If God knows what our needs are then why must we take time to pray?

*****This is a guest blog written by Christopher Olsson. The views and beliefs in this blog may or may not match the views and beliefs that influence 1989 Outreach *****

If God knows what our needs are then why must we take time to pray?

Prayer helps us to recognize God as our Father. As our father God wants a intimate relationship with us. God not only wants to be our Father but our very close friend. What father can build a relationship with his child apart from talking to his child?

We also know that friendships do not survive where there is no communication. Likewise, the strength of your relationship with God is dependent on your prayer life. God will not go where He is not wanted. If you don’t want Him involved in your circumstances, He WILL allow you to go it alone.

Prayer shows our dependence on God. It is true that God knows what we need; but He is waiting to see if we will bring our needs to Him in prayer. Like children are dependent on their parents, we are dependent on our heavenly Father to meet our needs. Yet, so many believers do not take time out of their day to pray. How then do they get their needs met?

They go it alone and try to meet their own needs in the natural. By doing this they often will make a mess of heir lives. Then and only then will they go to God in prayer. Why can’t this be our first response? Then we would save ourselves a lot of heartache.

Let me extend a word of caution. God does not act as a heavenly Santa who gives us all we want. However, God gives us all that we need to fulfill His Will for our lives. The key to getting our needs met is that we ask in faith and our requests align with the Will of God. As God’s Word says “But let him ask in faith with no doubting for He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For not let that man think he will receive anything from the Lord” James 1:6-7.

Some people say that your prayers are not answered because you do not have enough faith, when it is actually a complete absence of faith that cause your prayers to go unanswered. You don’t need to have giant faith to get your prayers answered. The Bible says, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds. What this illustration tells us is that even the smallest bit of faith maintained by a believer will lead to answered prayers.

As your faith grows, and it will as you see God do amazing things in your life, you will receive greater faith to ask God for bigger things. You will be amazed at what God wants to do in your life. As your faith increases, He will be able to do those things as a part of your prayer life.

Now I want to cover reasons people don’t pray…

Many people who have never prayed before will not know how to pray. The Bible gives us some comfort here, in Romans 8:26-27, letting us know that the Spirit also helps us in our weakness. Lets face it! None of us know how to pray from our man-centered understanding, much less pray the will of God, but each born again believer has the Holy Sprit who aids them in prayer. We are also blessed that the Spirit knows the Will of God; so when we pray outside of God’s Will for us, the Spirit intercedes.

What do I say? Just talk to God as if you were talking to a friend; because that is what God wants to be for you. When you talk to God tell him what you need, tell him your desires and dreams. The worse God can do is say no. The Word says “no good thing will God withhold from His children who walk uprightly” Psalm 84:11. Why is God not answering my prayer, you may ask? It seems to me like the best thing for me? God knows what is best for us, so He may and WILL deny a request if it is not part of His plan. Therefore, you may be praying over something that is good but is not part of His best for you.

Another reason people do not pray is because God seems so far away. I will provide 2 answers from the Bible to communicate that God never leaves His children. Hebrews 13:5 declares “ I will never leave you nor forsake you.” I also turn your attention to Matthew 28:20, “I will be with you always even to the end of the age.” At the cross, Jesus was forsaken so that you would never be alone. You may be saying you feel alone, and may I urge you to consider that it’s not because God has left you alone. One possible reason for this feeling of loneliness is your faith is being tested. God is often the closest in the most difficult of times. Moreover, Romans 5:3-4 states that, “tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance [produces] character, and character [produces] hope.” There is a gospel song that has this line “When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.” What does it mean to trust God’s Heart? It means to know God has the best intent toward you, which is working something for your good (Romans 8:28).

There is one more reason God may seem so far away – cherished sin that has been unconfessed. If you are struggling and there is cherished sin attached to your situation, God is still there with you but He will not honor your situation, because He is conforming you to the image of His Son. Psalm 66:18 states “If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear.” To the person who is keeping sin in his or her heart, God hasn’t moved. Because God cannot look on sin with approval when we cherish sin in our hearts, we break off our relationship with God and we ourselves have moved away from Him towards the source of the sin. Until you confess your sin to God, the relationship cannot be restored.

Does this mean you are losing your entire relationship with God (salvation)? As I will discuss in my next study, “Is God Still Your Father,” you will still have your relationship and salvation, but you will lose access to some of the “abundance” that God wants for you to experience. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

So we are left with the question, “how often should I pray?” I believe Christians should pray every day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 says it very simply, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.” In the day we live, Christians need to pray to stay empowered. For those with busy schedules, I urge you to remember that we make time for the things we most value. It may take the sacrifice of getting up early, but you can pray.

In “The Parable of the Persistent Widow,” found in Luke 18:1-8, we are reminded that men should always pray. I will close by adapting the end of the parable to ask you a question, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith [in your life]?”