As women of faith, knowing how to pray in faith, and pray effectively should be one of our number one priority. Sometimes we often struggle in prayer and sometimes, with finding that quiet time to be alone with the Lord.
We struggle with so many challenges and changes in life, finding prayer time to communicate with God, time with the family, etc. Simply speaking, prayer is communicating with God.
That can mean thanking Him, praising Him, confessing something you’ve done wrong, or expressing a need you have, are just wanting to be in His presence.
It can even mean just talking to Him as you would to a friend. Prayer is about developing a relationship with God. Just like spending time with a friend. Sometimes the busier our schedules are, the less time we give to prayer, and began to focus on other things.
If we don’t stay focus on what Jesus’ teaches us about how we should pray effectively, or what the right way to pray, then we will lose sight on developing a powerful prayer life.
As we learn about prayer, our greatest temptation will be to acquire knowledge about prayer without putting it into practice.
I believe God has called women to be prayer warriors. And one of the best ways God can use us is through prayer.
Andrew Murry said, each time you intercede, be quiet first and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, of how He delights to hear Christ, of your place in Christ, and expect great things.
Why is Prayer So Important?
Prayer is so very important, because prayer keep us in a position to hear from God. Prayer helps us focus on God and eternity instead of the temporary things of this world.
Prayer is not just an activity, a ritual, or an obligation. Nor is it begging God to do what we want Him to do. It is communion and communication with God that touches His heart. Prayer is meant to be one of the most exciting aspects of a life of faith.
Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. (Colossians 3:2) Amplified
God called us because He can trust us to pray and set our affection on the things of heaven. Prayer is a powerful weapon that God has given us to fight against the enemy. A prayerful woman can do great exploits for the kingdom of God.
Why? Women have a great influence in the world. With God on her side, a praying woman can do extraordinary things for her family, friends, society, and most of all, the kingdom of God.
In many cases, we don’t pray because we don’t know exactly how to pray — or how often. Jesus’ disciples clearly saw the effect that prayer had in His life. He spent large amounts of time in prayer, often by Himself.
The disciples soon realized that the demonstration of God’s power and wisdom flowing from Jesus’ life directly resulted from the intimate fellowship He enjoyed with His Father.
There are only two places to go to discover what God wants for your life—the Bible and His presence. When we pray, our prayers must line up with His Word.
The only prayer that God will hear, and answer is a prayer that is based on what He has said in His Word. If you pray according to the Word of God, then you are praying the will of God.
We can only have confidence in our prayers when we know that what we’re praying for is something that God desires to bring to pass.
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)
How Can I Have an Effective Powerful Prayer Life?
If you want to truly begin living a powerful prayer life, you need to build prayer into your daily schedule. It wasn’t until I made that commitment to pray each morning, that I even felt like I had a legit “prayer life”. And I’m still learning new and creative ways to pray, beyond that first-thing-in-the-morning appointment with God. There is nothing like spending time with Jesus.
The first thing we need to understand about effective prayer is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to suffer and die on the cross to even make it possible for us to approach the throne of grace to worship and pray (Hebrews 10:19-25).
Praying in accordance with God’s will is essentially praying in accord with what He would want, and we can see God’s revealed Will throughout Scripture. And if we do not know how to pray, or what to pray for, Paul reminds us that as God’s children we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede for us, as “the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:27). And since the Spirit of God knows the mind of God, the Spirit’s prayer is always in keeping with the will of the Father.
The beauty of prayer is its simplicity. Prayer is simply saying to God what He has already said in His Word. This will protect you from getting off into areas that are not the will of God.
Regardless of the area of your life, the first thing to do is to find out what the Word says about your situation. The Bible covers every problem that you will ever have. What does God’s Word have to say about your bills, your marriage, and your children? Find out what God says and then your prayers will be effective.
As woman we can make a difference and change the course of history if we will just understand the purpose and power of prayer. Let’s adventure into the heart of prayer and watch your power of attorney explode into a dynamic life of purposeful petition for heavenly impact on earth.
Let’s walk in the true meaning of prayer, and the importance of praying according to the Word of God, and answer key questions about the power of prayer, how to pray powerful prayers effectively, and how to get answers to your prayers.
