I w as am a zed recently when one of our listeners who apparently has been a 'believer for many years asked this very unusual question: “If God is all knowing, and knows what we have need of before we ask, then why is it necessary for a Christian to pray?” I wonder how many other people have asked this very same question. In the light of this, then, I would like to de vote today’s prayer message to this subject, “Why Christians ought to pray.” May I very simply suggest several scriptural reasons for prayer: First, let me point out that it is im portant for believers to pray because the Lord COMM ANDS it! In II Thess. 3:1, the apostle Paul in a benedictory command to the Christians of the church at Thessalonica writes, “Final ly brethren PRAY for us.” Now the primary application of this passage is the instruction to the believers to share in Paul’s ministry through prayer. However the command to pray is strongly implicit here also. In Mat thew 5:44, Jesus commands us to pray for those who would despitefully use us. In Matthew 9:38, we are com manded to pray that laborers might be thrust forth into the whitened spir itual harvest fields of the world. In Matthew 26:41, we are commanded to pray in order that we might be de livered in times of temptation and testing. In Mark 13:33 we are com manded to pray in order that we might be spiritually fit for the Lord’s re turn. In literally dozens of passages of scripture the believer is commanded to pray. How important it is that we pray for this reason, if for no other, that we might be obedient to the com mands and directions of our Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, let me point out that as believers we ought to pray because it is EXPECTED of us. In I Tim. 2:1-10, careful and detailed instructions are given to Timothy in order that he might be able to teach the believers at Ephesus about prayer. These instruc
tions are based upon the assumption that the believer is to pray. Christ devoted much time to teach ing His disciples about prayer. He had much to say about the purpose of prayer, about the content of our prayers and about the results of praying. All of His teaching is based upon the as sumption, or the expectation that the soul in communion with the Lord will naturally pray. For prayer is indeed the natural outgrowth of the new birth. This truth is further illustrated in Matthew 6:7 where our Lord, in set ting up certain prohibitions and warn ings against malpractices in prayer, simply states, “When ye pray be not as the hypocrites.” Again it is simply assumed that the believer is going to pray. Thirdly, the believer is to pray be cause it is EXEMPLIFIED by our Lord. A very interesting incident is recorded in Luke 11:1 concerning both the teaching of our Lord on prayer and the example which He set before the dis ciples. “And it came to pass, that, as 9
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