To Pray or Not to Pray (Sermon)

Prayer is the fundamental aspect of our faith. It is the heartbeat of our relationship with God, the lifeline that connects us to His divine will, and the source of our strength, peace, and guidance. Yet, many of us might wonder, "Why should we pray?" What difference does it make in our lives? And does God really answer prayers?

When/why do we pray?

We often pray when we find ourselves in a difficult circumstance. Almost everyone (even an atheist) prays when they are desperate. If you’ve ever come across the term “foxhole” praying, it sums up why people often tend to pray. The concept of foxhole praying comes from the idea that when you are pinned down in a foxhole with bullets flying all around you, almost everyone is inclined to pray. The idea is that in life we all get to some point where you realize you can't accomplish something without divine intervention, and so you go to God in prayer.

An illustration I can think of is when we went to Wales with my in-laws. We went on a boat out to the sea to see dolphins. It was a dolphin sighting tour boat. It wasn’t a very big boat and that day the waves were high, and the sea was rough. I remember standing on the boat with Andy on me in the sling. Preethy and her mum were standing and looking out for the dolphins as well. My father -in-law, however, was silent and was sitting still though our purpose on the boat was to sight dolphins. After the boat tour, I asked uncle why he was so silent and why he just sat the whole time, He said, “the waves were so high that I just prayed and left my life in God’s hands”. We laughed about it at the time, but I realise that this is how most of us pray anyway – just different situations. When something goes wrong, we end up on our knees.

This story brings to light a profound truth about human nature. In moments of deep fear or desperation people often turn to God, much like the biblical example of foxhole praying—where individuals find themselves in life-threatening situations and turn to God for deliverance. This had been the experience of Israel and Judah throughout their existence as a nation – they would cry onto the Lord as a last resort!

These experiences serve as a powerful reminder of how vulnerability and fear can lead us to seek a higher power. It highlights that even those who may seem distant from faith can, in their moments of greatest need, reach out to God. This illustrates that God's presence and grace are available to everyone, regardless of their prior spiritual journey.

In our own lives, we might encounter moments when we are desperate or fearful. It’s essential to remember that turning to God in such times is a natural and powerful act. Whether in moments of crisis or in our everyday routines, God is always ready to hear our prayers and offer His comfort and guidance.

Paul says, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17) but instead of prayer becoming a part of our everyday life, as necessary as breathing, eating, and sleeping, many of us have relegated prayer to the status of “break in case of emergency” like that little glass covered box on the wall; only to be used in emergencies.

Prayer is communication

Paul was somebody who understood prayer and its power. Prayer was a part of Paul's life, and he took it for granted that it would be a part of the life of every Christian. You cannot really be a good Christian and not pray, just like you cannot have a good marriage if you don't talk to your wife.

Many of us will be able to attest to what would happen to a relationship if we do not communicate.

You can be a Christian and not pray, just like you can be married and not talk to your wife. But in both circumstances, you will be miserable. Prayer is the pipeline of communication between God and His people, between God and those who love Him. That is how a relationship is built – through communication. Just as a relationship between friends or family members thrives on regular communication, so does our relationship with God. Prayer is the way we speak to God, share our hearts, and listen to His voice.

Definition of prayer: John Bunyan (1628-1688): “It is the opener of the heart of God, and a means by which the soul, though empty, is filled. By prayer the Christian can open his heart to God, as to a friend, and obtain fresh testimony of God’s friendship to him.

Cambridge dictionary defines prayer this way: “to speak to a god either privately or in a religious ceremony in order to express love, admiration, or thanks or in order to ask for something”.

Henry Melvill (1798-1871): “…we are always, so to speak, in contact with God; so that in the crowd and in the solitude, in the retirement of the closet, the bustle of business, and the privacies of home… O that there were in us more of that habit of prayer, which, as with Nehemiah, would not suffer us to make request to man, without first sending up a silent petition to God.

The greatest men of the Bible were men of prayer, Jesus too, being the Son of God felt the need of constant prayer as a son of man. How much more do we need prayer?

In Philippians 4:6, we are encouraged, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Through prayer, we express our dependence on God, acknowledging that we need His guidance and intervention in our lives. It is in these moments of honest communion that we grow closer to Him, deepening our trust and love.

Illustration

A woman had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.

"I guess you were expecting me," he said.

"No, who are you?"

"I'm the new associate at your local church," the pastor replied.

