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Unlock the transformative power of prayer with this classic daily devotional. The Power of Prayer is a beautifully crafted collection of meditations that invites you into a deeper, more intimate walk with God. It offers wisdom and insights drawn from some of Christianity's most profound voices, including A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, and other timeless spiritual leaders. Each day's reading will inspire, challenge, and guide you to cultivate a richer prayer life, grounding you in the truth that prayer is not just a practice but the pathway to communion with your Creator. Whether you are new to prayer or a prayer closet veteran, these meditations will provide daily nourishment for your spirit. Discover the power of persistent prayer and gain practical guidance and encouragement from Christian classics that have withstood the test of time. Let this devotional be your companion on the journey to greater intimacy with God, as you tap into the deep well of prayer's power and experience the life-changing presence of the Holy Spirit. Features: - High-grade faux leather provides durability and exquisite tactile appeal. - Heat debossing on faux leather darkens its color, giving the cover a two-tone appearance and creating indentation which shows off the intricate design and varied texture. - Metallic, pearl, or matte foil finishing touches are elegantly placed to enhance certain features, capturing attention and adding class for an aesthetic appeal. - High-quality sturdy Smyth-sewn binding stitches book signatures together creating durability and allowing pages to lay flat when open. Decorative head and foot bands are also added to further complement the overall design. - Uncoated woodfree paper is of premium quality and thickness, lending itself to long-lasting vivid coloration and durability. - A beautiful satin ribbon marker conveniently keeps your place so you can quickly pick up where you left off.
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THE POWER OF PRAYER(A Christian Classic Devotional)
© 2025 by BroadStreet Publishing®
9781424571314
9781424571321 eBook
Devotional entries compiled by Sara Perry.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any way for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies. As per Article 4(3) of the Digital Single Market Directive 2019/790, BroadStreet Publishing reserves this work from the text and data mining exception.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked CSB are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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25 26 27 28 29 30 31 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
JAMES 5:16 NKJV
January
January 1: Teach Us to Pray
January 2: Keep Praying
January 3: Greater Things
January 4: Children of God
January 5: Powerful Prayer
January 6: Ask Much
January 7: Forgiveness First
January 8: I Am
January 9: Moving God’s Heart
January 10: Turn Toward Him
January 11: Grace Enthroned
January 12: Holy Spirit Help
January 13: Rest in God
January 14: Wordless Prayers
January 15: Wholehearted Trust
January 16: What You Need
January 17: Drawn to Jesus
January 18: Direct Your Gaze
January 19: Make Prayer a Priority
January 20: Communal Prayer
January 21: Unfailing Mercy
January 22: Unchanging One
January 23: Law of Love
January 24: Ever Present
January 25: Promised Peace
January 26: Faithful Friend
January 27: Elevated Acts
January 28: Seek and Find
January 29: Passionate Pursuit
January 30: Better Still
January 31: Behold Him
February
February 1: Knowing God
February 2: Daily Sustenance
February 3: Faith to Ask
February 4: God’s Work
February 5: Alert and Thankful
February 6: Source of Strength
February 7: Sowing Seeds
February 8: As Natural as Breathing
February 9: Spiritual Forces
February 10: The Lord Hears
February 11: Connected to the Vine
February 12: On Record
February 13: Motivated by Love
February 14: Living Compassion
February 15: Listening Heart
February 16: Merciful God
February 17: United with Christ
February 18: Living Prayer
February 19: Live in Peace
February 20: Thy Will Be Done
February 21: Praying for Others
February 22: Great Expectations
