Pray First!

Scripture makes it clear that the answer to everything in our lives is prayer mixed with faith. The apostle Paul writes, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, NKJV). Paul is telling us to seek the Lord in every area of our lives and to thank him ahead of time for hearing us.

Paul emphasizes that we must always pray first, not as a last resort. Jesus tells us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). We are to go to the Lord first!

Our ministry receives heart-wrenching letters from many broken Christians. Families are breaking up; people who walked faithfully with Christ for years live in fear and defeat. Each person has been overcome by something: sin, depression, worldliness, covetousness. Year after year, their problems seem to worsen. Yet, what shocks me most about their letters is that very few of these Christians ever mention prayer. They turn to tapes, books, counselors, call-in radio programs, and various therapies, but rarely to prayer.

Why is it so hard for Christians to seek God for their desperate needs during times of crisis? After all, the Bible stands as one long testimony that God hears the cries of his children and answers them with tender love.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15).

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).

“Now this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22).

Beloved, reflect on these promises in scripture. They are overwhelming evidence of God’s care. Today, seek the Lord in prayer!