7 Powerful Prayers in the Bible, and What We Can Learn

From Them

Whether you’re just starting to include prayer in your life, or you’re simply
wanting to enrich your prayer life, the best place to look for guidance is
Scripture. 

In the Bible we find numerous records of passionate prayers. By reading these

prayers we can learn—from people who were just like us—different ways to pray
to our Creator. We can also see what the power of prayer can do when it becomes
a regular part of our lives.

But the Bible’s a big book. Where’s the best place to start when looking for stories
and examples of sincere prayer?

We’ll go over:

 The significance of prayer in the Bible

 Popular prayers in the Bible
 Answers to prayers in the Bible

Let’s start by looking at what the Bible says about prayer, then we’ll look at some
specifics. 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRAYER IN THE BIBLE

God Himself understands our need to connect with Him. So He has provided us
with guidance in Scripture, which can also be a source of hope and
encouragement to kick-start our prayer life. 

Christ’s disciples even asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1, NKJV).

They could’ve asked Jesus to teach them how to preach. Or how to cast out
demons. Isn’t it interesting that their request to the long-awaited Messiah was to
learn how to pray? 
This wasn’t a request to learn how to use nice words in prayer. It was to learn
how to better connect with the God of the universe. To know Him and understand
how to talk with Him. This truth directs us to the heart of what prayer is all about
—to know God (John 17:3; Exodus 33:13). 

Prayer is a way to share what’s in your heart with God as you would with a
friend. And this is something that can be done anytime, anywhere! The door of
communication to God—through our prayer life—is always open, “…and no one
can shut it;” (Revelation 3:8, NKJV). 

God longs for us to connect our lives with Him through prayer. He desires for all
to realize that He’s an approachable God. This is the underlying truth that is
revealed throughout the prayers of Scripture.
POPULAR PRAYERS IN THE BIBLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
One of the most popular prayers in the Bible is the Lord’s Prayer. Regardless of
your beliefs or background, you might’ve heard of this prayer just because it’s so
widely referenced. This is how Christ instructed His disciples to pray, and it’s a
prayer we can learn from, too.

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. 
Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)

Maybe you’ve heard these words a number of times, but there’s more buried
treasure in this prayer than we might realize at first glance.

“Our Father…“

When Jesus instructed His followers to pray in this manner, it wasn’t supposed to
be like a script. It’s more like a template, and it was to give them (and us!) insight
into how they could approach God.

For instance, through this prayer, we’re encouraged to refer to God as, “Our
Father…” Think about that title. It’s relational. Yes, God is mighty—the King over
the whole universe—but He’s also our heavenly Father.

“Your will be done…“

In the Lord’s prayer, Christ says to pray for God’s will to be done, “on earth,” in
our lives, “as it is in heaven.” 

When we yield to God’s will, we can experience a new kind of joy and peace. It’s
not always easy, and it takes practice. But by praying this prayer, we learn that
we’re connecting our lives to God’s will when we ask this. We’re asking to be part
of His divine plan, which gives Him permission to work within our lives.

And this doesn’t mean we’re asking God every day to completely change who we
are or what we desire. He made us each unique on purpose! Instead, praying for
His will to be done in our lives helps us see how we are uniquely useful to Him.
There’s a special part each of us can play in God’s whole plan. And He can lead us
to do meaningful things that help reveal His love to the world around us.

Give us this day…

We can also bring before God our daily needs and our deepest struggles.

This is our chance to do some soul-searching while in God’s presence. We can

release all our fears, worries, concerns, frustrations, hopes, desires…everything
we’re holding in our hearts at the time.

And we can trust that God hears, sees, and knows all of these things we’re
working through. We offload them onto Him (1 Peter 5:7) in faith that He’ll
provide our “daily bread.”

…God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ
Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NASB)

What a beautiful thought. A caring God desires to help us—to be present in our
day-to-day lives.  

As we forgive our debtors…

The gift Christ gave us by dying on the Cross for us is more meaningful than any
human person can fully express. It’s the ultimate act of love.  

