What does prayer consist of?

Question

People often say they believe in prayer, yet when asked what prayer is they cannot come up with an answer other than asking for favors from God (or some one else). Can you do better than that?

Answer 1

prayer consosts of having a relationship with God our heavenly father,thanking him for daily blessings,asking for blessings not just for self but fore most for others around the world,worshiping all done with pure repented from sin heart and pure sincerity and humbleness

Answer 2

Prayers offered to gods that exist only in the minds of men will never be heard, as the priests of Baal in the time of Elijah found to their chagrin. (1 Ki. 18:26-29; Ps. 115:4-8) The very first requirement for prayer, therefore, is faith. “Without faith it is impossible to win his good pleasure, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” Note, we must have faith not only that God exists but also that he will reward those earnestly seeking him, that he will answer our prayers. As James emphasizes: “But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from God.” And as Jesus said: “If you have faith the size of a mustard grain, . . . nothing will be impossible for you.”—Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:6, 7; Matt. 17:20.

And do we not have sound basis for such faith? Is not God able to “do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive”? And since he loves us, we may rest assured that he is as willing as he is able so different from imperfect man, who so often is either willing but unable or able but unwilling. Yes, “if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him?”

Did not God answer Elijah’s prayer when he faced the 450 prophets of Baal?

Hezekiah’s prayer when Sennacherib’s army threatened Jerusalem?

The prayers on behalf of Peter when he was taken prisoner by Herod Agrippa?

Answer 3

I'm sorry but I believe most people are mis-guided in there beliefs in prayer.I believe the only purpose of prayer is to thank and praise God, not to ask for help getting you out of a situation you most certainly got yourself into and can just as easily get yourself out of. Would God just simply be an enabler if she got you out of your messes every time you got yourself in them? You were created with this wonderful ability to choose. Choose wisely. I do believe prayer can achieve desired results because thought is energy and if enough thought is directed to one area,enough energy is created in the universe to even move mountains. But this is you, not God doing the moving. This is my belief

Answer 4

Prayer should be made up of Praising God for who He is.
Thanking Him for everything He has done
Asking for His will to be done in our lives and others' lives
For salvation for those we meet, or even don't know. Asking that we will have the opportunity to lead souls to Him.
For healing.
For those in authority over us
Praying for our needs, emotional, spiritual and physical (not our wants)
Ask Him for forgiveness (keep short accounts with God)
Ask for help to forgive others too,
and also as we are led to pray, to bring those things before the Lord.

Answer 5

being an actual partaker in the live a prayer life I can tell you better. Prayer is communiction wth your best friend. It entails both ways of communication the talk and the listen. Talk is just like one would do with a friend, accept that one knows he is talking to a truly superior being who already knows you as well as you do probably better si that knowledge has an effect on the communicating. Its like you are a child talking to a loving father. That is pretty much the whole idea in a nutshell. Just remember that listening does not stop when you get up and brush your teeth, cuz He is gonna communicate all day long if you are willing to listen,, are you listening now??? Can you hear Him now,...................................................can you hear Him now.......................................................................can you hear Him now

Answer 6

Prayer is asking a question in search of an answer.

Answer 7

Prayer only means talking to God....

Answer 8

Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God:
+ In praise of his glory
+ In petition for some desired good
+ In thanksgiving for a good received
+ In intercession for others before God

Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church.

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene)

But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Psalm 130:1)

He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."

With love in Christ.

Answer 9

prayer consist of (1) having been born again with out being born again, confessing your sins,obeying Gods laws,trying to live a Christ like life.attending church with other believers, opening your life,heart, and soul to God, prayer means nothing, because GOD DOES NOT HEAR YOU.(2) tithing 10% of your earnings,which God commands you to do(lev.)27:30-32 and then you should pray to God for forgiveness, and thank him for loving you,and you loving him, pray for your enmies,as well as your friends,praise him daily for waking you up and starting you on your way,and then you can pray for stuff, read (mal.3:8-10) GOG BLESS.

Answer 10

prayer is just talking to god, you don't have to ask for anything, or spend time on your knees to do it. just talk to him about what your dreams are or how you feel.
try telling him good morning when you get up and good night when you go to bed.
he is always there and knows your thoughts, but want to hear it from you anyway.