Do you think it's possible to converse more profoundly with God than with your closest friend or family member? Would you like to experience a greater sense of security in God’s hands? Do you want to stop hiding your fears, doubts, anger, or pride, and to walk in the assurance of God's unconditional love? Do you ever wonder if your prayers are being heard and if they are the “correct” kind of prayers? Would you like some direction on how to express your love to God, ask Him to meet your needs, and feel deeply connected with Him?
You’ve come to the right place! This article will show you seven prayers in the Bible, each addressing a different area of importance in your life. By reading them, you can gain insight into how to approach prayer authentically and cultivate a thriving intimate relationship with the Lord.
Related: Does Prayer Really Work? (10 Secretes to Effective Prayer)
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
I begin with this prayer because in order to be intimately connected to God, you must accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Without receiving Jesus' atoning sacrifice, your sin will block you from experiencing communion with God. If you have not been born again, I encourage you to read this article: How to Become a Christian in 2 Life-Saving Steps.
Before we move on to the other prayers, in case you are not certain you have been born again, here is the gospel message in a nutshell:
If you would like to accept Jesus' gift of salvation, tell Him in your own words. Confess to Him that you have sinned and need forgiveness through His death and resurrection. Ask Him to come into your heart and be the Lord of your life.
If you have just received Christ, it is important to join a Bible believing church. Check out these articles to help you find one:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
This is an important foundational prayer that should be used regularly, but not rotely. Because it is recited weekly in several denominations of Christian churches, it can lose some of its personal impact for many people.
Let's take a closer look at the prayer and see if you can find deeper meaning in it.
It begins by centering your mind and heart on the greatness of God and the intimate nature of the relationship He wants with all of His children. By seeing Him as your loving heavenly Father who is perfect, you can grow in trust and security in Him. This will allow you to thrive in your inner being and enjoy the abundant life He has for you.
Next, it guides you in pledging to let go of your own will in order to carry out the Lord's mission during your time here on earth. Having a clear purpose that is centered on God rather than on yourself will bring profound meaning to your life. It will help you navigate through times of difficulty and loss by keeping you grounded in knowing that God will bring good even out of your worst experiences, as He fulfills His greater plan of restoring all believers to His perfect kingdom.
Then, it demonstrates how to express your personal necessities. The fact that Jesus prayed this prayer to God, the Father, acknowledges the importance of knowing and feeling that your needs are being provided. Trusting God to supply your needs will guard you from fretting and scurrying, and will help you have more peace. It is also important to note that Jesus said, "give us our daily bread" rather than "give me my daily bread" which highlights His intention that we live in community. Not only does God desire that we partake in meals together, but that we each use our skills and resources to take care of one another to the best of our ability.
The prayer closes with acknowledging your sin, asking for forgiveness, committing to extend forgiveness to your offenders, and requesting protection from temptation and evil. There is tremendous value in bringing your sins to Jesus daily so you can live free of guilt and shame. Remembering that you have received forgiveness empowers you to give forgiveness to others, which paves the way for you to enjoy healthy relationships. Lastly, asking God to guard you from temptation and evil helps you to walk in His power and authority.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus told the disciples that believers will experience much trouble in this world (Jn. 16:33). He admonished them to love, encourage, and pray for each other. The Apostle Paul is one of the most prolific examples of carrying out Jesus' instructions to work together and support fellow believers. His letters to the early churches (including the one to the Ephesians seen above) contain prayers he lifted up to God on behalf of his brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as numerous requests that they ask God to help him continue to lovingly and boldly preach the Gospel to all who were unsaved.
This prayer is one of my favorites, and I have shared it many times to encourage fellow Christians. I like it so much because it expresses that we are family; and it gets to the core need that we all have: to be strengthened and grounded in the love of Christ so we can experience the fullness of God.
Malicious witnesses rise up;
they ask me of things that I do not know.
They repay me evil for good;
my soul is bereft.
But I, when they were sick—
I wore sackcloth;
I afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother,
I bowed down in mourning.
Knowing that David, the author of Psalm 35, was hunted by Saul who was determined to kill him, adds tremendous meaning to this Psalm. David served King Saul with reverence, love, integrity, and commitment despite multiple attempts on his life. Throughout his life, David asked God for protection from people who had malicious intents, while also praying that evildoers would repent and be saved. Ultimately, he depended on God - the author and protector of life, his ultimate authority, and the holy Lord who will always have victory over sin. David is one of the best examples we have for how to love and pray for our enemies (Mt. 5:44).
Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.
The beauty of some of David’s Psalms is in his vulnerability and in how he captures the depth of human turmoil. At times, his prayers can be difficult to read because they can cause uncomfortable feelings to surface. Rather than processing painful emotions, it is common for people to try avoiding them through distractions like food, tv, and busyness.
Many of us have been faced with circumstances that strip away self-defenses and bring us to our knees. When this happens, David’s prayers for rescue are particularly helpful. Knowing that others can relate helps us to not feel alone and, subsequently, can give us strength.
If you are going through a troublesome time, you may also find encouragement in these heart wrenching prayers:
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
When it comes to relationships and inner peace, nothing can take the place of confession. Everyone sins; and unless sin is confessed, it remains in the heart, wreaking havoc in every area of life. David wrote in Psalm 32:3-5, "for when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Because Jesus took our sins upon Himself and paid our penalty when He was crucified, we can be forgiven. By asking God to search your heart and mind each day, you can be made white as snow (Is. 1:18) rather than carry around the inner spiritual effects of sin.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
God’s ways are perfect, and following Him is the only way to thrive. In James 1:5, it says, “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” This is great news! Wisdom and direction is available to you whenever you incline your heart to Him.
God sent us His Son, Jesus, so we can be reconciled and have a close, personal relationship with Him.
In Romans 8:26-39, God's love and devotion to us is clearly laid out:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ...He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all...Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us...for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
By receiving Jesus as your Savior and Lord, praying as He prayed, asking Him to search and cleanse you daily from your sins, asking for wisdom, and crying out to Him when you are going through hard times, you can experience a profound, soul satisfying, and empowering connection with the Lord. Your intimacy with God will deepen even more by being in prayer with other Christians and by praying for your adversaries.
It is my prayer that you will grow closer to God in the depth of your soul.