Yesterday I wrote a short guide about how to read the Bible for spiritual growth and transformation.
I promised another guide for today on how to pray more effectively.
Here it is.
I know that many people struggle to pray. They don’t know what to say or how to say it. They feel uncomfortable praying through a list. They want to praise God more but aren’t sure what to include.
I used to really struggle with prayer, too. I learned a method of praying from the Bible some years ago that really changed the way I pray.*** Now, I find prayer to be, not easy, something I enjoy and look forward to.
I’ve simplified what I learned over the years into a system I call the “3 Ps.” The 3 Ps stand for Praise, Petition, and Power. Follow the steps I outline below and see if this helps you, too.
1. Gather a Bible and a notebook or journal.
You’ll need a Bible and something to write with. Yes, a Bible. I’m going to teach you how to pray directly from the Bible. If you learn and follow this way of praying, you will never be at a loss for something to pray about again.
You’ll need something to write with, because you will need to write down what you learn about God. This will help you as you form your praise and petitions to God.
2. Read your selected passage two or three times.
Pick a short selection from the Bible and read it slowly two or three times. I prefer praying from the psalms, but as you become comfortable with this method, you will find that you can read any passage in the Bible and begin to pray from it.
For this guide, let’s use Psalm 23 as an example.
3. Write down all the praiseworthy attributes and characteristics of God you can find.
Each time you read the passage, write down whatever you see or learn that is praiseworthy about God. Take your time with this. There is no need to rush, and this action of searching the Bible to learn about how God is praiseworthy will help move you into a prayerful state of mind.
By the time you’ve read your passage three times, you ought to have a fairly substantial list of praiseworthy attributes and characteristics.
Example (from Psalm 23): God is my shepherd (1); he provides all I need (1); he provides good pasture for me (2); he guides me into what is right and good (3); he does this for his glory (3); he comforts me and takes away my fear (4); he cares for me when I am surrounded by enemies (5); he promises a life of goodness and love with him forever (6).
There are many more things I could have written from that Psalm. But these will do for this example.
4. Begin with praise.
Now, select one or more the praiseworthy attributes and characteristics of God that you listed and form a prayer of praise to God. Depending on how long you want to pray for, you could continue to pray prayers of praise through your entire list.
The key is to make these prayers specific to you. Don’t only praise God for being a shepherd, for example, but praise God for being a shepherd to you in a specific time or place in your life.
Example: Lord, I thank you for being my shepherd when I struggled with my faith in college. You guided me and brought friends into my life that encouraged me to stay with my faith. I praise you for shepherding me during this time.
5. Petition God on behalf of others.
After you have praised God, then move to petitioning God on behalf of others. This is an important step. We begin with praise before petition. We do this because it helps us remember why we are praying–not to “get” things from God, but to connect with God. So we focus first on that connection.
Like in the example above, simply take the praiseworthy attributes and characteristics of God and begin to pray those things, specifically, on behalf of others. You can pray through an intercessory list you have, or simply pray for people as they come to your mind as you pray.
Example: Lord God, because you provide good pasture for your people, please provide for the Smith [not a real situation] family. Jim lost his job and they are struggling financially. Please guide them into good pasture, and do so for your name sake.
6. Call upon God’s power for yourself.
Finally, pray for yourself. In this phase, you will take the same praiseworthy attributes and characteristics of God and pray his power over yourself.
Example: Father God, because you have promised an eternal life of goodness and love with you forever, remind me today of that goodness and love during the stresses of work. Don’t let me get caught up in worldly cares, but remind me of your presence.
7. Repeat daily.
If you’re new to praying like this, you might be surprised that it takes longer to pray like this than you are accustomed to. But you will also find this way of prayer more fulfilling. It will become a practice that you look forward to daily.
How was this guide helpful? What questions do you have? I’d love to help you learn how to pray more effectively.
Tomorrow, I will teach you a powerful way of interceding for people that keeps the focus on God and his glory.
***The method of prayer I learned was taught by Daniel Henderson and Strategic Renewal. Daniel calls it the 4/4 Pattern of Prayer.
What was helpful for you in this guide? What questions do you have?