The Necessity of Prayer

1. Prayer is Faith in Action, Claiming God's Promises.

In the ultimate issue, prayer is simply faith, claiming its natural yet marvellous prerogatives -- faith taking possession of its illimitable inheritance.

Faith's foundation. Prayer is not merely a religious duty but an active expression of faith. It's the initial quality required to communicate with the Unseen, stretching forth hands of belief where proof is impossible. This foundational faith enables the impossible, as it moves God to act on our behalf, and with God, nothing is impossible.

Divine power unleashed. Our Lord demonstrated that immense power is committed to faith and prayer, not for destruction but for blessing. When we pray, we must "believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." This isn't a vague hope but a conscious appropriation of the Divine, a realized certainty that what we ask will come to pass if doubt is banished.

Guarding faith. Jesus Himself prayed for Peter's faith not to fail, knowing that when faith crumbles, the entire spiritual life collapses. Faith is the starting point for all other graces, nurtured by prayer, and every step of spiritual growth is accompanied by it. When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live.

2. Genuine Prayer Springs from Definite, Undoubting Trust.

Perfect faith has always in its keeping what perfect prayer asks for.

Specific requests. Authentic faith in prayer must be definite and free of doubt, not merely a general belief in God's goodness. Just as faith is specific, so too will the answer be precise: "He shall have whatsoever he saith." This means prayer selects the exact things, and God commits to fulfilling those specific petitions.

Beyond mental assent. Faith is not just an abstract belief or mental agreement; it's a divine operation, an illumination implanted by God's Word and Spirit. It actively deals with God, sees Christ as Savior, grasps truth from His Word, and is energized by the Holy Spirit. God is the ultimate objective, and faith rests its entire weight on His promises.

Overcoming foes. Doubt and fear are the primary enemies of faith, often usurping its place and leading to restless, ineffective prayer. Like Peter sinking when he doubted, we must fix our eyes on God's strength, not our weakness. Cultivating faith through diligent prayer, reading God's Word, and enduring trials strengthens it, leading to perfect peace and answered prayers.

3. Deep Desire is the Soul's Fuel for Earnest Prayer.

Without desire, prayer is a meaningless mumble of words.

Craving for attainment. Desire is not a simple wish but a deep-seated craving and intense longing, an absolute essential for prayer. It precedes, accompanies, and is intensified by prayer, which serves as its oral expression. The deeper the desire, the stronger and more meaningful the prayer becomes, moving beyond mere perfunctory words.

Spiritual hunger. A profound sense of spiritual need naturally creates earnest desire, much like physical hunger prompts a request for bread. This inward consciousness of need breaks forth into fervent prayer, proving the presence of a renewed heart and a stirring spiritual life. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

Cultivating desire. While we can't always conjure desire at will, we should pray for it, as it is God-given. Devout contemplation of our spiritual needs and God's readiness to meet them helps desire grow, making prayer more insistent and focused. A lack of ardour in prayer often signals a lack of deep desire, indicating God's absence from the heart.

4. Fervency Ignites Prayer, Making it Effectual and Powerful.

Prayers must be red hot.

Heartfelt intensity. Prayer without fervour is empty, lacking the heart, soul, and life necessary to move heaven. It's the "fervent, effectual prayer" that avails much, requiring a warmth of soul that creates an atmosphere favorable to prayer. This fire is not noise or fuss, but an intense glow and burn, abhorrent to a cold or phlegmatic spirit.

Divine fire within. God desires warm-hearted servants, and the Holy Spirit descends as fire to dwell within us, baptizing us with the Holy Ghost and with fire. To be consumed by God's will, with our whole being aflame, is the qualifying condition for effectual prayer. This divine fire is the very essence of the Spirit of God, not mere mental vehemence.

Conquering force. Fervency makes one alert and vigilant, enabling prayers to push through resisting forces to reach God. Great Bible figures like the Psalmist, whose soul "panted after Thee, O God," exemplify this ardour. God pledges to give us the desire of our hearts in proportion to the fervency we exhibit, making it a precursor to His answers.

5. Importunity: The Persistent, Unyielding Pursuit of God.

Importunate prayer is a mighty movement of the soul toward God.

Unfainting persistence. Jesus taught that "men ought always to pray and not to faint," emphasizing the necessity of importunity—pressing our desires upon God with urgency and perseverance. It's a tenacious hold, a passion of the soul that neither relaxes nor ceases until the plea is heard and the cause won.

Spirit-wrought wrestling. This wrestling quality in importunate prayer isn't physical vehemence but an inwrought force, aroused by the Holy Spirit. It's the Spirit's intercession within us, urging our prayers at the mercy-seat until the blessing descends. This persistence is evident in biblical figures:

• Abraham's repeated intercessions for Sodom.
• Jacob wrestling all night with the angel.
• Moses praying forty days and nights to avert God's wrath.
• Elijah praying seven times for rain.
• Daniel pressing his case for three weeks.

