Keys to Effective Prayer
Prayer is a fundamental part of every Christian’s life. What principles does the Bible provide to bring new life into our prayers?
Should I be praying?
And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
The Bible tells us that Jesus, our example, was a man of prayer. If He had a need to pray, how much more do we?
Does God the Father want me to pray?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
Jesus made it clear that our heavenly Father wants us to come to Him in prayer. He is more willing to grant our requests than parents are to give good gifts to their children. Of course, He doesn’t grant every request, but only those that will result in “good things” (Matthew 7:11)—that is, those in harmony with His wise and loving will for us.
What is the right heart posture for prayer?
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Being aware of our true relationship to God leads to prayers rooted in humility and reverence for Him—a consciousness of His holiness and wisdom, as well as our own unworthiness. It is only through the blood of Christ, shed for our sins, that we have been reconciled to our heavenly Father and enabled to come to Him in prayer. The Pharisee felt self-sufficient and therefore saw no need of Jesus, but the publican and the prodigal son were keenly aware of their unworthiness. Jesus made it clear that those who believe they are righteous feel little need of His righteousness, but those who recognize they are sinners are the ones He came to make whole (Luke 8:48).
How did Daniel and Paul view themselves?
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments.
O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Daniel, after a lifetime of following God, included himself in the sins of his people when praying for God’s forgiveness. He did not say, “They have sinned,” but, “We have sinned.” Likewise, Paul, after many fruitful years of preaching, teaching, and building up the early church, did not hesitate to call himself the chief of sinners. He could have said, “Of whom I was chief,” but he said, “Of whom I am chief.”
Today, there is so much emphasis on our identity as sons and daughters of God that calling oneself a sinner is almost viewed as heresy or a perversion of the gospel, but Paul and Daniel would beg to differ. It is true that in Christ we are children of God, but let us not forget who we are apart from Christ, so we never lose sight of our need to continually cling to Him (1 Corinthians 10:12); otherwise, we risk adopting the Pharisaic mindset—that being God’s children we no longer have a need of repentance (1 John 5:8).
Anything else regarding heart posture?
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
It’s crucial to be fully surrendered to His will for our prayers to be effective. If there is anything in our lives that is out of harmony with His will—any sin He has convicted us about—it’s crucial that we humble ourselves, repent, and forsake it. If the desire to do this is lacking, we can ask Him to give it to us (Acts 5:31; Philippians 2:13). The unconverted human heart is naturally drawn to sin, so it is God alone who can give us a hatred for it (Genesis 3:15). Willful rebellion is so serious that, according to Proverbs 28:9, it makes one’s prayer an abomination to God. Paul echoes this sentiment when he says that God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7), for He sees our hearts and knows when we are harboring willful hypocrisy or pretense toward Him.
God will never force His will upon us, which is why surrender begins with the willingness to follow His will. It’s a choice we consciously make, giving Him permission to activate His will and power in our lives.
What should my prayers be focused on?
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
It is easy for our prayers to become self-focused and selfish, but Christ teaches us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. This is later reinforced in His model prayer: “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.” Below are some difficult—but necessary—questions we can ask to help us understand where we stand:
- Is my primary focus on bringing glory and honor to His holy name rather than my own?
- Am I preparing for and investing in His kingdom of righteousness—which, by the way, starts in our hearts now (Luke 17:20, 21)—or am I more concerned with expanding my own personal, earthly empire?
- Am I seeking His will in my daily life, or am I pursuing my own wants and desires above all else?
One author shared the following insight on praying Jesus’ model prayer:
I cannot say ‘our’ if I live only for myself. I cannot say ‘Father’ if I do not endeavor each day to act like his child. I cannot say ‘who art in heaven’ if I’m laying up no treasures there. I cannot say ‘hallowed be thy name’ if I am not striving for holiness. I cannot say ‘thy kingdom come’ if I’m not seeking to hasten the blessed hope. I cannot say ‘thy will be done’ if I am disobedient to his word. I cannot say ‘in earth as it is in heaven’ if I’ll not serve him here and now. I cannot say ‘give us this day our daily bread’ if I am selfishly hoarding for the fu-ture. I cannot say ‘forgive us our debts’ if I harbor a grudge against anyone. I cannot say ‘lead us not into temptation’ if I deliberately place myself in its path. I cannot say ‘deliver us from evil’ if I do not long for holiness. I cannot say ‘thine is the kingdom’ if I do not give Jesus the throne of my heart. I cannot attribute to him ‘the power’ if I fear what men may do. I cannot ascribe to him ‘the glory’ if I’m seeking for my own honor. I cannot say ‘forever’ if I’m living only for temporary earthly rewards.
What are some things I can pray about?
