Witness the Miracles: 10 Inspirational Examples of How Prayer Works
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Wondering if prayer works? See how when people pray in the
What Makes Prayer Work? Discover the Power of Prayer
Prayer is a two-way form of communication between us and our Creator. It is God who hears us and has the ability to answer all of our prayers. Prayer isn’t just reciting empty words, it is making a petition, drawing closer to God, and approaching Him with sincerity and authenticity. It’s ok to not know how prayer works.
Some Christians are looking for a formula for effective prayer that works. But there isn’t one. Scripture says in 1 John 5:14-15 that “if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.” You can talk to God like you talk to your best friend. It doesn’t have to be formal or informal. Prayer really is just you talking to Him.
You don’t even need to know what to pray. The
You don’t have to get down on a knee or close your eyes. You don’t even have to start your prayer with “heavenly father” or end it with “amen” (Even though many of us do). We don’t have to go to church to pray. There are only a few specific instructions that God gives for prayer.
Biblical Instructions for Prayer to Talk to God
I’ve prayed for most of my life. It’s a normal part of my daily routine. But having an open channel of communication with the God of the universe is a significant deal. We get to commune with the One who created us and who has the power to change our circumstances. His love for us is so great that He hears our prayers. And when we listen, He is able to talk back to us.
1. Jesus gives us an example of how to pray in Matthew 6.
Jesus isn’t asking us to pray like this every time. But He did give us an example of how to pray because God wants us to commune with Him. The Lord wants us to have a prayer life.
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.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
2. Jesus tells us to have prayer not be a performance
In Matthew 6:5-8 Jesus tells us that we should not be praying to perform or to get attention from others.
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:5-8
Some Christians create a war room to pray, others use a
3. Jesus tells us to have faith and confidence in what we pray
Hebrews 4:16: 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.
1 John 5:14-15: And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Mark 11:2: Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Matthew 7:7-8: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What Prayer Can Be Used for
- Seeking a relationship with God
- Strengthen our relationship with God
- Thanking God
- Seeking help in various areas of our life
- Growing closer to God
- Asking for forgiveness
- For others to know the Lord
The
The effectiveness of prayer lies in the arms of a loving and listening God. When we approach Him with a sincere heart, pouring out our hopes, fears, and desires, He hears us and responds. Through prayer, we align our hearts with His will and invite His presence into our lives. It is not the length or eloquence of our prayers that matters, but the depth of our relationship with the One to whom we pray.
Does Prayer Work? Here are 10 Examples of Prayer that Works
1. Moses’ Intercession for the Israelites
Read: Exodus 32:11-14
When Moses went up the mountain and God gave him the 10 commandments, the people of Israel built a golden calf to worship. In Exodus 32:9-10 God says He is going to destroy the people for their actions.
But Moses stepped in and interceded for the Israelites. And in verse 14 God relented. He didn’t take His anger out on the Israelites and allowed the people to repent for their actions.
2. Hannah’s Prayer for a Son
Read: 1 Samuel 1:10-20
Hannah wanted a son so desperately that she made a bargain with God. She asked God for a son and told Him that in return that she would give that son back to God in the way of service. That she would give him to the temple and no razor would be used on his head.
She did this quietly and her husband thought she was drunk because her lips were moving but he couldn’t hear her. But God did. And He answered her prayer and that’s who Samuel was born.
Samuel was a prophet who went on to be the person who anointed the first king of Israel.
From one prayer, came numerous blessings.
3. Elijah Shows us Prayer Works by Praying for Fire
Read: 1 Kings 18:1-40
Elijah is known for his amazing work as a prophet. And I could have just used God answering Elijah’s prayers for these examples but I picked my favorite.
These verses are the end of an amazing history showing how God can provide and answer prayer. Elijah was a prophet during the reign of King Ahab who was a king who rejected God. He is also the King who married Jezebel.
