ON PRAYER.

on 3 of the month I had to give recollection talk to the Philosophy students in Aluva. So I prepared a paper. I got something from the net and I presented it to the students.......... so the following is that paper in a nutshell. 

PRAYER 

Prayer is a form of communication, a way of talking to God or to the saints.

Origins of the Word The word "pray" comes from the Latin word precari, which simply means to entreat or ask. In fact, although pray is not often used this way anymore, it can simply mean “please,” as in “pray continue your story.”

Talking to God While, we often still think of prayer primarily as asking God for something, prayer, properly understood, is a conversation with God or with the saints. Just as we cannot hold a conversation with another person unless he can hear us, the very act of praying is an implicit recognition of the presence of God or the saints here with us. And in praying, we strengthen that recognition of the presence of God, which draws us closer to Him. That is why the Church recommends that we pray frequently and make prayer an important part of our everyday lives

Definition of prayer the word prayer or praarthanaa (in Sanskrit) is derived from two words ‘pra’ and ‘artha’ meaning pleading fervently. In other words, it is asking God for something with intense yearning.

Different types of prayer
Prayer is talking to God. The Christian who relies on the Bible as his or her source of revelation about God finds the purpose, practice and meaning of prayer in the teachings of Jesus.

The Bible introduces us to different types of prayer.
four broad ways of talking to God, namely

1. Supplications (sometimes translated petitions, entreaties or requests)
   Supplication means to petition or entreat someone for something. A passionate zeal and hunger fuels the prayer of supplication. Strictly speaking supplication is not another form of prayer but an attitude that accompanies prayer.

Supplications and petitions can occur in any prayer. Some people think that supplication can only accompany prayer when we are interceding for other people. This is not true as we can see in the life of Hannah. Supplications went with her prayer as she asked God for a child. In 1 Samuel 1:9-13 we read

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
11 She made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head."
12 Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth.
13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.
The same is also true in Luke 11:9-13.
When you need something desperately, either for your country (1 Timothy 2:1), yourself or even someone else you will add supplications to your prayers. If you have never seen the need to earnestly seek God for something - maybe to know him more or for God to come to the aid of someone else, then you have missed out on an essential part of prayer.
Supplications are requests that come from a heart crying out to God. The prayer of supplication can sometimes lead us into fasting (Nehemiah 1: 1-6). Supplications draw us close to God and take the weight off our shoulders.

2. Intercessions
   To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. Intercession will involve various degrees of supplication. Intercession is not normally a one-off prayer. It requires persistence (Luke 11:5-8; Luke 18:1-5).

Genesis 18:22-33 (Abraham); 1 Kings 18:41-46 (Elijah); 2 Kings 4: 32-36 (Elisha); Acts 12:1-18 (The early church).

To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. The scripture references above show specific circumstances where intercession was being made. Intercession will involve various degrees of supplication. Intercession is not normally a one-off prayer. It requires persistence (Luke 11:5-8; Luke 18:1-5).
Not appreciating the different types of prayer can hinder our prayer life. If you only recognise the prayer of faith you may fail to intercede for a child or friend who has gone astray or needs God to intervene in his or her life. Did you notice that Elijah had to keep praying seven times before the rain that God had already promised came (1 Kings 18:41-46).
When we take it upon ourselves to pray earnestly for other people, we enter into the realm of intercession. To enter into intercession we must have a heart that really loves the Lord and cares about the things God cares about.
There are two places in scriptures where the Bible mentions Jesus is still interceding for us since his departure from this world (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). He also prayed for us while on earth (John 17). When God calls you to intercede for others he is granting you the privilege to partake in a heavenly ministry that Christ is involved in. What a honor!
There are millions of Christians worldwide who are quietly engaging in intercession for all kinds of things at one level or another. Are you one of them? Do not give up. Intercession it is a privilege that you should not take lightly.

3. Prayers 
   Prayer of faith, Prayer of agreement and Prayer of dedication or consecration. In practise there is much overlap in all of these prayers. 

Mark 11:12-14; Mark 11:20-25; Luke 7:1-10; James 5:13-18; Matthew 9:18 - 26

All prayer relies on our faith in God. Although the phrase 'prayer of faith' is commonly used, the reality is that all prayer is by faith in God. The prayer of faith is rooted in our confidence in God's Word. The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:18-30) knew that touching Jesus would get her healed. Her faith made way for healing to touch her. When you are sure that what you are praying for is God's will for you, the prayer of faith should be utilized. Unforgiveness (Mark 11: 25) and doubt (James 1: 5-8) are the two greatest hindrances to the prayer of faith. The prayer of faith does not need to be a prolonged prayer, although it does not preclude it.
The important thing to remember is that talking to God is not a set of rules. What might start out as a prayer of faith could develop into intercession. Supplications can also occur in all our prayers.

4. Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving should be a regular part of our talking to God. Thanksgiving is an all-inclusive act that involves praise, worship and honor of God. 

Luke 11:1-2; Psalm 100; Acts 16:16-34; Psalm 149:4-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Jesus taught us to pray by saying 'Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth'. Here lies the essence of thanksgiving. It is acknowledging God for who he is.
Praise and worship brings us into the presence of God. When we praise God in the mist of seemingly negative situations we are affirming our faith in Him. This pleases God and helps our faith. Thanking God in the good times also keeps our eyes focused on the source of our strength.
Praise and thanksgiving are powerful weapons to the believer. They destroy the hold of satan and unbelief over our life. Praise and thanksgiving in effect disarm the two most deadly weapons to our Christian walk: namely, unbelief and satanic attacks. These two things can manifest in many different ways. No wonder why the scriptures call praise a two edged sword (Psalm 149: 4-9).
Thanksgiving should be a regular part of our talking to God. Thanksgiving is an all-inclusive act that involves praise, worship and honor of God.
Prayers in the Bible.

1.        Great Prayers of the Bible – Abraham Genesis 18

2.        Jacob Wrestling with God-Genesis 32

3.       Hannah's Prayer (1 Samuel 1:10-11)

4.       Solomon - Prayer for Wisdom

5.       Jonah - Out of the Depths (Jonah 2:2-7)

6.       David's Prayer of Repentance

Psalm 51 is marked by true characteristics of repentance such as:

• Appeal to the mercy of God
• Honesty
• Understanding of the severity of sinning against God
• No excuses or justification
• Desire to reform
• Recognition that forgiveness is not deserved but by grace alone

                  New Testament

1.       Jesus for Unity-That they may all be one John 17:21

2.       Prayer in Secret-For your petition has been heard- Luke 1:13

Jesus and prayer.

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:5-8). 
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted"'" (Luke 18:9-14). 
Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. 'I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins'" (Mark 11:22-25). 
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:13-14). 

The Lord’s Prayer.

 Matthew 6:10-14   This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For if, you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 11:2-4   He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’

Conclusion

Gandhiji’s words on prayer.

To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer. 
In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. 
Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. 
Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. 
Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.
Let everyone try to find that because of daily prayer he adds something new to his life, something with which nothing can be compared. 
Prayer is a confession of one's own unworthiness and weakness.