Prayer is one of the greatest blessings that God has given to us.  We should pray every day.  While it takes discipline to have a strong and consistent prayer life, the value and benefits of prayer make it more than worth the effort.  There is probably no time that we are closer to God than when we pray to Him.

How we pray is just as important as praying itself.  We need to make sure that when we pray, we do so correctly.  This is important enough to move Jesus to teach those who would be citizens in the kingdom how to pray (Matthew 6:5-13).

One important thing to remember when we pray is to do so with confidence.  The Hebrews writer was clear about this.

Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV)
¹⁴ Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Why is it that we can pray with confidence?  It is because we have a great high priest to help us.  We do not have just another good, run-of-the-mill high priest; we have a great high priest.  We have a high priest who is unlike any other one who occupied the office previously.  Why? Because He was without the weaknesses that plagued all the other high priests.  Our high priest, Jesus Christ, was without sin (Hebrews 7:26-28).

The Hebrews writer gives us another reason to have confidence when we pray.  Our high priest was not only without sin, but He “has passed through the heavens.”  After His sojourn here on earth, Jesus ascended back to the Father where He now works on our behalf.

Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)
²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Jesus is our advocate with the Father.  He is our Mediator; and, when we pray, He makes intercession for us.

1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV)

⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

We are blessed to have a Savior like Jesus, not only for what He has done for us but also because of what He continues to do.  Speaking of what He has done, another reason we can pray with confidence is because His shed blood has opened the door for us, making it possible to approach God with boldness.

Hebrews 10:19–22 (ESV)
¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Whenever you pray, make sure you do it with confidence.  Jesus has made it possible to do so.                 
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.