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Seeking His Presence: Why Prayer is More Than a Wish List

Seeking His Presence: Why Prayer is More Than a Wish List

Last updated on: September 24, 2025 at 11:55 am by Benjamin Raven Pressley

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Seeking His Presence: Why Prayer is More Than a Wish List 2025-09-24T11:55:50-04:00 Benjamin Raven Pressley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Prayer’s most basic definition is talking to God. But, ah, it is so much deeper than anything human beings can define. Prayer is the very lifeblood of the Christian, but is sadly the least emphasized or it is taught as just a way to get something from God. As blood is to the body, prayer is to the spiritual man. It carries away impurities, fights spiritual diseases and furnishes oxygen to our spiritual minds. Prayer tears down walls between you and God. It heals our spiritual deafness so we can hear the voice of God. Prayer is the loftiest, most privileged thing you can do. It is where the power comes from that anoints the ministry God has given to you. “It is not by might, not by power and but it is by MY Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6).

Prayer is more than just getting something for God

There is nothing wrong with asking God for something (James 4:2), but prayer is so much more than that. Go before God when you pray in a quiet place. Still your mind (Psalms 46:10, 4:4). Call upon Him. Invite His presence. Take time to just love Him and worship Him. Make your requests known, if you have any. But when you do let them be from your heart. Know that you are His presence. And at times, just don’t ask Him for anything except His presence. Thank Him and praise Him for what He has done. Thank Him and praise Him just because He is God. Then, take time to listen. Always take time to listen. Give Him time to speak. This should be how the majority of your prayer time is spent. We truly need to seek His face and desire His presence more than what He can give. For if we seek Him first over what we desire, He promises all other needs will be met (Matthew 6:33).

Learn to pray and commune with God from your spirit. If you are born again, God’s very own Spirit dwells within your spirit. Let His Spirit pray in your spirit: Romans 8:26-27 says “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” There is an old song that says, “tears are a language God understands”. That is so true. Sometimes you just need to come before God and just let it all out. Groan and cry before God. I go in much more detail about praying in the Spirit in my previous article on this subject.

Have you ever been so burdened for someone that you could almost feel pain for them? Do you know someone who is headed to Hell for eternity? HELL…ETERNITY…Let those two words ring in your ears, pray to God to awaken you to this reality until you can’t help but cry out in anguish to God for them.

God is not impressed with our many words.

God is not impressed with our many words. Matthew 6:6-8 says, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” God knows what is in our hearts. It doesn’t matter how eloquent your words are when you pray. I have news for you, if it is not from your heart God doesn’t hear you because “for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). So, be honest before God. Talk to Him from your heart. He already knows if what you are saying is from your heart or just words.

Very often, we pray that it is about receiving an answer from God. Perhaps it is a need, perhaps it is about a loved one, perhaps it is whether we should take a certain job or not. It is important that we define what is meant by an answer to prayer. Sometimes it seems He does not answer our prayers. I believe He always answers prayer if we are willing to wait. That’s right, sometimes we have to persevere to get an answer to prayer. James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

What is meant by an answer to prayer?

Secondly, we must understand what is meant by an answer to prayer. His answer isn’t always ‘yes’ and then proceeds to give us anything we want. He is a good Father. He knows what is best for us. Sometimes His answer may be ‘wait’. It could be that there are some things that have to happen before He can give you what you requested. Maybe that job you’re praying for requires waiting for someone else in the company to leave or be promoted. Trust Him when He says wait. He is working on it. David wrote, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105). Ever walk down a trail in the dark with a lantern or flashlight? Does it light the whole trail from beginning to end? No, it only lights your next step or two. That is the way God leads, one step at a time. If He showed you the plan He has for your whole life and all that we have to go through to get there, it would scare us to death. A little at a time, though, day by day, learning what He wants us to learn each step: That’s how He gets us where we are going. So, don’t be surprised, in fact, welcome it when He says ‘wait’. Another answer may be ‘no’. If the answer is no, then it is no. God knows best! It could be that we are praying for something we know we shouldn’t be praying for, something selfish. Be honest with yourself. Do you really want an answer from God, or do you just want Him to give you what you want?

Pray. Talk to God. Spend time with Him. There are so many depths of prayer He wants you to experience, just pray and love Him. The rest will come. He will teach you.

For more about prayer order Raven’s book on prayer.

Do you want revival? No, really, do you? Charles G. Finney once said, “A revival is no more a miracle than a crop of wheat. In any community, revival can be secured from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict, determined to win or die! – or if need be, to win and die!”

A.T. Pierson wrote, “From the day of Pentecost, there has been NOT ONE great spiritual awakening in any land which has not begun in a UNION OF PRAYER, though only among two or three; no such outward, upward movement has continued after such prayer meetings declined.”.

I hope you know when I am speaking of ‘Revival’ here, I’m not speaking of some series of evangelistic crusades hyping people up into some passing excitement here today and gone tomorrow. There are certainly all kinds of movements that are sweeping through the church today under the name of ‘revival’. No, no! I am talking about a mighty move of God, where conviction of sin and deep repentance spread through the church and affected the communities around them for Christ. History bears it out. Every great spiritual awakening started with a handful of people who entered the conflict, prayed and fasted until they got revival. Like James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Intercession should be a ministry for everyone! And the more time we spend in His presence, the more everything else will make sense.

I have a 4 part series on prayer on my website. Here is part 1. Other parts are linked with the first part. And listen to this short meditation when you get a chance.

https://wp-media.patheos.com/blogs/sites/2216/2025/09/MEDITATIONS-Waiting-On-God-His-Timing.mp3

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About Benjamin Raven Pressley

Benjamin Raven Pressley is an author, teacher and spiritual guide. He is of Cherokee heritage. He has been a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles since 1975. His independent studies include the Holy Bible as well as other holy books of other religions. He is ordained by the Universal Life Church. He is a self-taught naturalist and his love and respect for nature is evident in many of the things he writes. He has authored several books on spirituality as well as a fantasy series and books on survival skills. He does not consider himself to be a religious person but believes true spirituality is an all-encompassing view of life and invites open discussion on matters of spirituality. Find out more about the many resources he offers at WayoftheRaven.net/Wheres-Raven You can read more about the author here.

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