Understanding the Protocol of Prayer.
Jesus Christ has given to every believer the correct approach to the Father through the avenue of prayer. There is one thing that all religions and religious groups have in common: they all give themselves to prayer, but not all praying is effective.
We are to glean this from the teaching of Jesus, when He declared: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. Matthew 6:5.
Jesus laid down a condemnation of the way the Pharisees and scribes prayed by calling them hypocrites; He was saying they were like actors, playing out a role. Prayer then is never to be used or performed to impress fellow believers, or people who may hear our praying.
Jesus also warned against praying by repetition. And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words, they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:7.
There are important revelations that Jesus taught concerning prayer that we need to understand and apply them in our prayer ministries. As believers, we have been given divine assurances of how our prayer lives can be effectual; We have the words of Jesus that, in a way of speaking, should be considered our prayer manual.
Prayer: The Place Of Seclusion.
Jesus said: But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your unseen Father. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”Matthew 6:6. Prayer, therefore, is first about relationship with the Father, not religious performance. Jesus directs His followers away from seeking the approval of men and towards the presence of the Father who sees what is hidden.
Prayer is an invitation into fellowship with the Father, through which we discover His heart, trust His wisdom, and receive from His hand what He knows is truly necessary for our lives and circumstances.
The Father is Never Taken By Surprise.
Jesus taught us a very enlightening truth: Our Father already knows what we require in our time of need well before we ask Him. (Matthew 6:8). This reveals something fundamental about prayer: prayer does not inform Almighty God of our needs; it brings us into a deeper relationship with the One who already knows them. The Father sees what we as His children cannot see. He knows what lies ahead when we can see only the present.