What does the Bible say about prayer?

Is your prayer life a struggle? Does prayer seem like an exercise in eloquent speeches that you simply don't have? Find biblical answers to many of your prayer questions.

What does the Bible say about prayer?
Prayer is not a mysterious practice reserved only for clergy and religious devotees. Prayer is simply communicating with God, listening and talking to him. Believers can pray from the heart, freely, spontaneously and in their own words. If prayer is a difficult area for you, learn these basic principles of prayer and how to apply them in your life.

The Bible has a lot to say about prayer. The first mention of the prayer is in Genesis 4:26: “And as for Seth, a son was born to him also; and called him Enos. Then men began to invoke the name of the Lord ”. (NKJV)

What is the correct position for prayer?
There is no correct or certain posture for prayer. In the Bible, people prayed on their knees (1 Kings 8:54), bowing (Exodus 4:31), in the face before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39) and standing (1 Kings 8:22) . You can pray with your eyes open or closed, in silence or aloud, in any way you are more comfortable and less distracted.

Should I use eloquent words?
Your prayers don't necessarily have to be verbose or impressive in speaking:

“When you pray, don't chat over and over like people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words over and over. " (Matthew 6: 7, NLT)

Don't be quick with your mouth, don't be in a hurry in your heart to say something before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5: 2, NIV)

Why should I pray?
Prayer develops our relationship with God. If we never talk to our spouse or never hear something our spouse might tell us, our marital relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer - communicating with God - helps us draw closer and be more intimately connected with God.

I will take that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call my name and I will answer them. I will say, "These are my servants" and they will say, "The Lord is our God." "(Zechariah 13: 9, NLT)

But if you stay close to me and my words remain in you, you can ask for any request you like, and it will be granted! (John 15: 7, NLT)

The Lord has instructed us to pray. One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the Lord has taught us to pray. Obedience to God is a natural by-product of discipleship.

“Be careful and pray. Otherwise, temptation overwhelms you. Even if the spirit is quite available, the body is weak! " (Matthew 26:41, NLT)

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18: 1, NIV)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With that in mind, be vigilant and continue to pray for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18, NIV)

What if I don't know how to pray?
The Holy Spirit will help you in prayer when you don't know how to pray:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We don't know what we should pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with moans that words cannot express. And whoever scrutinizes our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8: 26-27, NIV)

Are there any requirements to pray successfully?
The Bible sets out some requirements for successful praying:

A humble heart
If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn away from their evil ways, then I will listen from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV)

wholeheartedness
You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all my heart. (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV)

Fede
So I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, you believe you have received it and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24, NIV)

Justice
So confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16, NIV)

Obedience
And we will receive everything we ask because we obey him and do the things he likes. (1 John 3:22, NLT)

Does God listen and respond to prayer?
God listens and answers our prayers. Here are some examples of the Bible.

The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; frees them from all their problems. (Psalm 34:17, NIV)

He will call me and I will answer him; I will be in trouble with him, I will release him and honor him. (Psalm 91:15, NIV)

Why are some prayers not answered?
Sometimes our prayers are not answered. The Bible provides several reasons or causes for failure in prayer:

Disobedience - Deuteronomy 1:45; 1 Samuel 14:37
Secret Sin - Psalm 66:18
Indifference - Proverbs 1:28
Neglect of mercy - Proverbs 21:13
Despising the law - Proverbs 28: 9
Blood guilt - Isaiah 1:15
Iniquity - Isaiah 59: 2; Micah 3: 4
Stubbornness - Zechariah 7:13
Instability or doubt - James 1: 6-7
Self-indulgence - James 4: 3

Sometimes our prayers are rejected. Prayer must be in accordance with the divine will of God:

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask for something according to his will, he listens to us. (1 John 5:14, NIV)

(See also - Deuteronomy 3:26; Ezekiel 20: 3)

Do I have to pray alone or with others?
God wants us to pray with other believers:

Once again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree on something you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven. (Matthew 18:19, NIV)

And when the time came for the burning of the incense, all the assembled faithful prayed outside. (Luke 1:10, NIV)

They all constantly joined in prayer, together with the women and Mary, mother of Jesus, and her brothers. (Acts 1:14, NIV)

God also wants us to pray alone and in secret:

But when you pray, go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is invisible. So your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6: 6, NIV)

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a lonely place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35, NIV)

Yet the news about him spread even more, so that crowds of people come to listen to him and be cured of their diseases. But Jesus often retired to solitary places and prayed. (Luke 5: 15-16, NIV)

In those days it happened that he went out on the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12, NKJV)