The duty of prayer: why and how to pray always
Prayer is not a spiritual luxury reserved for a few, nor a last resort when everything else fails. The Bible presents prayer as a vital necessity, an immense privilege and also a duty of the believer. Jesus taught “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1), and Paul urged: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But why should we pray if God already knows everything? How do we pray when we don’t feel like it, or feel that our prayers go nowhere? In this article we will look at what Scripture teaches about the duty of prayer, the example of Jesus and the first Christians, the most common obstacles and a practical plan for growing in prayer.
What is prayer?
To pray is to speak with God and to listen to him. It is the breathing of the soul. It is not about reciting magic formulas or persuading a reluctant God, but about entering a living relationship with a Father who loves us. In prayer we worship God for who he is, thank him for what he has done, confess our sins, present our needs and intercede for others. And we also keep silence to hear his voice through his Word and his Spirit.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
Why pray if God already knows everything?
Jesus himself said that “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:8), and immediately taught the Lord’s Prayer. Prayer does not inform God; it transforms us. As we pray we acknowledge our dependence, align our will with his, grow in trust and experience his peace. Moreover, God has chosen to act in the world in response to his children’s prayers: “ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). Prayer is the means God chose to involve us in his work.
Jesus, the great model of prayer
If anyone could have done without prayer, it was the Son of God. Yet the gospels show Jesus praying constantly. He rose before dawn to pray in solitary places (Mark 1:35). He spent a whole night in prayer before choosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12). He prayed at his baptism, at the transfiguration, before Lazarus’s tomb and at the Last Supper. In Gethsemane he prayed in such anguish that his sweat was like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). And on the cross he prayed for those who crucified him. The disciples, seeing him pray, asked him: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
The Lord’s Prayer: a school of prayer
Jesus’ answer was the Lord’s Prayer, which is not only a prayer to repeat but a model for learning to pray:
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:9-13
It begins with God —his name, his kingdom, his will— before turning to our needs: daily bread, forgiveness and protection in temptation. It teaches us to call God “Father”, to pray in community (“our”) and to forgive others as the condition for living in God’s forgiveness.
Persistence in prayer
Jesus told two parables to teach perseverance. In that of the friend at midnight, a man knocks at his friend’s house asking for bread and, because of his persistence, receives it (Luke 11:5-8). In that of the widow and the unjust judge, a poor woman asks for justice again and again until the judge gives in; Jesus concludes: “shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him…?” (Luke 18:1-8). God is not an unjust judge, but he wants us to persevere, because perseverance expresses and strengthens our faith.
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
Luke 11:9-10
A praying Church
The book of Acts shows a Church that was born praying. Before Pentecost the disciples “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). The first believers “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). When they were threatened, they prayed for boldness, and the place was shaken (Acts 4:31). When Peter was in prison, “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him”, and an angel set him free (Acts 12:5). God’s great works in the Church have always been preceded by prayer.
“Pray without ceasing”: how is it possible?
Praying without ceasing does not mean spending the whole day on our knees, but living in a continual attitude of communion with God. We can pray while working, walking, cooking or driving. Nehemiah prayed silently for an instant before answering the king (Nehemiah 2:4). Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century French monk who worked in his monastery’s kitchen, taught “the practice of the presence of God” in the simplest tasks. Alongside those brief moments, we also need times set apart, as Jesus did, to pray unhurriedly.
Obstacles to prayer
Lack of time: it is usually a lack of priority; starting with ten minutes a day already makes a difference. Distraction: it helps to pray aloud softly, write prayers down or pray with a psalm. Unconfessed sin: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18); confession restores fellowship. Unforgiveness: Jesus taught us to forgive before we pray (Mark 11:25). Discouragement: when we don’t see answers, let us remember that God answers in his time and in his way. Self-sufficiency: believing we can manage alone is the root of prayerlessness.
When the answer is slow
God always hears, but he does not always answer as we expect. Sometimes he says “yes”, sometimes “wait” and sometimes “I have something better”. Paul asked three times to be freed from his thorn, and God answered: “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Hannah prayed for years for a son before receiving Samuel. Monica prayed for nearly twenty years for the conversion of her son Augustine. Persevering prayer teaches us to trust God’s wisdom and love. Read also Paul’s thorn.
A practical plan for praying every day
Choose a time and a place. Jesus spoke of entering your room and shutting the door (Matthew 6:6). Start with the Word. Read a psalm or a short passage and let it guide your prayer. Use a simple structure: adoration, confession, thanksgiving and requests. Keep a list of people and needs to pray for, and note the answers. Pray with others: as a family, as a couple, in a small group or at church. Pray throughout the day with short sentences of thanks or calls for help. End with trust: leave your burdens in God’s hands.
You will find more help in Advice on prayer and Prayers for every moment of our lives. And if you need others to pray for you, visit Request prayer.
The privilege behind the duty
Speaking of prayer as a duty may sound heavy, but in reality it is an invitation. Thanks to Jesus Christ we can “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The Creator of the universe invites us to speak to him as to a Father. The duty of prayer is, at heart, the privilege of being with God.
Praying for others: the ministry of intercession
The duty of prayer is not limited to our own needs. Paul asked Timothy that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Abraham interceded for Sodom, Moses for his people, Samuel said it would be a sin to cease praying for Israel (1 Samuel 12:23), and Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail (Luke 22:32). Praying for family, friends, the church, rulers, the sick, the persecuted and the nations is one of the most powerful ways of loving. Many people have come to Christ because someone prayed for them for years without growing weary.
Praying as a family
The home is the first school of prayer. Praying together before meals, when putting children to bed or at the start of the day creates a habit that shapes children for life. No elaborate words are needed: it is enough to give thanks, bring the day’s concerns to God and bless each member of the family. Read also Raising children.
Prayer
Lord, teach me to pray. Forgive me for the times I have neglected prayer or come to you only in need. Give me a faithful heart that seeks you every morning and lives in your presence through the day. Help me persevere when I see no answers and trust in your wisdom. May my life be a continual conversation with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.