Prayer Examples

~ Pray Like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel, & Jesus Christ ~

Pray Like Abraham (with Commitment)  ~  “Then they came to the place of which God had told him.  And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.   And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’  So he said, ‘Here I am.’  And He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’  Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.  So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:9-14).

Pray Like Jacob (without Constraint)  ~  “So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’  He said, ‘Jacob.’  And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’  Then Jacob asked, saying, ‘Tell me Your name, I pray.’  And He said, ‘Why is it that you ask about My name?’  And He blessed him there.  So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved’” (Genesis 32:27-30).

Pray Like Moses (with Concern)  ~  “It came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, ‘You have committed a great sin.  So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.’  Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!  Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written’” (Exodus 32:30-32).

Pray Like David (with Contrition)  ~  “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2).

Pray Like Elijah (with Confidence)  ~  “And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.’  Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.  Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God!  The Lord, He is God!’ (1 Kings 18:36-39)

Pray Like Daniel (with Courage)  ~  “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home.  And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10).

Pray Like Jesus (with Compassion)  ~  “There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do’” (Luke 23:32-34).

Pray Like Men of Old (with Character)  ~  “Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.  Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:13-16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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