1. Prayer for Making God the Focus and Centre of Prayer

“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” –Psalm 27:4

John Piper says, “God is most exalted in me when I am most satisfied with Him.” Why don’t we try to take the first part of our prayer to simply talk to God—before asking something of him? Discipline your mind and heart to talk about Him and how He pleases your heart.

Pray using the verse above. Then continue with the verse below:

“O God, You are my God, I am looking for You, my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, like a dry and barren land, without water. In this way I look up to you in the holy place, seeing your strength and your glory, for your loving-kindness is better than life. My lips will boast You. In this way I will praise You all my life and raise my hand in Your name.” (Psalm 63:1-4)

2. Prayer for Willingness to Change

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” –Mark 14:36

It is not a convincing thing if prayer always changes God’s mind, because He is almighty. However, I believe it will change our thinking. Take Jesus as an example. He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane that his will was like God’s will. He was changed and strengthened, able to suffer until the last crucifixion.

I pray that Your divine will be transparent to me as I prepare my heart and mind to change my actions. As I look to You for all of my strength and support, help me to make this transition, Holy Spirit. Allow my thoughts and actions to be guided in accordance to your chosen way of life. Thank you for supporting me through this difficult time! Amen.

3. Prayer for Patience while Waiting

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” –Habakuk 2:3

God answers the prayer of the one who calls upon Him! The more we pray, the more coincidences will happen. This will happen if we pray with certainty. Let us seek His soothing presence; let us open our hearts to submit to His will and pray faithfully so that He will grant our requests.

Lord, give me the courage to trust in Your promises. Help me to maintain patience as the end goal seems to be too far away. I hope that, just as I must wait for Your revelation, I learn to wait patiently and with understanding of all that happens in my life. Amen.

4. Prayer to Open Our Heart to God

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” –Luke 18:13-14

It is not difficult to see that the Pharisees prayed in a proud manner. They seem oblivious to their own sins. Such hypocritical prayers can never be praised by God. Meanwhile, the tax collector’s prayer was sincere, openly confessed his sins in front of God, acknowledged that he was a sinner, and expressed remorse. He also showed a willingness to repent to God and asked God for mercy. Seeing the sincerity of his prayer, Jesus praised the tax collector’s prayer.

I am safe and secure, Lord, in the wounds of Christ. Nothing in my heart, nothing in my history, and no amount of guilt or sorrow can take away God’s mercy. You demonstrate your deep concern for me in a tender way. So, in that sacred place of trust and protection, let me open my heart. There is no shame for those who have believed in Jesus. I am set free by the blood of Jesus. Amen

5. Prayer to Reveal the Honest Heart and Mind

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” –John 4: 23-24

If we give our true heart to God and express God what is in our hearts, God is willing to work within us. God does not want a crooked human heart, but a pure and sincere heart.

When we pray, we can tell God about the hardships and sufferings we face in our lives and seek God’s will. Like when we often find ourselves immersed in this world and wanting to follow the trends of society, when we are obsessed with worldly pleasures, and we are unable to calm our mind before God, we can pray to God:

Lord! I find that I do not love the truth in my heart, but always think of the enchanting world out there. Even when in a service, in prayer, or reading Your words, I cannot calm my mind. I want to leave the flesh, but I feel helpless to do it. Lord! Please God! Please move your Spirit to move my numb heart, give me the faith and strength to overcome Satan’s temptations and make my heart calm before You. Amen.

6. Prayer to Apply God’s Word

“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

Our prayers and requests should focus more on our understanding of the truth; how we implement God’s words, and bring change in our lives. Only this kind of prayer is in line with God’s will.

It is God’s will that we apply and live His words, and through His words seek truth and meaning in life, so that we can be in harmony with God and enter His kingdom. Therefore, our prayers should be centered around how to apply and experience His words; in this way, He will guide us in carrying out His work, we will continue to understand different realities, and hence, will be able to live God’s words in its true essence.

