Prayer is an integral part of the Christian faith and spiritual life. Through prayer, believers communicate with God and bring their needs, concerns, praises and requests before Him. But what exactly should Christians pray for? Here are some key things to keep in mind when asking God for help in prayer.
Ask for God’s Will to Be Done
First and foremost, Christians should align their prayers with God’s will. Jesus provided the model for this in the Lord’s Prayer when he prayed “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Bringing our requests before God with humility and sincerity, while yielding to His perfect plan and timing, should be central to our prayers.
Pray with Faith and Obedience
Prayers offered in faith, fully expecting God to hear and act, are powerful and effective (James 5:16). At the same time, obedience to God’s commands is crucial. “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Our actions must line up with our words.
Accept God’s Answers
Whether God grants our specific requests or not, we can trust His decisions are for our ultimate good and His glory. “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed” (Psalm 103:6). Accepting God’s answers requires humility and faith that He knows best.
Bring Your Burdens and Needs to God
God cares deeply about our lives and invites us to cast all of our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We can boldly approach His throne to “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). God is ready to hear all of our burdens, fears, weaknesses, and emotional struggles.
Ask for Help and Guidance
It’s wise to ask God for help and direction in all areas of life – relationships, career, family issues, financial needs, etc. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). We have access to the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of the universe!
Pray for Healing and Comfort
God invites us to pray for healing from illness and injury. Examples in the Bible, such as Jesus healing the blind man (John 9:1-7), provide encouragement. However, we must pray in submission to God’s will, whether He chooses to heal miraculously, through doctors, or through giving strength to endure (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). We can also pray for God’s comfort in times of grief, loss and sadness.
Seek Forgiveness and Help to Overcome Sin
Confessing sins and asking for God’s forgiveness and help in turning from temptation is a key part of prayer (1 John 1:9). “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). We have an advocate in Christ (1 John 2:1) and grace to strengthen us to live holy lives.
Ask for Strength to Obey
In addition to asking for forgiveness, we should pray for God’s Spirit to empower us to obey commands like being generous, merciful, patient, kind, and self-controlled. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness” (Titus 2:11-12). God will always give us the strength to do His will if we ask.
Seek Deliverance from Addiction and Bondage
We serve a powerful God who can rescue us from any snare or addiction if we sincerely repent and seek help. “For I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 30:17). Support groups and accountability partners are also wise, but God’s power is the ultimate key.
Pray for the Needs of Others
Bringing the needs and burdens of others before God in prayer is a central Christian duty (1 Timothy 2:1-3). We should regularly intercede on behalf of our loved ones, friends, neighbors, leaders, strangers, and ministries we support. The more our prayers align with God’s loving and merciful heart for the world, the more powerful they will be.
Pray for Friends and Family
It’s an act of love to lift up friends and family members regularly in prayer. We can ask God to meet their practical needs, open their hearts to Him, strengthen their faith, heal their pain, and fulfill their deepest longings. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Pray for Your Community and World
God calls us to look beyond our immediate circle and pray for our broader communities, countries, and the global needs of justice, reconciliation, poverty, education, and health. “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me” (John 9:4). Our prayers can make an eternal impact when aligned with God’s missionary heart.
Thank God Regularly in Prayer
Lastly, it’s essential we balance our prayer requests with heartfelt thanksgiving and praise to God. The Psalms provide great examples of this. We have so much to be grateful for – God’s love, mercy, grace, salvation, promises, daily provisions, and eternal hope. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4).
Thank God for Who He Is
God deserves all glory, honor and praise simply for who He is – the eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, infinitely loving, just and merciful Creator and Sustainer of all things. “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
Thank God for What He Has Done
In addition, we should regularly thank God for His abundant blessings and saving acts on our behalf. We can thank Him for family, relationships, provision, health, guidance, hope, forgiveness, strength to overcome sin, spiritual growth and breakthroughs. The list of God’s gifts is endless. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).
Conclusion
Prayer opens powerful channels of communication with our loving heavenly Father. As we come sincerely and humbly before Him in prayer, aligning our hearts and requests with His perfect will, He delights to hear us and act. We can be confident He will answer according to His timing and glory as we ask, seek forgiveness, intercede for others’ needs, and thank Him continually through our prayer life.