Learn to Pray – It's a Must

Prayer is non-negotiable to our Christian life and walk. We ought to know the why and the how about it as much as possible. Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow and He did not hold back the purpose of that story – that men always ought to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). The Lord knew the real danger with prayer (which many don't get): in the absence of the right information about Prayer, many will not pray at all – they don't see the need. Some will start to pray but then stop, some will choose to pray sometimes, others will look at circumstances and situations and decide it's not even worth it – they'll just give up. You see, the most important thing about prayer is to understand that it is a continuous activity; that's why He showed us that men always ought to pray. Key phrase is "Always ought to". Jesus knew exactly what He was saying. When you understand what prayer is, the why and the how, you'll never stop engaging in it because it becomes your way of life. PRAYER IS ABOUT FAITHFULNESS. FAITHFULNESS IS NOT ONE ACTIVITY, IT IS A QUALITY OF ONGOING COMMITMENT, ONGOING DEDICATION AND ONGOING ENGAGEMENT.

We must understand that prayer is the avenue by which we stay in communication with the Heavenly Father, the Lord of all – creator and sustainer of everything. Let that sink in. If you knew you really had the ears and full attention of this personality, and that His chiefest delight is to be communicating with you, what could be worth cutting off such a privileged status for? Nothing could ever be, if you ask me. The point is, that is exactly the case for us in Christ. The Monarch of the universe says His delight is communicating with me – now, I am always talking to Him, and if I am not talking to Him, then I am hearing Him talk to me – it's always one or the other. Don't you get it yet? He is the most important personality there is – who else would you rather be speaking to?

And there is more. He is a faithful person. You can trust His character. There is no shadow of turning in Him. So, my part is to stay faithful in my commitment to the communication process as well. He always hears, He always directs. He always responds. Listen to Jesus' story. There was a judge who did not fear God nor regard man, and there was a widow in the same city who kept coming to him with one request: "Get justice for me from my adversary" (Luke 18:2–3). He would not for a while. Then he said within himself, "yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me" (Luke 18:5). She was heard because she kept coming.

Jesus does not say that God is like the judge. He says the opposite: if even an unjust judge will answer, what will the Father do? "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily" (Luke 18:7–8). The point is contrast. A judge who did not care finally acted. A Father who loves His children will certainly hear them.

Do not miss the honesty in Jesus' words, though. He said, "though He bears long with them". Jesus does not pretend that answers always come quickly. Some of us have prayed for a long time for a family member, for healing, for a door to open, or for a burden to lift. The waiting is very real, and Jesus knows it. The Bible does not give us every reason for the delay, but it does tell us what to do while we wait: keep praying, and do not lose heart. This is where knowing the faithfulness of the person you are dealing with comes into play. Faithfulness is not about feeling. It's a character. Character stays consistent regardless of feelings. This is also why Prayer must be a topic to be taught. If you don't understand the faithful character of God, you could mistake those moments of silence for "no answer" and give up on your prayers – and then things might happen which never should have happened. The widow kept persisting because she knew that eventually the judge would answer.

Secondly, Jesus asks a very important question: "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). This is the "how" to prayer. The test of prayer is faith that lasts. The widow's persistence was a kind of faith: she believed the judge could help, so she kept coming and was not taking "no" as a final answer. Jesus said Himself that He came that you might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10b). The rest of Scripture says the same. Jesus Himself taught, "ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9). The letter to the Hebrews invites us: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). And Paul urges believers to be "continuing steadfastly in prayer" (Romans 12:12) and to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). His will is for you to display His glory here on earth. That's what He made the earth for: for His glory to be manifested here.

So think of the prayer you have quietly put down. Perhaps it was too long unanswered, or too painful to keep raising. Today, bring it back to the Father. You are not pestering Him. You are coming to the throne of grace, to a Father who hears and loves you and does hold the answer you are looking for, and you are doing exactly what Jesus told us to do.

— Jonathan Mbir

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.