What are the elements of effective prayer?
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| Português: Os primeiros passos da Virgem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
But while prayer is not a recipe, there are certain “key ingredients” we should all strive to include for our spiritual experience to be optimal and effective. Scripture encourages us to combine equal parts of the following:
• Humility and confession
• Thanksgiving and praise
• Pure motives and a clean heart
• Consistency and devotion
• Faith that God loves you and listens when you pray
Add in a dash of boldness and a pinch of persistence—and then expect the very best from your heavenly Father.
PRAY WITH HUMILITY
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin. (2 CHRONICLES 7:14 NIV)
The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings. So the LORD sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon. But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the LORD his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the LORD listened to him and was moved by his request. So the LORD brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the LORD alone is God! (2 CHRONICLES 33:10–13 NLT)
King Manasseh ranks high among the evil rulers described in Scripture. He worshiped idols, desecrated the temple, and even sacrificed his own children. But his prayers, offered in humility, and his recognition of God’s authority prompted the Lord to forgive and respond with compassion.
God has no use for the prayers
of the people who won’t listen to him. (PROVERBS 28:9 THE MESSAGE)
Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.
Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear.
God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. (ECCLESIASTES 5:2 THE MESSAGE)
PRAY WITH FAITH
And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (MATTHEW 21:21–22 ESV)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (MARK 11:24 ESV)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (JAMES 1:5–8 NLT)
PRAY WITH CONSISTENCY
In [Daniel’s] upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (DANIEL 6:10 NKJV)
But the news about [Jesus] was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (LUKE 5:15–16 NASB)
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (ACTS 1:14 ESV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16–18 NIV)
Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. (1 TIMOTHY 5:5 NLT)
PRAY WITH DEVOTION AND PURPOSEFULNESS
[Jesus] went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. (MATTHEW 14:23 NIV)
It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. (LUKE 6:12 NASB)
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.… Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed
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| Madonna of humility by Fra Angelico, c. 1430. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
And with many other words [Peter] bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. (ACTS 2:40–43 ESV)
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (ACTS 6:2–4 NASB)
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (COLOSSIANS 4:2 NIV)
PRAY WITH A PURE AND RIGHTEOUS HEART
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but he delights in the prayers of the upright. (PROVERBS 15:8 NLT)
God keeps his distance from the wicked;
he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people. (PROVERBS 15:29 THE MESSAGE)
There’s nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.
Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God.
Your sins got between you so that he doesn’t hear. (ISAIAH 59:2 THE MESSAGE)
Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. (JOHN 9:31 NKJV)
I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling (1 TIMOTHY 2:8 ESV)
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 TIMOTHY 2:22 NIV)
While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. (HEBREWS 5:7 THE MESSAGE)
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (JAMES 4:3 NASB)
The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit. (JAMES 5:16–18 HCSB)
My dear friends, if our hearts do not make us feel guilty, we can come without fear into God’s presence. And God gives us what we ask for because we obey God’s commands and do what pleases him. (1 JOHN 3:21–22 NCV)
You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (1 PETER 3:7 NASB)
PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING
[Jesus] directed the people to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. (MATTHEW 15:35–36 NASB)
In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God’s people. (COLOSSIANS 1:3–4 NCV)
And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful. Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (COLOSSIANS 3:15–17 HCSB)
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. (1 TIMOTHY 2:1 ESV)
Wall, K. (Ed.). (2012). Everything the Bible Says about Prayer (pp. 15–23). Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
