A Prayer to Strengthen Your Prayer Life
By Julie Gillies
“He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him” (1 John 5:14).
Whether you’re facing an impossible situation, stepping out into a new area, or trusting God for a miracle, prayer is arguably our most potent weapon as believers.
Prayer is not only a privilege and a blessing, but through prayer our hearts are strengthened and encouraged. Through prayer, the atmosphere of our homes and our hearts change. Through prayer God brings our hearts into alignment with His. And through prayer God works in surprising and incredible ways.
One of the best investments we can make is taking time to strengthen the foundation of our prayer lives.
1. Know who you are.
When we surrender our hearts and lives to the Lord, everything changes. We change. We are now children of the Most High God (Psalm 82:6). We are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and we are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
This places us in a position of unspeakable privilege. A position of authority (Mark 3:15). When we know who we are and Whose we are, we can pray from that vantage point, knowing we have the legal right to challenge the enemy’s authority, and the relational right to ask in faith.
2. Know God is always listening.
There’s nothing worse than spilling your heart to someone who is not giving you their undivided attention. But we not only have God’s heart, we have His ear. Jesus, speaking to His Father, said, “Yes, I know You always hear and listen to Me” (John 11:42). Because we are in Christ, we are assured that He always hear us, as well.
3. Pray God’s Word.
The most powerful prayers we can pray include Scripture. If God’s Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), and it accomplishes the purposes for which God sends it (Isaiah 55:11), then praying Scripture is the wisest and most potent weapon in our prayer arsenal.
One of the ways to do this is by personalizing Scripture. For instance:
"I will be constantly aware of Your unfailing love and live according to your truth." (Psalm 26:3)
"Spread Your protection over ________." (Psalm 5:11b)
"Show ______ Your unfailing love in wonderful ways." (Psalm 17:7a)
We can pray real prayers. Raw prayers. Angry prayers and desperate prayers. We can pray from the depths of our being knowing we are known, valued, and loved to the highest degree.
Please pray with me:
Lord, I bow my heart before You and give You honor and praise. Oh God, strengthen my prayer life. Help me to pray more. Nudge me to pray when I’m doing mindless tasks. Help me to truly know who I am in Christ, to understand that You always hear me, to know Your Word so I can pray it, to write down my own prayer needs and the needs of others, and to know that You really do know me. In the strong name of Jesus, Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from “5 Steps to Strengthen Your Prayers” by Julie Gillies. You can read that piece in fullhere. All rights reserved.
Related Resource: 5 Things Parents Need to Tell Their Kids About War Right Now
When war dominates the headlines, parents are left asking an important question: How do we talk to our kids about it? In this episode of March or Die, Jeremy Stalnecker shares practical and biblical principles for guiding young people through confusing and frightening global events.
Drawing from his experience as a Marine who lived through the wars following 9/11, Jeremy explains why moments of global conflict can become powerful opportunities for parents to teach their children about courage, faith, and moral clarity. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, parents can use them to help their kids understand fear, the reality of evil in the world, and the responsibility we have to stand for what is right.
This conversation explores how parents can alleviate fear, explain why conflict exists, and demonstrate a faith-filled response when the world seems chaotic. Jeremy also discusses the importance of teaching children the difference between necessary and unnecessary violence, why standing against evil matters, and how faith in God provides stability even in uncertain times. If this episode of March or Die helped your spiritual perspective, be sure to follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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