prayer
Why Pray & Spend Time With God – Part…
Why Pray & Spend Time With God ?
In Part 1 we looked at several reasons and answers to the question “Why pray & spend time with God”? The main reason we should pray and spend time with God is because God desires our fellowship, and He wants us to have intimacy with God and to know Him in real and personal ways.
In Part 2 of this series on prayer and spending time with God, we will look at more answers to “Why pray & spend time with God”?
Why Pray & Spend Time With God ?
In our last article we talked about some of the reasons why we should pray and spend time with God. Why pray & spend time with God ? Primarily because God wants you to, and He desires close fellowship with you. You are precious and special to God, and He wants you to have intimacy with God. God also wants you to know Him in personal and real ways.
Another reason is because Jesus is our source of life… full abundant life with meaning and purpose, and also eternal life. Jesus is our source of everything… power for living, strength, righteousness & holiness, power for doing God’s work and mission, grace, mercy, love, joy, peace,…
As if those reasons are not enough, here are more reasons why we should pray and spend time with God.
* GOD WANTS YOU TO HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE HIM AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM IN ALL THINGS. HE WANTS YOU TO DEPEND ON HIM.
- “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
- Daniel 10:12 “Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
- 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
- Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
“That which brings the praying soul near to God is humility of heart… Pride, self-esteem, and self-praise effectually shut the door of prayer.” – E.M. Bounds
“I discovered an astounding truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power.” – Jim Cymbala “Fresh Wind/ Fresh Fire”
God reveals Himself and His will and plans and His activity to people who humble themselves under Him, to people who fully acknowledge their complete & vital need for Him, to people who have reverence for God and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and Master and everything belongs to Him, and to people who out of love and reverence for Him fully yield and submit themselves to Him.
Why pray & spend time with God ?
* IT IS GOD’S DESIRE & WILL FOR YOU TO PRAY AND TALK TO HIM CONTINUALLY, AND TRUST EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE TO HIM:
- “pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:17-18
Since God is your loving Heavenly Father, He deeply cares for you and about all the details of your life. He wants to help you to have the very best life you can. Trust Him and talk to Him about everything in your life, and turn it all over to Him.
- “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
Why else should you pray and spend time with God ?
* YOU NEED GOD’S GUIDANCE & WISDOM & POWER & STRENGTH & PROTECTION & PROVISIONS & COMFORT & PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES… YOU NEED GOD.
- Jeremiah 10:21, 23 – “The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the LORD; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered.”
* YOU ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE AGAINST EVIL FORCES; YOU WILL LOSE THE BATTLE IF YOU FIGHT IN YOUR OWN POWER BECAUSE SATAN IS MORE POWERFUL THAN WE ARE. BUT GOD WILL GIVE YOU VICTORY DAILYIF YOU PRAY & WALK WITH HIM AND LET HIM FIGHT THE BATTLES.
- 1 Peter 5:8 – “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
- Daniel 10:12-13 – “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”
- 1 John 4:4 – “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
- Matthew 26:40-41 – “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
- “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.” – Ephesians 6:12, (also see v.18-20)
You need God to fight your battles for you, so that you can experience His victories in your life, in your family, and in your service for Him, and in your efforts to reach the lost people around you.
- Sharing God’s love and the Gospel, and trying to reach others for Christ is a spiritual battle for souls.
- God loves all people ad wants them to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)… Satan hates all people, wants to destroy their lives, and then have them go to where he is going for eternity.
- Their is a huge spiritual battle for souls going on, and God wants us to humble ourselves, pray and cry out to Him for lost people, and for His Spirit to empower us to share the Gospel and reach lost people.
Another important reason why you should pray and spend time with God:
* BECAUSE YOUR CHILDREN & FAMILY NEED YOUR PRAYERS. HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR CHILDREN WILL TURN OUT ? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THEY’LL STAY ON THE PATH THAT GOD HAS PLANNED FOR THEM AND CHOOSE TO LOVE HIM AND SERVE HIM WITH ALL OF THEIR HEARTS IN THEIR LIVES ?
James Dobson, founder of Focus On The Family, tells the story of how his great great grandfather prayed for years that the next 4 generations in his family would all be Godly people and love and serve the Lord throughout their lives. Late in his life God assured him that this would happen. Every male in his family in the next 4 generations became a pastor, and every female became a pastor’s wife. James Dobson went on to be the founder of Focus On The Family.
In Part 3 of our series of articles on why you should pray and spend time with God, we will look at more important reasons.
Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.
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