Prayer in the New Testament

Patterns in New Testament Prayers

The Bible teaches much on prayer. There are many specific instructions as to how to pray, and there are also many examples of prayer we can learn from.  Look at how the New Testament church prayed.  There are patterns there that we can follow. The more closely we know the Word of God and conform to it in our prayers, the more results we are going to have. There are patterns we can see in the prayers that the Apostle Paul prayed in the Epistles as well as actual examples of prayers he prayed.

For example, he mentions praying with thanksgiving in almost all of the prayers he prayed for the churches, much more than heavy or travailing prayer. I have been to prayer groups where everyone put on their sad face and whiny voice when it came time to pray. But this isn’t scriptural. From Paul’s example, we can see that that most of our prayer should be clothed in thanksgiving. Unceasing prayer is also mentioned many times. See the below scripture references where these things are mentioned.

The closer our prayers are to the Word, the more full of power they are.  The Word is God’s power unto our salvation.  When we have scripture on a specific subject, that is the will of God.  We shouldn’t pray out of our own understanding and knowledge, because there is a danger of trying to pray what we want to happen or what we think should happen rather than the will of God.  Many pray tradition and the ideas of men for others rather than the will of God.

It is of utmost importance, therefore, that we learn what the New Testament teaches on prayer. We should study it out for ourselves and not just learn to pray by listening to others.

There are many prayers prayed in the New Testament that teach us how to pray. We can pray these prayers word for word. We can pray them for ourselves and for other individuals. We can also pray them for churches or for the entire Body of Christ as a whole. I find that as I pray them, certain patterns of prayer emerge. Prayer for wisdom and understanding, prayer concerning the love of God, prayer for the spread of the Word, prayer for deliverance and boldness in the ministers are all common patterns we see. Below is a list of the prayers prayed in the New Testament.

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 this, 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 through 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.

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 cry.  You don’t have to feel anything.  You just have to pray.  God hears prayers – even these short prayers.  Short prayers mean something.  Something is happening in heaven when you pray.

Tables of New Testament Prayer Teaching

Jesus’ Instructions
Examples		Faith Mentioned	For What	General
Matthew	14:13, 23 26:39-44	6:30 8:10, 13 8:26 9:2, 22, 9:28-29 13:58 14:31 15:28 16:8 17:17-20 21:21-22	5:44 9:37-38 19:13 21:22 24:20	6:6-13 7:7-11’ 16:19 17:21 18:18-20 21:13 23:14 26:41
Mark	1:35 6:46 14:32-30	4:40 5:34-36 6:6 9:19 9:22-24 10:27, 52 11:22-24 16:11, 13 16:14 16:16-17	11:24 13:16 13:35 13:38	7:26 9:29 11:17 12:40
Luke	3:21 4:42 5:16 6:12 9:16, 18 9:28-32 22:31-32 22:40-46	5:20 7:9, 50 8:12-13 8:25 8:48,50 9:41 12:28 17:5-6 17:19 18:7-8 18:27,42 24:25	6:28 10:2 21:36 22:32 22:40 22:46	1:10, 13 2:37 4:38 7:4 18:10-14 19:46 21:36 11:1-13 18:1-8
John	6:11 11:41-43 12:27-30 17:1-26	6:28-29 11:40 20:25-29	14:12-14 15:7, 16 16:23-24	14:13-14

Instructions/Examples in the Book of Acts:

1:14 – United/continued.

2:42 – All devoted to prayer.

3:1 – Hour of prayer.

4:24—31 – Prayer for boldness.

6:4 – Apostles devoted to prayer.

6:6 – Set apart helpers.

8:15 – To receive the Holy Ghost.

10:2, 30-31 – Cornelius

10:9 –Peter.

11:5, 12 – Peter.

12:5 – Fervent Prayer for Peter.

12:12 – Even at night.

13:3 – Set apart Paul.

14:23 – Over elders.

16:13 – Place of prayer.

16:25 – Paul/Silus in prison.

20:36 – Paul when leaving.

21:5 – With Paul.

22:17 – Paul in the temple.

27:24 – Paul’s intercession.

28:8 – Prayed and laid on hands.

THE KEY TO PRAYER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS:  CONTINUED, DEVOTED PRAYER.

Instructions/Examples in the Epistles.

Prayers/Miscellaneous Examples	Thanksgiving/Unceasing Prayer Mentioned	Instructions
Romans 1:8-10 Romans 10:1-2 Romans 9:2-3 Romans 15:13 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 2 Corinthians 9:14; 2 Corinthians 13:7, 9 Galatians 4:19 Ephesians 1:15-23 Ephesians 3:14-21 Philippians 1:3-4 Philippians 1:8-11 Philippians 1:19 Colossians 1:9-14 Colossians 2: 1-3 Colossians 4:12-13 1 Thess. 3:10-13 2 Thess. 1:11-12 2 Thess. 2:16-17 2 Thess 3:5, 16 Philemon 1:4-6 Philemon 1:22 Hebrews 5:7 Hebrews 13:20-21 James 5:16-18 3 John 2	Romans 1:8 Romans 4:20 1 Corinthians 1:4 Ephesians 1:16 Ephesians 5:20 Philippians 1:3-4 Philippians 4:6 Colossians 1:3-6 Colossians 2:7 Colossians 4:2 Colossians 3:15-17 1 Thess. 1:2-4 1 Thess 5:16-18 2 Thess. 1:3 2 Thess. 2:13 1 Timothy 4:4-5 2 Timothy 1:3 Philemon 1:4 Romans 1:9 Romans 9:2 Ephesians 1:16 Ephesians 6:18 Colossians 1:3, 9 1 Thess 1:2 1 Thess. 5:17 2 Thess 1:11 1 Timothy 5:5 2 Timothy 1:3	Romans 8:26-28 Romans 12:12 Romans 15:30 1 Cor. 7:5 2 Cor. 1:11 Eph. 6:18-20 Phil. 4:6-7 Colossians 4:2-3 1 Thess 5:17 1 Thess. 5:25 2 Thess. 3:1-2 1 Tim 2:1-4 1 Tim 4:4-5 1 Tim 5:5 Hebrews 13:18 James 1:5-8 James 4:2-3 James 5:14-18 1 Peter 3:7, 12 1 Peter 5:7 1 John 5:14-15 1 John 5:16 Jude 20-21