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Besides praying for His glory, His kingdom, and His will, God also cares about our personal lives and invites us to bring to Him anything that causes worry, trouble, or heaviness in our hearts. He is our loving heavenly Father who is deeply interested in the burdens we carry, and He wants to help!
What about intercessory prayer?
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Praying for others is another crucial part of our prayer life. When we pray for someone else, God receives the legal right to work in that person’s life—a right He might not otherwise have if we had not prayed. Why is this? Since God values each person’s freedom of choice, He does not work against someone’s will, especially if that person is resistant to Him, but when another person begins interceding, it changes everything. It opens the door for God to work in the resistant person’s life out of respect for the intercessor’s prayer.
Intercessory prayer, however, is not limited to those who are resistant to God. Jesus prayed for Peter—one of His own disciples—because He saw a blind spot in Peter’s life that Peter was unaware of. Moses prayed for the Israelites (Numbers 21:7) and for his brother Aaron (Deuteronomy 9:20), and Job prayed for his friends (Job 42:10). Just as Jesus intercedes for us in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 7:25), we, as His followers, are called to intercede for others.
What does intercessory prayer require?
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
Pray without ceasing.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
Praying for others often involves asking God for a change of heart, and this usually takes time. God honors everyone’s free will, but He also honors the prayers of others, so even if a person resists Him initially, there is still hope, as long as those praying are willing to persevere and be patient. It may take years—or even decades—for a change of heart to take place, but that is nothing compared with eternity.
All good things take time and effort, and prayer is no different. Rushed prayers often lack power because they don’t mean much to us, but prayers that produce results take time and effort. It would be wise for us to preface every important decision or action in our lives with much prayer. Jesus Himself sometimes prayed all night, such as before ordaining the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12, 13). As our prayer life develops, spending time communing with our Father becomes a delight, no matter how long it takes.
What is the first step to an effective prayer?
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
This might seem obvious, but simply bringing our request to God—asking Him to be involved in resolving it—is the first step toward effective prayer. God is a Gentleman (Revelation 3:20); He will not involve Himself where He is not desired or welcomed. He respects our free will too much to force His way into our lives without our permission. By the way, the best things to ask for are those that are in harmony with His will as revealed in His Word. If we can find a verse in the Bible showing that our request aligns with His will, we can have confidence that we are on the right track.
What is the second step?
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Faith is the hand that reaches out to God, taking Him at His word. One of the many ways God is different from us is that His word has creative power to accomplish what He pleases (Isaiah 55:11). When we speak, our words have no power to create something out of nothing, but when God speaks, things happen (Genesis 1:3); if He has promised something, we can count on Him to keep that promise (Numbers 23:19)—and there is a promise in the Bible for all of our needs.
But what if our faith is weak? The Bible tells us that:
- God has given every person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).
- We can ask Him to increase our faith (Mark 9:24), and He will likely give us opportunities to exercise it.
- Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). In other words, we grow in faith as we get to know Him more through the study of His Word and through prayer.
So why is faith so important to God? Well, it’s the foundation of our relationship with Him. There is nothing more pleasing to a father than a child coming to him in confidence, full of trust in his love and power. Our heavenly Father delights when we come to Him in prayer, trusting that He will hear and answer our requests in His time and way. (For a more detailed study on faith, see “Walking in Faith”.)
What is the third step?
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth...
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
When Jesus raised Lazarus, He thanked God for hearing His prayer before the resurrection occurred. Likewise, when the Israelites went to war under Jehoshaphat, they praised God before the battle even began. Thanking God before we receive His answer is closely related to the concept we just discussed—faith; it is further evidence of a trusting confidence in His love. It is natural to give thanks for something already received, but giving thanks in advance requires faith. However, if we know our request is in harmony with His will, as revealed in the Bible, we can be confident that He will answer it. Knowing God’s will for us will requires Bible study, but there is power in finding a promise in His Word that pertains to our request, presenting it to Him in prayer, and then claiming it—in the name of His beloved Son—by faith, and thanking Him for it. In Jesus, all of God’s promises are sure (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Obviously, how and when God answers our prayers is up to Him. He may say “Yes,” or He may say “Wait” if the timing is not quite right, thereby giving us a chance to practice patience. “No” is a perfectly legitimate answer too, even though it may not be what we wanted. In such cases, we can rest in the assurance that He sees the end from the beginning and always has our best interests in mind—knowing what is best for us better than we do ourselves.
The three parts of an effective prayer can be easily remembered with the ABC acronym: Ask (A), Believe (B), and Claim (C). Author Glen Coon expounds on these in greater detail in his book The ABCs of Bible Prayer.
Why do we pray in Jesus’ name?