Effective prayer is a way to strengthen our relationship with God. When we study and obey God’s Word and seek to please Him, the same God who made the sun stand still upon the prayer of Joshua (Joshua 10:12-13) invites us to come boldly before the throne of grace and pray with confidence that He will extend His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
Jesus Has a Powerful Prayer Life
Prayer was very important in the life and teachings of Jesus. He was extremely prayerful. He prayed often in public, private, and would even spend the entire night in intimate communion with His heavenly Father. Jesus prioritized prayer. He was a man of prayer. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and received strength to bear the sins of the world. (Mark 14:32)
Jesus was our example on how important prayer is for a victorious life. Jesus took the time to teach His disciples on the subject of prayer and gave them a model of prayer in the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus has a powerful prayer life because he loves spending time in prayer and spending time with His Father. The Bible says, “in the morning a great while before day, he rose up and went out and departed into a desert place, and there He prayed.”
Jesus Christ crowns his life, his works, and his teaching with prayer. His prayer life is an example of the prayer life we are to have. You may say, “Yes, but Jesus was different from us.
He was divine, and so He had an advantage over us.” When Jesus was on the earth, was He in a better position than we are? No. What He accomplished on earth, He accomplished in His humanity, not His divinity.
Jesus kept a close relationship with the Father through prayer. Remember Jesus’ great prayer request when He was asked by His disciples how man should pray:
“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-11)
Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons God has given us, and as we move forward in 2022, I believe it has never been more important for us to be on our knees more than ever, for our husbands, our children, and families. But knowing how to pray is not always easy. When Jesus prayed, He prayed with power and authority. Jesus disciples never seen before — as though God was listening! So, when they came to Jesus, as told in Matthew 6, they didn’t say, “Teach us another prayer.” They said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
How To Pray Effectively
We talk about prayer, we study prayer, we say our prayers, but how many of us seek earnestly for God to teach us to pray? We know that prayer is an important part to our everyday lives, yet some question whether their prayers are as effective as they could be.
One way we can learn to pray effectively is by looking at the prayer life of Jesus. The Bible said that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” As much as Jesus understood the value of praying with and for others, He also understood the need to pray alone.
But Jesus also knew how to dedicate long periods of time to prayer. As we read in Luke 6:12, Jesus “spent the night praying to God.” We, too, need to be able to offer short prayers, as well dedicate long periods of our lives to prayer. Jesus prayed regularly.
For our prayers to be effective, we too must pray regularly. But by studying the prayer life of Jesus, we too can learn not only the important truths of Prayer, but so much more. Here are six steps to take to ensure that your prayers are effective:
Step 1: Knowing What the Bible Says
How can you pray in a way that pleases God if you don’t know His nature? You won’t know what He has promised. You won’t know how He handles situations. You won’t know what pleases or displeases Him. To pray more effectively, take time to get to know the One to whom you are praying—through His Word. Make Bible study part of your day…every day.
Step 2: Pray to Get Results
Mark 11:24 says, “You can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
You were meant to live a successful, overcoming Christian life. God has magnificent plans for you. He has set aside an inheritance of abundance for you to enjoy. But God’s will is not automatic. You have a part to play.
Step 3: Pray in Faith
“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” –Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)
Once you begin praying based on God’s Word, the next step in praying effectively is to dig your prayers deep in faith. That means you don’t wait for a manifestation to believe you receive—that’s not faith!
Once you know what the Word says about your situation and you have God’s perspective on it, then settle within yourself what He has said. Trust Him to keep His Word. Thank Him for leading you, guiding you and answering you. Don’t let anything dissuade you from what the Lord has shown you. Stay faithful to the truth you have received. Because He is faithful that promised.
Step 4: Pray with Confidence.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
Base Your Prayers on God’s Word. Every time I pray, I am confident that God will listen and answer my prayers according to his good will. Our confidence should be in Jesus Christ and because of Christ. Pray with confidence.
You can rest assured knowing that your heavenly Father hears and answers your prayers when you put these steps into practice. Find out what the Bible has to say, ask for wisdom, remain in faith, and live a life of forgiveness. You’ll experience
Step 5: Believe you receive when you pray.
God’s Word is always true. If He says it’s done—it’s done. So, as you pray, begin to move yourself from believing He can to He will.
The joy of walking more closely with God and knowing that your prayers are effective!
Step 6: Pray the Will of God
For prayer to be effective, first, the person offering prayer must be in the Will of God. Secondly, the prayer being offered must also be in alignment with the Will of God and with the divine protocol for prayer. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Ask yourself:
● How often do I pray?
