“Man Ought Always To Pray” Luke 18:1
Why? One might ask. Because it is plain and simple: Jesus says so. We must pray about everything (Philippians 4:8). Jesus tells us through His inspired written word, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). When we pray about everything, we are taking circumstances out of our hands, and turning them over, or better still, casting them on to God. So He may do what He and only He is capable of doing (Psalm 55:22). “Cast thy burden upon the LORD and He shall sustain thee” (1Peter 5:7), say casting all your cares upon the Lord, for He careth for you.
Prayer is a tool God has given us to come to Him for our needs to be met. You may say, well He knows what I need before I pray. Yes indeed He does, but we must come to God his way and not ours. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
My friends, when we cast our cares and burdens on the Lord in prayer, we are causing him to be responsible for us and our needs, as He loves and delights to do.
When going into prayer remember that God commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5:17). He says in Proverbs 3:6, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” In prayer we hallow his name; we acknowledge that He is the one and only God; that He is wise and able to present us faultless before his presence (Jude 24-25).
Always come to him with a repentant heart and a spirit of humility. We must come in faith (Hebrews 11:6), believing that He rewards those who seek him. He has told us to “come boldly before his throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). We must also be confident that what we ask, he will do according to his will, not ours (1John 5:14).
Prayer is also a time for fellowship with God, not just to say give me this or that, but another way to get closer to him and get to really know him as Abba Father.
The next time you think ‘should I pray about this small matter’, yes, you and I should because it is a direct command from the One we love and who loves us.
Last but not least, the enemy, Satan, knows how effective prayer is and can be for him who prays.
