Prayer is communication with God and can take different forms, such as worship, intercession, thanksgiving or listening. God promises to answer prayers that are in accordance with his will, and the closer one comes to God, the more one gets to know his will and learns what to pray for. The Holy Spirit is there to help the praying person when he or she does not know what to pray for.
Bible Verses
“7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt 7:7–11)
“9Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread, 12and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Mt 6:9–13)
“36And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”” (Mk 14:36)
“18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” (Eph 6:18)
“26Likewise 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. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Ro 8:26–27)
“31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” (Jn 9:31)
“14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 Jn 5:14)
“1First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Ti 2:1–2)
Study Questions
- Have you ever received an answer to prayer?
- What do you think we Christians should pray more about?
- Have you been led by the Holy Spirit to pray for something specific?
- How should we relate to God so that he will listen to our prayers?
- How do we “pray at all times”?
Additional Bible Verses
Luke 11:2-4, Luke 18:1-8, Luke 5:16, Col 4:2, John 17:1, Phil 4:6, Phil 1:3-6, Acts 13:3, Rom 8:34, Matt 5:44, Heb 11:6, Eph 3:12, John 15:7-8, Matt 18:20