Six Types of Prayer To Create Impact In Your Prayer Life

Do you want a more impactful prayer life?  Do you want to add some tools to your prayer life that will create results? Today we are going to look at six types of prayers that will impact your prayer life. As we finish up the series on the Armor of God, we are going to look at the last two lines of Ephesians 6:10-18.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And 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 saints.” Eph 6:10-18

I think that I have been a Prayer Warrior since I was a little girl.  I remember praying this prayer as a child:

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take.  Amen

I have written before about this prayer being the “scary” prayer.  But as I reflect upon this time in my life where I prayed this on a regular basis, I realize that it was comforting, not fearful.  I was heartened by the thought of the Lord by my side, watching over my soul as I slept.  I did not worry about dying before I woke up because I knew what happens next.

So today we are going to look at six different types of prayers we can be using. I hope you are as excited as I am about learning more about prayers.  Let’s start with Simple prayer, let’s go!

Simple Prayer is the most common type of prayer found in the Bible. It is the prayers of Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Hannah, David, Gideon, Ruth, Peter, James, John, and many others. It is beginning prayer, Sunday School prayers.  It is where we can come before God just as we are, warts and all.  It is where we just talk to God about the ordinary events of everyday life. Using the PRAY Journal page that is available HERE is a great tool to use in Simple Prayer.

Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers make a difference. – Max Lucado

Breath Prayer is a short prayer, consisting of 4-8 syllables. It begins with a calling out to our divine Lord, or any other title of adoration for God you want to use. It would then be followed with your request or appeal to the Lord. You say the first half of the prayer as you inhale and the second half of the prayer as you exhale.  Here are a few examples:

• “Lord, hear my prayer.”
• “Lord, have Mercy.”
• “Speak Lord; your servant is listening.”
• “My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.”
• “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Meditative or Listen Prayer is where we choose a passage of scripture and spend time allowing our mind to focus on what God wants to say to us personally through that passage. In this type of prayer, God addresses us personally. We are doing more than just reading the words, we are seeking The Word, within the Word. We are listening to the truths that God wants to take root in us.

Prayer is when you talk to God. Meditation is when God talks to YOU!

Intercessory Prayer is the act of praying for others. Intercession is a way to love others. When what we desire for others far outweighs what we can give them, this will lead us to prayer. We intercede in prayer when a loved one’s health is in jeopardy. We intercede in prayer when we pray for the people on the prayer list in the bulletin. We intercede in prayer when our nation is following and engaging in all sorts of evil

Unceasing Prayer is a state of being that we can all strive for. It is something that begins to happen more and more frequently when we become more and more intimate with God. Brother Lawrence shares “Let the memory of Jesus combine with your breath.” Max Lucado puts it like this: Think of prayer, not as an activity for God, but as an awareness of God.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

The Lord’s Prayer as we refer to the passage in Matthew 6:9-13 does the following:

• Address God’s rightful place as the Father
• Worships and praises God for who He is and all that He has done
• Acknowledges that it is God’s will and plans that are in control and not our own
• Ask God for the things that we need
• Confess our sins and repent
• Request protection and help in overcoming sin and Satan’s attacks on us (Crosswalk.com)

So, as we finish up today, our series on the Armor of God, I pray that you have found your confidence as a Warrior of Hope.  I pray that you feel equipped and excited to move forward in our mission of bringing hope to the world.  I encourage you to continue this journey of hope by being always prayerful and always aware of the beauty in the brokenness of the world we adorn.  Let’s end our time together by saying the Lord’s Prayer in unison:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen

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