Prayer — April 26, 2017 at 3:00 pm

What Does The Bible Say About Prayer?

by

by Duke Taber | The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil everywhere

Prayer is an important part of the life of any Christian. These Bible verses about prayer hopefully will encourage you to draw closer to God and learn how to better communicate with Him.

It seems at times that prayer is becoming a forgotten art.

One of the great men of prayer in history was a man named Edward McKendree Bounds. He lived over 100 years ago.He gives us this definition of prayer which is so different than much of what is taught today..

The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil everywhere.

Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. It purifies the air; it destroys the contagion of evil. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice which goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things.

God shapes the world by prayer. Prayers are deathless. The lips that uttered them may be closed to death, the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them and prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; they outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.

That man is the most immortal who has done the most and the best praying. They are God heroes, God’s saints, God’s servants, God’s vicegerents.

A man can pray better because of the prayers of the past; a man can live holier because of the prayers of the past; the man of many and acceptable prayers has done the truest and greatest service to the incoming generation.

The prayers of God’s saints strengthen the unborn generation against the desolating waves of sin and evil.

– Edward McKendree (E. M.) Bounds

Different Types Of Prayer In The Bible
The Lord’s Prayer
MATTHEW 6:5-15

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

You can really get into praying the Lord’s prayer if you use our 7 prayer point model of praying the Lord’s prayer found here.

Worship Prayers

Psalm 95:6-7

6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7 for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today!

1 Timothy 2:8

In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.

Prayers Of Confession In The Bible

Proverbs 28:13

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

JOB 42:1-6

Job’s Confession and Repentance

1 Then Job replied to the Lord :

2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Psalm 66:18

If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Prayers Of Thanksgiving In The Scriptures

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Philippians 1:3

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Colossians 1:3

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2:1

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Ephesians 5:20

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 107:1

Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

God Answering Prayer Verses

1 Kings 8:54

When Solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the Lord , he stood up in front of the altar of the Lord , where he had been kneeling with his hands raised toward heaven.

1 Kings 9:3

The Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy – this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

Philippians 1:4

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,

1 John 5:15

And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Intercessory Prayer Scriptures

1 Timothy 2:1

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Romans 8:26-27

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers 12 in harmony with God’s own will.

Luke 22:31-32

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.

Bible Verses About Praying And Waiting

Hab 2:1

1 I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
and how he 1 will answer my complaint.

Isaiah 40:31

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Psalms 27:14

Wait patiently for the Lord .
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord .

A Prayer For The Nation From The Bible
2 Chronicles 7:14-15

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

Final Instructions On Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

I hope that this list of Bible verses about prayer has been a blessing to you. As you can see there are a variety of prayer types and as we progress in learning each of them, we will be able to develop a deep communion with God.

Please feel free to leave your favorite Bible verses about prayer in the comment section below and share these verses with your friends and family on Twitter and Facebook.

Duke Taber
Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber is the Senior Pastor at The Vineyard Church in San Carlos Ca. He is an alumnus from Life Pacific College and Multnomah Biblical Seminary. He is a husband, father, and grandfather.
 

Author

  • Doxa

    Doxa Editorial Board: Our editorial board consists of a group of well published, prominent people and professors, with academic credentials and a detailed knowledge of their subject area.

    View all posts

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *