How to Pray Efficiently

Remember when you pray there isn’t one set way of praying.
• We can pray anywhere, anytime (2 Timothy 1:3). We can share our deepest, most troubling feelings and know God will not be shocked or deaf to our requests (Psalms 102:17; Lamentations 2:19).
• We can pray haltingly, simply, confusedly (Psalms 69:33; Romans 8:26).
• We can pray alone or with other believers (Daniel 6:10; Acts 2:42-47).
• We can pray ecstatically, carried along by God’s Spirit or factually, driven by our commitments when all feelings fail us (Psalms 102:23-28; Ephesians 5:18-19).
• We can pray silently, wordlessly (Psalms 5:1; Matthew 6:6).
• We can pray over and over for the same thing (Luke 18:1-8).

There are Guidelines to follow when we pray:
• Pray Reverently: Keep in mind God’s holiness and greatness. Pray with genuine respect and humility (Ecclesiastes 5:1, 2; Matthew 6-9).
• Pray Sincerely: The words don’t matter as much as a parent’s heart. We are to bring a deeply felt desire to see God act for our children and a willingness to do our part to make God’s solutions possible (Psalm 51:17; Matthew 6:7-8; Hebrews 10:22).
• Pray in Faith: Simply and completely trust in God’s commitment to your children’s best interests and in His power to act on your behalf (Jeremiah 32:17; Hebrews 11:6).
• Pray with Purity: Don’t let prayers be hindered by any known sin in your heart or life: we could have unfinished business with God, our neighbor or a family member. We may need to take action before we pray (Proverbs 15:8; Mark 12:38-40; James 4:8; 1 John 3:21, 22).
• Pray according to God’s Will: Submit your personal desires to God’s greater glory and purposes. It is important to test our wishes for our children against the Word of God (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 5:14).
• Pray in Jesus’ name: We have access to the Father only through Jesus’ name and by His merits. His name is the power above all powers on earth (John 15:16; Ephesians 2:18).
• Pray Thankfully: It helps to recall God’s past goodness and His faithful character and then surround every new request with thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 22:3; Philippians 4:6).
• Pray Boldly and Persistently: Jesus taught that a loving Father is waiting to give us His best, and it’s better than we could ever imagine. Make your requests known, and continue to expect answers (Luke 18:1-8; Acts 12:5; Hebrews 4:16).

If you want an example of a parent who prayed for his children, look at Job. In the first chapter you discover that after Job’s children feasted, Job would have them purified. “Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts’” (verse 5). He was concerned and faithful in bringing them before the Lord.

John Bunyan made a noteworthy comment about prayer many years ago. He said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

One of the guiding passages of Scripture for the way we are to pray is from 1 Thessalonians 5:17: Pray without ceasing (NKJV).

What Apostle Paul is talking about here are frequent, brief prayers expressed while we are walking, waiting for a phone call, driving (with eyes open!) or any time. God is not concerned about the setting, only that we pray.