Prayer is heartfelt communication with God. It’s like a having a conversation with a very close friend. When we talk to our dearest friends we don’t always talk about the same thing. We don’t always use the same words or same tone of voice. We are not always in the same frame of mind. Our interaction depends on what we have going on in our lives at a certain time.
Prayer is much the same way. What we pray about and how we pray may depend on our circumstances. So God had given us Biblical examples of many different kinds of prayers. Here are just a few in no particular order.
Adoration: We bow before God for his greatness and love. He loves us and we should love him. All that is in heaven and on earth is God’s, and he loves us so much he’s willing to share it with us. (Ephesians 3:14-21, 1 Chronicles 29:10-13)
Praise: When Jesus was born the shepherds and the angels praised God. (Luke 2:12-14) When the blind man was healed the people praised God. (Luke 18:42, 43) All blessings flow from God and God should be praised. (Ephesians 1:3)
Worship: Worship is akin to praise. We worship God not just for what he has done, but for who he is. Only God is worthy of our praise. He is holy, good, kind, merciful, loving, righteous, and we should be letting him know that we know it! (Hebrews 13:15)
Thanksgiving/Gratitude/Appreciation: Giving God thanks is a major part of the Christian life. Even when we are asking God for something we should be thanking him for what he has done, is doing, and will do. (Philippians 4:6, Psalm 136) We should be giving thanks always – in good times and bad. There is always something we can find to be thankful for. (Ephesians 5:20)
Confession/Repentance: When we’ve blown it, we go to God and acknowledge it. He already knows but it’s nice to let him know that we know, and we’re sorry. When the prophet Nathan pointed out David’s misconduct with Bathsheba, David humbly accepted responsibility. (Psalm 51) Those who confess their sins will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
Grace: Praying a blessing over a meal before we eat and thanking God for the food. (Matthew 26:26)
Intercession: We pray for others. Sometimes we ask people to pray for us; sometimes we are asked to pray for others; sometimes we realize someone needs God’s help so we pray for them. (Philippians 2:3-4) We are commanded to pray for one another. (1 Timothy 2:1, James 5:14) Jesus set an example by praying on behalf of his disciples and followers. (John 17:9-24)
Forgiveness: When we have been hurt or offended by others, prayers of forgiveness release the hold those hurts and offenses have on us. We let go and let God deal with it. (Mark 11:25-26)
Corporate Prayer: We gather together to pray. (Matthew 18:20) After Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven the disciples met together all the time to pray. In fact the early church devoted itself to prayer. (Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42)
Benediction: This is a prayer of blessing on others, usually at the end of a service. (Numbers 23:22-26)
Consecration: Sometimes prayer sets people apart to do a specific job. Perhaps a church will pray a blessing over a particular person given a new ministry responsibility or those going on a missionary trip. (Acts 13:1-3)
Supplication/Petition: We take our requests to God. We don’t need to worry. (Philippians 4:6, Matthew 11:9-12) God can deliver us from our fears. (Psalm 34:4) He can ease our frustration and distress. (Psalm 28, Psalm 18:6) He can supply all our needs. (Philippians 4:19)
More could be listed but this gives us an overview. Prayers come in all shapes and sizes. One prayer could contain many aspects of this list. Some categories stand alone; some overlap. (1 Timothy 2:1)
However, there should never be a lack of ways to pray or things to pray about. If we have trouble praying we can just read some of the Psalms out loud. They are filled with adoration and praise to God. There is no better way to get started with a healthy prayer life than acknowledging God’s greatness!
