In 1952 C.S. Lewis published a short book called, The Efficacy of Prayer. Therein he speaks of prayer not so much as a technique to get what we want from God but as a conversation between two friends through which we come to desire God’s will.

In 1986 and again in 1998 Dallas Willard gave his version of the efficacy of prayer in two talks aptly titled, “How Prayer Works” and “Prayer: What It Is and How It Works.” Dallas’ description of prayer is not unlike Lewis’. Prayer, Willard says, is not done “just to accomplish some direct good, but to prepare us to be stronger in the spirit.” Moreover, God has arranged prayer in such a way “so that you and I can grow to become the people that God intended us to become.” For Lewis and Willard, prayer is not so much about getting something from God, but about our being transformed through relationship to him.

From the Willard archives we offer two insightful and encouraging talks on prayer:

Dallas’ 1986 talk, “How Prayer Works.”

Dallas’ 1998 talk, “Prayer: What It Is and How It Works.”

Michael Di Fuccia, on behalf of the Editorial Team