“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” – Psalm 27:8 KJV
Prayer is the means by which we communicate with God. It is a spiritual privilege of all Christians. Non-believers can pray, but only the prayer of repentance, confession and forgiveness. Believers can ask God for anything without limits. As long as the need is within the perfect will of God, it is acceptable.
Prayer brings many benefits to believers. These benefits encompass the body, soul and spirit. Prayer brings us closer to God, changes our lives and takes us deeper into the supernatural realm. Without prayer, we may experience little of what God has for us. Prayer has a lot to offer to those who believe and practice it regularly.
10 Benefits of Prayer
1. Prayer Deepens our relationship with God
When we pray, we talk to God, a Living Being. Just as we relate with family and friends, God wants us to draw close to Him everyday. Prayer is one of the effective ways to develop a relationship with the Father. When we pray, we have a conversation with God, and tell Him what is on our minds. True friends often understand each other. The more we pray, the stronger our relationship with God will be.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. – John 14:23 KJV
2. Prayer Makes Us Understand God More
When we pray, we talk to the Living and True God. Knowing God helps us to pray and live better lives. The more of God we know, the deeper we understand His nature, desires and perfect will. Believers who pray regularly will have grace to live in accordance with the will of God more than those who don’t pray.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. – James 1:5
3. Prayer Produces Results
God answers prayers and will answer us when we pray. One of the purposes of prayer is to receive answers. When we pray, we have faith that God will answer. The more we pray, the more we trust that it will produce the results we seek. That’s why we must take prayer as a serious practice. Whatever needs we have, when we pray, we believe. Our faith moves God to send answers to our specific prayers.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3 KJV
4. Prayer Enables Divine Guidance
If you need guidance, pray. If you need a sense of direction in life, talk to God through prayer. God is willing and ready to help us navigate through life. But He can do nothing unless we pray. It is through prayer that we tell Him to guide us in the direction we should go. There is a lot of confusion in this world. We need God to lead us by the hand until we reach the Promised Land.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord : and he delighteth in his way. – Psalm 37:23 KJV
5. Prayer Gives Us Power to Overcome Temptations
We cannot overcome temptations by our own strength. The spiritual battles we face in life are stronger than what human power can do. Only a higher power can help us overcome the tempting sounds and attractive sights around us. Prayer helps us seek divine power to live above sin and overcome temptations that come our way. When we pray, God strengthens us not to fall into temptation.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41 KJV
6. Prayer Makes Us Accept God’s Perfect Will
The will of man opposes God every day. The systems of this world are designed to contend with the righteous demands of God. Our fallen human nature doesn’t like to do the will of God. It prefers to satisfy its lusts and selfish desires. It takes a life of surrender to receive, accept and do the will of God. Until we give up living for ourselves, we cannot truly live for God. Prayer offers the opportunity to tell God to free us from self-will and bring us into doing His will at all times.
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. – Matthew 26:42 KJV
7. Prayer Produces Miracles and Healing
Prayer is the means through which we tell God what is happening in our lives. When we are sick, we must carry God along. We should not meet a doctor without meeting God first. God can use medication and non medication channels to heal us. That’s why we should not be afraid to pray for healing deliverance and miracles. Nothing is impossible with God when we pray.
O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. – Psalm 30:2 KJV
8. Prayer Brings Us into the Spirit’s Power
The power of the Holy Spirit is available to believers today. We need His presence and ability to live in accordance with the will of God. It is the Spirit thst gives us power over temptations, not angels or our faith. Our faith can only believe and attract Him. But the actual power to live for God comes from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Spirit will empower us to be true witnesses. To become true witnesses, our words, thoughts and actions must be pleasing to God. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us such power, ability and grace.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. – Acts 4:31 KJV
9. Prayer Changes Our Nature to that of Christ
The purpose of God is to make us like Jesus in every way. We become like Jesus when we desire and pray to be like Him. Nothing frustrates the efforts of the devil like a believer who aims to become like Jesus in thought, word and deed. It is the will of the Father and the reason Christ died. It is through prayer that we ask for the same grace and power that was on Jesus.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. – Ephesians 3:14-19 KJV
10. Prayer Gives Us Victory Over Evil Spirits
Satan and his agents are doing everything to keep us far from God. If they must fail, we must not fail to pray. Prayer is one of the spiritual weapons God has given us. We must learn to use it in combination with other weapons. Right living and prayer go together. Faith and prayer must come together in the battle against the forces of evil and darkness.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV
It is Time to Pray
Prayer is one of the signs of our practical faith in God. If we believe that there is God, then we should pray to Him. If we believe that all things are possible with God, then we must take all our needs to Him in prayer. Prayer is a sign of active faith in God. That’s why we must not play with prayer. We must take it seriously for all the benefits it brings. Therefore, it is time to pray.