"When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up."

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"

Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.

"I've never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man.

"But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head.."

"I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here's what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now."

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.

"Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked.

"Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange-kinda weird.

Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed."

When the old man died, he was at peace. And what was the reason for this? He was talking to God every day. Prayer is communication.

Prayer is not just about asking for things; it’s about being in the presence of God, allowing His peace to fill our hearts, and aligning our will with His. When we pray, we invite God into every aspect of our lives, and in doing so, we experience His presence in a real and transformative way. Prayer transforms us and invites God’s power into our lives.

Does God Really Answer Prayers?

Do we get answers to our prayers immediately? Are all prayers answered?

God's Answers: Yes, No, and Wait The first truth we must grasp is that God's answers to our prayers come in different forms: yes, no, and wait. Often, we equate a "yes" with an answered prayer, but we must understand that a "no" or "wait" is just as much of an answer, and it comes from a God who knows what is best for us.

In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says, "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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." This promise assures us that God hears our prayers, but it does not guarantee that the answer will always be what we desire. Sometimes, God says "yes" and grants our requests, bringing us joy and fulfilling our needs. Other times, He says "no" because what we are asking for is not in line with His perfect plan for our lives. And then there are times when God says "wait" because the timing is not right, or because He is preparing something better for us.

Yes

There are countless examples in the Bible where God said “yes” to people’s prayers.

David’s prayer to rescue his family (1 Samuel 30:1-19)
Gideon’s request for a sign of God’s faithfulness (Judges 6:36-40)
Elijah raising the widow’s son back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24)
The Church prays that Peter be released from prison (Acts 12:1-17)
Paul heals the chief’s father on Malta (Acts 28:7-10)

This point of prayer and faith is illustrated in the story of Hannah, found in 1 Samuel 1. She was childless and even suffered ridicule because of it.

Every year she would go up to the temple with her husband and pray for a child, weeping and pouring out her sorrows to God. She vowed that if God sent her a son, she would dedicate her child to Him.

God answered her prayer in a big way. Hannah’s son was Samuel, who grew up to be one of the greatest prophets in all the Bible. He guided his people back to God and anointed the first two rulers of Israel, King Saul and King David.

This story shows us how perfect God is at answering our prayers, but it also shows us a good way to respond when our prayers are answered. When Hannah finally had her child she gave all the glory to God, acknowledging that it was He who had given her this tremendous gift (1 Samuel 2:1-11).

In the same way, it’s important for us to remember God’s goodness and acknowledge Him when He answers our prayers. It’s only fitting to give thanks when we remember how much He’s done for us.

No

The apostle Paul experienced a "no" from God when he prayed three times for a "thorn in the flesh" to be removed. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God responded, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul didn't receive the answer he initially sought, but God gave him something even greater—His sustaining grace and the power to endure.

In 2 Samuel 7, King David wants to build a temple to God. He doesn’t think it’s right for him to have a huge palace while God’s place of worship is a simple tent. So, he sought the counsel of the prophet Nathan, who said to go ahead with his plans for the temple.

But that night, God sent a message to Nathan. He instructed him to tell David that he was actually not the one who would build God’s temple. David had good intentions and wanted to honour God, but God had a greater plan in mind.

Even though David would not be the one to build the temple, God promised that David’s family line would prosper and that one of his children would build the temple.

God kept His promise, and David’s son Solomon eventually constructed a marvellous temple in Jerusalem, one of the most splendid places described in all the Bible (1 Kings 5-8).

This story of King David gives us the assurance that, even if God doesn’t give us the things we pray for, it doesn’t mean He doesn’t have something wonderful in store. He is always watching over us, looking out for our best interests, and working for our good.

David never got to see the marvellous temple that would eventually be built, but his wish to have a beautiful place dedicated to God was granted.

In the same way, we can trust that when God says “no” to things we pray for, it often means He has something better coming along. And it could be something more beautiful and wonderful than we could have ever planned for ourselves.

Wait

God's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed to us. We live in a world that values instant gratification, but God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). He sees the big picture, knowing the end from the beginning, and He answers prayers according to His divine timing.

Sometimes the things we pray for don’t happen right away. Sometimes the answer God gives us is a small, quiet, “wait.”

We don’t know the future like God does. His timing is perfect because He sees everything happening, and He knows every possibility.

