Developing Your Prayer LifeSample

What is Prayer?

As Christians, we all know we should pray, but what exactly is prayer? The word “prayer” is the Greek word proseuche, and it’s the word most often used for prayer in the entire New Testament. It is a compound of the word pros, which means to draw near or to be face-to-face, and the word euchre, which describes a vow, a wish, or a desire.

When combined, pros and euchre form the word proseuche, meaning up-front, intimate contact. It depicts someone coming close to express a wish, desire, prayer, or vow. Originally this word was used to depict a person who vowed to give something of great value to God in exchange for a favorable answer to prayer. This word portrays an individual who desires to see his prayer answered so desperately that he is willing to surrender everything he owns in exchange for his prayer to be answered. The concept of surrender is inherent in the word proseuche.

A great example of surrendering in prayer is the story of Hannah in First Samuel 1. Hannah was married to a man named Elkanah, and she had been childless for quite some time. Year after year, she wanted desperately for God to give her a child, but she remained barren. Finally, Hannah came to the altar of God and prayed, “God, I desperately want a child. If You will give me a child, I will give him back to You. He will be Yours all the days of his life.” This is a perfect example of the word “prayer.” Hannah drew near to God and expressed her heartfelt desire to conceive a child. And with her prayer, she made a vow.

This is the principle of surrender that is inseparably linked to the act of prayer. God answered Hannah’s request. He waited for her to come before the altar in a place of total surrender, and once she was in that position, she was ready to receive the gift of an answered prayer. The Lord opened her womb, and she conceived and gave birth to Samuel, who eventually became a great prophet and judge in Israel.

You may think you’re waiting on God to answer your prayer, but it’s possible that He is just waiting for you to come before Him in complete surrender. This element of coming to the altar and surrendering is one that is almost always involved in answered prayer. If you are willing to surrender yourself to God, He will respond favorably to you!

Study Questions:

1. What are you praying and believing God for right now?
2. Think about all the promises God makes in the Bible that encourage you. Write some of them down and reflect on how you can incorporate them into your prayer life.