Discipleship Lesson 8: How to Pray

Since prayer is such a personal thing, there is no formula for how to pray that will meet your specific needs. We DO have examples like the Lord’s Prayer (the prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13) but there are other strategies and formats you can use as well.

As stated in the last lesson – the key is to just pray, to trust God, and to listen for His response (1 John 5:14-15).

Before you start praying, consider where you will be most comfortable and successful in your time. Some people designate specific areas of their home for prayer. Others pray wherever they are when they think of it. There is no “right” place to go to pray. God hears you from anywhere. Just try to find a place that is free from distraction and comfortable (Matthew 6:6).

Decide how you want to pray. You can freely talk to God, whether silently or out loud, you can use a prayer format or prayer strategy, or you can write out your prayers in a prayer journal. It is entirely up to you how you pray. Or you may find you like varying your prayers and using all different styles and formats.

Then just talk to God. Open your heart and start talking. It may be a quick prayer (sometimes we send up a quick “Help me, God!”) or it may take longer. Some prayer warriors go for a long time, but there is nothing that says a prayer must be more than x amount of time. The important thing is to say everything you feel you need to say, to express what is in your heart.

Prayer is a personal journey. The way someone else prays may not be the best method for you. Do what feels natural. Be sincere and put your faith in Him to work.

Developing a Personal Prayer Life

The following are some suggestions for how to develop your personal prayer life. You do not have to do everything on this list, but you should find some things on it that will help you develop a stronger prayer life. The key to having a personal prayer life is practice. Regular prayer time and practice will help you grow stronger in your prayer life.

1. Put prayer first – If you are looking for a job (ministry, business, etc.) put prayer first. Take everything to prayer and make sure it is the priority.
2. Put prayer in your schedule – Make time to pray. Schedule prayer into your schedule. Add it to your calendar. Try to set aside a specific time to pray and build a habit. But don’t forget that God is there ANY time we need Him. You can pray anytime but still try to develop a habit of prayer.
3. Keep a journal – We have discussed it before and will mention it again. Take notes. Write down thoughts you have, prayers you pray, note answered prayers, etc. Review it frequently to see how God is working in your life.
4. Vary your prayer format – Take a look at a few of the prayer formats and strategies in the next section. Use them. Prayer is a joy. Don’t make it a tedious bore. Enjoy your time with God.
5. Study Scriptures on prayer – Learn what God says about prayer. Read the prayers in the Bible. Study them.
6. Read books on prayer – Read the prayers of other people. Read what others have to say about prayer.
7. Join a prayer group – Participate. Learn with others. You can find plenty of prayer groups online. Your church will also offer prayer groups – whether a prayer team, a prayer chain you can join (where each person in the chain calls the next person to pass on prayer requests), or a prayer group (via chat, text, or in person).
8. Pray regularly with others – If possible, pray with people of other denominations. Pray with your spouse or significant other. Pray with your children. Pray with your parents. Pray with your friends. Just pray with someone.
9. Set aside a place to pray – Choose a place you can pray uninterrupted. Make it inviting. You want to enjoy your time with God and be comfortable. Prayer places have many different names – prayer desks, prayer walls, prayer closets, war rooms, etc.

Prayer Formats and Strategies

There are numerous suggested prayer formats or strategies you can use when praying. Try searching up prayer formats on Pinterest or Google and see what you can find. The list below is just a sample of some that are available and provide just basic information. To learn more about any of the prayers below try looking them up online. For time’s sake, we are only including what each letter of the acronym stands for.

• PRAY – Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield
• TACOS – Thanksgiving, Adoration, Confession, Others, Self
• WAIT – Watch, Ask, Invite, Trust
• TRUST – Thanksgiving, Remember, Unburden, Surrender, Trust
• ABIDE – Ask for guidance, Believe He answers, Invest time in the Word, Direct your attention to Him, Enjoy Him around you
• The 5 Finger Prayer – Thumb: The good in life. Pointer: Guidance. Middle: World around you. Ring: Loved ones. Pinkie: Promise
• ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication
• GROW – Gratitude, Request, Others, Worship
• ASK – Adore God, Seek His will, Knock on the door
• FATHER – Faithfulness, Adoration, Thanksgiving, Healing, Empowerment, Repentance
• BLESS – Body, Labor, Emotional Health, Social relationships, Spiritual growth
• CHAT – Confession, hearing God’s voice, Adoration, Thanksgiving
• PEACE – Praise, Examination, Ask for peace, Communion, Express gratitude
• FIRE – Faith, Intentionality, Repentance, Expectance

Study Questions

1. What is the best way to pray? Is there a way that is better than another?
2. Why should we develop a personal prayer life?
3. How does a prayer strategy help with developing a prayer life?

Think About It

Look over the various prayer strategies. Which of the prayer strategies do you think would work best for your needs? Why?

Discipleship Program Index | Lesson 7 | Lesson 9

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Discipleship Lesson 5: Studying the Bible Discipleship Lesson 6: Church Discipleship Lesson 7: Prayer