1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Teach Us to Pray is brought to you by Life 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Audio and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: For more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 2: Hello friend, you are listening to the Teach Us to 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: Pray podcast with me Christina Patterson, where we teach believers 6 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 2: practical and real life tips on how to grow your 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: faith in relationship with God through the power of prayer. 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 2: If you've ever wondered, why should I pray? If God 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 2: already knows everything? If he already knows what's going to happen, 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 2: what I'm going to do, what He's going to do, 11 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 2: what's the point? Then today's episode is just for you. 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 2: The idea for today's episode came from a call I 13 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 2: received from a friend. She called me one day and 14 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 2: asked this very same question, Christina, why do we pray 15 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: when God already knows what's going to happen? I thought, 16 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 2: that's a really good question that I too have thought 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: about before, especially when you might be struggling with doubt, 18 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 2: or you feel like a lot of bad things are 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: happening to you and you get weary in your faith, 20 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 2: or maybe you're just skeptical and think well, we know 21 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: that the Bible does in fact say that God is 22 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: all powerful and all knowing, and He's ordained all of 23 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: our steps even while we were in our mother's wombs. 24 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: So does that cancel out the need for prayer? And 25 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 2: I would propose to you absolutely not. We've previously talked 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: about prayer and the importance of prayer, So today I 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 2: want to give you three reasons why we should continue 28 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 2: to pray even though God already knows what's going to happen. 29 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: The first reason we should continue to pray is because 30 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: prayer is about our relationship with God. In her book Fervent, 31 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: Priscilla Shier outlines the general purposes of prayer with the 32 00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: acronym pray P R A Y P stands for praise. 33 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 2: She encourages readers to start with adoration towards God, with 34 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 2: the focus on who he is and all his goodness. 35 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: The R stands for repentance, the part of prayer where 36 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: we turn away from the things that are not of 37 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: God and align ourselves with His will. The A stands 38 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: for asking, and this is where we tell God pretty 39 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 2: much what we want. This is essentially the part that 40 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: we're concerned about when we ask the question why should 41 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 2: I pray if God already knows what's going to happen? 42 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 2: Why should I ask God for anything if he already 43 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 2: knows how things are going to turn out in the end. 44 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: But the point of me saying this is that asking 45 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: is a portion of prayer, not the sole purpose of prayer. 46 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: Our petition to God is a part of the reasons 47 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 2: why we pray, but it's not the entire reason why 48 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: we pray. Pascilla Shreyer then goes on to say why 49 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 2: stands for yes, which is yes to all of God's 50 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 2: promises and proclaiming God's promises and truth over your life. 51 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 2: So that's the acronym pr why that Schreier gives in 52 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: her book Fervent for how to Pray, Praise, repentance, asking, 53 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: and yes. And if you remember from episode two of 54 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: our Teachers to Pray podcast, we use the three R 55 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: prayer process, which is to reverence, repent, requests, and so 56 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: both of these prayer methods, which again are just methods 57 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 2: to just help guide your prayer, and they show that 58 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: the asking portion of prayer, the request portion or the 59 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: asking portion, is only part of prayer, but the praise, 60 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 2: the repenting the yes, the reverence are all important parts 61 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: of growing in our relationship with God through prayer. Prayer 62 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: is essential to your relationship with God. As we've discussed 63 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: in previous episodes, it's not just about asking God for 64 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: what you want and trying to get it. It's not 65 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: about God being this genie where we ask for something 66 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: and He just gives it to me. No, Prayer is 67 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: about your communication and growing in your relationship with God. 68 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 2: And you can't have a healthy relationship that doesn't have 69 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,279 Speaker 2: healthy communication. If we want to grow in our relationship 70 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: with God, which is essential to our lives, could because 71 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: Jesus compares himself to living water and the bread of life, 72 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: then we need God in our lives and we need 73 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: his relationship if we want to grow, if we want 74 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 2: to flourish, then we have to be in prayer. So 75 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: that's number one. Yes, God knows everything, but our first 76 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 2: and foremost priority in prayer is to develop our relationship 77 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 2: and grow our relationship with God. And if we throw 78 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 2: away prayer because God already knows what's going to happen, 79 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 2: then we also throw away the most important connecting factor 80 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 2: between us and God. The second reason we continue to 81 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 2: pray when God already knows what's going to happen. Is 82 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: because prayer changes us. Many times, we might pray to 83 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,799 Speaker 2: get what we want, but sometimes the process of praying, 84 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: the process of seeking God, does more for our hearts 85 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 2: and changing us than an answered prayer. And that may 86 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: have been God's plan all along, or he allowed it 87 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 2: to work out that way. For example, I never wanted 88 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 2: or planned to be a stay at home mom. I 89 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: grew up with the mentality that you go to college, 90 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: you get a good job, you become an independent woman, 91 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: and that's just what you do. When I had my 92 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: daughter and I realized that God was calling me to 93 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: be a stay at home mom, I was like, no, 