Category Archives: Praying

In previous posts we’ve determined that for many prayerlessness probably isn’t due to ignorance or a perceived lack of benefits in praying. Why, then, don’t we pray more? Perhaps it’s because we fail to accurately or wholeheartedly grasp certain factors that will help us pray.

What We Might Underestimate that Leads to Prayerlessness

• We might underestimate the work involved in praying.

The following Bible verses show how we need to be actively engaged when it comes to praying — alert, clear-minded, self-controlled, persevering. We can’t merely coast. We can’t be passive or lazy about praying. It’s too easy to lose focus or even fall asleep.

With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Eph. 6:18)

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Col. 4:2)

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. (1 Pet. 4:7)

• We might underestimate the role of the Spirit in helping us pray.

We need to be consistently walking in the Spirit, depending on and yielding to His work in our lives. On our own we might lack the self-control we need to consistently pray but the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control and perseverance (Gal. 5:22-23). We might not know what to say or how to pray, but we have a Helper in the Holy Spirit.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Eph. 6:18)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Rom. 8:26)

• We might underestimate the enemy and consequently don’t pull on God’s mighty power as needed.

God has a formidable foe who doesn’t want us praying. Satan knows the power of prayer. We must be aware of the devil’s lies and schemes to get us to doubt God hears or cares, to believe we’re too busy to pray, or that it doesn’t really matter. We must be proactive, putting on the armor God provides, resisting the devil, replacing his lies with truth.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith … (1 Pet. 5:8-9)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. … (Eph. 6:10-18)

When we underestimate any of the above factors, we will tend to find it harder to “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17) and to be devoted to prayer (Col. 4:2). But, prayerlessness can also result from what we overestimate.

In the previous post we considered how for many Christians prayerlessness isn’t due to ignorance. We know we should pray, that God commands it. Could it be because we don’t think it’s beneficial?

Can We Really Claim Prayerlessness is Due to a Lack of Benefits?

If we don’t pray because we fail to see its value, or benefit, then we have to reconcile the following:

1) God’s Word clearly promotes the benefits of praying.

Read the following verses for just a few of the many specific benefits of praying we find in Scripture:

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (Ps. 34:4)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16 … even more in verses 13-18)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16)

Some of the benefits will be outward demonstrations of God’s power and grace. Others, equally if not more potent, may be internal results affecting our heart attitudes and perspective. There’s definitely something beneficial about prayer if we have a God who keeps His promises.

2) Many believers testify of answers to prayers, attesting to the benefits of praying.

Read through the Psalms for the psalmist’s testimony of God responding to his cries. Listen to fellow believers who have personally experienced God not only hearing but responding to their prayers (Jn. 14:13; 1 Jn. 5:14). There must be something beneficial about prayer or these people are either liars or the exception.

3) Even non-believers seem to value people praying for them.

If nothing else, many non-believers derive comfort and encouragement, a blessing, when a Christian says they will pray for them. There must be something beneficial about prayer for that to happen.

Perhaps rather than claiming a lack of benefits in praying, we must admit our failure to tap into those benefits due to prayerlessness. Surely, then, there must be other reasons why we don’t pray. We’ll look further in the next couple of posts.

GO TO: More on Prayer

To be sure, we live in a Bible illiterate world. Even many Christians lack a good or thorough knowledge of God’s Word. Yet, for many believers, prayerlessness is not due to ignorance. Most of us concur with the importance of prayer and the need to make it a priority. Even unbelievers tend to appreciate prayer offered on their behalf, particularly when going through crisis.

Prayerlessss Due to Ignorance of God’s Commands to Pray?

Verses like the following, written as commands rather than suggestions, exhort us to make prayer a constant priority in our lives:

Devote yourselves to prayer. (Col. 4:2)

Pray continually. (1 Thess. 5:17)

Always keep on praying for all the saints. (Eph. 6:18)

Prayerlessss Due to Ignorance of what to pray?

Many Christians at least know what has come to be known as the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11:1-5, a pattern Jesus provided in response to the disciples’ request for Him to teach them to pray.

But, prayer really isn’t complicated. Simply “pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Ps. 62:8). Jesus stressed how praying isn’t to be about the quantity of our words or eloquence in how we speak but merely being real with God (Matt. 6:1-8).

We don’t need a degree in theology to pray. We don’t have to be “spiritual giants” to pray. Even new believers who know very little about God and His Word can pray.

So, if for many or most of us, prayerlessness isn’t due to ignorance, then why don’t we pray? In the next three posts we’ll continue to respond to that question. Subscribe to receive e-mail notice of new posts.

Check out this Resource: Prayer Bits: Small Bits But Big Truths on Prayer Devotional