Prayer: Bible Verses on the Topic of Prayer

Prayer

by Matt Slick | Jun 4, 2010 | Bible Verses by Topic, The Bible

A list of Scripture on the topic of prayer arranged in an outline, topical order. The Bible tells us what prayer is, how to pray, to whom do we pray, and what it accomplishes.

Acceptable Through Christ
1. John 14:13, “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
2. John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.”
3. John 16:23, “And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name.”
Accomplishes Much
1. James 5:16, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Christians Told To Pray
1. Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Directed to
1. Christ
  1. John 14:14, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
  2. Acts 7:59, “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:1-2, “Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.” Compare “call upon the name of the Lord” to Psalm 116:4, “Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I beseech Thee, save my life!”
2. Father
  1. Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father.”
3. God
  1. Psalm 5:2, “Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You do I pray.”
  2. Luke 6:12, “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.”
Hindrances to Prayer
1. Disobedience
  1. Proverbs 28:9, “He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”
2. Doubt
  1. James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
3. Ignoring Needs of Others
  1. Proverbs 21:13, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.”
4. Pride
  1. Luke 18:11-14, “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”
5. Selfishness
  1. James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
6. Wickedness
  1. Psalm 66:18, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”
How to Pray
1. Matthew 6:9-13, “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.’”
Kinds of Prayer
1. Family
  1. Acts 10:2, “Now there was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually.”
2. Group
  1. Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.”
3. Public
  1. 1 Cor. 14:14-17, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is the outcome then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also. 16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.”
4. Secret
  1. Matthew 6:6, “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
Offered
1. All of the Time
  1. Ephesians 6:18, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
2. Frequently
  1. Ephesians 6:18, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
3. In Faith
  1. Matthew 21:22, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
  2. James 1:5-6, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
4. In the Holy Spirit
  1. Jude 20, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit.”
5. With Confidence
  1. Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”
  2. 1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
6. With Earnestness
  1. 1 Thessalonians 3:10, “as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?”
7. With Humility
  1. 2 Chronicles 7:14, “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
8. With a Sincere Heart
  1. Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
9. Without Wrath
  1. 1 Timothy 2:8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”
Parts of Prayer
1. Adoration
  1. Daniel 4:34, “But at the end of that period I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever.”
2. Confession
  1. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
3. Intercession
  1. 1 Tim. 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
  2. James 5:14-15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”
4. Supplication
  1. Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
5. Thanksgiving
  1. Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Posture During Prayer
1. Bowing the knees
  1. Ezra 9:5, “But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God; 6 and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads, and our guilt has grown even to the heavens”
  2. Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father.”
2. Hands Lifted Up
  1. 1 Timothy 2:8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”