from the heart. This may vary for each person since we are all unique. In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus explains prayer, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." These verses explain that your words are not as important as your heart posture. Jesus is saying that you don't have to go on and on so others will be impressed by your words. In fact, He says to go into your room and close the door so others do not hear you. There is definitely a place for public prayer, but most of your prayer life is done in private. God is the only one listening to you, and He just stated that He is not concerned with your words because He already knows what you need! Think about that, you aren't telling God anything He doesn't already know. Prayer is a way for you to remind yourself that God is in control and He will take care of all your needs.

Prayer should not intimidate you! It is an essential element in developing your relationship with God. If you don't know what to pray, that is ok too. God has given you the Holy Spirit to help you. Romans 8:26 explains, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." The Holy Spirit if your counselor. He was given to you in order to help you in this life. Allow the Spirit to guide you into a better prayer life.

We will end with the great advice given in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." If you can do that everyday, you will be connected to God on a new level and experience the power of Him everyday! We have no excuse not to pray. Start today and see how God can use prayer to change your life.

How often do you pray?

Change Image

• Everyday
• Most Days
• Weekly
• In an emergency

See All Options

If you have questions about prayer or how to improve your prayer life, contact us. We would be delighted to assist you in uncovering the impact of prayer in your life. Watch our YouTube video on prayer for additional teachings.

Contact Us

Video Link