Learn to Pray – From the WORD
How do we learn to pray?
I think the first way most people learn is to listen to others and pray as they do. This is good in some ways, but if the person you are listening is praying more according to tradition than the Word of God, you will learn habits of ineffective prayer.
There is prayer that is just to fellowship and spend time with God, which is wonderful. But in most cases when we pray, we are praying to get results. We want to see what we pray for come to pass. If few of our prayers are working, we need to check for solutions as to why. Where do we check? The Word of God, especially the New Testament where we now live. Don’t make some religious excuse for unanswered prayer like maybe it isn’t God’s will or maybe He is making your wait. If you pray according to His Word, you can have ALL of your prayers answered (1 John 5:14-15; John 15:7).
How do we learn to pray?
God has put many prayers in the New Testament that we can use for models of prayer. I have found as I go through these prayers over and over, patterns develop, and I can find in the New Testament prayers that will cover any situation I encounter for myself and for others.
I have collected and gathered these prayers in my study though the years and have listed them below. Take the time to look them up and pray them. Read them in various translations to get new light on what they mean. You’ll get so you don’t pray them word for word but from your heart you can pray the essence of what is in them.
Your prayer life for your personal needs are well as others you pray for will be MUCH MORE effective if you are praying according to the Word of God and not in some traditional way that has no basis in the Word.
New Testament Prayers for the Church:
Acts 4:24-31 – For the spread of the Word, signs and wonders, boldness in preaching.
Romans 1:8-10 – Paul thanked God and prayed to see them.
Romans 15:13 – For joy, peace, abounding hope.
1 Corinthians 1:4-8 – He thanked God for their good points and prayed for God to confirm them blameless before correcting them.
2 Corinthians 13:7 – That they do no wrong and be made complete.
Ephesians 1:15-23 – For spiritual wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, spiritual enlightenment as to the greatness of what was accomplished in Christ.
Ephesians 3:14-21 – To be strengthened and established to know the love of God and be filled with Him.
Philippians 1:9-11 – For their love to abound in knowledge and discernment and for them to be filled with the fruits of righteousness.
Colossians 1:9-14 – To be filled with the knowledge of His will – this would enable them to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and to please Him and bear fruit and increase in the knowledge of God.
Colossians 2:1-3 – Encouraged hearts, true knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ Himself.
Colossians 4:12 – To stand perfect and assured in love for one another and all men.
1 Thessalonians 3:10-13 – To be caused to abound in love for one another and all men.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 – That God may do certain things in them that the Name of Jesus be glorified.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – To comfort and strengthen their hearts in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 – To direct their hearts into the love of God and steadfastness of Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 – For peace in all circumstances.
Philemon 6 – For their faith to be effective through the knowledge of what is theirs in Christ.
Hebrews 13:20-21 – To equip them in everything needed to do His will.
3 John 2 – For prosperity and health.
Prayers for those in the ministry
Matthew 9:35-10:1 – Jesus told us to pray for laborers to heal, cast out demons, to teach and to preach.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 – Prayer for those in authority in the world and the Body of Christ.
Romans 15:30-31 – For deliverance.
Ephesians 6:19-20 – For utterance and boldness (Acts 20:20, 27).
Philippians 1:19 – For deliverance.
Colossians 4:3-4 – Door for the Word, to make it clear.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 – For the Word to spread rapidly and be glorified.
2 Thessalonians 3:2 – For Deliverance.
Philemon 1:22 – Paul’s release.
Acts 12:5 – For deliverance for peter.
Exodus 17:8-15 – Example.
Praying for something that is not the will of God is a waste of time. Praying for something that God has already done is a waste of time. Praying that God will do something that He has told you to do is a waste of time. To avoid these kinds of useless prayers, learn to pray according to the Word.
Paul prayed for wisdom and revelation, that the church would see what they have. Jesus already did the work and so many things are already ours. We don’t need to get these things or convince God to give them to us, but we do need to see and understand what is ours. Following the prayers of Paul is a scriptural and effect way to pray.
Paul prayed without ceasing. Paul was busy. He prayed these prayers as he went about his business. Short prayers are just as effective as long prayers. We have thought that you have to feel something for your prayers to be effective, but this is not scriptural.
Ephesians 1:16-18 – I do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know…
Philippians 1:3-5 – I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all…
Paul prayed for the Philippians every time he thought of them. To make prayer a lifestyle, we need to work it into our lives. Pray while you are doing other things as well as in times when you can get away alone with God.
Colossians 1:9 – For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
You don’t have to feel anything when you pray. You just have to pray. God hears prayers – even short prayers. Short prayers mean something. Paul said he made mention in his prayer for the Ephesian church. That counted with God. Something is happening in heaven when you pray.
So, in conclusion, learn to pray from the Word of God. Take the prayers of the New Testament and let them form your patterns of prayer. You will see many more results when you pray God’s way.