Because Jesus’ sacrifice gave us all the chance to accept Him as our Savior, God
freely offers His forgiveness to those who seek it through confession and
repentance (Proverbs 28:13). 

The peace this can bring is life-changing. And God wants this experience for all.
He doesn’t want anyone to be lost (2 Peter 3:9). 

And as we pray for God’s forgiveness, we should also pray for the strength to
forgive others. In this way, our prayer life compels us to share God’s blessings
with others. We forgive others as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32).
Deliver us…

In our prayers to the Father, Christ invites us to prayerfully claim His promises of
deliverance. Deliverance from the devil’s lies and deliverance out of the path
toward destruction. God wants us to have confidence in our prayer lives that He
will forgive us. He also wants to give us confidence in His word, knowing:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will
be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)

So when the temptations come, look to Christ. He’s your strength! Pray to Him
and look for the way of escape He provides. And remember, when we fall, there
is a merciful God we can pray to. He provides forgiveness and grace to get up
again and help us overcome (Hebrews 4:16).

The kingdom and the power and the glory…

The Lord’s prayer is sandwiched with praise. It begins with, “…Hallowed be Your

name…” and ends with “…Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever.”

This is an acknowledgment that God and His ways are the standard of all that is
good. He is holy, His kingdom is eternal, He has all power, and He alone is worthy
of all glory. 

Praising God in prayer shows our dependence on Him and our thankfulness for
all He’s provided. It’s also a reminder that we should seek God joyfully in prayer.
All of heaven gives their praise to God and we can join in this heavenly song here
on earth (Revelation 4:8-11; 5:11-14)!

Through the Lord’s Prayer, we can come to know the Creator of the universe by
expressing worship, acknowledging His perfect will, asking for help, and
admitting where we fall short. 

Next we’ll look at another prayer that can provide comfort in times of difficulty.
JEHOSHAPHAT’S PRAYER

In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat was facing a great army. Although fearful, he

prayed for help. Even though he had no idea what to do, he set his eyes upon God
and waited for deliverance. 

O our God, will You not judge them? 

For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against
us; 
nor do we know what to do, 
but our eyes are on You…
2 Chronicles 20:12 (NASB)

What was God’s answer? 

Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is
not yours but God’s
(verse 15, NASB)

Sometimes we’re truly afraid when all we have is uncertainty about the outcome
of our struggles. It can feel like we’re facing an army.

There are times when we have no idea what to do or where to go. And sometimes
we have to wait for an answer. And that’s never easy. 

Yet, God’s words to Jehoshaphat are to us also: “Do not fear or be dismayed… for
the battle is not yours but God’s.” 

What an encouragement to keep holding on to God through prayer. God did

provide deliverance for Jehoshaphat (verse 22), and we can find comfort in
knowing that same God is watching over us as well.

Find out everything the Bible says about prayer. 

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HANNAH’S PRAYER

Hannah was childless. And in the time she was living, that felt like a curse. 

Looking around, she’d see joy on the faces of other women with their children.
She wondered why she was being denied this blessing. But while still grieving
over these circumstances, in faith she looked to God in prayer. 
She went up to worship God at the temple. And as she prayed, she  “wept
bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10). 

O LORD of hosts, 
if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember
me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a
son, 
then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, 
and a razor shall never come on his head.
1 Samuel 1:11 (NASB)

She was pouring out her heart. And she expressed a deep love and faith in God by
also offering to dedicate her son back to God in service. 

And how did God respond? A priest, Eli, approached her and said,  “Go in peace;
and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him” (1
Samuel 1:17, NKJV).   

God knows our innermost thoughts and understands our anguish. And He’s
offered to lighten our burdens (Matthew 11:29, 30).

THE PRAYER OF JABEZ

One of the most unique and well-known prayers of the Old Testament is the
prayer of Jabez. Although there is nothing known of Jabez outside of a few texts
in the Bible, his prayer has impacted millions of lives.

