How can I know what to pray for?

Quick answer

When we apply God’s Word to our life and delight in Him, we will have a better understanding of what to pray for. Even when we are unsure, we can ask God for wisdom, seek counsel from believers, and know that the Holy Spirit intercedes to God on our behalf.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

When God is our delight, He will impact our heart’s desires (Psalm 37:4), which will inevitably impact what we pray for. There are different types prayers, including confession of our sin (Psalm 38:18), worship to God (1 Chronicles 29:11; Romans 11:33-36), personal requests and supplications (Matthew 6:11-13; Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:15; Philippians 4:6) as well as supplications, intercessions, and thanksgivings that we can make on behalf of other people (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Additionally, in Matthew 6:8-13, Jesus gives a frame of reference for how our prayers should be structured and what they should cover. We should abide in God’s Holy Word (John 8:31-32) as this will affect our prayer life. We can also pray for wisdom (James 1:5) and even ask other believers to give us wise counsel on what to pray for (Ephesians 4:11-16). When we simply can’t express what we are trying to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf “with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). It’s often hard to know what God’s will is when we pray and don’t get what we want, but in such situations we can read Romans 12:1-2 and take action steps as we seek the will of God.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Sometimes the answers to our prayers, no matter how well-intentioned, will be a firm "No" from God or a very long-delayed answer in a form we weren't expecting. As we grow in our spiritual walk, we can learn from God’s responses to our prayers more about what is important to Him, how He tends to work, and that some things will be unfathomable to us. Practically, we can know what to pray for through listening to the needs of those around us and examining our own life to see what we could grow in or even personally benefit from. Prayer requests can be anything from asking God to grant our friend a recovery from an illness to asking Him to help us grow spiritually. If we are feeling lost in how to pray, we can ask Him personally through prayer to help us (James 1:5), look into the Scriptures for guidance, as well as ask for counsel from mature believers we can trust. Although it might be hard to accept, it has been said that the one prayer we can always count on God answering is “Your will be done.” No matter how God responds to our prayers, we must remember WHO we are praying to: a faithful, nurturing, loving God, who cares about us deeply.

UNDERSTAND

REFLECT

ENGAGE