Do you want to have a more powerful prayer life? Perhaps you have never prayed before or don’t pray very often because you are not sure prayer works.
If there is one thing I can stress, prayer is a superpower that absolutely works. Satan wants you to believe that prayer is boring, doesn’t work, and is, in fact, a waste of time. But that is not true.
While answers to prayer may come slowly, they are usually more sustainable than other methods, such as manipulating, controlling, or pushing to get your way.
Oh, and don’t forget Jesus prayed all the time. If Jesus prayed, how much more should we also pray? If you are tired of feeling discouraged, powerless, or even angry, learn how to pray powerful prayers using one of these 25 prayer methods.
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How to Have a Powerful Prayer Life
Did you know there are tons of ways to pray to God? It’s not just about throwing up a few words to heaven and hoping God listens; it’s more than that. It’s about a relationship with Him!
Check out these 25 ways to have a more powerful prayer life. These “how-to-pray examples” will change how you approach God daily. You are learning how to pray according to the Bible because every suggestion here is straight from scripture.
1. Worship/adoration
Praise and worship through song, either listening or participating, is one way to have a more powerful prayer life.
Psalm 100:1 says:
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing” (KJV)!
2. Thanksgiving
Giving thanks every time we pray is essential to having a powerful prayer life. God wants to be remembered for what He has done in the past and how he has been good to you.
Psalm 107:1-3 says:
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south” (ESV).
3. Intercessory prayer to have a more powerful prayer life
Scripture encourages us to intercede or stand in the gap for someone too weak to stand alone. It is an honor to pray for someone else, that God will be merciful and loving to those who are hurt.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (ESV).
4. Petition prayer
Supplication is one of the most used forms of prayer; it is usually in our time of need that we start praying.
Don’t be afraid to ask God for what you need. He wants to hear your requests.
Phil. 4:6-7
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (KJV).
5. Fasting
Withholding food, social media, dessert, chocolate, or some other pleasure and praying instead is a way to connect with God. Again, Jesus fasted, so shouldn’t we consider doing the same?
Matthew 6:16 – “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that others may see their fasting.
6. Meditation to have a more powerful prayer life
Focusing on meditating on God’s word. Pick a scripture or chapter to consider as you connect to God and His word.
This is how to have a powerful prayer life.
Psalm 1:2 says:
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night” (KJV).
7. Repentance/confession prayers
Repentance is essential when approaching God and needs to be done often. Sin can block our prayers and prevent answers from coming promptly.
James 5:16 says:
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (KJV).
8. Scripture prayers to have a more powerful prayer life
Get out your Bible and start praying scriptures. Add your name or the names of others into scripture to make it personal. Praying Psalms or Proverbs is an excellent place to start.
9. Breath prayers
Simple, short phrases said in a breath can be just as powerful as long prayers. “Help me, Jesus; God, I need you; or Lord, give me strength” are good breath prayers that work.
This is how to have a powerful prayer life.
10. A. C. T. S. method of prayer
Many people use adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication as their four methods of prayer. These methods help us organize our prayer time more effectively.
11. Prayer list
Make a list of prayers and pray daily for the requests. Scratch them off when God answers them. This is a tangible way to see God working in the lives of those you love.
12. The Lord’s Prayer
Praying the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is one of the best methods of prayer. If Jesus used this way of praying, so should we.
This is how to have a powerful prayer life.
13. Prayers of lament
The book of Lamentations is one big lament, a grieving of sin. King David often lamented in Psalms. Take time to lament your sins, and then follow up with a repentance prayer and thanksgiving.
Read the book of Lamentations in the Bible for ideas.
14. Prayer art
Doodle or paint your prayers in a prayer journal or on paper. Some Bibles now have a section for prayer art. It is so much fun!
15. Prayer walk
One of the methods of prayer that I enjoy daily is prayer walking. There is nothing like getting outside and talking to God in nature.
16. Corporate prayer
Praying with a group of believers at church or another large gathering is one of the best ways to have a powerful prayer life.
God hears the cries of His people.
Ecclesiates 4:12 says:
“Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.”
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17. Sing your prayers
Singing your prayers is one of the most creative ways to pray. You can make up the words as you sing. It can be a private concert between you and God.
This is how to have a powerful prayer life.
18. Pray written prayers
I love reading the prayers written by Stormie O’Martian. Her ways of praying to God have changed the prayer lives of so many people, including mine.
19. Prayer journal to have a more powerful prayer life
Keep track of your prayers by writing in a journal. It is an excellent way to not only pray but also process your feelings and give them to God. And you can doodle.
20. Prayer group
Get a group of people together at your home to pray. A creative way to pray is to offer dessert afterward.
