Praying with confidence

Lord, teach us to pray (Luke 11:1).

You cannot pray to God without faith. The Bible says, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The Maker of all things is not interested in prayers that start off with words like “if you’re really there” or “I hope you’re listening.” There are a lot of people who only speak to God when faced with a crisis and have no place left to turn. They offer a desperate prayer, figuring there is nothing to lose by appealing to a God who they don’t know and never really think about. God feels no obligation to answer such prayers—not if that petitioner will just go back to a godless existence after things settle down again.

Our Father in heaven wants us to come to Him with confidence—confidence in His power, His wisdom, and His love. The Bible gives each petitioner this warning: when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7). Listen to this exchange between the Son of God and a worried parent: Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered…"If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:21-24)

Praying with confidence includes being persistent. Jesus makes this promise: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8). The Bible tells many stories of people who had to wait a long time for God’s promised blessing, but in every case the LORD followed through when the time was right. When you pray persistently, it shows God that you believe He is listening to you; giving up demonstrates a lack of faith.

How important is prayer? Scripture tells us that Jesus frequently went off by Himself to pray. As important as His work here among us was, communication with His Father was always a top priority. Jesus praised the Father’s goodness and relied on His support. Jesus also prayed for those He was close to, those who were in need, even for those who hated Him. If the Son of God prayed this way, shouldn’t you?