From Christians to Jews, to Muslims, to Hindus, to Buddhists, to heathens, nearly the world’s entire population does it. Our favorite sports teams do it; our favorite actors do it, even our enemies do it. Almost everyone claims to pray. Yet, many individuals do not understand it. Even those who practice it consistently are frequently unsure about how it works.

Most believers in Jesus Christ do not have a functional understanding of prayer. They are mindful that they are supposed to do it, so they imitate what they’ve heard and/or seen, regardless of whether they believe it truly works. However, it is difficult to maximize something you do not understand! Thus, the most logical question would be “What is prayer?”

1. Prayer is our way to communicate with the unseen God.
2. Prayer is agreeing with God’s plans and purposes, in order for them to be accomplished on earth.
3. Prayer is man exercising his legal right on earth in order to summon heaven’s influence on it.
4. Prayer is the creation getting the Creator involved in any given situation.

Because we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven, prayer is an essential Kingdom principle on earth and our number one responsibility. In other words, prayer is not an option for a believer in Jesus Christ. It is a necessity.

Here is my definition of prayer:

Let us take this a step further…

As you already know, our Heavenly Father has sovereign power over all His creations. Nevertheless, He did something that was very interesting in Genesis 1:26 -28. God gave humankind legal authority to rule over the earth.  Psalm 115:16 says, “The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.”

Since the earth was given to mankind, and God honors His agreement with mankind, He works through us when He wants to accomplish things on earth. Our Heavenly Father, who is faithful to His word, was so dedicated to this agreement with humanity that when He wanted to function unrestricted on earth, He came as a man Himself, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, prayer is a result of God’s faithfulness to His word and His established governmental system between Heaven and earth. Here is something I learned a few years ago:

I’m not saying that God cannot, but from what we understand from the Bible, He will not because He chooses to operate on earth with the cooperation of mankind. God is actively seeking the cooperation of a human to agree with His plan and purposes, which will empower our lives and advance the Kingdom of God.

So, what does this mean for you today?

It means that prayer significantly involves knowing the will of God and agreeing with that will to come to pass. It means you have the authority to move mountains out of your way through your faith in Jesus Christ. It means you are powerful! It means you are not a victim of your circumstances, but you have victory over your circumstances.

Here are four keys to a more powerful prayer life:

1. Base your requests on God’s sovereignty. Understand that God is the creator and you are the creation. Therefore, pray with the expectation that God will answer you because you are His child and He is a faithful, loving, and magnificent Father.
2. Confess your sins. Admit any thought or action that falls short of God’s will and/or any transgression against the laws of God.
3. Claim the promises of God. If you honor God and claim His promises with a right attitude and pure motives, you will receive what you asked for, according to His will, and you will grow in intimacy with Him.
4. Be very specific about what you ask for. If you want specific answers to prayer, then make specific requests. If your prayers contain general appeals, how will you know if they are answered?

Right now, I want to join you in prayer. Send me a prayer request so together we can see Jesus do more than we could ever imagine while experiencing the peace and joy that God freely gives each day.