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What Does the Bible Say About Prayer?

Prayer is the primary means by which believers communicate with God. The Bible teaches that prayer is not a formula for getting what you want but a relationship — an ongoing conversation with a Father who hears and responds according to His perfect will.

Key Question

How should Christians pray according to the Bible?

Evidence

Key Scriptures (ESV)

Matthew 6:9-10

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

1 John 5:14

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”

Scholar Insights

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Tim Keller
“Prayer is not a way of getting God to do what you want. It is a way of getting yourself aligned with what God wants — and discovering that His will is better than yours.”
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John Piper
“The biggest problem with most people's prayer life is not that they pray too little — it is that they pray too small. We ask for comfort when we should be asking for the glory of God.”
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Greg Laurie
“Prayer is not a last resort. It should be the first thing we do, not the last. The disciples did not ask Jesus to teach them to preach — they asked Him to teach them to pray.”