October 2, 2026
Unless facing an emergency, most people don’t get serious about prayer. And yet, it’s one of the greatest opportunities we have as believers. Can you imagine getting to converse directly with God, which means not just speaking, but hearing from Him as well? And while prayer should never become rote or mechanical, it is helpful to follow a plan. Perhaps these guidelines will be of assistance as you go through the process.
Begin with praise and adoration, a practice which biblical prayers often modeled. “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,” said David, “my lips will praise You” (Psalm 63:3 NASB). Jesus provides the ultimate example in The Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9 NASB).
Note these two truths concerning praise. 1) Satan hates it. As someone once said, “A Psalm a day keeps the devil away.” 2) Singing enhances it. Even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, whether it’s in private or public, sing before the Lord. “I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:2).
Next, express thanksgiving. Strive to develop an attitude of gratitude. According to Aesop, “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” Someone else said, “A grateful mind is a great mind.”
Thank God for eternal blessings such as salvation, the Holy Spirit in you, and the home He has prepared for you in heaven. Add to that gratitude for family and friends, along with temporal blessings such as the home you live in, the car you drive, and the food in your pantry.
After that, comes confession. This may not be the fun part, yet it’s absolutely necessary. Just like hair can clog a drain, unconfessed sin hinders our line of communication with God.
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in Holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart… “(Psalm 24:3,4 NASB). Once the prodigal son acknowledged that he had sinned against his heavenly and earthly father, restoration ensued, followed by celebration. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NASB).
Next, enter into a time of intercession, which is going before God on behalf of people and circumstances. First and foremost, focus on eternal matters. Think here of the lost who need to be saved and the backslidden who need to rejoin the fellowship of other believers.
After that, the needs are endless. Here’s where I find it necessary to keep a list. I pray for my immediate family every day, focusing on extended family on different days of the week. I zero in on various local, state, national, and international needs on different days as well. When the Hebrews asked Samuel to pray for them, he said, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23 NASB)
Following intercession comes petition, which means praying for yourself. A great example of petitioning appears buried in the midst of an Old Testament genealogical list. Here, Jabez, the subject of Bruce Wilkerson’s bestseller from the early 2000s, The Prayer of Jabez, unashamedly asked God for increased territory and protection from harm (see 1 Chronicles 4:10 NASB).
Jesus models the best example of petitioning in Scripture. On the night before the crucifixion, He prayed: “Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5 NASB). Not only was that prayer answered on the Cross, it continues to be fulfilled to this day.
At this point, rather than rush into your day, sit a spell and listen. Like young Samuel, when God has a message for us, we should respond with, “Speak, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10 NASB). Isaiah penned, “He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple” (Isaiah 50:4 NASB).
Does that mean you’ll hear the audible voice of God? Not likely. Rather, anticipate the silent but significant instruction and inspiration from the Holy Spirit.
What I’ve presented to this point is no magic formula. It’s not meant to constrain you in any way. If you have a system that works for you, far be it from me to detract from that in any way. The main message is, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB), spending as much time and covering as much ground as you can in the process.
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Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com.
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