94 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 2: this can't be right. My heart was not in it. 95 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: But at that time I read another Priscilla Schreier book 96 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: called Life Interrupted, which is a study on Jonah and 97 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 2: running away from what God is calling you to do. 98 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 2: And that's exactly what I was doing. I would apply 99 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 2: for jobs and every door was getting shut in my face. 100 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: And these were jobs I knew I was qualified for. 101 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: I was praying to God to let me get a job, 102 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 2: and those prayers were not being answered. And as I 103 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 2: was reading Life Interrupted and studying the life of Jonah, 104 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 2: God revealed to me that I was called to stay home. So, no, 105 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 2: he did not answer my prayer. And yes, I was 106 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: frustrated in that season because I felt like I'm not 107 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 2: a stay at home mom. I wasn't built for this, 108 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: I wasn't raised for this. I have no idea what 109 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 2: I'm doing. And because I had those feelings, I started 110 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: to pray more and I started to become more dependent 111 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: on God to answer this call that I felt like 112 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 2: I was completely unqualified for. And as I prayed and 113 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 2: read my Bible and leaned on God, he was changing 114 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,679 Speaker 2: my heart about the whole situation. Not only did I 115 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: develop a deeper relationship with God in that season. Now 116 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 2: I can't imagine not being a stay at home mom. 117 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: I absolutely love what I do. Did God give me 118 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 2: what I wanted even though I prayed for it? No, 119 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 2: he gave me something better. He gave me peace, purpose, 120 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: and a closer relationship with Him. Sometimes prayer is more 121 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,679 Speaker 2: about aligning our hearts with God's will, not necessarily getting 122 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: everything that we think we want. It's in prayer that 123 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 2: we're strengthened and encouraged to do the things that we 124 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 2: didn't think we could to live a life in the 125 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: midst of unanswered prayers and of things not going the 126 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: way we thought they should. It's in prayer that God 127 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 2: is working on us. He's sanctifying us, and he's aligning 128 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: our hearts with his. When I think of that season 129 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: of wanting a job, I can see it wasn't a 130 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 2: job that I really desired. Essentially, I wanted security, and 131 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: God was providing that for me, even though it wasn't 132 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 2: in the way I thought that I would go about it. 133 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: If we really look deep at the core of the 134 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: things we want, God is answering those prayers by providing 135 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: his peace and encouragement and his uplifting of our souls 136 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: and spirits along the way. Even in seasons where we 137 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: feel like our prayers aren't being answered, God is everything 138 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: we need, even when he doesn't give us everything we want. 139 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: The third and last reason why you should pray even 140 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 2: though God already knows what's going to happen, is because 141 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: you don't know what's going to happen. You don't know 142 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: what prayer He's going to answer. I love the quote 143 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 2: by doctor Tony Evans that says some things are not 144 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 2: released until we pray for them. God knows what you're 145 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 2: going to pray, but you don't know what answer to 146 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: prayers he's going to give you. So my philosophy is this, 147 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: if I don't get something, it's not going to be 148 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 2: because I didn't pray for it. It's not going to 149 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 2: be because I didn't have the boldness to go to 150 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 2: God and be real with Him about what I want 151 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: and ask for it. And I know you might be thinking, well, 152 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 2: I don't want to get my feelings hurt. I'm not 153 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: going to ask God because he might say no. But 154 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 2: that's when you kind of have to check your faith. 155 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: Is your faith in the outcome of your prayer or 156 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 2: is your faith in God. Our prayer requires faith because 157 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: we don't know the outcomes, but it ushers us into 158 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 2: the presence of the one who does listen. I don't 159 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 2: have all the answers, but I do pray that today's 160 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: podcast was an encouragement for you and that you've gained 161 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 2: a greater perspective of why we should keep praying. Even 162 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 2: though God is all knowing, we have so much more 163 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: to talk about when it comes to prayer. So I 164 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 2: hope that if you were encouraged by today's episode, you'll 165 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 2: share it with a friend and subscribe so that you 166 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: don't miss any future episodes of the Teach Us to 167 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: Pray podcast, where we'll continue to learn how, just like breathing, 168 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: prayer can become a natural, consistent, and life giving part 169 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,079 Speaker 2: of our everyday lives. Until then, be sure to connect 170 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 2: with me and Christina Patterson at Belovedwomen dot org and 171 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 2: check out the show notes in today's episode to download 172 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 2: my free five day prayer guide to help you put 173 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 2: into practice the powerful habit of prayer. Thank you so 174 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: much for taking time to listen today. God bless you, 175 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 2: and I'll talk to you in the next episode. 176 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 3: Teach Us to Prayer is a production of Life Audio 177 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 3: and the Salem Web Network. 178 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this episode, would you. 179 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 3: Take a minute and leave us a review in your 180 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 3: podcast app? It really does help more people like you 181 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 3: find the podcast To hear more from Christina Patterson, be 182 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 3: sure to check out her fantastic site, Belovedwomen dot org. 183 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 3: A special thanks to Kelly Gibbons, Stephen Sanders, and Stephen 184 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 3: McGarvey for their production and editing on this episode. You 185 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 3: can find more podcasts like this over at lifeaudio dot com.