You’ve given us Your Word to help us learn more about You and grow stronger in our relationship with You. Allow us to see what You want to teach us today in our Bible. Soften our hearts so that we can receive the Truth, which is as sharp as a two-edged sword. Give us the understanding we need to put into practicing what we’ve learned. Be exalted in us. Thank you, Lord! Amen.

7. Prayer to Achieve Growth in Life

“And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan, the world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” –Luke 12: 29-31

As Christians, we should not just seek blessings for our flesh or seek God to bestow more grace and blessings on us. It is because these things will only allow us to enjoy the fleeting worldly fortunes, but they do not help us to grow one bit in life.

Obviously, if we pray to God for understanding of the truth and the ability to apply God’s words, and we take the implementation of the truth very seriously, God will guide us towards the truth and enter us into the truth, and we will be able to grow spiritually bit by bit.

God, I put my faith in you and pledge my allegiance to you! Please point me in the right direction. Assist me in concentrating on what you want me to concentrate on. I beseech You to align every aspect of my life and heart with Your will and intent. Amen.

8. Prayer for Seeking Understanding of God’s Will

“This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” –Ephesians 5:14-15

In life, sometimes we face problems that are not in line with our thoughts, such as problems at work or at home, or we may even meet with a disaster. When such things happen, we make claims against Him in a selfish and reprehensible way. We do not worship the Creator at all from the position of a created being.

When difficulties strike, we must seek God’s will and pray that we can please God. Job lost all his possessions and children through the trials he faced. But he didn’t complain to God about why God let him go through all this. Instead, he first submitted and prayed to seek God’s will. He realized that all he had was not earned through his own hard work but had been bestowed on him by God.

Here is one way we should pray in line with God’s will:

Oh, my God! I cannot leave You. Even though there is darkness within me, I want to please You; You are deep in my heart, and I want You to instil more of Your love in me. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be established, on earth as it is in heaven.

9. Prayer to Bear Witness for Him

“And said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised”.” –Job 1:21

When praying, we must also be determined to love God, and be willing to endure physical suffering if it means bearing witness to God rather than praying on our own behalf. Only this kind of prayer is in line with God’s will.

Job eventually became a strong witness to God by relying on his respect, obedience, and faith in God. We must learn from Job’s example and when we come across something that does not match our ideas, we must first calm down before God, and pray that we can bear witness to God.

You call each of us to bear witness to your abundant love in a fearful world, God of hope and courage. There are signals all around us that the world is failing and that the future is uncertain. Strengthen our confidence in your unfailing grace and give us the strength to keep moving forward even when we can’t see the path because we know you’ll be with us through every single step of the way. Amen.

10. Prayer for the Holy Spirit

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be wrong about sin, righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” –John 16:7-11

The Bible says that the Spirit helps us with groaning that cannot be uttered. What does that mean? The Holy Spirit helps us pray because He knows God’s heart.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart with Your holy gifts. Let my weaknesses be redeemed by Your strength. Help me, O Holy Spirit, in all the trials of my life, guide me in my ignorance, inform me in my doubts, give me strength in my weaknesses, help me in all my needs, protect me in temptation and comfort me in suffering. Hear me, O Holy Spirit. Help me to live a holy life and grow in goodness and blessings. Amen.

11. Prayer to Received God’s Answer

“And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.” –1 Chronicles 29:19

When we are alone and allow ourselves to be completely honest before God, we will realize that we actually have certain dreams and hopes. Each of us naturally wants that at the end of our life. However, we may die with unfulfilled desires. If that happens, it will be one of the most difficult things in the world for us to face and accept. David heard God’s “No” and accepted it calmly and without feeling hurt. That is exceedingly difficult to do. However, in David’s last words recorded in the Scriptures, we find the figure of a man who pleases God’s heart.

Merciful God, we only surrender our hope to You for all the things that seem impossible in our lives. But we believe when we hold on in hope in You the best things that You will give us. Change our lives, Jesus, so that what we do is according to Your will and is pleasing to You. Use our life Jesus to be Your instrument so that all those who do not know Your person can see Your love, Your deeds and even Your miracles that are evident in our lives. Amen.