February 23: Wait for the Lord
February 24: Praying the Promises
February 25: Listening in Love
February 26: In Jesus Name
February 27: Trustworthy Jesus
February 28: This I Know
March
March 1: Prayerful Action
March 2: Foundation of Faith
March 3: Motivated by Love
March 4: Friendship with God
March 5: Even So
March 6: Belief in Action
March 7: Private Prayer
March 8: It’s No Trouble
March 9: Directed Hope
March 10: Great Things
March 11: Filled with Love
March 12: Spirit Led
March 13: Quench Your Thirst
March 14: Morning Joy
March 15: Shining Face
March 16: Fullness of God
March 17: Present Portion
March 18: Straight to the Point
March 19: Precious Treasure
March 20: Always Praying
March 21: Believing Prayer
March 22: Restorative Power
March 23: Simply Ask
March 24: All Sufficient
March 25: Standing on the Promises
March 26: Deep Communion
March 27: Longing for the Lord
March 28: Secret of Contentment
March 29: Confident Trust
March 30: Eternal Treasures
March 31: Immeasurably More
April
April 1: Alone with God
April 2: Trust in the Waiting
April 3: Our Helper
April 4: Inner Confidence
April 5: Perseverance
April 6: Stay Humble
April 7: All Is Possible
April 8: God’s Work
April 9: A Shared Load
April 10: Beautiful in Time
April 11: Commit to God
April 12: Encountering God’s Love
April 13: Inner Strength
April 14: Obedience Is Honorable
April 15: Bowls of Incense
April 16: First Steps
April 17: Foundations
April 18: Full Portion
April 19: He Straightens the Path
April 20: Abundant Readiness
April 21: Completely Known
April 22: High and Exalted
April 23: Freedom for Your Soul
April 24: Childlike Faith
April 25: Patience in His Presence
April 26: Modeled after Jesus
April 27: Joyful Gratitude
April 28: Sweet Surrender
April 29: Don’t Hold Back
April 30: Rich Substance
May
May 1: Worship the Lord
May 2: God Is Near
May 3: For All People
May 4: Securely Attached
May 5: Daily Business
May 6: Practice of Cultivation
May 7: Infinite Resources
May 8: A Priority
May 9: In the Stillness
May 10: Delighted In
May 11: Good Gifts
May 12: Prayers and Promises
May 13: Sufficient Grace
May 14: Unseen Power
May 15: Pairing Our Prayers
May 16: Deep Calls to Deep
May 17: Joyful Satisfaction
May 18: Healing Power
May 19: Seek First
May 20: Unseen Treasures
May 21: Vessels of His Glory
May 22: Back to the Start
May 23: Spiritual Oxygen
May 24: Spirit Work
May 25: Prayerful Action
May 26: Happy Communion
May 27: Living Sacrifice
May 28: A Clean Heart
May 29: Overcomers
May 30: Echoing God’s Promise
May 31: Wise Living
June
June 1: A Gentle Approach
June 2: It Starts with Us
June 3: With Every Heartbeat
June 4: Walk in His Ways
June 5: Furthering Faith
June 6: Hopeful Patience
June 7: Straight to the Heart
June 8: Always Pray
June 9: A Sweet Life
June 10: Pray for Them
June 11: Come Together
June 12: In His Name
June 13: Never Forsaken
June 14: A Different Way
June 15: Sons and Daughters
June 16: Lean into Love
June 17: Overjoyed
June 18: As It Is in Heaven
June 19: Christ’s Greatest Offering
June 20: Whatever You Do
June 21: Natural Overflow
June 22: Music to His Ears
June 23: Everlasting Truth
June 24: Evident Mercy
June 25: Higher Ground
June 26: Working in Prayer
June 27: Run Toward the Lord
June 28: Spiritual Power
June 29: Endeavor to Love
June 30: Eternally Sighted
July
July 1: Glorify His Name
July 2: Christ’s Life in You
July 3: Persistent Peace
July 4: Trustworthy Father
July 5: Power Follows Prayer
July 6: Become Familiar
July 7: He Sees
July 8: Authentic Prayers
July 9: A New Name
July 10: Meditate
July 11: With a Word
July 12: Every Day in Prayer
July 13: The Lord Answers
July 14: River of Grace
July 15: Faith-filled Action
July 16: Peace in the Storm
July 17: Little Movements of Love
July 18: Start Here
July 19: Changed by Love
July 20: Present Joy
July 21: Sure Provision
July 22: Walk with the Wise
July 23: Life-giving Leadership
July 24: Spirit Winds
July 25: Willing Obedience
July 26: Meekness
July 27: Growing Hunger
July 28: Closer Still
July 29: Fullness
July 30: Keep Knocking
July 31: Glorifying the Trinity
August
August 1: Reflections
August 2: As You Can
August 3: Count It Joy
August 4: Pleasing God
August 5: No Limitations
August 6: Expressions of Life
August 7: Knees to the Earth