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, 
‘Because I bore him in pain.’ 
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 
‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, 
and enlarge my territory, 
that Your hand would be with me, 
and that You would keep me from evil, 
that I may not cause pain!’ 
So God granted him what he requested.
1 Chronicles 4:9, 10 (NKJV)
The name Jabez can also be translated as, “he makes sorrowful.” Yet his prayer to
God shows how he desires the complete opposite for his life. 

He pleads to God for a blessing, an enlarged territory, and for God’s presence and
strength—to keep him from evil so that he may not cause pain to others. 

What if we all prayed for this same kind of blessing, as Jabez did?

Living in a sinful world, pain is a reality we’re all confronted with. Sometimes we
can cause pain to others unintentionally, or even unknowingly. Other times, we
might cause pain to others because we’re in pain, and our self-control is weak.
And that’s usually followed by regret.  

But God is the One who can turn things around. Through Christ, He can bless us
so we can be a blessing to others.

DAVID’S PRAYER

David was a great king over God’s people. He was a righteous man who followed
God and was loved by the people. 

But even the most righteous human beings can be subject to temptation. 

David committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, one of his best warriors. And
during this time, Uriah was at war. David then tried to cover up his sin by putting
Uriah in the worst part of the battle, killing him. 

After some time passed, since David hadn’t acknowledged his sin, God sent a
prophet to give him a reality check.

It worked. David was hit with the realization of what he’d done, and he
acknowledged the harm and pain he caused.

As he repented to God, His words of prayer were recorded in Psalm 51: 

Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 
Create in me a clean heart, 
O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 
Do not cast me away from Your presence 
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation 
And sustain me with a willing spirit. 
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, 
And sinners will be converted to You.
Psalms 51:9-13 (NASB)

Sometimes the guilt of sin can weigh us down. Sometimes shame tries to take
over our minds. Sometimes we might even feel too ashamed to talk to God in
prayer. 

God’s answer of mercy to David’s prayer is the same answer of mercy we can
receive from Him today. The Bible, in 1 John 1:9, provides God’s answer to
everything and everyone about the forgiveness of sin.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness  (NKJV).

When it comes to God’s forgiveness, it doesn’t matter what we’ve done. What
matters is that we pray a sincere prayer to God, asking for His help in turning
things around.  

THE TAX COLLECTOR’S PRAYER

One of the most important lessons we can learn for our prayer lives is found in
the tax collector’s prayer. 

A common way Satan tempts us is through pride, enticing us to think we’re better
than those around us. That our worship is more acceptable to God. And that we
have it all sorted out and others don’t.

When we cling to this mentality, it causes our prayer life to lack true power. 

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax
collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 

‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust,
adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of
all that I get.’ 

But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to
lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 
‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 

I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself
will be exalted.
Luke 18:10-14 (NASB)

The simple lesson in this prayer? If we want true connection with God, we need
to realize our brokenness. Not hide from it, or pretend it isn’t there. 

Healing begins from acknowledgment of our brokenness and a firm reliance on

God’s grace.

The good news is that we can be completely connected with God when we’re not
holding anything back. If there’s a part of us we’re not showing God during
prayer, then how could we be fully connected? And how can He help you with it?

God longs for a relationship with us where we can be completely vulnerable with
Him, knowing He understands.

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.
Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)

When we come to God and surrender all, we’re letting Him have access to
everything.

Yes, He already can see everything (Hebrews 4:13). But He doesn’t force us into a
commitment, He waits for us to approach Him. We submit to Him, which gives
Him access to bless us. And in this process, we’ll see more of Him also.

In the Pharisee’s prayer, he wasn’t surrendering all to God. In fact, he wasn’t

really even praying! His prayer almost sounds like a haughty pep talk someone
gives themselves in a mirror. Even though it was addressed to God, he wasn’t
connecting with Him. He missed out on the true joy, peace, and transformation of
prayer.