21. Internal prayer
If you want to learn how to pray, start with an internal dialogue with God. You can keep this going throughout your day. It is a great way to get comfortable with the idea of prayer.
22. Imaginative prayer
This is one of the most creative ways to pray. The idea is to focus on the gospels. Imagine yourself with Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee, sitting on his lap as a child, or talking to him at dinner.
Talk to him like you would a friend. Or even imagine yourself resting in His arms.
23. Laying in bed
There are no rules on how we should pray. I have spent more time praying in bed at night than in any other location. I think there is probably a hole in the ceiling that goes straight to God.
24. Art prayers
Art is a beautiful way to connect with God, especially art about God, Jesus, the cross, or some other spiritual focus.
25. Listening to have a more powerful prayer life
Most of the time, prayer involves doing something active. While that is good, a time of quietness and silence is so important. If you have never stopped to listen to God’s voice, add this element to your prayer life. It will change everything.
This is how to have a powerful prayer life.
Psalm 46:10 says:
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (KJV).
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What Should You Say When You Pray?
Start a prayer journal if you struggle with what to say when praying. It is almost like a diary, except you talk to God instead of yourself. It can be as easy as opening Microsoft Word or Pages and writing your prayers.
If you want to have a little fun, here are some prayer journal methods or ideas to start you off:
- Get a notebook and decorate it.
- Start each journal entry with a prompt, such as gratitude, praise, love, wisdom, or faith.
- Spend time praising God for who He is. Make a list of what you are grateful for today.
- Write out your needs.
- Pray for others in your life, such as family and friends.
- Pray for our country.
- If you are artistic, use drawings to illustrate your prayers.
- Make sure to note any answered prayer.
There are many prayer journal ideas such as splitting your notebook into three sections to make it easier to keep track of your prayer list, prayer journal, and artwork.
Whatever prayer methods you use in your prayer journal, know that it will be a special place where you can see God work tangibly.
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What to Say When You Don’t Know How to Pray
If you want to have a powerful prayer life, go straight to God’s word. I have seen the most breakthroughs when I do this method of prayer. When I return to God’s word, my heart calms, my fears dissipate, and my faith grows.
You can’t go wrong praying scripture back to God! And you never run out of words!
Just a short note on contemplative prayer: You will not find this method in the Bible. I would not practice it since it asks you to empty yourself; it can be a doorway to other things.
Many other prayer methods are good ways to connect with God. Go with what already works.
What tips do you have to suggest on how to have a powerful prayer life? Comment below!
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16 Comments
I meditate daily and even though I don’t follow a specific religion, I do feel it is a type of prayer to the Universe around me.
Hi, Mandy. I pray that you encounter the God of the universe. He loves you and has a beautiful plan for your life. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for this inspirational article. I have a tense relationship with God but want to do better. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to praying before, and this article is eye-opening for me.
I am so glad that you are thinking twice about God. While you may feel a tense feeling toward Him, He loves you. And He is knocking at your heart’s door to talk to Him. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God. You can do it anywhere, anythime.
These are fantastic ideas. And ways that I wouldn’t think to pray. Thank you for sharing this post!
We forget that God is accessible anytime. We don’t have to be in a church, with a priest, or on our knees to talk to Him. He loves us and wants a relationship with us all day. We can come to Him in worship, thanksgiving, praise, reading, etc. These avenues help us to know Him better.
I’ve never really stopped to think about all the different ways of praying. There are so many ways that are not immediately obvious. Thanks for sharing!
I am glad you read over some of the different ways to pray effectively. We are in a spiritual battle every day. Good and evil are at our door. Only the God of the universe can help us fight like a warrior.
Love this!! I usually write in my daily journal prayers, but I love the idea of having a prayer journal just for that!
I love having a prayer journal. It is a way to remind us of what God has done in the past when we look back and see how He has answered. So awesome you journal!
This article is priceless! So many fail to pray because they don’t know how or where to start. Thank you so much for sharing.
I think we forget prayer is one of our greatest weapons. It’s just talking to God and acknowledging His power is great than anything else. The world has made us believe that this does no good, yet you see even Hollywood acting in very spiritual ways. Mostly not in good ways, but they know there is a spiritual battle. Keep Praying!
Prayer is so important. I cannot go a day or minute without praying to the Lord. I enjoy learning new ways to pray effectively. Thank you so much for this list.
Tiffany, I am so glad you are a prayer warrior. I can’t understand how people go through the day without praying. We are made to commune with our maker. So glad you pray!
What a refreshing read! It was a beautiful reminder to myself that my prayer life is more than just in the secret place, but it can be throughout my day while taking care of my family. Thank you!
I am so glad that you now realize you don’t have to make it a one time thing. You can commune with God all day long.