Ways how Christians could benefit from praying
Christians must develop the habit of constant prayer to please our Creator and have righteous and abundant lives. Image: Ben White| Unsplash
In our busy mundane lives, God continually calls us to seek Him by praying. Our fast-paced, materialistic, and technology-driven world makes us overindulge in feeding our false sense of entitlement. Our primary concerns become our bank accounts, possessions, jobs, and things of this world—praying sadly takes the backseat amid everything.
We also spend more time with our cell phones, basking in digital space doing work, and more hours in mindless social media and internet games. As a result, we often forget about God and the more critical endeavors like praying and reading the Bible.
Jesus Christ was a man of prayer. Being the Messiah, Jesus required solitude to communicate with His Heavenly Father and glorify Him as His Maker. At dawn’s first light, Jesus Christ often prayed.
We are called to emulate and identify with Christ. Prayer is a potent instrument that enables us to connect with God, implore His direction, fortitude, and forgiveness, and convey our appreciation and adoration.
The Benefits of Praying to Christians
There are numerous reasons why Christians need to pray. Like our earthly fathers, God is pleased when we come to Him in genuine fellowship and rapport.
Here are some of the significant benefits that Christians can gain if we develop a robust prayer life:
We Get Direct Access to God
“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.” — Hebrews 4:16
On the Day of Atonement (also called Yom Kippur), a special Jewish yearly feast day celebration marked by animal sacrifice according to God (Leviticus 16), only a High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to ask for absolution on behalf of the Hebrews. But, due to the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can now directly address our Lord through supplication and reverential worship.
We Can Express Our Gratitude to God
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Prayer is often seen as simply asking the Almighty for something. But, it is also a way of keenly expressing gratitude for all the grace and blessings bestowed on us.
Nothing is more pleasing to God than saying grace over our meals with our families. We recognize the Lord’s presence and express thanksgiving for things such as good health, our families, friendships, and other bounties. Gratefulness breeds humility that aligns with God’s will in our lives.
Prayer Washes Away Our Sins
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.” — Psalm 51:2-3
The Bible says that we are all sinners. We feel we are beyond remedy because of our constant sins of addiction and marital infidelity. But, when we plead with God in prayer and confession, our souls are washed of our iniquities. No other power or authority in the heavens and on earth can forgive us of sin except our Lord Jesus Christ. When we approach the Lord with sincere repentance, we gain forgiveness, and our souls are wiped clean of sin.
We Can Seek God’s Will in Our Lives
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” — 1 John 5:14
We constantly grapple with praying in agreement with God’s will. How could it be probable for us to become enlightened about God’s intent?
John 9:31 mentions: “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.”
Sin keeps us from having our prayers answered by God. We often need help understanding the Lord’s thinking, and His scheme is frequently different from our goals in life. But yet, through unvarying and sincere prayer, we will soon unlock and make clear His plan for us.
We Can Ask God for Help and Protection
“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.” — James 5:13
In the pursuit of our mundane lives, we often encounter pain, sickness, and trouble. Our world falls apart when we catch cancer or lose our jobs. When we seek refuge and remedy from the world, we often end up more desperate and hopeless.
A prayer is a powerful tool that can bring comfort and peace to our lives. It can help us deal with difficult situations and give us the strength to overcome them. Through prayer, we can seek guidance and wisdom from God and ask for His protection.
We Can Seek God’s Provisions
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” — Matthew 7:7
In the desert, the ungrateful Israelites always complained about many things during their sojourn, even food and lack of spices. Despite their stubbornness, God rained manna on them for their sustenance. God exhibits such great love for us today.
When we seek His providence and love, He hears our requests for our earthly needs. He is the Great Provider who grants us our supplies to continue in our journey called life.
Prayer Wards off Evil
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — James 4:7
Since the beginning of Creation, humanity has been besieged by the thwarts and deceptions of the Enemy. The sins of our first parents brought about the Fall as a consequence of the works of the devil.
Today, the battle rages as we constantly engage in a spiritual battle with Satan and his evil cohorts. Ephesians 6:12 reads, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” But the devil flees when we pray in God’s holy name.
It Makes Us Sound and Healthy
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” — James 5:16
God is our Great Healer. Jesus has shown that faith has brought healing to many lepers and blind people in the past. Our constant fellowship with God through prayer gives us a sound mind and the wisdom to care for our bodies.
In the book “God, Faith, and Health,” Jeff Levin, Ph.D., wrote, “Frequent prayer, whether public or private, is associated with better health and emotional well-being and lower levels of psychological distress.”
The Power of Prayer
We must pray, celebrate, express our gratitude to God, appeal for forgiveness, and look for His counsel during our mundane lives.
As Colossians 3:2 states, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” A prayer life wrapped up in the Spirit is the foundation of a holy fellowship with God.
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