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The Practice of Private Prayer

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Prayer is an important part of the Christian’s life. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages Christians to pray without ceasing. What does this look like? How does one pray privately?

Scripture gives us seven examples:

1. The prayer of ADORATION.

Psa 18:2 – The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psa 62:2 – He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

2. The prayer of CONFESSION

Psa 51:3 – For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Rom 7:24 – Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

3. The prayer of SUPPLICATION

Psa 25:4-5 – Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

Psa 39:4 – “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!”

4. The prayer of INTERCESSION

Isa 64:1 – Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence

Eph 6:24 – Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

5. The prayer of THANKSGIVING

Psa 40:5 – You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psa 116:12 – What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?

6. The prayer of DEDICATION

Psa 116:9 – I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Psa 116:16 – O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.

7. The prayer of DOXOLOGY

1Ti 1:17 – To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Rom 16:27 – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

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Comments

  1. Love to learn new words and read the word of the Lord and give me more understanding were I need to be with Lord Jesus with His understanding not me.

    • When you see at word in the WORD look for that word’s first location. U may find it in the “law of first reference” tool. Perhaps the word you are search appears the first time in “Genesis” Why?

  2. To be quite honest its a little heart breaking to see what i leave out of prayer some times! Its a real eye opener. Thank you BLB. I will be printing this one out.

  3. I believe in a lifestyle of prayer. We should always be in communication with God:lifting His name, thanking, confessing, praising, adoring, interceeding. Whatever is our focus or concern at a particular moment should be presented to God at that time.

    Our prayer closet and corporate prays are important, but we should not wait for these times to communicate with our God. He wants to be the most inportant person in our lives:the one we look to first and foremost. As we focus on Him He will speak to us and, as we obey his leading, our blessings will automatically flow and overtake us.

    PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

  4. This is a good devotion for a Monday.

    I bet many of us followers of Christ are facing tough times, and sorrows that we carry deep, and heavy burdens of responsibility. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed not only by mine, but those of people around me because I care about them and what they are going through.

    And then, God reminds me! He lives in the praises of His people (and I have been looking for that scripture on the word search of BLB, and I cannot find it)

    So, my point is, I praise God and He lifts me up, and then I feel ready to pray for myself and others, and I ask forgiveness and direction and that we keep our eyes and hearts on Him.

    I usually always feel revived after I pray. And BLB team, I have been praying for you. And I bet you pray for the millions of readers who read and study at this site. Thank you.

    Eph 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

    • To Debi C. in Portland, OR, Amen to what you have written!! I also feel the same way at times. I believe the scripture that you are looking for is found in Psalm 22: 3 which says: “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”

    • God bless you Debi. I believe the scripture that you are talking about comes out of Psalm 22:3. When it mentions Israel, it can actually refer to the body of believers. A rough translation of Isreal is “contender or solider of God”, which we all are, Hallelujah! I had a hard time believing that until I found the verse my
      self. Hope this helps. Glory to God.

      • I am going through something in my life, and have decided to commit it to prayer, and am waiting on the Lord (learning to, I might add)

        My best friend is praying for me because my heart is almost broken. Yesterday she emailed me and said, “Onward Christian Soldier” and she said that God told her to write that to me. And now you, Steven, have referred to the same thing: soldier of God.

        So, perhaps when we pray, we are God’s soldiers. I don’t think God sits around waiting for us to pray, but inspires us to pray.

        Thank you, all, for the reference to Psalm 22:3. I will mark that in my Bible.

  5. I thought about the subject of prayer today and God dropped this phrase into my mind. “The things that we don’t pray about are the things that we don’t want changed.” – I was convicted.

    • I agree, sistahceleste.

      I use Stormie OMartian’s book, “THE PRAYING WIFE” and “THE PRAYING PARENT”. She uses scripture in her prayers.

      My two Bibles are all marked up with dates and names of scripture I have prayed for people.

      I presume you do the same thing.

      • Wow, reading these shows you care enough about yourself and others, that’s great.
        When pressure is on, GIVE.
        This one is for everyone here, an prayer:

        Ephesians 3:14-21 read it, it’s a prayer,

        Good Day
        And Speak the Word in LOVE (agape) the love of God
        Jim Schultz

  7. Love learning everyday about the word of God. Love resources that make it possible to live by the word of God. Thank you for you dedication. I appreciate you. Thank you and God bless.

  8. Last Friday I was discouraged over at my workplace But thanks He is so gracious and good as in the night during my QT , flipping the pages of the bible for words of encouragement. The Lord led me just read the book of Psalm chapter by chapter pause now and then as what was shared on private prayer. PTL.

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