In the story of Lazarus in John 11, Jesus received word that His friend was sick, yet He delayed going to him for two days. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days, and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were heartbroken. They believed it was too late. But Jesus had a greater plan. He prayed and then called Lazarus out of the tomb, demonstrating God's power over life and death. Through this delay, God's glory was revealed in a way that would not have been possible if Jesus had answered their prayers immediately.

When we are waiting for God to answer our prayers, it is important to remember that He is never late. He may be allowing us to grow in faith, to learn patience, or to develop in ways that only waiting can accomplish. Trusting in God's timing requires surrendering our desires and expectations to Him, believing that He knows what is best and will act at the perfect time.

There are verses all over Scripture that instruct us to “wait upon the Lord,” trusting in His impeccable timing.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. Psalms 40:1 (ESV)
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him… Psalm 37:7 (ESV)
Abraham and Sarah had to wait a very long time before they had a child (Genesis 15:2-5).
The children of Israel had to wait 400 years to be delivered from Egypt and given a new home (Exodus 2:23-25).

But God, seeing the end from the beginning, knew when things would best work out.

Waiting on the Lord means trusting in His ultimate wisdom.

Our first reaction to hearing “wait” is not always positive. Sometimes it can feel frustrating or disappointing, especially if we’ve already been waiting for something to happen.

We often want a definite “yes” or “no.” That way, we at least know where we are with things. But sometimes, the thing we need most is to trust God.

Has a child ever asked you a question, and you had to say, “just wait and see…it won’t really make sense if I explain it now.”

Or maybe you’ve heard that same thing from a parent or teacher when you were growing up!

It’d be silly to say that’s the answer the child is looking for. But sometimes, due to the complexity of a situation, or if you know that something’s about to happen that will help things fall into place, that’s the best answer to give at that time.

And we live in a world where good and bad are all mixed up together. There’s a great controversy going on, and sometimes the things we ask for aren’t as simple as we realize.

Sometimes, in respect for the free will of others, in circumstances we are unable to see or even think of, it takes time for God’s answer to play out. But we can trust that while we wait, God is right there beside us.

Unanswered prayers?

There are times when God's answers seem unclear or when it feels like our prayers go unanswered.

The Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) was a major research project conducted to examine the effects of intercessory prayer on the recovery of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. The study aimed to provide a rigorous scientific evaluation of whether prayer, offered by strangers, could have a measurable impact on patient outcomes. Here are the key points of the STEP research:

Participants and Groups: The study involved 1,802 patients who were divided into three groups:
Group 1: Patients who received intercessory prayer and were informed about it.
Group 2: Patients who received intercessory prayer but were unaware of it.
Group 3: Patients who did not receive intercessory prayer and were unaware of it.

Intercessory Prayer: Prayers were offered by three different Christian groups, who prayed for specific patients by name, requesting successful surgery and a rapid, healthy recovery without complications.

Blinding and Randomization: The study was double-blind for Groups 2 and 3, meaning neither the patients nor the healthcare providers knew which patients were receiving prayer. Group 1 was aware they were being prayed for, creating a single-blind condition for this group.

Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the presence of any complications within 30 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included major events and mortality rates.

Findings and Results

No Significant Difference: The study found no significant difference in the complication rates between the groups that were prayed for and the group that was not prayed for. This suggested that intercessory prayer had no measurable effect on the medical outcomes of the patients.

In these moments, we are called to trust Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us, "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." Even when we don't understand His ways, we can trust His heart. God is a loving Father who desires the best for His children. He may be protecting us from unseen dangers, guiding us toward greater blessings, or teaching us valuable lessons that we could not learn otherwise. Remember that God is not distant or indifferent. He is deeply involved in our lives, and He hears every prayer. Even when His answers are not what we expect, He is still working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Some prayers are answered before you even pray.

As some of you may know, I work as a cryptocurrency trader. I used to trade on a platform called Local Bitcoins, making around 400 trades a month. After trading there for many years, we received an email in January 2023 announcing the site would close in two months. This news was a big shock.

While searching for other opportunities, I received what seemed like an excellent offer through a WhatsApp message. Someone was recruiting for a part-time cryptocurrency job, claiming they got my number from a job site. Despite some skepticism, I accepted the offer and started working with them after researching the company, which appeared legitimate.