Overcoming obstacles. The parables of the Unjust Judge and the Syrophoenician woman illustrate how importunity conquers all difficulties, even apparent neglect or opposition. God patiently waits for His elect to cry day and night, honoring their faith that stays and cries, ultimately granting their plea in plenitude.

6. Righteous Character and Conduct are Foundations for Effective Prayer.

The stream of prayer cannot rise higher than the fountain of living.

Character shapes prayer. Prayer profoundly influences conduct, which in turn shapes character. While some moral conduct may exist without prayer, distinctive religious character and Christian conduct are impossible without it. Prayer helps establish and maintain holiness of heart and righteousness of life, which is the very purpose of Christ's atoning work.

Inward transformation. True Christianity aims to change unholy men into holy ones, transforming inward badness into goodness. This supernatural change is wrought through earnest, persistent prayer, not by works alone. Without prayer, such a radical moral transformation cannot occur, making any alleged form of Christianity that fails to do so a delusion.

Life's influence. Our inner character, not just outward appearance, determines our influence with God. Bad living leads to bad praying, eventually ceasing altogether. An inconsistent life obstructs prayer and neutralizes its power. Only "the prayer of the righteous man which availeth much" truly avails, as God turns His ears away from the prayers of those whose hands are full of blood or who cling to sin.

7. Obedience to God Unlocks Boldness and Answers in Prayer.

Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight.

Love in action. Obedience is a high virtue, faith in action, and the ultimate test of love. It conserves love and is the condition for receiving the Holy Spirit in full measure. Jesus Himself abode in the Father's love by always doing what pleased Him, setting the example for us.

Divine enablement. God never commands what we cannot obey. Through Christ's atonement and the Holy Spirit's agency, man receives enabling grace to obey every command. This grace is furnished without measure in response to prayer, leaving man without excuse for disobedience.

Confidence in approach. Implicit and perfect obedience is the state to which the man of prayer is called. "Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting," signifies inward fidelity and outward cleanness, which are concomitants of acceptable praying. An obedient child approaches God's throne with confidence and boldness, knowing their ways are well-pleasing in His sight.

8. Vigilance and Constant Prayer are Essential for Spiritual Warfare.

The Christian soldier, if he fight to win, must pray much.

Life as warfare. The Christian life is an intense, lifelong conflict against invisible foes—spiritual wickedness in high places. It's not a picnic but a war, demanding constant vigilance and unceasing prayer to frustrate the enemy and emerge victorious. Many Christians underestimate this reality and the demands it places on them.

Armor and prayer. Paul's description of the Christian soldier's "whole armour of God" culminates in prayer. Prayer is the pivot, the connecting link that holds the armor together and renders it effective. It must impregnate every effort, venture, and decision, making the Christian soldier as intense in praying as in fighting, for victory depends more on prayer than on combat.

Unsleeping watchfulness. The Christian soldier is on constant picket-duty, facing a foe who never sleeps. "Watch and pray" is the perpetual command. Sleepless wakefulness is the price of victory over spiritual enemies. Vigilance, watchfulness, and a mounted guard are inseparable companions and safeguards of prayer, ensuring that temporary setbacks don't become permanent defeats.

9. God's Word is the Basis and Nourishment for All True Prayer.

God's Word is the basis, as it is the directory of the prayer of faith.

The Bible as a prayer book. Just as God's house is called "the house of prayer," the Bible can be called the "Book of Prayer," teeming with instances, commands, and encouragements concerning prayer. It reveals that God's cause and work are committed to praying men, and prayerless men are never used by Him.

Fuel for faith. When Christ's Word dwells richly within us, it transforms into prayer. Faith, constructed from the Word and Spirit, forms the substance of prayer. The Word of God is the fulcrum upon which the lever of prayer is placed, enabling mighty movements. Promises stored in the heart become the fuel, nourishing prayer and making it strong.

Beyond the promise. While faith-filled prayer is based on the written Word, there's a capacity to go beyond the promise to the Promiser Himself. Like Jacob wrestling with God, we must "take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me." Prayer vitalizes and energizes the Word by taking hold of God, making His promises personal and effectual.

10. Prayer Transforms the Soul and Glorifies God.

To see God, to know God, and to live for God -- these form the objective of all true praying.

Seeking God Himself. True prayer is ultimately inspired to seek after God Himself, desiring clearer, fuller, and richer revelations of Him. This deep-seated desire, unappeased until heaven's choicest gifts are bestowed, is the indispensable requisite for all true praying. It transforms the Bible into a new book and Christ into a new Savior through the light of the inner chamber.

Sanctifying all things. Prayer is not merely about getting things from God, but about making those received gifts holy. It sanctifies common things and makes secular things sacred, enabling us to receive with thanksgiving and hallow them through devoted service. "Every creature of God is good... For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

A life of purpose. Prayer purges character and rectifies conduct, bringing about a revolutionizing of life. It puts the pray-er to the business of "working out his salvation with fear and trembling," watching temper, conversation, and conduct. The fruit of real praying is righteous living, promoting uprightness of heart and life, and ultimately bringing glory to God's Name.

Last updated: July 31, 2025