If you have ever wondered what the most important things to know about prayer are, you’ve come to the right place! Many people lack this knowledge, so their prayers lack power and answers! People often get nervous or anxious when it comes to prayer, but praying doesn’t have to be scary at all! God wants to hear from you, and He also wants to answer your prayers! So, let’s get into the most important things to know about prayer so that you can have a strong prayer life and miracles occur!
People have misconceptions about prayer, but often, that is used as an excuse not to pray, even though prayer is one of the most important things a Christian can do! When we pray, we are in direct contact with The Creator, so take it seriously! Without further delay, here are some of the most important things to know about prayer!
Must Know That God Delights in Our Prayers
Many people are nervous about praying because they think God doesn’t want to hear from them. They feel that way because they believe they aren’t good enough to pray to God. Because they messed up or are just asking for something too small, so God doesn’t hear them. However, that information is not true! God hears your prayers, and He wants to listen to them! Proverbs 15:8 says, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.” God delights in our prayers; we are His children, so why wouldn’t He want to hear from us?
He enjoys talking to and with us, so don’t be shy when you are about to pray, but be bold because He is happy to hear from you. God wants to listen to the big and small prayers, the confessions or conversational prayers, the “How are You doing God?” prayers. God hears the prayers of sinners as well. If you are someone who felt the need to reach out to God but doesn’t know how, or if you’ll even be heard, know that He does hear you!
Does God hear the prayers of a sinner? Yes, He does! If God didn’t listen to the prayers of a sinner, then we all would be in trouble because we all have been sinners before. So, He delights in those prayers, too, if they come from a sincere heart seeking God. It is worth praying, no matter who you are! God wants to hear your prayers because He loves and delights in you! So, stop being afraid to talk to your Father; He is there listening and delights to do so!
Important to Know About Prayer: Be Sincere and Bold
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” When we pray, think of it as you going to the throne of God. In a way, we are going to God to obtain mercy and grace regarding our situations. He tells us to come boldly. Bold prayers are answered prayers. This verse says to come boldly because we are talking to our Father and know He is capable and willing to answer our prayers. Our boldness in prayers comes from knowing our God and Who we serve.
We cannot be bold if we believe God can’t answer our prayers. We come boldly because we are 100% certain that God can do this. He hears us, and He delivers every single time! Especially when we come to the throne with scriptures because God’s word does not return to Him void. So, if you want to be enlightened, one of the most important things to know about prayer is that we are to ask God boldly and expect answered prayers! Another word that can be used for boldness is confidence in prayer! Don’t be timid and unsure; know that you are praying to the right God! The God who gets things done!
Pray With a Sincere Heart
One of the most important things to know about prayer is that you must pray with a sincere heart! Psalms 145:18 says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” God is near to those who call upon Him in need, want to talk to Him, and have a pure heart in prayer. So, don’t think you’re too messed up to talk to God; He is near you when you pray and call for Him. That’s why God hears sinner’s prayers; they call out in truth and need of a Savior. Sometimes, it may feel that unbelievers have more answered prayers than believers. Let me tell you a little secret: it’s their heart posture; they have faith that some Divine Being up there hears them. Some Christians don’t even believe that.
Believe That He Is
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].” We must believe that God exists and He can; that is why we can come boldly to the throne! Many Christians doubt God’s ability to answer prayer, so they don’t get their prayers answered. If you believe and do not waver, you’ll see many more things manifest in your life! We must have full assurance in God and confidence in prayer! God responds to firm faith only! He doesn’t respond to halfway belief; either you believe, or you don’t!
Important to Know About Prayer: Stay Away From Pride
Another reason why God answers sinners’ prayers is because He sees a heart putting aside pride and admitting they need God. So, an important thing you must know about prayer is to pray with a heart of truth and humility toward God.
In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus tells the disciples, “When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. They love to pray to stand in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets so that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you; they have their reward.” God doesn’t want us to pray for show; He wants us to pray sincerely.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees loved to pray to be viewed as righteous, but in their hearts, they weren’t. So, God pays no mind to those kinds of prayers because they are not sincere but rather full of pride, and God hates pride. Be mindful when you pray. Do you pray so you can say, ‘I’m a good Christian,’ or do you pray so you can have a genuine conversation with God? It matters where your reason to pray comes from because it makes all the difference whether He hears you or not.
