Why Did God Design Prayer

By Nolan Harkness, Friday, April 20, 2018

Have you ever wondered why God designed prayer as the mode of communication between the creation and the Creator? One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV); "Call unto the Lord and He will show you great and mighty things that you know not". That is one promise that I utilize a lot because I always try to understand the why of things. For years I have said that with effective public ministry, in this modern culture, you have to be able to not only tell people what, but why. Sometimes that is not easy. However, with some sincere prayer and a little Bible study most things can be explained!

Prayer can be the most exciting thing you have ever done if it is done right.

Why did God design prayer? Why would He choose something called prayer as the way we talk to Him? Couldn't He have just seen our need and met it. After all the Bible does say Matthew 6:8b KJV; "for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him". In every community there are the wealthier families. Their Dads just seem to buy them things. They just get their children what they need. God does call Himself our Heavenly Father right? Romans 8:15b (NIV) says; "and by Him we cry Abba Father, or "Daddy".

So God Himself, by His Holy Spirit in the teachings of the Scripture lays down for our understanding that He is a type of father by adoption through faith in Christ. So what earthly child would ever have to go get down on their knees or sprawl prostrate on the floor before their earthly Dad to get the things that they need for everyday life? The answer is nobody. That's why God says in Isaiah 55:9 (KJV) "As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts".

God in His infinite wisdom has a purpose for everything, including prayer. He understands we are a three part being. We are made up of a spirit, a soul and a body. Before we become a Christian we only were aware of two of our parts and lived completely, and served completely, those two parts. When we become "born again" our understanding is illuminated to comprehend the eternal, or spirit man within us which will live forever! God understands firstly that the soul and body cannot communicate with Him. In John 4:24 KJV Jesus said; "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth".

So God did something really cool! He designed something called prayer to help us move out of our earthly state and communicate with him spirit to Spirit.

In the Garden of Eden both Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and disobeyed God. According to the teachings of scripture it was then that sin entered into the world. Before this happened Adam and Eve could talk freely with God in the garden at will. Because their spirits had not experienced yet the death of sin they could talk to God our Heavenly Father in His Spirit form. God had told them in Genesis 2:16b KJV; Of all of the trees of the garden thou shall freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shall not eat for in that thou shall eatest thereof thou shall surely die". However they believed what the serpent the Devil told them, rather than the Word that had come directly from God. Sin entered into the world and separated them from the direct one and one communication they enjoyed with God in the garden every day.

The serpent had deceived Eve tempting her with the piece of fruit, but something far more subtle was going on behind the scenes. He appealed first to tempt her with pride doubting God. Genesis 3:1b (KJV) quotes the Devils first question. "Yea hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Then with some more seductive discourse he says; 3:4b; "Ye shall not die: In verse five he seals the seduction by saying; "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes will be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

So Adam and Eve by pride and rebellion went directly against what God had told them. They ate of the forbidden fruit and ended what we might consider a normal way to communicate face to face.

But God always has a redemptive plan and that failure gave birth to the beautiful process we know today as prayer. We can pray in the name of Jesus utilizing a plan the Father designed before the foundations of the world. You see prayer is the very opposite of pride and rebellion. Prayer requires humility and submission. First it requires humility in humbling ourselves before the Creator of the universe. So whether we kneel, walk, stand, or pray on the move having to ask God for something is a required act of humility. There is a good reason for it and every time we pray we are reminded of His awesome greatness. Every so often I lay prostrate on my face before God and cry out to Him. The wonder of wonders is when we can experience His presence meeting us there.

So prayer requires humility in that prayer is humbling ourselves before Him and His will in different prayer postures. Submission is our choosing to use the wonderful communicative process He has chosen. It's a delightful true and living experience between our Heavenly Father and ourselves. It becomes a rich and truly spiritual experience full of wonder and worship. The time spent with Him becomes something that we long for. It becomes something that we need completely.

There is always time for prayer for people who care. Develop more time for prayer in your everyday life!

Rev Nolan J Harkness is the President and CEO of Nolan Harkness Evangelistic Ministries Inc. since 1985. He spent most of his adult life working in youth ministry. He also felt the calling of Evangelist/Revivalist and traveled as the door was open holding evangelistic meetings in churches throughout the Northeast. His website is www.verticalsound.org.