Lord’s Library contributor Jared Helms offers commentary on how to pray according to the Bible, with key Scriptures. Check out Jared’s YouTube channel and two blogs: A Light in the Darkness and Blind Faith Examples, or send him a reader response email. Lord’s Library’s Ministry Leaders Series is a collection of contributed articles written by ministry leaders on key Christian topics.
The answer is suggested already by the argument made as to why we should pray. Still, it is worth laying out explicitly by virtue of its importance as an act of worship, and effectiveness for the Kingdom work when rightly undertaken.
See Luke 18:1-8: “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
The first lesson is that we are never to lose heart in praying. We must never abandon this work. To do so is to deny God. We also deny ourselves community with God. Either is bad enough, both together are disastrous.
How to Pray According to the Bible
There are some prayers we ought to stop praying as we find them to be outside the will of God as revealed in Scripture.
There are some prayers we ought to stop praying because God tells us to. See 2 Corinthians 12:8-9: “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
But we should never cease from prayer itself. We should constantly be seeking God as we are constantly in need of God. Augustine said: “Longing desire prayeth always, though the tongue be silent. If thou art ever longing, thou art ever praying.”
We cannot afford to lose heart and so cease from praying for we are in constant need of God. Prayer recognizes and acts upon this profound need. See John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Our desire then is the expression of our understanding of this need of God. Therefore, prayer is helped greatly by Biblically informed humility. We pray because we need, and our need of God is absolute and eternal.
The next lesson is that we must pray earnestly and sincerely. Empty words do nothing but betray us. See Mathew 6:7-8: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
Prayer should be fueled by need and desire. Our need is immensely great, according to John 15:5, and so too should be our desire. See Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27:
- Matthew 22:37: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
- Luke 10:27: “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
The next lesson is to pray expectantly. Our expectation rests on who God is, and nothing else. This foundation is sufficient to uphold the lofty expectations we might conceive. Only let these expectations be in line with, and according to, God’s Will. If they are not, we should be delighted that they fail. For no matter how great their appearance they were awful things to seek, and even worse to have.
Andrew Murray said: “Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, “above all that we ask or think.” Each time, before you Intercede, be quiet first and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”
Here we must say a word against those false teachers who have greatly hindered the prayers of the saints by undermining their expectations in prayer.
This they have done in the most insidious way, by seemingly raising the expectation of answered prayer with various means and mechanisms which force the hand of God. It is at once ridiculous to think that God’s hand can in any way be forced.
See Psalm 2 and Daniel 4:34-35: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”
At the same time, it is totally unnecessary to attempt that impossible task. God has given ample assurance that whatever is asked in His name will be done. See John 14:13-14, John 15:7, John 15:16, John 16:26, 1 John 5:14, and Ephesians 3:12:
- John 14:13-14: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
- John 15:7: “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 15:16: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
- John 16:26: “At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:”
- 1 John 5:14: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
- Ephesians 3:12: “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
The only reason we would need some formulation or incantation to have what we seek of God is that we have asked something not in His name, outside His will, contrary to righteousness. In this case, we should be very glad our incantation fails, and very fearful that it won’t. If we pray according to God’s will, we have every possible confidence. The promise of Romans 8:28 must hold true so that our expectations of good are secured: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
As has been said many times before, all of God’s promises are yes and amen.
And what if we should find ourselves unsure what to pray for, or unable to locate the words we need? Our Father has foreseen and provided us a Helper in such weakness, even the Holy Spirit. See Romans 8:26-27: “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. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Indeed, we are constantly in need of the Spirit’s help in prayer. Thankfully by grace, we always have that divine help. This should be a further encouragement to steadfastness in prayer. Indeed, with this divine aid, prayer should become a constant way of being in our lives. And our lives must be enriched by this.
How long should we pray? There is no prescribed duration for prayer. We see varying lengths throughout Scripture as we see different situations. There is a time for a long prayer and a time for a very short prayer. We should not think that too much of God’s time might be taken, He will gladly entertain us for days and weeks. On the other hand, we should not think there is ever too little time for prayer if we have enough time to breathe, “God help.” We have time for prayer.
See 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Ephesians 6:18:
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”
- Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
The reason the Bible does not prescribe a length for our prayers is that it prescribes instead a constant attitude of prayer. We believe in the real presence of God everywhere, and in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, so we should always be acting in accordance with these beliefs. If we need help, who better than the almighty is right there with us, and fully equipped to aid us?
If we need someone to talk to, who better than the lover of our souls who knit us together in our mother’s womb, and who daily bears our burdens? Prayer should be ongoing, interrupted, but never terminated. Prayer is after all the expression of an eternal relationship. If we are worried about the time we have missed the point.
The point is to reverence our God which we do by earnestly seeking Him at all times, and in every circumstance as the One who has proved Himself willing and able to give us rest. Prayer is an attitude grounded in the wonderful truths of who God is and what He has done. It is an attitude of humility, as it is written in Psalms 51:17: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” See also Isaiah 66:2, Matthew 5:3, and James 4:6: “
- Isaiah 66:2: “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”
- Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
- James 4:6: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Jesus told a Parable in Luke regarding the right attitude with which to approach God. See Luke 18:10-14: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
The story involves a self-righteous man whose prayer is a list of religious achievements and another man who stands a distance beating his chest and begging for mercy. It is the broken man whose pleas will be heard according to the parable, and not the overtly religious man’s.
While God has called us sons and heirs, He is still God and we are still mere mortals. We call Him Father with reverence and with love. Forgetting who we are talking to is the ruin of many prayers. Remember, the benefits of prayer are entirely found in the fact that we are speaking with God Himself. Everything about our prayers should reflect this reality for our good and for His glory.
Lord's Library participates in affiliate programs. We may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.
- What to Pray For & How to Do It: For What Shall We Pray? - February 23, 2025
- The Dangers of Manipulative Prayer & How to Avoid It - February 23, 2025
- How to Pray According to the Bible: How Should We Pray? - February 23, 2025
