God’s Word is full of Encouraging Bible Verses about Prayer. And in this devotional, we’ll read them plus find out how this simple tool every Christian possesses has the power to change everything!
Most Christians have a prayer list. A long list that includes family members, church acquaintances, and even people we don’t know. We pull it out first thing in the morning and start the day down on our knees.
Why do we do this?
Because we know the importance of prayer. Each daily prayer lifted to God is a powerful and effective tool. It’s our direct line to the Creator of the world. A huge part of our faith. And the very best way to see God’s hand in our lives.
Since, prayer can accomplish so much in our lives, let’s read these Encouraging Bible Verses About Prayer and see the power of this simple act of faith today.
Best Bible Verses on Prayer
What does the Bible say to pray for?
The answer is simple… pray for anything and everything.
Pray without ceasing. Pray with joy in your heart. Pray believing you will see the results. And be thankful for this amazing tool of the Christian life.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Romans 12:12
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 145:18
The Power of Prayer Verses
Prayer is our most powerful weapon in a spiritual battle. And our greatest defense in every situation. No matter what we face, we can take it to God in prayer and receive His power. These Bible Verses about the Power of Prayer show us the extent of this mighty tool.
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
I prayed to the Lord and said, “Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Deuteronomy 9:26 New International Version
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
1 Timothy 2:8 New King James Version
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8 ESV
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
Psalm 66:20 ESV
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 NKJV
Inspirational Bible Verses about Prayer and Faith
God hears our prayers. Every single one of them. And we can be sure God will answer our prayers too. This is our promise, God hears our cries for help, and He will not ignore or forsake us in our weakness. That’s the kind of promise that gives us complete confidence in our loving and faithful Father.
These scriptures on God hearing our prayer are a testament to the fact that we can take anything to God in prayer. No matter how big or small our troubles are, He wants to hear about them.
I encourage you to read each verse, use it as a prayer starter, then listen closely for God’s answers.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:12
The Lord is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Proverbs 15:29
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:16 NIV
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:18 NIV
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
James 2:17-20 NLT
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures.
James 4:3 NASB
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Pray Without Ceasing Verse
When we think of the phrase pray without ceasing, we think it means to be constantly praying. But instead, in this New Testament verse on prayer, the Apostle Paul is telling us to be consistent with in our prayer life.
Don’t pray once and give up. Keep praying and asking God for assistance. It’s an attitude of prayerfulness throughout the day that renews out faith and brings peace of mind.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
Read more about the Power of Prayer in this short devotional.
Prayer in the Psalms
The Psalms are filled with heartfelt cries to Our Heavenly Father. Here are a select few to start with. I encourage you to seek out others. They will lift you up as you lift your prayers to God. And don’t forget, praying scripture, God’s own word, back to Him is powerful. So, don’t be afraid to recite these Old Testament verses or even part of them to God.
I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
Psalm 17:6
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
Psalm 5:3
He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.
Psalm 102:17
Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:2
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1
I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2
Read these Powerful Psalms to Pray When You Need God’s Help
Bible Verses about Prayer During Hard Times
We all face difficult times. It’s just the way life is. But as Christians, we are never alone in our darkest circumstances. We have the Ruler of the World ready and willing to hear our cries for help.
These next scriptures about prayer will get you through the hard times.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
James 5:13 NIV
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
Psalm 34:17 New International Version
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:14 NIV
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Psalm 107:28-30 NIV
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What did Jesus say about praying?
Here’s an amazing thought… Jesus prayed for help the same way we do. When He needed help, He went to God in prayer. And we can follow His example when we need help.
During hard times we should take a cue from our Lord and Savior and take our troubles to God too. Here’s what Jesus had to say about praying.
Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Matthew 26:42
Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:5 NIV
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11 NIV
And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:7 ESV
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.
Matthew 26:36 NKJV
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The Lord’s Prayer Verse
With the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught us how to pray. It’s a passage of scripture we’re all familiar with. We’ve heard it many times and probably know it by heart.
But there is a pattern to this prayer that teaches us how to pray.
Within the Lord’s Prayer, there are six requests. The first three are to see the kingdom come, or God’s will in our lives. The second three are to meet the needs of daily life for the one praying. Then it ends with praise for God.
It’s perfectly okay to recite these words of Jesus as is. Or use them as a template to follow in our own prayers. Here’s what Jesus said about how to pray.
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Discover why Jesus is Our Firm Foundation in this short devotional.
The Holy Spirit Prays for Us
Sometimes we just don’t know what to pray. The words get caught in our throat or they just don’t come at all.
But that’s okay. Because in these moments, the Holy Spirit, prays for us.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper, Comforter, and Counselor. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf.
This verse about the Holy Spirit praying for us is one of my favorite Bible verses for hard times. It shows how much love God has for us and how He accounted for every hardship we could possibly face.
It gives me so much encouragement to know that in my weakness the Holy Spirit is praying for me. If you’re facing a hard time, I hope knowing the Spirit is praying for you gives you the same encouragement it has given me.
Here’s the scripture on intercession in the Bible that will change your life!
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26
Read more in this Bible Study: Healing Scriptures for Comfort and Strength
Bible Verses About Praying for Others
As Christians, we spend a great deal of time praying for other people. It’s what we do! And it’s Biblical too.
We believe in God, in the power prayer has in our lives, and that it can change the lives of those around us too. So why wouldn’t we lift up the needs of those closest to us?
The following verses about praying for others remind us to pray for the needs of other people and to give thanks for all God is doing in our lives.
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.
1 Timothy 2:1
Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Acts 16:25 New King James Version
Prayer of Jabez Scripture
Asking God for what we need but leaving the how to God is the message of this Old Testament verse on prayer.
Jabez knew who exactly God is and what He can do with a willing heart. So, pray the Prayer of Jabez and see the hand of God working in your life today. You will be blessed!
Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV
Prayer is the Key Bible Verse
This short verse is the key to not only a fulfilling prayer life, but life in general.
It holds three simple, yet powerful truths about speaking with the Creator of the Universe.
First, God tells us to call to Him. Then He says He will answer us. And finally, that He will tell us things we don’t already know.
And isn’t that exactly what we want when we pray?
What an amazing Bible Verse about Prayer!
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Want to know how to stand firm in the faith? Read this Bible Study today.
Prayers in the Bible
I’ve tried to include the very best prayers from the scriptures that I could find. However, this is not a comprehensive list of Bible verses about Prayer. There are many so many more prayers in the Bible.
But I hope each of these verses encourages you in your daily walk with Christ. And I pray they give you a starting place to search out more scriptures for a fulfilling prayer life.
May you pray without ceasing and see the results today!
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[…] Encouraging Bible Verses about Prayer […]
Such a theme in these verses of Him hearing our prayers! So encouraging!
Thanks Amy! It is always an encouragement to me when you stop by. God bless you and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!
Love these verses, I like to put them on pins for Pinterest.
Thanks Rebecca! Sounds like a great idea.