Have you ever wondered if your prayers really matter? If God already knows all – why pray? Prayer is all about relationships. Imagine for a minute that you are out with a friend, they talked the entire time, and you could not get a word in. Would that relationship grow? Likely not. It is no different when we talk with God in prayer.
Let me remind you that to grow in intimacy with Jesus, it is a two-way conversation that we are intentional about. The more you invest into it, the more personal the relationship gets. It is not like the gameshow Deal or No Deal where you get to use a hotline to call them for the answer when you need it. Maybe prayer is new to you or maybe you have been a seasoned pray-er. Regardless of where you are in your prayer life, here are some different types of prayer to help move your prayer life forward and grow your relationship with Jesus.
Different Types of Prayer
- Adoration: simply praising God for being God.
I love nature and often feel closest to God when I am in His beauty. While being in awe of the beauty and details, I need to remind myself that I do not lose sight of the One that created that beauty for me to enjoy. I’m sure there are other attributes of God that you can list of the top of your head. Praising God for his attributes is a great way to open prayer. This scripture below reminds us of who is the Owner of all things.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Psalm 24:1-2
Reflect & Apply
Make a list of some attributes of God. Here are a few to get you started: good, loving, kind, powerful, etc. Now take your list and enjoy the beauty of His creation and tell God the reasons why you feel this way.
- Lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
Jeremiah is thought to be the author of the book of Lamentations and is often referred to as “the weeping prophet.” If an entire book is focused on this, it must be an important type of prayer, right? Rest assured, you can bring your sorrow, pain, and confusion to God as He is interested in hearing our doubts and fears. Since we all process pain best in the presence of God, reading His word helps us learn how to take things to the Lord in prayer.
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
Psalm 13:1-2
Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We have become fatherless, our mothers are widows. We must buy the water we drink; our wood can be had only at a price. Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are weary and find no rest.
Lamentations 5:1-2
Reflect & Apply
I don’t know about you, but COVID brought me cause for asking God how long my heart must suffer with no end in sight. I certainly felt better after I cried out to God and shared my sorrow, pain, and confusion with Him. Even Jesus lamented when He cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Are you feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed or angry? Take your feelings to the arms of Jesus. He is waiting to bring you comfort and peace.
- Thanksgiving: the expression of gratitude.
This type of prayer is where I like to hang out. God has given us countess reasons to be grateful, with the most important one sending His son Jesus to forgive us from our sins. Check out the scriptures below on thanksgiving.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:28-29
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and season; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Daniel 2:20-23 ESV
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
Reflect & Apply
Dig in! Grab your Bible or download the free Bible App and utilize the Concordance to look up the word “thanks” to locate many more places in scripture that speak on this topic. Spend some intentional time thanking God for all of His blessings.
- Petition: ask God for help or answers to questions and concerns.
I’m sure if you have every prayed, you likely have asked God for something. I know I have. Psalm 37:4 tells us that God wants to give us the desires of our heart, if they are according to His will (emphasis mine). Check out the scriptures below that affirm God’s desire for us to ask and live within His will.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 11:9-10
Reflect & Apply
Petition is defined as a formal written request made to an authority. I challenge you to do just that. Jot down in a notebook or on your phone what you are asking of God through prayer and be sure to record the answer to that prayer. Remember that no and wait are also answers. Don’t forget to look back after a period and see how God was present through that answer. I think you will be encouraged by God’s perfect timing! Often the answers provide something even better than what we ask Him for.
- Confession: the acknowledgment of sinfulness.
Is this really that important? Does the Bible REALLY say we have to ask God for forgiveness? Yes. Prayers of confession are essential to draw us back to our Heavenly Father. Check out the prayers below that teach about asking and offering forgiveness to others.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Psalm 51:1-4 ESV
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent my bones wasted away through groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32: 1-5
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Reflect & Apply
It can be hard to admit our wrongs or sinful actions. God already knows every thought, word, and deed we have and those yet to come. When we bring these things to Him, we receive forgiveness and release from them. Reflect over the last week. Are there things that you need forgiveness from? Are you hanging on to things from your past that you need to give to God and let go of? Don’t delay! Take them to God in prayer and find true freedom in Him.
Cover photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash
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