Prayer is a two-way communication with God or a solemn request for help addressed to Him. As a form of intimate communion with God in worship, it usually consists of thanksgiving, adoration, confession, intercession and petition. Based on God’s love for His children, He made prayer available as a means of communicating with Him. God’s grace gives us things we do not deserve, while His mercy shields us from things that are detrimental to our well-being. We connect with His grace and mercy when we pray. As believers in Christ, we are able to relate with God on a personal level in the place of prayer because God manifested himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ, and He has opened to us the door of access to the throne room of heaven. He desires all men and women created in His image and redeemed by His Blood to call upon His Name in prayer, and He promises that they will receive answers from Him. Through our answered prayers, He proves His existence and ability to do all things. Matthew 6:6 says:
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

Prayer is an act of faith because it carries with it the assumption that God is willing and at the same time able to hear and respond to the petitions of His children. When we pray, we acknowledge our weakness, limitation and total helplessness, while declaring total trust and reliance on God’s power to solve whatever problem is presented to Him. Prayer is therefore both a wonderful privilege and a solemn responsibility for God’s children. Speaking on prayer, Jeremiah 29:12 says,
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.”
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus Christ, in Matthew 7:7, says,
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
These passages and many more in the Bible clearly reveal God’s attitude towards prayer. God is a prayer-answering God who is always moved by love and compassion to respond to the prayer requests of His children. Be encouraged therefore to come boldly to the throne of grace with the assurance of obtaining mercy, favour and spiritual empowerment in times of need (Hebrews 4:16).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.