#45 What Is Prayer?

As Christians, we cannot help but pray. To be a Christian means you pray. If you are not praying, then you are not a Christian. As Puritan Richard Baxter said, “Prayer is the breath of the new creature.” As such, we need to examine when and how to pray to our loving heavenly Father.

But is there “power” in prayer? Are we like a Harry Potter crying out “ridiculi” or some other magic incantation that can push God into action, or cause him to change his mind? No, prayer in and of itself is not powerful. It is the God who hears prayer -- He is the powerful one. When prayer is expressive of a relationship with God, and in accord with God's will as revealed in the Bible alone, prayer can accomplish much. God works in us even as he works in our prayers.