Effective Prayer
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16 (NIV)
Prayer is a big topic. On the surface, prayer is simply just communication with God, yet learning to pray effectively is a skill in itself. Whether you are a lifelong Christian or have never prayed before, I believe we could all use some reminders about what God’s Word teaches us about prayer. Entire books have been written on the subject of prayer, but today I would like to simply talk about how we can increase the effectiveness of our prayers. The Bible has a lot to say about prayer, and throughout Scripture, we see a handful of the elements found in effective prayer: sincerity, authority, God’s will, faith, and persistence.
Pray with Sincerity
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” - Matthew 6:5-8 (ESV)
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us that prayer is all about genuine, straightforward communication with God. Prayer should not be used as an opportunity to showcase our own spirituality, but should instead be used to strengthen our own relationship with God. Jesus not only encourages us to devote ourselves to spending one-on-one time with Him, but He also promises that we will be rewarded when we do so! God desires followers who want to be closer to Him, who will seek Him earnestly and wholeheartedly (see Jeremiah 29:12-13, Hebrews 11:6).
Another point that Jesus makes about prayer is that our prayers do not need to be lengthy or eloquent! I remember the first time I was asked to pray in front of my church on a Sunday morning. I had just finished sharing an experience I had with God at church camp, and I was relieved that my time with the microphone was drawing to a close. That’s when my pastor asked me to pray in front of the church. I immediately felt a pressure that was probably similar to Michael Jordan asking me to demonstrate how to execute a jump shot. I began planning, quickly formulating and memorizing a prayer that I thought would impress the crowd of believers that were much more experienced in their faith than me. However, in all of my effort to impress the people in front of me I neglected to offer up a prayer to God that was genuine and sincere. My priorities were in the wrong place!
When we pray, we do not need to impress God with our words - He only wants our heart! When the prophet Samuel was choosing the future king of Israel, God gave him this direction:
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
God did not select a king for Israel based on his appearance or qualifications, but rather on the condition of his heart. When we pray, God is not moved by eloquent or spiritual words. God is moved when we speak sincerely from our heart.
Pray with Authority through Jesus
Although we can approach God freely today, access to God was limited during Old Testament times. Only the high priest could enter the presence of God in the temple, and only under certain conditions. The high priest’s role (in part) was to serve as a middle-man between God and His people, offering sacrifices to atone for sin (see Hebrews 5:1). When Jesus died on the cross, He not only became the perfect sacrifice for our sin, but He also opened a way for everyone to enter the presence of God directly. Jesus now serves the role of high priest for every believer, bridging the gap between us and God.
“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. 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.” - Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)
We can be assured that Jesus understands our struggles because He came to Earth and lived a life filled with the same burdens and temptations that we all share. Because of this, we can approach Him confidently in prayer, knowing that He can “sympathize with our weaknesses.”
Jesus also encourages us to pray in His name:
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” - John 14:13-14 (ESV)
Praying in Jesus’ name does not mean that we can say the magic words “in Jesus’ name” after asking to win the lottery and expect an early retirement. Asking for something in Jesus’ name means that we recognize both who Jesus is and the authority we have through Him as believers. When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He gave them power and authority to accomplish their ministry:
“And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” - Luke 9:1-2 (ESV)
Like the disciples, we have been given power and authority through Jesus! Because of who Jesus is, we now have the confidence to enter the presence of God and the authority to pray for great things in the name of Jesus.
Pray According to God’s Will
“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.” - 1 John 5:14 (ESV)
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” - James 4:3 (ESV)
The Bible is clear that our prayers are most effective when they are in line with the will of God. A greater knowledge of God’s will is something that every believer should pursue. So how do we begin to understand the will of God? The same way that I know what flavor of ice cream my wife will choose at Dairy Queen - I got to know her.
“[We ask] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” - Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV)
It is important to note that our prayers are most effective not just when we know God’s will, but also when we live according to His will. The more time we spend with God and the more we study His Word, the more we will grow in our knowledge of God and the more we will become like Him. We begin to see things through God’s perspective, and we begin to desire what He desires.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” - Romans 12:2 (NIV)
“Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” - 1 John 3:22 (ESV)
Living in a right relationship with God and knowing His will creates an environment for effective prayer. Praying according to the will of God allows Him to accomplish His will through you!
Pray with Faith
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” - Mark 11:24 (ESV)
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” - James 1:6-7 (ESV)
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
It would be easy to just talk about praying with faith, but the truth is that actually mustering up the faith to pray with boldness can sometimes be a daunting task. The Bible is clear that faith is a necessary component of effective prayer. When we pray, we must have faith for many things: that God exists, that He hears our prayers, that we can trust His promises, that He cares about our needs, etc. Having the expectancy that God will do what we ask is perhaps the biggest challenge of all! Jesus once told his disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NIV). That seems like a lot of faith, but Jesus essentially tells us that we already have the faith that we need - faith “as small as a mustard seed."
A prayer offered with expectancy is an effective prayer. I believe Paul set a great example of expectant prayer in his letter to Philemon. Although Paul was in prison at the time, he asked Philemon to prepare a room for him with the full expectation that his prayers would be answered and he would be released from prison (Philemon 1:22). When we pray in line with God’s will, we need to pray with the full expectation that God is going to move.
Pray with Persistence
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” - Romans 12:12 (ESV)
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” - Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells us a parable about a widow who repeatedly appeals to a judge for justice. Although the judge “neither feared God nor respected man,” (v. 2) he eventually gave justice to the widow so that he could finally have some rest from her persistence. Jesus then asks:
“Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” - Luke 18:7-8 (NIV)
If an unrighteous judge who cared nothing for the widow responded to her persistent pleas, how much more will God respond to those whom He loves? We are called to pray with persistence and to not give up (Luke 18:1). Not every prayer will be answered immediately, but persistent, expectant prayer is a sign of faith that God is going to move in His time (v. 8).
Not only is persistent prayer a sign of expectant faith, but it is also one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal. Take Jesus’ example. Luke 6:12-49 shows us that Jesus persisted in prayer through the night before accomplishing great things in his ministry. Following a night of prayer, Jesus called the twelve disciples (vv. 13-16), healed many who were sick and demon possessed (vv. 17-19), and delivered His famous Sermon on the Mount to a “multitude of people” (vv. 20-49). Jesus set a wonderful example of an effective prayer life that we should all emulate. He often went to a secluded place to pray alone (see Matthew 14:23, 26:36, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, 6:12), he prayed with faith, spoke with authority, and always acted in line with the will of God the Father. We should always seek to be more like Jesus, not only in our prayers, but in life as well.
Prayer is powerful! In writing this article, I am reminded of the famous quote by Martin Luther: “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer is our lifeline to God, and it is a powerful tool that God uses to accomplish His purposes. But too often we may find ourselves praying out of nothing more than religious obligation. I can tell you that I have prayed for my meal so many times that I often catch myself reciting what feels like meaningless, religious platitudes every time I eat. Jesus did not open up the door to God just so we could offer up ritualistic prayers. We are called to pray sincerely, to be like David, a man who was after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). In David’s time, ritualistic, religious sacrifices were necessary in order to maintain his right-standing with God, but even then David recognized that God was more concerned with the condition of his heart.
“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” - Psalm 51:16-17 (ESV)
Above all else, I believe it is important to maintain our sincere pursuit of Christ, which can only come through a consistent life of prayer.