Why Pray if God Knows Everything?

Why should we pray if God knows everything? If God knows what we need even before we ask – or if He knows everything that will happen in the future, then why is it necessary for people to pray?

1. Prayer reminds us that we cannot spiritually survive without God’s presence and intervention in our daily life.
Whilst God may know everything we need, prayer strengthens our relationship with God and increases the awareness that we cannot spiritually thrive without God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: Pray without ceasing

Psalm 145:18 says: The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth

Communication with God is necessary because it brings us closer to God and reminds us to be constantly conscious and aware that He is always present in our daily life.

2. Prayer is an act of faith and trust in God.
Despite God knowing everything, the Lord wants us to exercise faith when we pray.

Hebrews 11:6 says: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

True prayer requires that there be a measure of faith when we approach God. We cannot pray without exercising faith.

Mark 11:22-24 says: And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.  23  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.  24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

3. Prayer helps us when we doubt or feel discouraged.
God uses prayer to cause people to draw strength from Him when we doubt or face bad circumstances.

For example, Psalm 42:11 says: Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 4:1 says: Answer me when I call to You, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer

The Book of Psalms is filled with psalmists such as David who faced periods of doubt, grief, despair but they prayed and expressed themselves to God.
They prayed because even through their painful circumstances, they learnt to trust God and depend on Him; they learnt about the faithfulness of God and gained the belief that God will never leave them nor forsake them.

Romans 12:12 says: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

4. God uses prayer to encourage us to seek His will.
Prayer is not only meant for us to seek our own agenda and desires. Instead, when we pray we must seek the will of God and not our own. Our prayers must align with God’s plan and purposes.

1 John 5:14 says: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Prayer helps us to search for God’s direction in many issues and challenges that come our way. It is through this experience that we also learn the nature and character if God.

5. God uses prayer as a weapon for spiritual warfare.
Prayer reminds us that we are part of a spiritual war. We do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness. Praying in the Spirit helps us to withstand the tactics of the enemy and to move forward victoriously in Christ.

In Matthew 26:41 Jesus says: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Therefore, even if God knows everything, as Christians we still participate in a spiritual battle as soldiers of Christ. We are required to wear the armor of God and pray in the Spirit because every Christian is involved in a spiritual war between good and evil (Ephesians 6:14-18).

6. Prayer is an act of love, support and empathy towards others.
God uses prayer because it helps us to love and support others. When we intercede for others, we help to carry one another’s burdens.
Furthermore, prayer is not only about us praying for our loved ones – but God wants us to also pray for our enemies.

1 Timothy 2:1 says: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

1 Thessalonians 1:2 says: We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.

Matthew 5:44 says: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

So when we pray or intercede, we realize that prayer is not only about God meeting our personal needs – but prayer is also about asking God to meet the needs of others.

Conclusion / Summary
Prayer benefits the Christian more than it benefits God. We need fellowship and communion with God far more than God needs us.
Prayer teaches us to seek the presence of God and to fellowship with Him
.Prayer helps build our faith and trust in God. Through prayer we learn to seek God’s will and purpose for our life. God also uses prayer because we must learn to intercede for others and pray with others.
Despite God knowing everything and all our needs, praying is one of the most important things in a Christian’s life.