August 8: Unfailing Love
August 9: Pray for Workers
August 10: Hopeful Waiting
August 11: Foundations of Faith
August 12: Go to God
August 13: Hidden Desires
August 14: Spirit Power
August 15: Whispered Hallelujahs
August 16: Ever-living Intercessor
August 17: Without Hindrance
August 18: Cleansed and Free
August 19: The Only Savior
August 20: Whatever We Ask
August 21: At Work in the Details
August 22: Thank Jesus
August 23: By Faith
August 24: Power of Holiness
August 25: Ask for Wisdom
August 26: What God Wants
August 27: Resistance
August 28: Heaven’s Mysteries
August 29: The Mind of Christ
August 30: Give Ear
August 31: Recognizable Fruit
September
September 1: Fountain of Life
September 2: Live in His Presence
September 3: Keep Asking
September 4: Accept It
September 5: Plans for Good
September 6: Prayerful Repentance
September 7: The Power of Integrity
September 8: Potent Prayers
September 9: Obey God
September 10: Contented
September 11: Wholehearted Surrender
September 12: Hand in Hand
September 13: Grace and Supplication
September 14: Built on the Rock
September 15: Majestic Meditations
September 16: The Abundant Life
September 17: Prepare Your Heart
September 18: Mediator
September 19: Pursuit of Godliness
September 20: Full Fellowship
September 21: Perfect Peace
September 22: Simply Holy
September 23: God’s Nature
September 24: Conduits of the Spirit
September 25: Fear as a Motivator
September 26: A Bigger Perspective
September 27: Immovable Trust
September 28: Total Surrender
September 29: Power to Believe
September 30: It’s a Practice
October
October 1: Sure Victory
October 2: Stop Striving
October 3: Lovely and True
October 4: Set Apart
October 5: As You Are
October 6: Creative Force
October 7: Give Thanks
October 8: Well-rounded
October 9: God’s Gracious Gifts
October 10: He Can’t Refuse
October 11: Practice the Presence
October 12: Children of God
October 13: Time Well Spent
October 14: Be the Bridge
October 15: Bound up in Love
October 16: Vessels of Prayer
October 17: Devoted Hearts
October 18: Untroubled
October 19: By Day by Night
October 20: The Father Waits
October 21: The Best You Can
October 22: A Better Gift
October 23: Reason to Rejoice
October 24: Seek God First
October 25: His Answer
October 26: Go to the Hills
October 27: So Very Near
October 28: Worship Him
October 29: With All You Are
October 30: Endurance Needed
October 31: Communion of Love
November
November 1: Giving Thanks
November 2: Find Rest
November 3: There’s Room
November 4: Priceless Treasure
November 5: Spiritual Work
November 6: Showers of Blessing
November 7: Knock and Ask
November 8: Lift up Holy Hands
November 9: Greatest Romance
November 10: Absolute Surrender
November 11: Abundant Grace
November 12: Tried and Tested
November 13: Learning Curve
November 14: Approved
November 15: Faith Support
November 16: Look to Jesus
November 17: Set Your Mind
November 18: Safety in Prayer
November 19: Ordinary Goodness
November 20: Speak Plainly
November 21: Choosing Trust
November 22: Enduring Hope
November 23: Paired with the Spirit
November 24: Creation Declares
November 25: Ready to Receive
November 26: Christ’s Example
November 27: Holy Teacher
November 28: Heard
November 29: Rejoice in the Light
November 30: Fasting for Breakthrough
December
December 1: Nothing Too Hard
December 2: Love Is Everything
December 3: Wondrously Made
December 4: Faith Walk
December 5: A Different Measure
December 6: Still Working
December 7: Better than Life
December 8: Continual Satisfaction
December 9: Redirection
December 10: Timely Help
December 11: Found in God
December 12: All in Christ
December 13: All Things
December 14: Starting Point
December 15: Wholehearted Praise
December 16: Keep a Look Out
December 17: Expressions of Love
December 18: Living Power
December 19: Growing Passion
December 20: Spiritual Secret
December 21: Fleeting Thoughts
December 22: Highest Calling
December 23: Perfect Unity
December 24: Let It Flow
December 25: Great Reward
December 26: Liberating Truth
December 27: Glorious Transformation
December 28: Be Filled
December 29: Chosen
December 30: Make Way
December 31: Hopeful Trust
Unlock the transformative power of prayer with this classic daily devotional.
