--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you know what prayer is? It is not…" description: "\"Do you know what prayer is? It is not begging God for this and that. The first thing we have to do is to get you beggars to quit begging until a little..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/john-g-lake-12667_beggar_do-you-know-what-prayer-is-it-is-not-beg_815920.jpg" --- # Do you know what prayer is? It is not begging God for this… ![“Do you know what prayer is? It is not begging God for this and that. The first thing we have to do is to get you beggars to quit begging until a little faith moves in your souls.” quote by John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/john-g-lake-12667_beggar_do-you-know-what-prayer-is-it-is-not-beg_815920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/john-g-lake-12667_beggar_do-you-know-what-prayer-is-it-is-not-beg_815920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/john-g-lake-12667_beggar_do-you-know-what-prayer-is-it-is-not-beg_815920.jpg) > “Do you know what prayer is? It is not begging God for this and that. The first thing we have to do is to get you beggars to quit begging until a little faith moves in your souls.” [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is not about pleading for specific wants but about cultivating inner faith that reduces dependence on material requests. **In simple terms:** Prayer builds faith, not a list of demands. Key Takeaway Focus on developing faith, not asking for things. Themes faith prayer spiritual growth Mood reflective inspirational Type theological motivational When to use this quote - personal meditation - church services - daily devotion Key Concepts Theology self-discipline Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance faith with genuine needs? - What does “beggar” symbolize here? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on faith may ignore practical needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beggar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar/) [Begging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging/) [Begging God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging-god-319955/) [Begging Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging-little-319957/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Little faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-faith/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer Begging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-begging-319954/) [Quit Begging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-begging-319956/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [“I’ve heard people using your songs as prayer, begging god in falsetto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-ve-heard-people-using-your-songs-as-prayer-begging-god-in-falsetto/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“Now stand and quit your begging. It’s pathetic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirkus-macgowan/now-stand-and-quit-your-begging-it-s-pathetic/) [Kirkus MacGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirkus-macgowan/) > [“Begging destroys Effectiveness and Increases Low Self-Esteem, So Quit Begging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/begging-destroys-effectiveness-and-increases-low-self-esteem-so-quit/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [“He kept begging God, “Please, please, please open my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/he-kept-begging-god-please-please-please-open-my-heart/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Praying, is recognizing yourself to be that which you desire to be, rather than begging God for that which you desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/praying-is-recognizing-yourself-to-be-that-which-you-desire-to-be/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [Somebody is n the hospital begging God for the opportunity u have right now. Step into your moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/somebody-is-n-the-hospital-begging-god-for-the-opportunity-u-have/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [Beware of begging God for things you don't have to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macdonald/beware-of-begging-god-for-things-you-don-t-have-to-have/) [James MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macdonald/) > [I don't pray. When I was young, I vowed I never would be caught begging God. If I want something I get it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/i-don-t-pray-when-i-was-young-i-vowed-i-never-would-be-caught-begging/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [I don't believe in God, in prayer, in going to temples begging God to give me and my family happiness. I am not asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/i-don-t-believe-in-god-in-prayer-in-going-to-temples-begging-god-to/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [A nun I know once told me she kept begging God to take her character defects away from her. After years of this prayer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/a-nun-i-know-once-told-me-she-kept-begging-god-to-take-her-character/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Stop begging God to increase your territory when you can't even maintain the territory you already have. Work with what you got first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/stop-begging-god-to-increase-your-territory-when-you-can-t-even/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [I knew you could find a certain relief in begging God, it had helped me, but on the other hand, God never answered directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-steinke/i-knew-you-could-find-a-certain-relief-in-begging-god-it-had-helped/) [Darcey Steinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-steinke/) > [“I did not beg him to stay because I was begging God that he would not leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-did-not-beg-him-to-stay-because-i-was-begging-god-that-he-would-not/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Just having conversations with God, begging God to make the pain go away, and then the pain wouldn't go away. So I'm like 'Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prodigy/just-having-conversations-with-god-begging-god-to-make-the-pain-go/) [Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prodigy/) > [It