4 Rewards for developing the habit of prayer

“Of all the Spiritual disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with God the father”

(Richard Foster).

When we journey through the Spiritual discipline of prayer, it is important to remember the rewards of developing this habit. Remembering the “why” or reason, in this case for prayer, helps us to continue and maintain any habit.

 

Prayer at its core is about communing with Jesus.  It is about walking to the everlasting fountain of living water and taking a drink.

 

Here are four rewards for developing and continuing in the habit of prayer.

1. Christ-likeness

This is about becoming who God created you to be.  Through the power and work of the Holy Spirit, we are becoming like Jesus.  As we spend time with him in prayer we are positioning ourselves to fully enter, engage, and experience the life Jesus’ death opened up for us.

 

2. Experiences of God’s grace in your life.

In Hebrews 4:16 the author reminds us that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we can approach the throne of Jesus and receive grace and mercy for the journey we are in.  Prayer becomes one of the roads we walk to experience God in our life.

 

3. Our souls become nourished.

In John 4 we read ¹³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. ¹⁴ But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” If we are to stay spiritually hydrated we are going to need to sit at the feet of Jesus and drink.

 

4. Release blessing to other people.

Many times in scripture we see Jesus praying for others, we see the church praying for others.  Jesus calls us to pray that God the Father would send more workers because the harvest is ready.  Praying for others is part of our journey with God.  We join together with him in his work in the world.  He invites us into this work and at one level, as we pray, it opens up the opportunity of blessing for others.

 

To enter, engage and experience the life you were created for continue in the habit of prayer.