The Need for Faith in Prayer

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

It is very important that we understand life from God's perspective, which is far superior to that of men. It will help us understand not only how life works, but also how to receive blessings and answers from God in prayer.

Faith is the foundation of every divine relation with God, the ground upon which we can have a fruitful relationship with Him; without it no man can give God pleasure. God is a spirit, and though we are spirits too, our souls and bodies have made us less conscious of that reality. God does not operate on the carnal plane, and so any success we have in securing His blessings and resources must be accessed through the spirit.

Though prayer is a spiritual activity, it is fruitless when the one engaging in it does not have faith in God as the foundation of his praying. The realm of God responds to faith. Faith acknowledges the existence of God as the sovereign Creator, and approaches Him on the basis of His position and of our understanding of our own as His creation. Faith helps the human soul recognise its need for the Creator's mercy, grace and help.

This is why, when a man comes to God, belief in and understanding of who God is are paramount. To pray without understanding who you are praying to is to waste your time. Faith also answers the question of why we pray. It is faith that admits the need for help, because a great many things in life are beyond human control, and many laws of life are regulated on divine platforms where God can help us. So faith in God not only answers who God is; it also satisfies the reasoning behind our need to pray. The God to whom we pray is able, in the name of Jesus, to execute every request and petition with which we approach Him in prayer. Believe in Him, in His ability and in His power.