Prayer is most effective when it’s something we do every day, not every once in a while. Prayer is a lifestyle we are supposed to cultivate. To better understand how to create a lifestyle of prayer, we can learn from the example Jesus gave during His life on earth.
HAVE A CERTAIN TIME
MARK 1:35 (ESV) 35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Jesus got up early in the morning to spend time with His Heavenly Father. Make a daily appointment with God whether it’s first thing in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening and faithfully keep it.
HAVE A SPECIFIC PLACE
Luke 5:16 (ESV) 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Jesus had a specific place He went to pray. Having a designated place to pray helps us remove distractions and frees us to worship and pray out loud.
HAVE A PRAYER PLAN
Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV) 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread,12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He gave them a prayer outline. As we pray every day, our plans for our prayer time can vary, but it helps when we have a plan for connecting regularly with God.
KEY PRAYER TOPICS
We know that we should pray about the things that are important to us, however we don’t always know how to go about praying for those things.
Below are some common topics and sample prayers to help you get started.
FINANCES
Lord, I come before you with thanksgiving in my heart and your praises on my lips. I know that you are my shepherd and I shall not want for anything, (Psalm 23:1) that includes any financial needs. I need wisdom when it comes to handling my money. I pray Lord God, that You would give me a financial strategy to live debt free and financially owe no man or woman anything, except to love them (Romans 13:8). Help me to correct any financial mistakes that I have made. I repent for being a careless steward of Your finances and give control of the financial area of my life back to You. Help me to show You that I can be trusted with more finances and that I will use them to bring glory and honor to You. I thank You for Your wisdom and ask for finances not just to meet my own physical needs, but the needs of others as well. I ask you for opportunities to sow into other people’s lives and to sow what I have. Although it may only be a little bit at first, I know that it will continue to grow as you multiply my harvest and then, in turn, re-sow what I have harvested. Lord, I know that you are the sole provider of all I have, but I also understand that I am the steward of those resources and it is my responsibility to manage what you have given me to the best of my ability. I promise to be diligent and not be lazy with what you have given me because that is how wealth is built (Proverbs 10:4). Help me to keep my eyes on You and help me to focus more on our relationship than anything else. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray and declare these things, Amen.
MARRIAGE
Father, thank you for the spouse you have blessed me with. Help me to be forgiving and tolerant towards my husband/wife. Teach me to love and serve my spouse unconditionally. May my spouse and I fulfill your plan for our lives. Lord help us to seek you first before any other thing and teach us to depend on your power through every difficult moment we face together. Lord help us not to break each other down by saying hurtful things to one another. Rather help us to always build each other up. I pray that my spouse and I would not yield to any temptation that may come our way. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the power of the evil one. We thank you for your peace, your love, your guidance and unity in our marriage and ask that you would keep and bless us in Jesus name! Amen!
FAMILY
Father, thank you for my family. I know that you placed them around me and
me around them so that we would protect and love each other, and so we could be a picture of what it is like to be in your family to the world. I ask that you give me the ability to always be humble and kind when I am with them (Ephesians 4:2) I place my family in your hands, and I know that nothing can take them from you (John 10:29). Thank you again, Father, for the joy they provide in my life and I declare that every evil thing that would come against them is right now instantly powerless and must leave. I declare as a member of their family that they are covered by the protection of the Lord. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray and declare these things. Amen.
SINGLE
Loving Father, how precious it is to be free to come before your throne of grace to worship you. Lord, I desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, to carry out the works of righteousness that You have prepared for me to do in the strength of Your Holy Spirit, and I pray that I may grow in grace and in a knowledge of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, with each passing day. Lord, it is my deepest desire to live according to Your will. Father, I delight in Your grace and faithfulness towards me, and at the moment it is my joy to live as a single woman/man and to find all my hope and strength and comfort in You, and I praise You Lord, that You have been my constant companion. Lord, I also ask that if it is Your will, that in Your time and in Your way that You would provide a godly man/woman with whom I can share my life and future with. A follower of Jesus whose love for me is only exceeded by their deep love and devotion for You. Thank You for the dear friends and family that You have already seen fit to bring into my life and I praise Your name for all Your goodness and loving kindness towards me in so many ways. Lord, I leave this desire for a permanent relationship with the person of Your choice in Your hands, and pray that You would graciously answer my prayer, in the way that seems fitting for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
GUIDANCE
Father God, I come before to ask for your wisdom and guidance in my life.
My desire is for you to make your will for my life clear and to lead me in your truth and to teach me to hear your voice no matter what else is going on (Psalm 24:4-5). I know you gave us your word so we would know where to go and if I ask for wisdom you will give it to me immediately and without limit (James 1:5-6, Psalm 119:105). So, Lord, this is my prayer, that you would teach me the way I should go and give me the grace to use this guidance, so I never stray far from you (Psalm 32:8-9). Thank you for your guidance and highlighting the best direction for me. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray and declare these things. Amen.
PRAYING FOR A LOVED ONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW CHRIST
Father, I come before You in prayer and in faith, believing. Your Word says You desire all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth, so I bring ________ before You this day. I break the power of Satan from his assignments and activities in __________’s life in the Name of Jesus. I ask that You send people to share the good news of the gospel in such a way that he/she will listen and understand it. As the truth is ministered, I believe ______will open his/her eyes to the gospel, come out of the snare of the devil and make Jesus Lord. Father, I ask that You fill ______ with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. As I intercede in his/her behalf, I believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is activated, and from this moment on, I will praise and thank You for _________’s salvation. I am confident that You are alert and active, watching over Your Word to perform it. It will not return to You void. It will accomplish that which You sent it to do. Therefore, my confession of faith is: ‘God has begun a good work in ______’s life and He will perform it and bring it to full completion until the day of Jesus Christ, in Jesus’ Name Amen.
TRANSFORMATION (PERSONAL CHANGE)
Father God, I know that I need to change. Reveal to me my inner self. Show me the root of my problems. I know that if you have my heart, you can change my habits, so I ask you to help me open up every part of my heart to you. Free me, heal me and cleanse me from every sin, hurt and pain. Lord I confess today that I will not be conformed, pressured and bullied into following the patterns of this world’s way of seeing, thinking and doing things. I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind! Thank you that I am seeing, thinking, believing and behaving according to your perfect will and purpose for my life! Give me strength to take every thought captive and to scrutinize every idea that comes across my mind! I will cast down and throw away any thought that does not line up with the principles and concepts that you have outlined in your Word! I know that transformation will not happen overnight. Give me the patience and strength to wait upon You, as You continue this process within me over time. Lord I thank you that progression, not perfection, is your desire for me so today and every day, I choose to move forward and become like you, in Jesus name Amen.