The Power of Prayer is a beautifully crafted collection of meditations that invites you into a deeper, more intimate walk with God. It offers wisdom and insights drawn from some of Christianity’s most profound voices, including Spurgeon, Murray, Augustine, Bounds, Tozer, and other timeless spiritual leaders.
Each day’s reading will inspire, challenge, and guide you to cultivate a richer prayer life, grounding you in the truth that prayer is not just a practice but the pathway to communion with your Creator. Whether you are new to prayer or a prayer closet veteran, these meditations will provide daily nourishment for your spirit.
Discover the power of persistent prayer and gain practical guidance and encouragement from Christian classics that have withstood the test of time. Let this devotional be your companion on the journey to greater intimacy with God, as you tap into the deep well of prayer’s power and experience the life-changing presence of the Holy Spirit.
“When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”
LUKE 11:2 NKJV
This wonderful prayer was dictated by our Lord in reply to the question on the part of His disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray.” His answer was to bid them pray. This is the only way we shall ever learn to pray, by just beginning to do it. —A.B. Simpson, The Life of Prayer
Prayer is not a hard language to learn, nor is it something you have to master before you do it. Prayer is communication with your heavenly Father. The only way to learn how to pray is by praying. You don’t have to read up on it, and you don’t have to waver in it either. The more you practice it, the more natural it will become.
The most solid foundation of prayer is the one that Jesus himself taught his disciples. If you don’t know what to say, repeat Jesus’ words found in Luke 11:2-4. Your Father listens to your prayer, and he will answer you.
Today, pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
EPHESIANS 6:18 NIV
I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray. —R. A. Torrey, How to Pray
Prayer is not something saved for special occasions or our worst days. When we are sick, yes, we should pray. When the world is haywire, let’s pray. But we must not forget to pray when times are good, and we are filled with love. Let us pray for those around us, as well as for the goodness of God to meet us in every season.
Prayer is a practice that is meant for every day. It is as vital to our soul’s health as food, water, and sun is to our body’s well-being. We need connection with God to thrive. Our prayers will change in tenor and tone, but the connection to God remains the same. He is faithful, unchanging, and always available to his children!
Pray to God whenever you think of it today.
“As heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
ISAIAH 55:9 CSB
Do not bring before God stinted petitions and narrow desires, and say, “Lord, do according to these,” but, remember, as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are his ways above your ways, and his thoughts above your thoughts, and ask, therefore, after a God-like sort, ask for great things, for you are before the throne of grace, for then he would do for us exceeding abundantly above what we ask or even think. —C. H. Spurgeon, The Throne of Grace
When you come before the throne of grace, you approach the King who is above every ruler and power of this world. He is able to do far more than you can imagine, and he delights in answering the prayers of his children. Why not take your prayers to God and hold them up to him in hope?
You don’t have to keep your prayers small. No! Ask for the greater things: mountains moved, bodies healed, and hopes fulfilled. Nothing is impossible for him.
How freely do you ask God for greater things—the things of his kingdom?
The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”
ROMANS 8:15 NCV
All true prayer begins in the recognition of the Father. It is not the cry of nature to an unknown God, but the intelligent converse of a child with his heavenly Father. —A.B. Simpson, The Life of Prayer
God is not a far-off figure who is out of touch with the world or what is going on in it. He is not a dictator, bossing us around and expecting us to fall in line without question. He is not simply a figurehead without power to enact change. He is a Father, and we are his beloved children.
When we come to God through prayer, we can pour out our hearts to him without fear. He wants us to share our lives, our troubles, and our joys with him. We don’t have to edit ourselves. He knows our hearts already, and to speak the truth of what is in us to the God who not only knows but loves us is powerful.
Talk to God like the loving, interested, invested Father he is.
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
PROVERBS 15:29 ESV
No amount of money, genius, or culture can move things for God. Holiness energizing the soul, the whole man aflame with love, with desire for more faith, more prayer, more zeal, more consecration—this is the secret of power. —E. M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer
We cannot convince God to listen to us with what we offer him. Power, money, and influence do not move his heart. What moves God’s heart is love, humility, the desire to know him, and a hunger for wisdom.
