The following are merely things the Lord has taught me, and is by no means an exhaustive treatment. In the Bible, God not only teaches us His prayer principles, but, promises great reward for those who pray. The Bible even contains Model Prayers, from which perhaps come the best inspiration to pray. There is so much the Bible says about prayer, that a search engine has been provided at the bottom of this page, so we might all be Bereans about it, OK ? [Acts 17:10,11] In the future, we'll include a posting section, so we all might share what the Spirit has taught you too. Since the Spirit distributes "severally as he will" [1Cor 12:11], I'm sure it will be a blessing.
God commands us to pray
[Mat 26:41], [Mark 13:33], [Luke 18:1], [1Ti 2:1], [Eph 6:18], [Rom 12:12]
Prayer is entering God's presence
[Hbr 4:14-16], [Hbr 8:1], [Hbr 9:24], [Rom 8:34], [2Chr 30:27], [Isa 57:15], [Rev 5:7-9], [Rev 8:3], [Luke 3:21], [Eph 1:3], [Eph 2:6], [Col 3:1-2]
The Bible encourages us to ask for things specifically in prayer, that is, to offer petitions in prayer
[Mat 21:22], [John 16:23-26], [Mat 18:19], [John 14:13,14], [Phil 4:6], [1Jhn 5:15]
Though encouraged to offer God petitions, prayer should initially focus on God Himself, our love relation with Him, and the things of His kingdom, not our petitions
[Mat 6:9-10], [Mat 6:31-33], [Ps 27:4], [Ps 73:25], [1Ki 3:5-13], [Col 3:1-2]
Prayer must be offered in humility and holy reverence before God
[2Chr 7:14], [Ps 34:18], [Ps 51:17], [Ps 145:18-19], [Isa 6:1-5], [Isa 57:15], [Isa 66:2], [Luke 18:9-14], [Jam 4:6]
We should confess our sins to God, repent, believe and receive His forgiveness, whenever we pray
[Mat 6:12], [Ps 66:18], [Ps 139:23-24], [Hab 2:1], [1Jhn 1:9], [2Chr 7:14]
The Holy Spirit's empowering comes by prayer
[Acts 1:4-8, 13,14], [Acts 4:31], [Acts 13:1-4], [John 7:37,38], [Luke 11:13]
Intercessory Prayer is the ultimate, and necessary outcome, of "putting on the whole armor of God"
We are commanded to pray continually, by every means, and for every need
[Eph 6:18], [1Th 5:17], [Luke 18:1], [Rom 12:12], [Ps 55:17], [Luke 6:12], [2Tim 1:3]
Prayer needs to be offered with faith in God's promises
[Mat 21:22], [Jam 1:5,6], [Mar 11:24], [John 14:12,13], [Heb 11:1], [Heb 11:6]
Prayer needs to be persistent, and prevailing
[Luke 11:5-13], [Luke 18:1-8], [James 5:16-18], [Heb 5:7], [Is 62:6-7], Example: Daniel [Dan 10:2] => [Dan10:12-13]
God's guidance, and will for our lives is revealed through prayer
[James 1:5], [Acts 13:1-3], [Mat 26:39], [Rom 15:30-32], [Ps 37:4,5], [Ps 40:1-8]
The Holy Spirit helps us pray
It is more important to listen to God, than talk to Him
[Jer 33:3], [Isa 55:8,9], [Ps 40:5], [1Cor 2:9-13], [Hab 2:1], [Ps 85:8], [Ps 46:10], [John 10:27]
When Christians pray with one heart, one mind, one voice, GREAT things happen
[Acts 1:1-14 ; 2:1], [Acts 4:31], [Acts 12:1-19], [Acts 13:1-3], [2Chr 7:14] ...for more recent accounts, click here
Our Intercessory Prayer matters, and is effectual
[1Th 3:10], [Col 4:12], [2Cor 1:11], [Luke 22:31-32], [Acts 12:5], [1Jhn 5:15,16], [Eph 3:14-21], [Job 42:10]
Intercessory Prayer is crucial toward spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ
[Eph 6:19], [Col 4:3], [Acts 4:31], [2Th 3:1,2], [Mat 9:38], [John 17:20-23], [Rom 10:1]
General Encouragements to Pray
[Ps 27:13-14], [Ps 34:10], [Ps 50:15], [Ps 91:15],[Ps 116:12-13], [Is 40:31], [Is 65:24], [Luke 11:9], [Phil 4:6-7], [1Jhn 5:14]
Jesus' Seven-Fold Exhortation to Pray
[John 14:13], [John 14:14], [John 15:7,8], [John 15:16], [John 16:23], [John 16:24], [John 16:26]
Daniel's Prayer for Revival and Restoration [Dan 9]
Nehemiah's Prayer for Revival and Restoration [Neh 1], day and night, 4 months: [Neh 2:1]
Ezra's prayer for the people's sins [Ezra 9]
Solomon's dedication of the temple [2Chr 6] => God's Answer [2Chr 7:1,14]
Hezekiah Prays for victory [2Ki 18:13-19:37]
Jehoshaphat Prays for victory [2Chr 20]
Job's Turning Point [Job 42:1-6], and Victory [Job 42:10]
Hannah's Prevailing, Fasting, Weeping Surrender to God [1 Sam 1:1-28]
Habakkuk's Prayers [Hab 2:1], [Hab 3:2], [Hab 3:17-19]
Jonah's Prayer of Repentance [Jonah 2]
The Lord's Prayer [Mat 6:9-13], [Luke 11:2-4]
Jesus' High Priestly Prayer [John 17]
Apostolic Examples, Prayers, Blessings [Acts 1:1-14 ; 2:1], [Acts 4:21], [Act 13:1-3], [Rom 15:5-7], [Rom 15:13], [Rom 16:25-27], [Eph 1:15-22], [Eph 3:14-21], [Phil 1:3-11], [Col 1:9-15], [Col 4:12], [1Thes 3:11-13], [1Thes 5:23-25], [2Thes 1:11-12], [2Thes 2:16-17], [2Thes 3:5], [2Thes 3:16], [1Tim 1:17], [2Tim 1:18], [2Tim 4:16], [Phm 1:4-6], [Heb 13:20,21], [1Pet 5:10,11], [Jude 24-25]
Perfect One Verse Petitions from the Psalms [Ps 19:14], [Ps 28:9], [Ps 51:10], [Ps 57:5], [Ps 71:18], [Ps 80:3], [Ps 86:11], [Ps 90:12], [Ps 90:17], [Ps 119:89], [Ps 139:5], [Ps 143:10], ... email your favorites to add
A Rather Exhaustive Look at Spurgeon's Prayer Texts
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