The Principles of Prayer I

 Some things stand the test of time because they work. Others fall by the wayside altogether or are improved upon because they either don’t live up to the hype or fail to meet the expectations of those who were promised something other than what was delivered.

The earliest evidence of the wheel’s invention dates back to around 3500 BC, and since then, the wheel has remained largely unchanged in design, as it has proven effective. Men have added spokes, removed spokes, and made wheels thicker or thinner depending on their needs, but as far as its overall design and aesthetic, a wheel remains a wheel and will forever be so.

There was no improvement in the design of the wheel. No new company was blazing a trail in the realm of innovation by introducing a square or oval wheel, as it would have been less ideal than the original and likely would have failed to capture a market share.

This was not the case for home entertainment. Back in the day, it started with Betamax as the rage, quickly replaced by VHS, then progressed to laser disc, DVD, and finally, the current iteration, which is streaming. While Betamax ruled the roost for a season, it was quickly replaced by better technology because there was room for improvement.

I’ve spent countless hours and even written books on prayer, not because I found an untapped niche but because throughout the history of man, ever since the forefathers of the faith through the present day, prayer is one of the handful of things that has been proven to work time and again.

Throughout time, every outstanding, noteworthy, or extraordinary man or woman of God has had a robust and consistent prayer life. There are no exceptions to this fact, and since success leaves clues, if the desire of your heart is to grow in God and walk in the fullness of Him, a prayer life is indispensable.

There are no workarounds, no bypasses, and nothing you can do to replace prayer in your faith walk. You can’t outsource it or hire someone to do it on your behalf. You can’t pay a televangelist to pray, so you don’t have to. It’s something you have to do consistently and faithfully, whether in good times or bad. Anyone who insists otherwise is a liar, and the truth is not found in them.

Given the weight and importance of prayer, this study will focus on the principles thereof. We will be discussing the consecration of our prayers, the quality of our prayers, the quantity of our prayers, the constancy of our prayers, and the consequences of our prayers. It will by no means be exhaustive, but it will establish a foundation and, Lord willing, reveal the indispensable need for us as individuals to grow, mature, and consistently expand our prayer lives.

The practical application of a principle beats and consistently surpasses the theoretical knowledge of it every day, all day, so the point of this study isn’t to dissect the theory of prayer so much as to practically apply it to our daily lives.

The benefits of a consistent, dedicated prayer life are too many to count, and the dangers of having a subpar prayer life are far greater than we would like to believe. Much of the lackluster performance of the modern-day church can be directly traced back to its foregoing prayer because it deemed it too cumbersome and unpopular, likely not a selling point for those who are looking for more of a social club than they are true and undefiled worship.

If God’s desire is for His house to be called a house of prayer, why is it anything other than what He desires it to be? Do we think we know better than God? Do we believe that modern techniques for drawing a crowd or filling a sanctuary can replace the need for prayer, whether corporate or individual?

There can be no life better spent than a life dedicated to prayer. Yet, somehow, it has fallen out of favor with the vast majority of Christendom because it’s not showy or bombastic enough. Prayer is not a chore; it is a grace. It’s the invitation, ability, and opportunity to have fellowship with the God who spoke the universe into being, to know Him more fully, and to feel His presence in a way that only its practice can facilitate.

Contrary to popular opinion, prayer isn’t about presenting God with a laundry list of needs we want to be met or problems we need solving, but rather communion and communication, fellowship, and intimacy that strengthens the bond of the relationship we desire to have with Him.

Whether spiritual gifts, a stronger faith, boldness, endurance, comfort, wisdom, or direction, they all flow out of a robust prayer life, and without it, we are less than what we can be, or should be, when it comes to spiritual strength and fortitude.

If the average believer understood the true import of prayer, there would be no need for extra motivation to pray because they would perceive it as the fundamental need that it is in order to achieve a strong and robust spiritual man, and therefore, would make time for it no matter what was going on in their lives. It is only when we understand the value of something that we prioritize it correctly, and so few make prayer part of their daily routine because they haven’t assigned it its proper value.

Although prayer must become as consistent as waking up in the morning, brushing our teeth, and combing our hair if we are follically blessed, part of a daily routine of sorts, it can never become routine. There must be a hunger, an anticipation, an eagerness, and an expectation whenever we come before God because it is a time we set aside to commune with Him and know that He is listening.

The road I usually take to work is under construction and likely will be through the summer. They started posting signs a month before starting to tear the road apart, informing the public of the start date; there are big orange detour signs insisting that the road is closed. Yet, due to muscle memory and being used to driving the same road every morning for years on end, more often than not, I find myself having to turn around and find an alternate route because the way is so ingrained in my mind that I fail to remember the closure.

We cannot approach prayer in like manner. Although it becomes something ordinary as far as consistent practice, it must remain extraordinary with every iteration. The reality that every time we come before God in prayer, we have the honor of speaking to Him, pouring out our hearts, and thanking Him for his many blessings should be something that never grows dull or something we cease being in awe of.

With love in Christ, 

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Posted on 11 April 2025 | 10:59 am