Why Pray? Part 1 - Greg Laurie Devotion - October 29, 2025

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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Why Pray? Part 1

“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” (Luke 18:1 nlt)

We’ve talked about the how and when of prayer, but what about the why? Why should we pray?  The short answer is that Jesus told us to. In Luke 18:1, He shows His followers that “they should always pray and never give up” (nlt). Is there any better reason than that?

Doctors recommend certain things for our health. We may not always understand why they’re beneficial—only that they are. The same thing goes for Jesus’ instruction to pray. We may not know why or how, but good things happen when we pray.

It’s important to note, too, that Jesus wasn’t a do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do type of guy. Though He was God in human form, He maintained a very active prayer life. Before He fed thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people” (John 6:11 nlt).

Matthew 19:13 says, “One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them” (nlt).

Before He raised Lazarus from the dead, “Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me’” (John 11:41–42 nlt).

When His arrest was at hand, Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane. “He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’” (Luke 22:41–42 nlt).

On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 nlt); “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 nlt); and “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46 nlt).

Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (nlt). He was refreshed and reenergized by the time He spent in fellowship and conversation with God. If Jesus felt the need to pray, we should, too.

We could point out that praying is not a difficult task. Jesus said, “For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:30 nlt).

We could point out that Jesus gave us the instructions we need to establish and maintain an active, vital prayer life when He taught His disciples to pray in Luke 11:1–13. We could point out that He modeled prayer for us throughout the Gospels.

But all we need to know is that Jesus instructed us to pray. “Jesus replied, ‘All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me’” (John 14:23–24 nlt).

That’s all the reason we need to pray.

Reflection question: When do you feel the need to pray?

Copyright © 2025 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/shuang paul wang

Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.

Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.

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