You don’t have to dress yourself up for God to earn his attention. You don’t have to prove yourself to him either. He delights in coming close to the seeking heart. He shows himself to those who wait on him. Don’t follow the ways of this world and think you’ve found the answer to power. God’s power is better than any you could find in halls of influence, without corruption, manipulation, or greed.
Humble yourself before God and let love lead your prayer.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
MATTHEW 7:7-8 NASB
Fellow-laborers in His vineyard, it is quite evident that our Master desires us to ask, and to ask much. He tells us we glorify God by doing so! —Anonymous, Kneeling Christian
We don’t have to wait around helplessly wondering whether God will show up and meet us or not. Ask, and it will be given. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. Waiting seasons don’t necessitate seasons of silence. No, let’s bring our questions, our longings, and our requests before our heavenly Master, our good and gracious Savior!
When we have questions, we don’t have to hide them from God. When we have needs, we don’t have to ignore them. Faith brings our lack and holds it up to God’s faithfulness. Let’s not forget to ask, and ask much. God honors the seeking heart, always, and he will meet us in our need.
Do you hesitate to ask God for what you need in prayer?
“When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
MARK 11:25 NLT
Every prayer rests upon our faith in God’s pardoning grace. If God dealt with us after our sins, not one prayer could be heard. Pardon opens the door to all God’s love and blessing: because God has pardoned all our sin, our prayer can prevail to obtain all we need. The deep sure ground of answer to prayer is God’s forgiving love. —Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer
God’s grace gives us freedom. He forgives us our sins, and we come before him without the weight of guilt, fear, or shame. We are to follow his example in our own hearts and lives. When we choose to forgive others as he has forgiven us, we live from the freedom of his gracious love.
Let’s not overlook the importance of forgiving those we hold grudges against. If there is a bitter root in our hearts, it will keep us from the freedom Christ offers. As we offer Jesus our open hearts and choose to forgive the failings of others, we make room to receive what we truly desire from God.
Consider the grudges you may be holding on to (even toward yourself). Will you forgive today?
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.
PSALM 57:5 NKJV
When God would make His Name known to mankind He could find no better word than “I Am.” When He speaks in the first person He says, “I Am”; when we speak of Him we say, “He is”; when we speak to Him we say, “Thou art.” Everyone and everything else measures from that fixed point. “I am that I am,” says God, “I change not.” —A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
God is worthy of our praise, no matter the season or circumstances of our lives. He is all that we could ever dream, and he is so much more. God, the exalted one, is glorious and good. We cannot exaggerate his goodness, nor can we praise him enough.
When we pray, let’s not overlook his majesty or power. He is faithful, unchanging, and true. He is that he is, and he will always be. He is present, he is perfect, and he is waiting for us to turn our attention to him even now. Let’s give him our adoration and praise.
Let praise be your prayer right now.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NIV
Prayer affects men by affecting God. Prayer moves men because it moves God to move men. Prayer influences men by influencing God to influence them. Prayer moves the hand that moves the world. —E. M. Bounds, The Possibilities of Prayer
Isn’t it comforting to know that your prayers move the heart of God? Not only that, but he uses your prayers to influence others. There is every reason to pray, no matter the situation, your feelings about it, or your energy. You always have access to God through prayer. How often do you connect to him through it?
You can give God your anxieties and leave them there. He knows exactly what to do in each and every situation. He has solutions for your problems, strength for your weakness, and overwhelming love to fill every need. Present your requests to God, and let him move. Let him do what he does best. You don’t have to control a thing.
Let every anxious thought become a prayer and a petition.
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 CSB
You need not utterly despair even of those who for the present “turn again and rend you.” For if all your arguments and persuasives fail, there is yet another remedy left, and one that is frequently found effectual, when no other method avails. This is prayer. —John Wesley, Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount
The consistent turning of our hearts to the Lord is what prayer is. No matter where we are in the world, no matter what is going on in or around us, God is available. He is ready to receive us as we come to him, and he is present in our midst by his Holy Spirit.
God’s will isn’t that we struggle on our own. It’s not that we would pick ourselves up by the bootstraps. It’s not for us to keep striving until we break. The invitation—his hope—is that we’ll lean on him. None of us can earn our salvation, and we don’t have to try to keep ourselves in his good graces. We are his children, and he is our loving Father. In all things, let’s rejoice, pray, and give thanks.
