The Duty and Benefits of Prayer

Every Christian goes through periods when maintaining motivation to pray is a challenge.  Every duty in the Christian life will be a struggle at times.  Reading the Bible consistently is one basic requirement for providing the fuel for prayer.  But just being told to read the Scriptures more is not all that helpful.  There are very specific things that need to be emphasized when our motivation for prayer is weak.  Two top the list.  First, we need to be reminded how desperately weak we are spiritually.  Apart from God’s grace, we can accomplish nothing (John 15:5)!  Believers who are not praying fervently do not realize how much they need the Lord in everything.  Secondly, we must remember what a wonderful privilege prayer is.  Let me quote another fine Puritan, George Swinnock: “God is so gracious that he condescends to converse with poor sinners.  Prayer is one of the most pleasant ways he has appointed for us to walk with him.  Prayer is our chief duty and brings heaven down to man.  There is no duty that has so many promises attached to it, gives more honour to God, or which receives more honor from God.  It is a guard to secure the fort of the heart, a porter to keep the door of the lips, and a shield to protect the hands.  It perfumes every relation and profits every condition.  No one can deprive you of this privilege.  Every saint is God’s temple and may pray anywhere.  Every house is a house of prayer.  It is a sweet savour to God, a terror to the devil, and a shelter to a Christian.”  The more you read the Puritans the more your soul will crave their depth and breadth—the depth of their profound handling of each subject, and their breadth of coverage, fitting each spiritual concept into its proper place in the whole of Scripture.