Editing Prayer (section)

===New Testament===
{{Main|Prayer in the New Testament}}
In the New Testament prayer is presented as a positive command.<ref>{{bibleverse||Colossians|4:2}}; {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|5:17}}</ref> The [[People of God]] are challenged to include [[Christian prayer]] in their everyday life, even in the busy struggles of marriage<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|7:5}}</ref> as it brings people closer to [[God in Christianity|God]].

[[Jesus]] encouraged his [[Disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] to pray in secret in their private rooms, using the [[Lord's Prayer]], as a humble response to the prayer of the [[Pharisees]], whose practices in prayer were regarded as impious by the New Testament writers.<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|6:6}}</ref>

For [[evangelism|evangelists]] and other [[Christian sect]]s, prayer is shown to be God's appointed method by which we obtain what He has to bestow.<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|7:7–11}}; {{bibleverse||Matthew|9:24–29}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|11:13}}</ref> Further, the [[Book of James]] says that the lack of [[blessing]]s in life results from a failure to pray.<ref>{{bibleverse||James|4:2}}</ref> Jesus healed through prayer and expected his followers to do so also.<ref>{{bibleverse||Mark|16:17–18}}; {{bibleverse||Matthew|10:8}}</ref> The apostle Paul wrote to the churches of Thessalonica to "Pray continually."<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Thessalonians|5:17}}</ref>