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
In Adam and Eve’s rejection of God in the garden, the human race separated itself from its Maker, but God immediately promised that, in His Son Jesus, He would provide them, and anyone who desired it, a path to reconciliation (Genesis 3:15). This promise was later illustrated to Jacob in the dream of a ladder, symbolizing Jesus, that united heaven and earth (Genesis 28:12).
Adam and Eve’s rejection is replayed in the life of every person, for all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Apart from Christ—who alone lived a perfect life and offered it on the cross to pay for our sins—we have nothing to commend us to God. Our sins have made us unworthy of our Father (Luke 15:21), but Jesus has given us a second chance! When we pray in His name, we are enabled to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16) because, when we accept Him as our Redeemer and Lord, He covers the shame of our sins with His perfect righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), and God calls us His children once more (1 John 3:1)! (For more information, see “How Can I Be Saved”.)
How important is gratitude?
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
The Bible teaches that every good thing comes from our Father (James 1:17), so praise, gratitude, and thanksgiving have a place in every prayer. There will be circumstances in which these may be harder to express, but Paul tells us that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Note that he doesn’t say “some things” or “most things,” but “all.” This means that God will use even the greatest tragedy for good—just look at the cross, where Jesus hung, rejected and crucified by the very people He came to save. Nothing we will ever experience comes close to what He endured on the cross. He took the sword first and blunted its edge for us.
What is the purpose of prayer?
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Prayer leads us into harmony with the mind of Jesus and into deeper fellowship with Him. It is said that we are the sum of the people we spend the most time with because we often begin to imitate them. Prayer, along with Bible study, is how we spend time with Jesus. Bible study is how He speaks to us, and prayer is how we speak to Him. Without daily, quality time, every relationship will eventually fall apart—including our relationship with Christ.
What role does prayer play in resisting temptation?
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
When we are tempted, the last thing we often want to do is pray, but connecting with God in that crucial moment is key, and it’s best to continue praying until the temptation passes. As long as we hold on to God, we cannot be overcome. Praying before the temptation comes, as demonstrated in Jesus’ model prayer, is also wise: “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). If we are willing to be vigilant and avoid situations we know will tempt us, God will do His part to help us. The good news is there is a way of escape from every temptation, as God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Had Jesus’ disciples heeded His call to watch and pray in Gethsemane, there is no doubt they would have been strengthened to better endure what was about to come upon both Him and them. And poor Peter—would he have denied his Lord if he had spent that time in prayer instead of sleeping?
Should prayer enable laziness?
Give us this day our daily bread.
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
When God provided manna for the Israelites, it didn’t simply fall into their mouths; they still had to go out and gather it. God wants us to cooperate with Him by investing ourselves in the process; otherwise, we risk becoming lazy with His blessings. The simple truth is that He will never do for us what we can do for ourselves, but once we have done our part, He will do what we cannot.
What kind of environment is best suited for prayer?
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.
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
The best places for prayer are quiet and free from distractions, allowing us to focus fully on communing with our heavenly Father. In contrast, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day loved to pray publicly in order to be seen by others, but Christ calls us to seek Him humbly and in private. Of course, there is a time and place for corporate prayer—such as a church service or a small group—but our personal prayers should be between us and God alone.
Should my prayers be repetitive?
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Jesus associated the repetition of words and phrases with paganism (Acts 19:34; 1 Kings 18:26), thereby making it clear that such practices have no place in the life of a Christian. The same is true of “breath prayers” and the popular practice of “entering the silence,” which often involves emptying the mind—disengaging the reasoning faculties—which is one of the quickest ways to enter an altered state of consciousness. Such practices often lead to mysticism and can open the door to the influence of malevolent spiritual powers. (For more information, see Howard Peth’s book The Dangers of Contemplative Prayer.)
God desires that we be fully engaged when we speak with Him—just as we would be when talking to a close friend—with our minds alert and our reasoning intact (Isaiah 1:18). Prayer should be fresh, fervent, and from the heart. If our hearts are not in it, we probably should not be praying it. Prayers that do not mean much to us are unlikely to mean much to God.
Is praying aloud a good idea?
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Jesus often prayed aloud, even in His personal prayers—otherwise, His disciples wouldn’t have heard them and recorded them for us. Praying aloud helps us stay more focused and engaged; however, we should be careful to maintain our privacy, ensuring that only God can hear us.
What is the PRAY acronym?
PRAY is an easy-to-remember acronym that can bring structure to our prayers. It stands for:
- Praise - acknowledging God’s goodness.
- Repent - confessing sins He has convicted us about.
- Ask - presenting our requests to Him and interceding for others.
- Yield - surrendering ourselves to Him in faith—our will, mind, heart, body, plans, abilities, and resources.
Should I document God’s answers?
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.
Because it’s easy to forget how God has answered our prayers in the past, it’s wise to write them down and revisit them from time to time. Rehearsing His blessings will do wonders to strengthen our faith in Him.