Are you trying to prove yourself to God, or have you pressed in to know him as a good Father?
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
HEBREWS 4:16 ESV
The throne of grace. The word grows as I turn it over in my mind, and to me it is a most delightful reflection that if I come to the throne of God in prayer, I may feel a thousand defects, but yet there is hope. —C. H. Spurgeon, The Throne of Grace
We don’t have to dress ourselves up before God or tidy up our emotions before approaching him in prayer. He already sees and knows us as we are. Why should we pretend? No, he welcomes us with grace and mercy, and he is ready to restore our hope, our strength, and our peace in his presence.
Whenever we are in need, that’s a good time to go to God. Grace isn’t a limited resource. God’s generosity is greater than we can imagine. We cannot deplete his stores of mercy or exhaust his gracious patience. He is always ready to help us in our time of need (even if that is every day!).
Do you limit your prayers, thinking you’re being a bother? Go with confidence to the throne of grace as many times as you need.
Then we can continue to pray and to teach the word of God.
ACTS 6:4 NCV
Every provision is made for us. But only the Holy Spirit can stir us up to take hold of God. And if we will but yield ourselves to the Spirit’s promptings we shall most assuredly follow the example of the apostles of old, who gave themselves to prayer, and continued steadfastly in prayer. —Anonymous, Kneeling Christian
Prayer is a practice, and it becomes more natural by repetition. The more we turn our hearts to the Lord, the more the Spirit stirs and directs our attention to God’s desires. If we want to have solid prayer lives, we cannot wait around for it to one day click. With a little intention and action, we can yield our hearts to God, and he will stir up a hunger to continue.
Knowing that the Holy Spirit is our help, we don’t have to wait a moment longer to put prayer into practice. Even when we don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. When we surrender ourselves to the Spirit’s promptings, we will know the power of God in our hearts, minds, and lives.
Ask the Holy Spirit to move in your heart as you pray.
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
PSALM 62:1-2 NIV
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. —St. Augustine, Confessions
It is possible to find rest in God each and every day. We don’t have to bear our burdens, no matter how weighty they are, alone. Christ is our rock and our salvation, and when we make our home in his love, he wraps around us with the peace of his presence.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” When your heart is weighed down by the burdens of this life, come to Jesus. Bring him everything you carry, and lay them at his feet. He will care for you, offer you the strength of his grace, and revive you in his love. You were made out of love, and to love you return. Find your rest in your Creator.
Bring every worry, fear, and burden to the Lord today.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.
PSALM 51:17 NASB
In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. —John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress
When you don’t have words to pray, don’t be discouraged. God reads the prayers of your heart as you turn your attention toward him. Romans 8:26 promises, “the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
When our words fail, the Holy Spirit steps in and prays on our behalf. What a beautiful God, that we can trust him to partner with us in prayer, not only in what we ask, but also in the things we don’t have language to petition him for.
When you don’t have the words to convey your prayers, invite the Holy Spirit to pray on your behalf.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
PROVERBS 3:5 NLT
It is not for us to know what the future holds, but to trust in God’s purpose for us, and prayer is a way to live into that trust. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison
Prayer isn’t just about communicating with God. It’s not only about asking him for what we need, nor is it about appeasing him. He is already full of love, and he wants us to know the extent of his faithfulness. Prayer helps us build our relationship with him, and it is a practice of trust.
When do you most pray to God? Is it when you are feeling settled and happy, or is it in the more tumultuous or unknown times of life? Ideally, we pray in every season. However, when we feel the pressures of life, we may feel the need to reach out to the Lord more. God is faithful at all times, and he never changes. Prayer moves us closer to his presence, and it offers peace through placing our trust in God’s unfailing nature.
When you pray today, actively put your trust in God’s purposes for you, and ultimately, in his faithfulness to his nature.
“Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
MATTHEW 6:8 NKJV
We must not think that [God] takes no notice of us, when He does not answer our wishes: for He has a right to distinguish what we actually need. —John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew
You don’t have to beg God to provide for your needs. He already knows all that you require, and he won’t hesitate to care for you. Jesus’ reassuring words to his followers are the same he speaks to us today.
