What Good Does Prayer Do?

1
What GoodDoes Prayer Do?

• The supplication of a righteous man availeth
  much in its working
• James 517

2
What Good Will It Do?

• The child in school asks, What good will all
  this learning do me?
• The musician or athlete asks, What good will all
  this practice do me?
• We naturally want to know what is the practical
  value and advantage in doing something What good
  does prayer do?

3
What Good Does Prayer Do?

• We pray because we are commanded to pray (Lk.
  181 1 Thess. 517 Jas. 513)
• We pray because we recognize that we have needs
  to be supplied by God (Ac. 822 Rom.
  826-27 Phil. 46 Heb. 218 416 725 Jas.
  514-16 1 Pet. 312 57 1 Jn. 19)
• We pray because it can influence God to act in
  ways he would not otherwise act without prayer (2
  K. 201-6 Jer. 333 Jas. 517-18)

4
What Good Does Prayer Do?

• We pray because communication is a part of a
  healthy relationship between Father and son (Mt.
  1423 Mk. 646 Luke 612 928 Jn. 1142 1
  Jn. 514).
• We pray because prayer demonstrates our trust in
  God (Mt. 68-15,32 Acts 1724-28)
• We pray because prayer demonstrates our gratitude
  and thanks to God (1 Tim. 21 44-5)

5
What Good Does Prayer Do?

• We pray because prayer is the best gift we can
  give others (Gen. 1823ff Ex. 3211,30
  Num. 1213 1 Tim. 21-3 Jas. 516 3 Jn. 2)
• We pray because it develops the necessary
  spiritual exercise we need (1 Tim. 48)
• We pray because failure to pray is a sin against
  God (1 Sam. 1223)