is useless for large companies of believers to spend long hours begging God to send revival. Unless we intend to reform we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/it-is-useless-for-large-companies-of-believers-to-spend-long-hours/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by John G. Lake > [ The thing that was forfeited in the garden was regained. God gave him \[Adam\] dominion over the works of His hand. God made him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-thing-that-was-forfeited-in-the-garden-was-regained-god-gave-him/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“The life of the Christian without the indwelling power of the Spirit in the heart is a weariness to the flesh. It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-life-of-the-christian-without-the-indwelling-power-of-the-spirit/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [It became easy for me to detach myself from the course of life, so that while my hands and mind were engaged in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/it-became-easy-for-me-to-detach-myself-from-the-course-of-life-so/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [We cannot exercise our faith beyond what we believe to be possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/we-cannot-exercise-our-faith-beyond-what-we-believe-to-be-possible/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“Beloved, it is not our long prayers but our believing God that gets the answer. However,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/beloved-it-is-not-our-long-prayers-but-our-believing-god-that-gets/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“You know, the thing that makes the Bible the Bible is the fact that somebody had an interview with God! Somebody heard from Heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/you-know-the-thing-that-makes-the-bible-the-bible-is-the-fact-that/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“GOD ALWAYS WAS THE HEALER. He is the healer still, and will ever remain the Healer. Healing is for YOU. Jesus healed, "all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/god-always-was-the-healer-he-is-the-healer-still-and-will-ever-remain/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [We live that our souls may grow. The development of the soul is the purpose of existence. God Almighty is trying to obtain some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/we-live-that-our-souls-may-grow-the-development-of-the-soul-is-the/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [For the sake of a dying, suffering world count the cost, pay the price and set the captives free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/for-the-sake-of-a-dying-suffering-world-count-the-cost-pay-the-price/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [A mans life will be of the character of his thought. His outward life will be as the inner impulse is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/a-mans-life-will-be-of-the-character-of-his-thought-his-outward-life/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [The power of God, the Holy Ghost, is the Spirit of Dominion. It makes one a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-power-of-god-the-holy-ghost-is-the-spirit-of-dominion-it-makes/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“The Christian, the child of God, the Christ man who has committed his body as well as his spirit and soul to God, ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-christian-the-child-of-god-the-christ-man-who-has-committed-his/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [The secret of Christianity is in being. It is in being a possessor of the nature of Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-secret-of-christianity-is-in-being-it-is-in-being-a-possessor-of/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [“Covenant More Than Just Healing, When Sick This Covenant does not simply mean that when we are sick and dying, the Lord will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/covenant-more-than-just-healing-when-sick-this-covenant-does-not/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [The wonder is that Jesus purposed to make your heart and mine just as sweet and lovely and pure and holy as His own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-wonder-is-that-jesus-purposed-to-make-your-heart-and-mine-just-as/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) [Explore all 53 John G. Lake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) ## More Beggar quotes > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) [Peire Cardenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peire-cardenal/) > [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Don't be doubtful to your goals or else you will end up your life as a beggar, keep faith on yourself and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/don-t-be-doubtful-to-your-goals-or-else-you-will-end-up-your-life-as/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) > [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You obviously don't know what an Old Man of the Sea great wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/you-obviously-don-t-know-what-an-old-man-of-the-sea-great-wealth-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A beggar through the world am I, From place to place I wander by. Fill up my pilgrim's scrip for me, For Christ's sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/a-beggar-through-the-world-am-i-from-place-to-place-i-wander-by-fill/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The bashful beggar has an empty purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cranch-bond/the-bashful-beggar-has-an-empty-purse/) [William Cranch Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cranch-bond/) > [“A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wessel-zapffe/a-coin-is-examined-and-only-after-careful-deliberation-given-to-a/) [Peter Wessel Zapffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wessel-zapffe/) [Browse all 455 Beggar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beggar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do you know what prayer is? 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