Another important spiritual discipline is prayer. Men are not usually as consistent at this as women, and yet Paul told Timothy that he would have men (as distinct from women) pray. It’s a special challenge to us as men to be the leaders in prayer for our families and churches.
Some may ask why God wants us to pray when he seems to do what he wants anyway. I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know that God wants us to pray. He even asks us to come with confidence. Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us then with confidence draw year to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
The verse right before that tells us that in Jesus we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because in every respect he has been tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. For this reason we would be fools not to go to him, one who understands us and sympathizes with us. He has walked in our shoes and understands what it is to live a human existence.
While I don’t understand all of the ins and outs of how prayer works and why God answers some the way we want and not others, there are several key passages of Scripture that give us a picture of what the conditions are for answered prayer.
Matthew 7:7 Pray persistently
Matthew 18:19 Pray in agreement with others
Matthew 21:22 Pray believing
John 15:7 Pray while abiding in Christ
John 16:24 Pray in Jesus’ Name
I John 5:14, 15 Pray in the will of God.
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