Biblical Answer

The Role of Prayer in Christian Spiritual Formation

What the Bible Teaches About Prayer

The Bible teaches us that prayer is a vital part of Christian spiritual formation. It is a direct personal request to God for His intervention, whether it be for the purpose of healing the sick, raising the dead, or simply asking for grace and strength to live our separate lives (Philippians 4:6-7). The foundation of prayer is a sense of want; of spiritual poverty and need (Romans 7:14-25). The Holy Spirit helps our prayers by interceding for us (Romans 8:26-27). Prayer is not just about getting things for ourselves, but about seeking to set forward Christ himself and His will (The Gospel According to John, p. 646).

The Purpose of Prayer

The purpose of prayer is to nourish the life of God in us. It is a means of creating in ourselves a right attitude with respect to God's will. Prayer is not just about having a positive mental attitude, but about seeking to conform ourselves to God's essential nature (Romans 12:1-2). We must diligently exercise prayer as a spiritual discipline in order to come to the throne of grace and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). To be a strong Christian, we must be strong pray-ers, continually praying and seeking to commune with God (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The Importance of Prayer in Christian Life

Prayer is essential to the Christian life. There is no faith without prayer (Luke 18:1-8). Prayer is the way that we express our trust in God and our dependence on Him. It is a fundamental aspect of our relationship with God. We must not view prayer as just a means of getting things for ourselves, but as a way of seeking to glorify God and to align ourselves with His will. As we pray, we must seek to proceed from faith in Christ, giving expression to a unity with all that Christ stands for (John 15:1-8). By doing so, we will find that our lives are transformed and that we are conformed to the image of Christ.