So, what does that mean when what we want goes unmet? Let’s take a step back from our expectations and ask God to shine the light of his wisdom on our minds and hearts. Though we might think we know how God should answer our prayers, God’s solutions are thorough. He considers details that we are not aware of. Let’s trust him even when we don’t understand.
Have you ever looked back through the lens of hindsight and been thankful God didn’t answer your prayer the way you thought he should?
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
JOHN 6:44 NIV
We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. “No man can come to me,” said our Lord, “except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” and it is by this very prevenient drawing that God takes from us every vestige of credit for the act of coming. —A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
If you have ever questioned the authenticity of your desire for God, may today’s verse and quote put your mind at rest. God drew you to himself before you knew him. He called you before you knew his voice. Whatever desire you feel, it originated in the heart of God. And he loves you! He welcomes you with open arms no matter when or how you come to him.
Let your pursuit of the Lord be uninhibited. Don’t hesitate in his presence, for he draws you to himself with loving-kindness. Your pursuit of God is not something to use as a measuring stick against others. Don’t compare your journey with anyone else’s. Just look to the one who draws you with mercy.
Let your heart be led in love as you pray, and let your doubts fall away in his presence.
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
HEBREWS 12:2 ESV
Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God. Believing, then, is directing the heart’s attention to Jesus. It is lifting the mind to “behold the Lamb of God,” and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives. —A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
Prayer is an act of faith, directing the heart’s attention to Jesus. We behold the Son of God with the eyes of our hearts, and we are transformed by his character. The more we offer God our attention, the more our hearts are filled with the glory of his presence.
Even when we experience the hardest days, God’s presence is as near to us as the skin on our bones. His peace is as life giving as the air in our lungs. With thoughtful intention, let’s make prayer a practice, and turn our attention to the one who watches over us continually. He will never leave us, and he is always available to hear our prayers.
Continually turn the gaze of your heart toward the Lord today. Whenever you think of it, pray!
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.
MARK 1:35 CSB
There is a still weightier reason for this constant, persistent, sleepless, overcoming prayer. It is, prayer occupied a very prominent place and played a very important part in the earthly life of our Lord. —R. A. Torrey, How to Pray
Jesus was sure to keep prayer an important part of his routine. Why do you think this is? Do you suppose it was an obligation he felt? Or rather an opportunity to connect with his heavenly Father? In the secret place of prayer, Jesus could pour his heart out to God. It’s the same for us.
When you awake and are alone in the quiet, what if you got up and used that time for prayer? You may not be able to rearrange much in your already busy schedule, but you can follow the example of Jesus and carve out time to connect with your Father. Whether in the morning or the evening, or anytime that is possible, get up, get alone, and pour your heart out to God.
Spend time in the secret place of prayer with your God.
“Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them.”
MATTHEW 18:19-20 NCV
You have need not only of secret solitary, but also of public united prayer. And He gives us a very special promise for the united prayer of two or three who agree in what they ask. As a tree has its root hidden in the ground and its stem growing up into the sunlight, so prayer needs equally for its full development the hidden secrecy in which the soul meets God alone, and the public fellowship with those who find in the name of Jesus their common meeting-place. —Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer
We need both solitary prayer and communal times of prayer. In the former, you can empty your heart before God. In the latter, you come together in agreement for God to move in specific ways. The united prayers of God’s people are powerful!
You don’t need a large group to pray communally. You can do it with even one other person. Partnered prayer can be a mighty comfort, grace, and strength in the moment.
Seek out or offer prayer to another today.
The LORD’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail.
LAMENTATIONS 3:22 NASB
Seek a suitable time for thy meditation, and think frequently of the mercies of God to thee. —Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
The more we focus on God’s goodness, the more readily we recognize it in our lives. This isn’t just something we say, it is how our minds work. This is why it’s so important to direct our thoughts to the Lord and to remember his mercies toward us.
Meditative prayer is not a new way to pray. Also known as contemplative prayer, it focuses on stillness and inner reflection. Joshua 1:8 says, “You shall meditate on [the Book of the Law] day and night.” When we direct our thoughts and move our attention toward God and his Word, our understanding of who he is will deepen. The more we reflect on his faithfulness, his mercy, and his provision in our lives, the more grateful we will become in response.
Spend time in meditation, remembering the specific kindnesses of God toward you.
