Ingredients of Effective Prayer (1)

Today is the fifth post in my bite-size series on praying effectively. In the previous post we looked at the text in James 5:16. The Amplified Bible says:

Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

In this verse we also began to observe some ingredients of effective prayer: made by "a righteous person"; and "earnest (heartfelt and continued)".

It is important to understand that there are 'levels' of prayer which have to do with your level of relationship with God and your submission to, and understanding of, His word and will. However, there are fundamental principles of prayer that are necessary at any level. These are the ones which we will focus on. We will look at some texts in the New Testament and identify some of those characteristics that are foundational to effective prayer.

There are numerous examples of prayer in the Bible, much too many to go through in this setting but as you read and come upon various texts you will see that every prayer that pleased God and was effective illustrates certain characteristics. Apart from the ones that we will discuss in this and upcoming posts, you will be able to identify others in your own study of the bible and use them to shape your own prayers to God as your relationship with Him grows.


1. Prayer implies submission to a superior which defines the attitude of the one praying. It is a posture and submission of the spirit, which will often times be simultaneously expressed in the posture of the physical body.

Hebrews 5:7
Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear

Luke 11:2
So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

1 Kings 18:42
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees

God's ears are pleased to hear the prayers of the humble, those whose hearts submit themselves to His authority and greatness. This is a fundamental ingredient of prayer.

[This is the fifth post in a series on the subject of prayer. Last week we considered what is meant by the term "effective" prayer. These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. If you are just now joining in I recommend that you read the first post where I shared my reason for doing this series. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]