Prayer is about relationship. Any good relationship will have consistent and penetrating communication as its sure foundation. It is essential that we make time to regularly communicate with our Father. That's right, God is our Father! Through His death and resurrection, Christ has made us sons and daughters of the Most High God. In that relationship we need not come to God in fear but come to Him with assurance that we are His and that deeply loves and cares for us (Romans 8:15). We cry, "Abba." The word, "Abba" literally means "Daddy." What a term of endearment! That doesn't mean that we live as we please and come to God casually but that we approach Him as a loving Father to which we are accountable.
The life you live is an extension of your prayer life. In real prayer/communication we find a Daddy(Abba) who not only hears our requests, complaints, worship, and praise, but also desires to speak with us. Prayer is also a way of meditating on the heart and mind of God and in doing that we are expected to live out what God has spoken to us. However, we must take time to listen.
There are 5 aspects of a healthy prayer life; 1. Adoration is simply praise and worship for who God is. This can be done in verbal praise, the memorization and quotation of scripture, it can be done in song with or without music, it can be done in silence as you meditate on the majesty of our God (Any of the Psalms). 2. Thanksgiving is an extension of praise and worship. However, thanksgiving may involve thanking God for specific things like answered prayer, blessing, saved souls, etc. (Philippians 4:6). 3. Confession is simply acknowledging to God when you have made a mistake. In this we must be completely open and honest with ourselves. Be willing to adjust when the Word shows you where you fall short. Resist the temptation to justify yourself or your actions. 4. Intercession is praying for others and their needs. In praying for others we must seek to see things from God's perspective and feel the heart of God toward certain individuals or organizations (Daniel 9 is an example of intercession and also includes the other aspect of prayer like adoration, confession, and supplication). 5. Supplication is asking God for something. Too often our prayer is limited to supplication only. However, just as any loving Father does, God delights in answering the request of His children, especially when they are in loving fellowship with Him.
James tells us that the effective prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. So we must strive to keep a clean heart before our Daddy and examine our motivations. We must also keep a right relationship with our fellow man so that our prayers are not hindered(Proverbs 21:13; James 4:3; 5:16).
When done in the right attitude and backed with a holy and righteous life, prayer is a powerful weapon. It helps us to confront the shortcomings within our own lives and through prayer we can turn the tables on the enemy so that these same short comings he plays on can become our strengths. Also, we can fight the evil influences of this age so that God's work is brought forth more effectively in this Earth (Ephesians 6:10-18).
In Matthew 6, Jesus models prayer and also shows us some things we should avoid as we pray. First he says that we should find a quiet secluded place and just be ourselves before God. Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the Bible says that purpose of this is so that our focus will shift from us to God (Matthew 6:6). God is not impressed with your words, he is more concerned about your attitude. Second, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their meaningless words and formulas. Prayer to them had just become a ritual but for the Christian, prayer is loving fellowship. Third, Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray and it is surprisingly simple; The Lord is your Daddy but at the same time He is to be given due honor and glory, then pray for His will to be done (after all He knows best). Next, ask your Daddy to meet your needs but don't expect Him to answer unless you have forgiven others. Finally Jesus tells his disciples to ask God to keep them from temptation so that they would not fall. The last thing Jesus teaches about prayer is that there is a connection between what you do and how God responds to you when you pray, so determine to live a righteous, humble, and kind life so that your fellowship with your Father is not hindered.