● Is prayer a mystery to me? Are there aspects of prayer that are confusing or unclear to me?
● Have I experienced unanswered prayer? How has that made me feel about prayer, about God, and about myself?
How To Have an Effective Pray Life
It’s one thing to pray, one thing to pray with confidence, but quite another to pray effectively. You can learn to pray with confidence, knowing that God is listening and will act for your good according to his will.
What gives you the right to pray? Becoming sure of the answer to that question in your own heart and mind is essential if you are to have an effective prayer life.
Prayer is not an option. It is a necessity to fulfil God’s purpose in our individual lives. time spent in prayer is not time wasted but time invested.
6 Ways to Have an Effective Prayer Life
1. Schedule Time with the Lord! Make an appointment with God at a certain time for daily prayer and Bible reading time. Make it happen.
2. Establish a destinated Area. Where is a special place for you? Maybe your bathroom. Do what you have to do to protect this time of prayer.
3. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Be humble, acknowledge that the struggle to stay focused is real, and ask God to help you.
4. Pray, read the bible, and pray again. Pray the scriptures you are reading. Rotate them.
5. Make a list of things and people you need to pray for. Don’t forget to include yourself.
6. Journal your prayers. Memorize scripture. Do some scripture writing and pray while you write out scripture.
Examples of Prayers Jesus Prayed in the Bible
There are so many examples of model prayers in the Bible. Prayers Jesus prayed Himself. Just as Jesus prayed these prayers over us, we can pray them effectively over our families, our children/grandchildren. John 17 contains the greatest prayer ever prayed on earth and the greatest prayer ever recorded in Scripture. Jesus prayed fervently that the church be one. One in love, and one in unity.
Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
This prayer was for Jesus Himself, who was nearing the cross and heading into excruciating suffering.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me, and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
He prayed for such unity for the sake of the world, so that the world would realize that the Father sent the Son. In addition, when believers are united, the world will comprehend that the Father loves believers just as He loves His one and only Son.
He wants the world to know Him, and our role—just like Jesus’—is to glorify the Father.
It has always been God’s Will and desire that His Church, His children, be unified – made one by His Spirit. As God’s children, we should be laying down our lives to help bring about unification in attitude, direction, and fellowship of the brethren, especially in the household of faith.
How Does Jesus Tell Us to Pray Effectively?
1. Pray in a private space if you can.
2. Do not constantly repeat the same prayer over and over. Pray from your heart as the Lord leads you.
3. Do not pray in a way to purposely be the center of attention; for you to get any glory.
“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8)
How are we to pray?
This is not such an unreasonable question. The disciples asked Jesus how
to pray (Luke 11:1). Jesus answered them by giving them a model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4), often called The Lord’s Prayer. However, this was never intended to become “vain repetition” to them (Matthew 6:7).
Jesus did not say, “Repeat after Me …” Rather, He said, “After this manner “
– that is, “in this way” – prayer should be offered to God (Matthew 6:9).
Here are ingredients to prayer:
Ingredient #1: Decide what you want from God; then find the scripture that promises you that.
Ingredient #2: Ask God for the things that you want, then believe that you have them.
Ingredient #3: Let every thought and desire affirm that you have what you ask. Guard against and resist the negative thoughts Satan will try to intimidate you with. Do not accept anything other than what you have asked for.
Ingredient #4: Think constantly on the promises on which you have based the answer to your prayer. (Proverbs 4:20)
Ingredient #5: In your waking moments, think on the love, mercy, goodness, and blessings of God, and it will boost your faith.
Ingredient #6: Make every word relative to what you have asked a statement of faith. (Romans 10:17)
Learning How to Pray for Beginners
As a beginner to prayer, do you find it hard to find the words to say? Do you find your prayers are short and limited and not as effective as they could be? I believe that the most effective prayers come right from God’s word. Start praying the Psalms. Praying a scripture at a time. In fact, the Holy Spirit often shows us what we should be praying for through the word.
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
As I begin praying the scriptures, I’d read a passage in scripture and feel deeply encouraged, and I knew that I didn’t just want to read it and move on with my life, I wanted it to be true for me. So, I started praying the words I read in scripture and God worked through my prayer, transforming my life.
If you want to take your prayer life to a new level, I recommend praying the scriptures. If you want to find out how, keep reading!
Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we are blessed with as believers. Because of Jesus Christ, we are now empowered by the Holy Spirit and given the ability to pray to our Father. Plus, we have Jesus Christ as our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)! He is the only mediator we need and the best one we could ask for!
Prayer is more than communication, It’s communion. Whether you’re a new believer or have journeyed this path for a while, and still learning how to pray effectively. Let’s get started.
The best time to start is now. I’m sure you know that prayer is important for our lives as Christians. It’s not always easy to pray and we don’t always want to do it. Prayer can be an even bigger challenge when we don’t know how to pray.
Creating a habit of prayer can be challenging. The more you dive in the scriptures, the more you want to pray the Word. Sometimes finding the words to pray can seem impossible. What can you do to begin learning how to pray, as a beginner and new to prayer?
If you want to grow in your knowledge of prayer, you must begin to do it consistently. It’s hard to do this, especially if we let worldly things distract us. But once you build the habit and do it daily, you’ll love it and won’t want to continue your days without it.
Don’t be afraid to pray big prayers, and “small” ones too. We can ask anything of the Father and He will answer according to His will. As redeemed, adopted children, our Father always hears us. Jesus said:
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)
When we ask in the Name of Jesus, we are placing our faith and trust in God’s Word (John 14:13 NIV). How do you feel when you read those words or hear the words ‘whatever you ask in my name’? Perhaps a feeling of comfort as you rest in His promises. Or perhaps a feeling of peace as you know God will answer in the best way.
You asked: Learning How to Pray for Beginners:
- Settle down and get in God’s word.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to open the word of God to you.
- Receive every word you read.
- Pray the word that you’ve read.
- Praise and thank God for it.
- Walk in the answer.
For me, I have been a prayer warrior for YEARS, I really enjoy times spent in the presence of the Lord. There’s nothing like it. It’s very rewarding being led by the Holy Spirit. My prayer life began to go to the next level when I really started being more thankful in my prayer time, it made all the difference. Spending time in praise and worship, singing back to the Lord, is wonderful. Making melody in my heart to the Lord. Prayer has changed my life.
Now it’s time for you to step out in prayer by faith In Jesus name. YOU CAN DO IT!
Related: How to Pray Scripture: From Beginner To Pro In No Time!
Resources and Books on How to Pray Effectively
Although there’s so much more to prayer than any single book could possibly teach you, there’s so much to prayer. There have been numerous books I’ve read over the pass few years I’ve enjoyed that have made a tremendous impact on my life, especially my prayer life.
No matter how many books you red, none of these books could ever replace the Bible, God’s Word. What I like about each of them is their focus is on the Word of God.
- How To Pray Effectively V1: Understanding The Rules Of Prayer For Different Situations And How To Apply Them For Your Desired Outcome – Chris Oyakhilome – God’s earnest desire is to have a rich, vibrant, and enduring fellowship with His children; but how can we enjoy such communion with all its blessings and benefits if we don’t know how to pray effectively? With a refreshing blend of sound scriptural exposition and practical anecdotes, best–selling author Chris Oyakhilome, PhD, in this insightful classic shares with you vital principles of effective prayer. This first volume will establish for you a clear understanding of the rules of different prayers for different situations and how to apply them for your desired outcome.
- Praying the Right Way – Chris Oyakhilome
- Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer
- The Battle Plan for Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies – Readers will be guided scripturally through the fundamentals of how effective prayer works, inspired towards a closer, more intimate relationship with God, and shown how to develop specific prayer strategies for each area of life. Prayer can accomplish what a willing God can accomplish. It should be your first plan of attack in all of life’s battles, not your last resort. If you want to experience the joy of mightily answered prayer, then it’s time to engage with God at another level.
- Prayer For Beginners -Peter Kreeft brings his unique insights to this most important area of our spiritual lives. He claims he himself is still a beginner in prayer, and this book is for all those, like him, who feel that they are not good at praying but desire to become much better at it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You have said, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). On the basis of this promise, I call to You and ask You to show me great and unsearchable truths about prayer that You have set forth in Your Word. Teach me Your way of praying. Forgive me for leaning on my own understanding when it comes to prayer. Heal me from the spiritual and emotional effects that unanswered prayer has worked in me. Give me an open mind and heart to hear Your Word and to allow the Holy Spirit to teach me Your purposes and truth. I pray this in the Name of Jesus, my Wisdom, and my Strength. Amen.
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