When a difficult situation arises, what’s your first instinct?
Do you speak directly to God in prayer, or do you immediately reach out to someone else?
When you’re hoping for a blessing, do you ask God yourself, or do you rely on others to pray for you? When you desire the baptism with the Holy Spirit, do you seek Him daily, or only when you’re inside a church? And when you’re longing for the conversion of someone you love, do you introduce that person to God personally, or do you place your faith in photographs, pieces of clothing, or others praying on your behalf?
These questions aren’t meant to judge, they’re meant to invite reflection. Unfortunately, many people trust only in the prayers of others. By doing so, they miss out on something vital: the chance to grow their own relationship with God through prayer.
Let’s be clear about one thing: prayer is not a religious performance. It isn’t about rituals, impressive language, or repeating words without meaning. It’s also not a monologue where you speak endlessly and expect nothing in return.
Many people say, “I don’t know how to pray,” but prayer is simpler than we often think. Prayer is a conscious, intentional conversation between a person and God. It is personal, sincere, and cannot be delegated to anyone else.
Prayer is a direct line of communication with God — no intermediaries, no waiting, no barriers. Yet so many people struggle to maintain a life of prayer.
Some believe God already knows everything, so there’s no need to speak. Others think their prayers are less important, or that God will listen more readily to someone else. Some feel their problems are too small, while others blame busyness when, in truth, it’s often discouragement or spiritual weariness. And then there are those who have prayed for so long without seeing an answer that they’ve simply given up.
But, did you know there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer?
God always responds — sometimes with “yes”, sometimes with “no”, and sometimes with “not yet”. Each response is an answer, given according to His wisdom and love.
A neglected prayer life often reveals deeper issues: pride, self-sufficiency, weakened faith, fear of change, lack of trust, or even spiritual coldness. It can show how easily we begin to live as though we don’t need God at all. And there is only one way to overcome this distance — by returning to prayer.
How Should We Pray?
The Bible teaches us that how we ask matters (James 4:3). When Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer, He wasn’t giving us words to repeat mechanically, but a model to follow.
That model can be understood in three simple parts:
Worship
Recognising who God is — His greatness, holiness, and authority — with humility and reverence (Matthew 6:9).
Request
Sharing what’s on your heart: your needs, worries, plans, and desire for guidance (Matthew 6:10–12).
Gratitude
Trusting that God hears you and thanking Him in advance for His will being done (Matthew 6:13).
Prayer flows naturally when we understand it as a relationship. Just like a meaningful conversation with someone you love, one subject leads to another, and before you know it, time has passed. Sincerity, surrender, intention, spoken words, and understanding are all essential.
Prayer isn’t about talking endlessly; it’s about listening too. Proverbs 28:9 reminds us that if we turn our ears away from God’s Word, even our prayers lose their power. True prayer requires exchange: God listens to us, and we listen to Him. That trust grows when we know His Word. Praying is believing that God is listening and that He is able to answer.
The Word of God tells us that sincere prayers are so precious they are kept in golden bowls before God (Revelation 5:8). Jesus Himself emphasised the importance of prayer when He said we should always pray and never give up (Luke 18:1).
Without a life of prayer, it is impossible to remain firm in God’s promises and even more so, to preserve our faith and salvation.
Prayer is not optional, it is essential.
Ready to put this into action? Join us this Saturday, 17th January, at 7am for the Collective Fast as we begin a new Chain of Prayer: ‘Seven Saturdays of Answers.’ Come ready to receive from God, show up with faith and expectation, and let your prayer life be renewed, strengthened, and transformed.
Pray, trust in His timing, and watch your answers unfold.
Event: Seven Saturdays of Answers
Period: Saturday 17th January – Saturday 28th February at 7am
Location: Your local Universal Church