When we come to God through Christ, with our great need, He will not withhold
any blessing from us. We will have unrestricted access to our Savior Jesus, who
promises strength and grace for a victorious and joy-filled Christian life.
THE PERSISTENT WIDOW’S PRAYER

The Bible says,  “…Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock,
and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9, NASB). In other words, we are
encouraged to share everything in prayer, not being afraid to ask what’s on our
hearts. This is the lesson we learn from the persistent widow.
In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect
man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying,
‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 

For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even

though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers
me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will
wear me out.'” 

And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not
God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will
He delay long over them? 

I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when
the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
Luke 18:3-8 (NASB)

This example reads a bit differently than other passages of Scripture! But we can
take much comfort from this story.

God longs for us to call upon Him. We can be consistent, persistent, and bold—He
can handle it!

So let’s bring our petition, continuing to approach God in prayer. We can trust
that what God has promised, He’s also able to make it happen (Romans 4:21). 

God invites us to persistently bring our petitions before the most powerful, loving
Judge in the universe. While we don’t know the future or exactly how God’s plans
will unfold, we do know He will hear us and provide us with what we need to
keep moving forward (Philippians 4:19). 

And in all our persistent prayers to God, we should:

…Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

We can trust that He’s a loving Father, one who knows exactly what will bring the
greatest blessings into the lives of His children.
ANSWERED PRAYERS IN THE BIBLE

If we look at prayers in the Bible that God directly answered, we can learn a lot
about God and our relationship with Him. You may notice a trend—that most
answered prayers weren’t people asking for everything to go their way. They
were focused on submitting to God’s loving will, trusting He will hear and answer
accordingly. 

Here are just a few of the answered prayers throughout the Bible.

 Abraham’s prayer for offspring—answered based on God’s promise (Genesis 15:2-

3; Genesis 21:1-8).
 Jacob’s prayer for a blessing is answered, based on God’s promise (Genesis 28:20-
22; Genesis 32:9-12).
 Isaiah’s prayer for cleansing—answered because God wants to take away our sin
(Isaiah 6:5; Isaiah 6:6, 7).
 A leper’s prayer for healing—answered because God is willing to heal (Matthew
8:2, 3).
 Peter’s prayer to be saved from drowning—answered even though Peter doubted
(Matthew 14:30, 31).
 Disciples’ prayer for boldness—answered because God wants His message shared
(Acts 4:24-30, 31-33).
 Martyrs’ prayer for vengeance will be answered on God’s day of vengeance
(Revelation 6:10; Isaiah 34:8).
 John prays for the second coming of Jesus Christ, which God has promised, and it
could happen very soon (Revelation 22:20; James 5:8).

The prayers presented here only scratch the surface of the rich, powerful prayer
lives of God’s church. But they can provide us with comfort, encouragement, and
confidence that God hears our prayers and will answer them according to His
will. 

God invites us to seek Him in prayer. To hold onto His mighty arm by faith and
trust that His word is true and faithful. That His promises don’t fail. 

Furthermore, He desires a relationship with all who will receive Him. A

relationship that is deep and true. A relationship built on His word and prayer. 

May our experience reflect the words of the psalmist:

I love the Lord, because He hears My voice and my supplications. Because
He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I
live
Psalm 116:1, 2 (NASB)

The prayers recorded in the Bible are important because they reveal a God who
listens, cares, guides, empowers, and loves. 

He’s always listening to our prayers, so we can trust Him to provide us divine
help according to His will when we open the door of our hearts to Him. 

Learn even more about how to supercharge your prayer life. Start your own online
Bible study. 
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Our Beliefs

Seventh-day Adventist beliefs are meant to permeate your whole life. Growing
out of scriptures that paint a compelling portrait of God, you are invited to
explore, experience and know the One who desires to make us whole.

 The Heart and Purpose of Prayer

 7 Powerful Prayers in the Bible, and What We Can Learn From Them
 Are There Different Types of Prayers?
 Does it Matter When we Pray?
 Using the Psalms to Pray
 How Does Prayer Work?
 Why Should We Pray?
 Does God Really Answer Our Prayers?
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