Why and How Christians Pray

Thus far in our TT, we have delved into the whys of Scriptural use and Christian Meditation. We understand the relevance, importance, and necessity they bring to making yoga genuinely Christian. 

In this module, we learn the third hallmark of what makes our practice Christian; prayer. Please commit this scripture to memory. 

Ephesians 6:18 says Believers should be “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” 

If we are to be praying at all times, then God must deem this a very relevant part of our Christian life. In fact, there are over 650 prayers in the Bible. 

An accurate definition of prayer from a biblical standpoint is this: “Prayer is an encounter with God in which we humbly communicate and worship the Lord, confess our sins and transgressions, and ask him to fulfill both our needs and the desires of our heart.” The Gospel Coalition

How Prayer Affects Our Spiritual Formation

Prayer is considered a spiritual discipline. It requires effort, time, and commitment. Prayer is an act of obedience and diligence to the Lord. 

Consider this analogy of prayer to working out. If you exercise your body, you will have many benefits, physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

The same is true with prayer. Praying makes us spiritually strong. When we don’t pray, we are weak, spiritually vulnerable, and feel separated from God. 

Prayer must be an integral part of our faith walk. The benefits of consistent and fruitful prayer life are this. We will become more like Christ, and our relationship with God is unified. With this in mind, when we pray, our primary goal is to learn to conform to God’s will. 

Jesus tells us in Luke 7:9-10, “So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

Christian, take heart to this truth! If it’s God’s will for us, then nothing will stop our prayers from being heard and answered according to how He sees fit. 

Key Components to Why Believers Pray:

Praying is Biblical. God has commanded us to pray, and there are several passages in the Bible to support its importance. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Colossians 4:2 

Philippians 4:6 

Ephesians 6:18

Romans 15:30

Matthew 6:5 

Matthew 5:44

Jesus prayed, making it an example for us to follow. If prayer was an integral part of the King of the Universe’s life, it should be equally important to ours. 

Matthew 14:23 

Matthew 26:36

Mark 1:35

Luke 5:16

Luke 6:12

Luke 18:1 

Prayer is our primary form of communication with God. Prayer is how we commune with God, access Him, confess our sins to Him, worship, and make our requests known. Without communication to God, our relationship with Him suffers. We feel spiritually secure, emotionally healthy, and our best when we connect with God through prayer. 

2 Chronicles 7:14

Hebrews 4: 15-16

Prayer develops humility. Through prayer, we’re reminded we aren’t in control; God is. He is sovereign overall. 

Matthew 18:4

Prayer is always accessible. You can pray anytime, anywhere, and God hears you. This is one of the remarkable facts of Christianity. We can approach His throne of grace and layout our hearts to Him whenever we feel the need. Prayer is how we protect ourselves from the harm of the enemy. As a Christian, you have access to God’s protection from evil and darkness through prayer. Prayer allows us to call on God to have victory over evil. This is especially important in the world of traditional yoga. We must put on the full armor of God and be alert and aware of the devil’s schemes surrounding the practice. 

Ephesians 6:12

Prayer Strengthens our life in the community with other Believers. Supplication, intercession for others, and lifting one another to God are some of the sweet privileges of being with the body of Believers. It connects our hearts to theirs. 

Just as important as why we pray is how to pray. Let's take a look at the following. 

How to Pray: 

Although we need no formal training, there are some simple ways you can approach God when praying. One of these is by applying the ACTS model of Adore, Confess, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

A- Adore: Offer words of praise, gratitude, love, adoration, admiration, and heartfelt expression to who God is. 

C- Confess: Admit and confess your sins.

T- Thanksgiving- Tell God what you are grateful for. 

S- Supplication- Pray for those in need, interceding on their behalf. 

Final thoughts: 

Rest assured, God has promised to hear us even when we don’t follow a model of prayer. He tells us this truth in Psalm 139: 1-4 as the psalmist reminds us that God knows what is on your mind before the words form on your lips. What a blessing for anyone who is challenged by praying. Feel confident in the promise of these words: 

You have searched me, Lord,

    and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

    you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

    you, Lord, know it completely

Call to Action: 

For the remainder of this module, you will need to invest in a prayer journal. This is your own personal book to house prayer. 

         A typical journal, notebook, or spiral binder will work well.

Memorize the Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6: 9-13

Memorize Ephesians 6:18 regarding prayer. 

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6: 9-13. 

Use these verses as a model for ACTS. 

This passage is most certainly a beloved prayer you can incorporate into your yoga classes. 

Select 3 scriptures that speak to you about the importance of prayer and place them in your prayer journal. 

What Does the Bible Say About Prayer? (openbible.info)

Write For Insight: 

How often do you pray? Although we hope to have a prayer life that involves daily prayer, let’s take a guilt-free assessment of where we are today.  What do the scriptures on prayer reveal to you in regards to your prayer life?Do you feel comfortable praying, or do you feel like this could be an area you need more practice? Why or Why not?Would you be more comfortable with a set prayer like Jesus used in the Lord’s prayer? Why or Why not?Time is an essential factor when it comes to praying regularly. If you need to set aside time to pray, when do you think would be the ideal time of day to pray regarding your schedule? If you recognize your need to improve your prayer life and become more diligent and steadfast to make prayer a part of your daily walk with God, then take time now to commit to doing that.

How would you rate your prayer life on a scale of 1-5? 5 being fruitful and faithful to the craft. Whatever the rating, elaborate on why you gave that score.