God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
NUMBERS 23:19 NLT
We ought, once for all, heartily to put our whole trust in God, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, secure that He would not deceive us. —Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
Prayer is an act of putting our trust in the unchanging God. He is faithful to do all that he has promised, and he does not change his mind. What he says, he follows through with. What he promises, he does. It may not be in our timing, but as the Scripture says, “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (2 Peter 3:8).
God’s faithfulness is his character, and he will not change like the shifting winds of this world or of popular opinion. He cannot be talked out of his love, and he will not be convinced of a lie. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and you can trust that his heart and eyes are unclouded from manipulation. If you are waiting on God to move, don’t lose heart. He will do what he promised to do.
Surrender yourself to God in prayer as you actively choose to trust his timing.
“In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
MATTHEW 7:12 NKJV
The need of help outside of man being so great, man’s natural inability to always judge kindly, justly, and truly, and to act the Golden Rule, so prayer is enjoined by Christ to enable man to act in all these things according to the Divine will. By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love. —E. M. Bounds, The Possibilities of Prayer
The law of love is clearly spelled out in what we call The Golden Rule. It encompasses the whole of the Old Testament Law and Prophets. When we choose to walk in the ways of Christ, we cannot ignore the example of his incomparable kindness, overwhelming mercy, and gracious generosity.
When we begin to use our faith as an excuse for our lack of love, we miss the point entirely. Love turns the other cheek. It helps those who others overlook. It invites in and cares for the poor, those without family, and the refugee. If this is hard, we must pray. Pray for more of God’s love to move in our hearts.
Pray for your actions to line up with the law of Christ’s love.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
PSALM 139:7 NIV
Wherever we are, God is here. There is no place, there can be no place, where He is not… No point is nearer to God than any other point. It is exactly as near to God from any place as it is from any other place. No one is in mere distance any further from or any nearer to God than any other person is. —A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
What a relief it is to know that we don’t have to worry about straying from God’s presence. Wherever we are, there he is. We can’t outrun his love, and we can’t lose his Spirit. Just as the air always surrounds us, so God’s presence is near from birth to death.
As you pray, remember how close God is. Turn your attention to the way the air fills your lungs as you breathe it in. Let it serve as a reminder that God’s presence is as close. Combine your deep breathing with prayers of meditation on his Word. It will help calm your anxiety and focus your attention on God.
Inhale: Lord, my heart searches for you. Exhale: You are with me.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:7 ESV
Just keep in constant touch with God, and when any trouble or vexation, great or small, comes up, speak to Him about it, never forgetting to return thanks for what He has already done. —R. A. Torrey, How to Pray
Why do we pray? Is it to put on a show for God or others? Is it so we feel more spiritual? Prayer is not a one-sided act. We are the prayers, God is the hearer. It is an act of relational connection, and there is a divine exchange that occurs through it. It doesn’t end when we say “Amen.”
We use prayer as a conversation, thanking God for what he does as we trust him with what we present to him. And his Spirit moves in response, giving us peace that guards our hearts and minds. His presence speaks peace, wisdom, and power to our bodies, and we receive what he so willingly offers.
When you pray today, end with thanks and take time to receive what the Holy Spirit offers.
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father.”
JOHN 15:15 NCV
He is a Friend, not only in season, but at all seasons, and at the most unseasonable times. The peculiarity of God’s grace is that He helps when man would refuse to help, and its highest trophies are associated with hours when mercy seemed long past and hope forever dead. —A.B. Simpson, The Life of Prayer
There is never a bad time to show up at God’s door. You can come to him in the middle of the night, looking a mess, and he will open the door to his presence. As soon as you turn to him, in fact, you will discover that he is already nearer than you knew.
Jesus is the best of friends. He doesn’t leave when you are in a hard spot. He is ever faithful, ever present, and ever loving. Why would you stay away from him when he has everything you need? He’s got the wisdom, grace, patience, clarity, and peace you’re looking for.
Spend time in prayer with your faithful Friend.
Brothers and sisters, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.
2 THESSALONIANS 3:1 CSB
Prayer is no trifle. It is an eminent and elevated act. It is a high and wondrous privilege. —C. H. Spurgeon, The Throne of Grace
Prayer is a holy act, and yet it is one of the simplest ways we put our faith into practice. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to come before the Lord with boldness. We offer him our heartfelt trust as we petition him for the needs of others.