Initially, the job required some investment on my part, which seemed reasonable. I had set aside £500 for cryptocurrency trading, which I could afford to lose. Over the first four days, I made decent profits: £100 on the first day, £200 on the second, £250 on the third, and another £250 on the fourth. The required investment each day was equal to or slightly higher than the previous day's profit, totalling about £800 in profit.

On the fifth day, I was asked to invest £1,000. I didn't see an issue with this, so I invested the amount. However, I was soon asked to invest another £1,000. Feeling uncomfortable, I questioned why this additional investment was necessary. They insisted it was a requirement and suggested I borrow the money or take out a loan, promising I would get back all my money with interest. At this point, I realized it was an elaborate scam, having already lost £200. If I had stopped on the fourth day, I would have made an £800 profit, but the scammers expertly lured me into investing more.

I investigated further and discovered the company had nothing to do with the people who contacted me. The website they provided was a spoof, registered only a month earlier, mimicking the legitimate site. I found several victims in the UK who had lost thousands of pounds to the same scam. Each victim dealt with different company names, but the operations were identical.

So, why am I sharing this story now? It doesn't seem to have anything to do with prayer, right? Not directly. However, I had been praying for an alternative platform as my main one was closing. Through these scammers, I discovered a legitimate platform for cryptocurrency transactions, which I hadn't known about before.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Although I lost £200 to the scam, I realized I could transfer my entire trading operation to the new platform introduced by the scammers. Since LocalBitcoins closed in March 2023, I've been trading comfortably on this new platform, which is even better than LocalBitcoins.

Still, it might not make sense that God would lead me to a better platform but let me fall victim to a scam first. Yet, something else happened soon after, in mid-March. My brother asked our parents for £1,200, promising a £600 profit and immediate repayment. My mother usually consults me for financial advice, so she asked me to talk to my brother. I quickly realized he was falling for the same scam I had encountered.

I explained my experience to him, and he recognized the similarities in the scammers' approach. Although God allowed me to lose £200, He knew I had set aside £500 for such situations and used my experience to prevent my brother from falling victim to the same scam.

God knows what you need before you even ask Him. He knew I needed a new trading platform and showed it to me. He knew my brother would be targeted by scammers and allowed me to recognize the scam in time to help him.

Let me be clear—I am not claiming to have reached a place of complete holiness, nor am I saying that I’ve fully learned to “pray without ceasing.” Like many of you, I don’t always enjoy praying in public. But I want to tell you something about my walk with God: I talk to Him throughout the day. I find myself thanking Him for His goodness, asking Him for wisdom, and seeking His guidance in the little and big moments of life.

Now, here’s the amazing thing. God, in His infinite mercy, overlooks my flaws. He sees my shortcomings and yet still chooses to bless me, to meet my needs even before I ask. And if God can be this good to me when I’m inconsistent, how much more would I experience His grace, His power, His presence, if I learned to truly “pray without ceasing”?

This is the challenge before us, church. I’m a work in progress, and so are you. But what if we made prayer our second nature? What if, in every situation, our first instinct was to turn to God? What kind of breakthrough could we experience if prayer was our constant posture? This is what I’m striving for, and I invite you to join me in this journey. Let’s commit to building a deeper relationship with God through persistent, unceasing prayer. The more we seek Him, the more we will see His grace unfold in our lives! Amen!

When Scripture speaks of praying “without ceasing,” … You have heard of, and are acquainted with, public prayer, and private prayer, and family prayer: but the prayer of which we now speak, differs from all these… It can be expressed in the heart or with the voice, and can be done at any time or place, regardless of what is being done. The man of business, he need not enter on a single undertaking without prayer; the mariner, he need not unfurl a sail without prayer; the traveller, he need not face a danger without prayer; the statesman, he need not engage in a debate without prayer; the invalid, he need not try a remedy without prayer; the doctor, he need not perform a surgery without prayer”.

Let us remember that prayer is not a mere ritual or a religious duty. It is a profound privilege, a gift from God that allows us to connect with Him, to be transformed by His Spirit, and to witness His power in our lives and the world around us. Let us make prayer a priority in our lives, knowing that through it, we draw closer to our Creator, are moulded into His image, and become vessels through which His glory is revealed.

Let us be reminded that God's answers are always rooted in His love, wisdom, and perfect will. Whether He says "yes," "no," or "wait," His response is always for our ultimate good and His glory. Our role is to pray with faith, (the kind of faith required – genuine faith: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1). trust in His timing, and submit to His will, knowing that He is faithful.