Jesus is Our Mediator
Furthermore, Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus is our mediator when it comes to prayer. This is why it’s essential to know that when you pray, pray in the name of Jesus. It is through His name our prayers are brought before God. It is different for sinners because they don’t know Jesus, but for believers, we must pray in His name.
Jesus understands you because He was tempted at all points as well! So, when we pray, we are going to someone who understands and sympathizes. That is another reason why we can come to the throne boldly! God gives us the strength and guidance we need to overcome our temptations. Jesus knows exactly what we need because He understands us, so you don’t have to be nervous to ask.
God Wants to Help
God knew what you needed before you asked! So, with that in mind, we are to come boldly to the throne to obtain grace because we know that God is willing to give it to us. God will help us with our needs, so don’t be shy! Stop thinking that God doesn’t want to help, that God doesn’t understand, that He doesn’t hear you; those are all lies from the enemy to stop you from praying.
The enemy doesn’t want you to pray because he knows when you pray, things shift! He knows that God is answering your prayer! God is more than willing to provide you with everything you need to be an overcomer, so of course, the devil will try to discourage you. Continue to go to the prayer answering God, the God who loves you, cares, and understands! Always come boldly to the throne simply because you know who God is, and He will come through for you!
Important to Know About Prayer: God Hears Us
Some people don’t feel confident when praying because they don’t think God hears them or that He isn’t going to answer their prayers. Based on the previous sections, one of the most important things to know about prayer is God hears us!
1 John 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” So, God hears you if you are praying in His will. But what is God’s will? God’s will is anything that aligns with the Bible. So, that’s why it is pivotal that you have a dedicated time for Bible study. Devoted Bible time allows you to know what to pray. For example, if you are praying for healing, you are praying in His will because there are tons of verses on healing in the Bible.
However, if you are praying for someone to get sick because you’re mad at them, no verses back that up. God won’t hear prayers like that, but He will listen to prayers backed up by His word. So, praying for someone to be saved, healing, financial stability, love (in the boundaries God set), peace, etc., are all found in the Bible, and God will hear those prayers. If you’re unsure if you’re praying in His will, see if you can find scriptures to support your prayers. Going through the Bible will always give you the answer.
Important to Know About Prayer: Obedience is Key
However, the prayers of the lukewarm or phony Christians are hindered. Why? Because a lot of the time, they lack sincerity. And it’s something to do to say they are a good Christian but have no faith behind it. If you claim God but aren’t living in His will, it is time to make some changes. Because God cannot reward disobedience, there needs to come a time when you leave your life and give it all to God.
You may want a lot of things from God, but the first step in praying when you are living a life like this is to pray to change. A prayer that allows God to work on your heart and behaviors that don’t represent Him. You can pray for the house and the car later, but right now, you must pray about your Spiritual health. A prayer that brings about a spirit of obedience: obedience is vital to growing in God, so evaluate your life and pray to continue following His will.
A Double Life
God sees the heart, so He hears them as long as they are sincere in prayer. If you resonate with this, God will help you change your ways if you first admit you need to change.
When I was living a double life, I don’t remember God answering many of my prayers. That is because when one is living a lukewarm life, they have unbelief. So, it’s not that God doesn’t hear a lukewarm Christian, but they don’t have complete faith in God. God only responds to faith. They wouldn’t be living a lukewarm life if they had complete faith in God. They would live a righteous life because they have 100% faith that a life for God is better than a life in the world.
If this is you, and you know you lack faith, you can pray and ask God, “How do I build my faith?” It’s important to know that prayer shouldn’t be routine but from the heart. It’s not checking off a list; it’s going to your Heavenly Father and asking Him for what you need. And if you need more faith to live a life dedicated to Him, He will direct and lead you! Don’t be discouraged if you’re living a life of sin; be encouraged by the fact that God hears your sincere, heartfelt prayers.
Lukewarm Life and Sincere Prayers
As someone who was a lukewarm Christian, I know I wasn’t praying in His will because I barely knew His will! Why? I wasn’t reading my Bible, and because I constantly felt guilty, I wasn’t praying. So, there wasn’t much for God to answer! I was doing the bare minimum to feel “Christian enough” but never enough to see real change in my life through prayer.
