Principles Regarding Prayer: Addendum to “Pray Without Ceasing”

By - Pastor Daniel C. Inghram

See also: “Praying without Ceasing”

Near the end of his epistle in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul uses an imperative to command believers to “pray without ceasing” (NKJV). In order to fulfill this command, are there any protocols that we need to follow in order to be effective in prayer? Let’s examine some Scripture and consider a few principles of prayer.

Protocol for prayer: We approach the Father by the authority of or because of our relationship with the Son (Eph 2:18). As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we belong to the Son.

1. We address our prayers to God the Father. Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates this when He teaches the disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:8; “Our Father in heaven.” Jesus’ prayers in the Upper Room and the Garden of Gethsemane are further examples of addressing prayer to the Father (Matt 26:39, 42; Luke 22:41; John 17). In his prayers, Paul also followed this procedure (Rom 1:7-8; Col 1:3).

2. We pray “in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18), and God the Holy Spirit prays for us (Rom 8:26).

3. We pray “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:20). As our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ is our representative to the Father (Heb 4:14-16), and He also makes intercession on our behalf (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).

Effective Prayer:

1. Prayer is between God the Father and you. Prayer should be thoughtful, not mindless, empty recitation of words. This does not mean we cannot repeat a prayer, but it must be meaningful prayer. We might repeat a Bible verse or claim a promise to help us stabilize our thoughts, suppress our emotions (anger, fear, hopelessness), and gain self-control so that we can face upsetting situations. Often, we repeat a certain prayer, such as asking for the health of a pregnant woman and her baby, or a child’s safety. Sometimes a prayer is best stated in one particular way, but mindlessly repeating phrases as lucky charms or reciting certain words that we think are holy or impressive is not proper and is not effective prayer.

2. Private time with God is our best prayer (Matt 6:6). It is our most effective approach to God. It allows us to concentrate and express ourselves in ways that we generally will not do in public. Public prayer is important, but public prayer does not replace our personal, one to one, prayer time with God.

3. Public prayer is a body of believers coming together to petition God for specific requests (Acts 12:5, 12). It is not to be used to impress others with our language, the inflection of our voice, our theatrics, or our emotion. We must be careful when we pray in public. God knows our thoughts and desires; therefore, the most direct appeal with the least histrionics is best.

Hindrance to Effective Prayer: Scripture is clear; if we have unconfessed sin in our lives, God will not hear our prayers (Ps 66:18; Is 59:2). God has given us the procedure for confession in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Conclusion: You should always pray with confidence, whether privately or publicly, because “your Father knows the things you need, prior to your asking” (Matt 6:8). You don’t always know what you need, but God does, and His answer will always fulfill your need (Rom 8:26). “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7).

This post was written by Pastor Daniel Inghram of National Capital Bible Church. If you have questions about this post or Christianity in general, please contact us today!