Prayer
What is prayer?
Prayer is how we communicate with God. The Bible teaches us much about prayer. In fact, there are almost 400 Bible verses about prayer in God’s Word. So, let’s learn about prayer.
In general God speaks to us from His word. But God desires to have a relationship with us based upon a spirit of unity and love. And through prayer God reveals to us what is in our heart, whether good or bad. Although, we are not revealing anything to God in our prayers. But our prayers are for us to make requests and thanks to God so we can see Him work.
Furthermore, prayer is opening of our heart to God as we would to a trusted friend or loved one. Additionally, prayer is a time to listen and seek God’s will in our life.
Surely God always answers prayer even though sometimes it may not be the way we would like it to be answered. So that sometimes the answer is yes. While still other times the answer is wait until the appropriate time. And still other times the answer is no. Hence God always provides what is best for us!
How should we pray?
First, the Bible says; “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought”. So, we need help.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26, King James Version. Public Domain
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mark 11:24
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7
17 Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 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.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Matthew 6:5-7
1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Luke 11:1-2
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 1:14
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12:12
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18
2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Colossians 4:2
Are there conditions for pray?
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mark 11:25
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew 17:21
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 21:22
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Matthew 23:14
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Mark 9:29
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Luke 6:28
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Luke 10:2
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Acts 6:4
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:6-8
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
James 5:13
15 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.
James 5:15
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Peter 3:7
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1 Peter 3:12
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1 John 5:14
4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
Daniel 9:4
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
Daniel 9:13
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 15:8
29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Proverbs 15:29
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Proverbs 28:9
9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Exodus 34:9
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Psalms 55:17
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15
What are some promises from the Bible about prayer ?
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 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?
Matthew 7:7-11
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11:9-10
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:3
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1 John 3:22
Does the Bible say what to pray for?
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 5:44
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Matthew 9:38
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mark 13:33
36 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.
Luke 21:36
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
Luke 22:40
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:16
7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
2 Corinthians 13:7
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Ephesians 1:15-16
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Philippians 1:9
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1 Timothy 2:1-2
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:5
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
James 5:14-15
17 Is aElias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:17-18
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 1:2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly,
Jonah 2:1
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
Exodus 33:13
1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.
Psalms 5:1
1 O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
Psalms 7:1
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psalms 51:1
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
Psalms 143:1
What are some examples of answered pray?
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
Luke 1:13
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:31
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Acts 9:40
31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
Acts 10:31
8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
Acts 28:8
20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Daniel 9:20-22
27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
1 Samuel 1:27
7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9 Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
2 Chronicles 1:7-12
Did Jesus Pray?
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Matthew 14:23
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Matthew 26:36
39 And he went a little farther, 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.
Matthew 26:39
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Matthew 26:42
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Matthew 26:44
35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark 1:35
46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Mark 6:46
32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
Mark 14:32
35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
Mark 14:35
38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Mark 14:38
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
Mark 14:39
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luke 3:21
16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Luke 5:16
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12
18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Luke 9:18
28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Luke 9:28-29
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luke 22:32
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luke 22:41
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Luke 22:44-46
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
John 17:1
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
John 17:6
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
John 17:9
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
John 17:15
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
John 17:20
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