God prioritizes the prayers of faith! So, even if you might not feel the holiest right now, don’t be discouraged from praying. As long as you have faith that God will answer it and are sincere, God hears you. Nevertheless, if you want to pray more robust and effective mountain-moving prayers, you must live righteously! If you want effective prayer and continual blessings, righteousness is key! You are prayers are only but so effective when you are lukewarm. Living a righteous life is when God can really get things moving, and you experience exponential spiritual growth. This is vital for all Christians, especially if you are in ministry. God answers a lot more of my prayers as I am now living a righteous life through the Holy Spirit.
Sincere Prayers Are Always Heard
It all goes back to praying with a sincere heart; God hears those prayers. It doesn’t matter who you are; if you are genuine and seek God, you will find Him! Don’t just pray to pray; pray to get an answer from God. When that is your reason to pray, He will answer. God is merciful, so as I said prior, if you are someone who knows they need to change, it’s not too late, and God is willing and able to help you make the necessary changes!
So, if you feel God doesn’t hear you, maybe check your lifestyle. Are you truly living for God? Or at least make a genuine effort to live for God and pray sincerely? These are things to consider: is your prayer life so that you can check it off? It’s not enough to pray; spend time finding out what it takes to live righteously. Jesus called us to be righteous as He is righteous. Prayer changes things, and it can change you!
Important to Know About Prayer: Your Prayers Are Answered
The greatest thing about prayer is that our prayers are answered! When you pray to God, you are not praying in vain because you are praying to a prayer answering God! 1 John 5:15 says, “If we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” With the sections above, you should know that God hears your prayers. With that knowledge, based on scripture, your prayers are answered! That is why we can be confident when we pray: God is giving us the petitions we’ve asked of Him. That’s why praying is exciting for me; I know it is coming to pass once I pray! And that is the confidence you need when you pray; without it, you’ll see nothing come to pass.
Have Faith in God
Mark 11:22-24 says, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” The key to having God answer your prayers is believing they will be. Seems simple enough, right?
Yes, but people complicate it because they doubt God, speak unbelief, or just, in general, say the wrong things. The first part of this verse is “have faith in God,” so before you even pray, examine your faith and ask yourself, “Do I believe God can do what I’m about to ask for?” If not, then there is no use in praying because God doesn’t answer prayers that don’t have faith attached to them. God does answer prayer, but you must pray with faith and believe you will have what you said! Stop doubting and have faith!
Prayer is an Exchange
You can have faith because Jesus said in John 14:13-14, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” God, answering your prayers is really an exchange. You get blessed, and Jesus gets glorified. Through your answered prayer, people around you will see that God is real, which could bring them to Christ. That’s why God answers prayers in the first place, yes, to bless you, but to bring Him glory so people can be saved.
Some will only come via signs and wonders, and He does those signs and wonders through you! Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus,” He does exceedingly and abundantly through our prayers! Our prayers are the power that works in us!
Have you ever wondered why the devil tries to get you not to pray? Because he knows that when God answers that prayer, it will give Him glory, cause people to praise God, bring them into the kingdom, and make him look weak. The devil wants to appear strong and mighty, but in actuality, he is a nobody, and when you begin to pray more, you’ll realize that more. The devil has no authority over you in the spirit, and when you pray, you enter the spiritual realm where you have dominion because of Christ. So, don’t take prayer lightly because God is in the prayer-answering business; it is a powerful tool.
Go Pray Strong Prayers!
I hope you learned a few things about prayer in this post! But the strongest prayer you can pray is the prayer of salvation. If you haven’t received Jesus as your Lord and Savior but this post tugged on your heart and feel the need to change, pray this:
“Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and turn away from them. I believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for my sins and rose on the third day; I accept Him into my heart now, and I receive His forgiveness and washing away of my sins. I believe Jesus is Lord, and by faith, I give Him my whole life, heart, mind, and soul. Amen!” If you said this prayer, go to the I Just Got Saved page for church recommendations, a Bible, and a journal!
God loves you and delights in hearing you pray and wants to hear from you! God hears you! He is listening, so all you have to do is speak sincerely, and He will be there! So, be bold in your prayers and know that He will answer them! Prayer is a great and powerful tool God gave us, so use it! I know prayer has done me good and has shown me just how good God is and how much He loves me. Your life can be transformed by prayer, so use that weapon and break some things in the spirit! I hope this helped, and God bless!
Helpful Resources
10 Keys to Praying Prayers That Get Results – Part 1 | Ev. Jonathan Shuttlesworth
“Prayer That Moves God” Rodney Howard-Browne 10-16-2016
How To Pray For Your Unsaved Loved Ones
