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What exactly IS prayer to God? What is it NOT? What makes for an effective prayer to our heavenly Father and Creator of the entire Universe?

What exactly is it?

Prayer is more than simply having a conversation with a Being who made us and who oversees our entire destiny. It is an act of worship and reverence, a conscious choice to connect "up close and personal" with the One whose very existence is the definition of love.

8. The one who does not love does not know God because God is love. (1John 4)

Prayer is the means by which we acknowledge and strengthen our relationship with the Eternal and seek out His will for our lives. It is the avenue by which we can honestly confess our sins, ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, and cry out to God for help in overcoming them and the trials of life. It is also the way we can petition our heavenly Father for the benefit and blessing of others - even those who use and persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
What is it NOT?

True prayer is not a religious ritual meant to appease an all-powerful Deity. It is not the means by which we can bargain with or extort from God (as if it were possible) to give us what we want (or demand!). It is also not a sign, of itself, that we are more righteous or better than others.

5. And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward (Matthew 6)

Guidelines for Effective Prayers

An effective prayer is not a formula but one that comes from the heart and is sincere (Hebrews 10:22). It is not one that is memorized and repeated verbatim like the "Lord's Prayer" of Matthew 6 (which Jesus gave as an outline and not as a set formula for talking with God) or memorized and repeated endlessly like Catholics do with their rosary. Such mindless repetitions do not insure God will either hear it or grant what is requested.

7. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that by multiplying their words they shall be heard. (Matthew 6)

Our prayers should be directed to our heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:6, John 16:22-24)
While it is good to set aside time every day to commune with God, there is no set period in which prayer is better or more effective to partake of than others. In fact, the Apostle Paul states we should be in a constant state of communicating with our Father (1Thessalonians 5:17)!

In the Old Testament prayers were offered while standing (1Samuel 1:26), kneeling (1Kings 8:54) or even lying prostrate (2Chronicles 6:13). Although the posture that "should" be used is not stated in the New Testament, the most commonly mentioned one is kneeling (Acts 7:60, 9:40, 20:36, etc.).
Just like when we study the Bible, our attitude is of tantamount importance when we talk with God. We should come to him humbly, with a child-like heart, and a willingness to not only be totally honest with him but also to seek and do His will.

6. But He gives greater grace. This is the reason it says, "God sets Himself against the proud, but He gives grace to the humble." (James 4, see also Isaiah 57:15)

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God's responses to prayer

What can you do in those instances when you know you have prayed for something within God's will - and yet the answer to your prayer seems to be SILENCE? You petition the Father in faith, yet his response is nothing.

Don't be so sure that God's silence is His final answer or that it is a "sign" for you to stop asking. If you have done everything right and have made your petition in faith, consider His silence as an invitation to approach Him and talk over the matter a little more. It may be that God wants to see if you are willing to persist in your request and pursue a definitive answer.

I am the Lord, and I created the whole world. 3 Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out. (Jeremiah 33)

7. And shall not God execute vengeance for His elect, who cry out to Him day and night, and patiently watch over them? (Luke 18)

Don't give up until God answers you one way or another. When he does respond it will be one of three answers: Yes, No and Wait.

The answer is YES

Of course, the answer all of us usually want from God regarding our requests is a resounding YES!

Solomon, as a young and inexperienced King of Israel, asked God for something he knew he greatly lacked - wisdom. God responded not only with a loud YES, but gave him far more than he could have dared to ask.

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this, 11 and so he said to him, “Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again. 13 I will also give you what you have not asked for: all your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. (1Kings 3, see also 2Chronicles 1:10-12)

The early church, after Peter was arrested by Herod, offered up fervent prayers for him. What they received from God was nothing short of miraculous. God personally sent one of his angels to free Peter of his chains and escort him out of the prison in which he was held (Acts 12)!
They are, of course, many other examples in scripture where God grants the request of those who pray to him.

The answer is NO

Like it or not, sometimes God's answer to our request is a flat NO. Many times he does not give us what we want because we ask for something to fulfill our own selfish desires and lusts.

3. Then you ask, and you do not receive, because you ask with evil motives, that you may consume it on your own lusts. (James 4:3)

Moses, even though he wanted to enter the promised land with the rest of Israelites, was kept from doing so by God because of his sin. He was only allowed to view Canaan from a distance before he died (Numbers 20:12, Deuteronomy 34:2-5). The apostle Paul wanted a painful affliction taken away from him but was told no. God told Paul that his grace (favor) was sufficient (2Corinthians 12:9). Even Jesus, the son of God, was told NO when he asked that "the cup" of becoming sin for us be taken from him (Matthew 26, see also Matthew 20:22-23).

The answer is WAIT

Having to wait and exercise patience is not easy, especially in a society that expects instant gratification. Yet the character to wait patiently and endure is something God wants in us (Romans 5:1-5).

I waited patiently for the Lord’s help; then he listened to me and heard my cry. (Psalm 40:1)

4 'All right,' I (Jeremiah) answered, 'I will pray to the Lord your God, and I will tell you everything he says.' 7 TEN DAYS LATER, the Lord gave me an answer (Jeremiah 42)

In the final analysis, believers can be confident that their prayers to God do reach him for his loving consideration.

14. And this is the confidence that we have toward Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we may ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him (1John 5:14-15)

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