Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent (attentive) unto the prayers that is made in this place – 2nd Chronicles 7:15.

Solomon’s prayer to God was when the people of God came together into the sanctuary that God would hear the prayers. God no longer dwells in tabernacles and tents, but He dwells in the body of the believer who has sanctified themselves to Him. Just as prayer was needed in the tabernacle and the sanctuary, we’re now the sanctuary, and the house of prayer.

We can’t grow spiritually without prayer, fasting, reading and studying the Word of God. Many professing Christians usually don’t pray until there is a need, but prayer should be done on a daily basis. Prayer isn’t just for us and our family, but prayer should be made for everyone.

I Exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty –  1st Timothy 2:1-2.

Prayer is what constrains the evil in this world, prayer and faith is what moves the hand of God. There is a place in God we can get to and He will inform us of things that are happening and things that about to happen, but these relationship with God comes through a consistent prayer life.

In the Bible, “pray” is listed more than 379 times, “prayer” 115, “prayers” 24, “prayest” 2, “prayeth” 7, “praying” 20. Prayer is a mandate, it’s something we do rather we feel like it or not. As Christians, we’re not always going feel like praying because of life issues and commands, this is why Jesus instructed His disciples in their time of fear, and wondering what was going to happen with Jesus and themselves, He instructed them to pray so that they would not enter into temptation.

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak – Mark 14:38.

Temptation isn’t always sexual gratification, temptation could be fear, anxiety, doubt, unbelief, anger, jealousy, gossiping, just to name a few. Prayer is communicating with our Father, and just like any earthly father, they want to hear from their children every now and then without them asking for something. Prayer is not only asking for something, but also giving praise and thankfulness for what He has already done.

Prayer is one of the hardest things for a Christian because it demands discipline, and sad to say, we can discipline ourselves to everything and everyone, but when it comes to the things of God, it’s always with a struggle, and it shouldn’t be. If we took ten minutes a day to pray, then weekly increase our prayer to five more minutes, and have a mind-set we will not allow anything to keep us from that schedule and time of prayer before we know it, we will be praying a least an hour a day.

Prayer shouldn’t be with grudging, but with expectation. The more we pray, the more we’re sensitive to what is happening spiritually. The more we pray, the more we want to come before the Father with praise and thanksgiving. It’s a privilege to come before the Father, every one can’t come before Him because of their unrighteousness, but when He has clothed us in His righteousness, why wouldn’t we go before Him in prayer, unless we’re still clinging to a part of the world and the god of this world is Satan.

We can’t serve God and Satan, we have to chose who we will serve, the problem is many Christians are trying to serve God and Satan, like the children of Israel was doing, and they had to chose who they were going to serve. When trying to serve God and Satan, God calls it luke-warm, and if were luke-warm He doesn’t want it (So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor not, I will spew thee out of my mouth – Revelation 3:16). The church is likened to lukewarm water, or as being virtually worthless. Christ says He will “spew”  them out, or eject them from His company.

Prayer is a safe-guard, it keeps one focus on the things of God. No one can have a consistent prayer life and stay the same. Prayer changes the heart, the motivate, thinking, behavior, and character. Prayer is an mandate for all Christians, its the Christians that go before God for the non-believer, for those who are in need but can’t approach God. We have to fight the good fight of faith, pray when we don’t feel like it, fast when we don’t want to, read and study the Word of God when our natural man is desiring the things of the world., prayer is an mandate!