Elijah told King Ahab that there would be a drought of no rain for the next few years due to his sin. God told Elijah to run and hide from the King so that the king would not kill him. God provided for Elijah and a widow (you should read 1 Kings chapter 17, it’s amazing.)
In 1 Kings 18:1-40 Elijah goes back to King Ahab and shows him who the real God is. He asks Ahab to summon the people to Mount Carmel and bring all of his false prophets.
Two alters are set up and Elijah tells the false prophets to pray to their false gods and ask that their sacrifices will be burned up. Of course, nothing happens. Then Elijah, just to prove his point has water poured over his offering and his wood three times.
And then he prayed. God made a huge display showing everyone that prayer works,
And the fire that burned his offering was so great that it burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil (1 Kings 18:38)
Elijah showed everyone that God answers prayer and their response was to fall prostrate and recognize the one true God.
4. Hezekiah’s Prayer for Healing – When God Turned Back Time Showing Prayer Works
Read: 2 Kings 20:1-11
This story gives me chills every time I read it.
Hezekiah became ill and the prophet Isaiah came to him to tell him he was going to die. But Hezekiah prayed. He reminded the Lord of his life of service to Him. And God answered.
Isaiah came back and told him that God heard his prayer and he will add 15 years to his life and heal him. But Hezekiah, like most of us would, wanted proof. He asked God for a sign that he would live.
Isaiah said that God will make the shadow (on the sundial) go forward ten steps. Hezekiah said he would rather have it go back ten.
So the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps effectively turning back time.
I don’t know about you, but reading about the power of how prayer works through this story shows me the power of God.
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5. Jesus’ Prayer for Lazarus’ Resurrection
Read: John 11:41-44
John chapter 11 tells the story of Jesus bringing Lazurus back to life. Lazurus died while Jesus was out of town and when He heard of his death He risked His life to go back to Judea where the Jews tried to stone Him.
In Verses 41-42, Jesus looks up and prays to God the Father and says “I know that you always hear me but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here”. He is showing us that we can pray for huge miracles too.
After this, Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb and he came out alive and well.
6. The Lord’s Prayer
Read: Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus gave us an example of how to pray in Matthew. This doesn’t mean this is how we always have to say prayers like this, there are so many examples in the
If you don’t know what kind of prayer to pray and you’ve struggled with what to say check out my Praying From Scratch Cards.
7. Paul and Silas’ Prison Prayer
Read: Acts 16:25-34
This is an amazing example of how good things can happen through prayer.
Paul and Silas were captured and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. And while they were praying a great earthquake happened and the prison doors opened and everyone’s chains came loose.
The jailer in a panic was about to take his own life but when he heard the prisoners were still inside, he fell at Paul and Silas’ feet and asked them how to be saved. They gave him the gospel and walked out of the prison with him.
Not only does this show prayer works, but it shows the ripple effects of prayer. Paul and Silas were freed from prison and the jailer and his whole house were saved.
8. Jesus’ Prayer in Gethsemane and How His Prayer Worked
Read: Matthew 26:36-46
Jesus knew that he was about to be crucified. He asked his disciples to watch and pray while he went further away from them and talked to the Father. Begging that He would not have to carry the burden of the sins of the world.
Jesus prayed so hard that in Luke 22:44 the
Just because Jesus was still crucified does not mean that God did not hear or answer Jesus’ prayers.
In Luke 22:43 God sent an angel to Jesus to strengthen Him to help Him carry out the task before Him and then resurrected Him from the dead.
Prayer doesn’t guarantee that we will get whatever we want. God will always consider our prayers and still do what is best for us.
9. Peter’s Prayer for Dorcas’ Resurrection
Read: Acts 9:36-42
There was a disciple named Tabitha (her Greek name was Dorcas) who died. And Peter arrived, sent everyone away, got on his knees, and prayed.
And God heard his prayer and raised her from the dead.
This is a wonderful example of following what Jesus said in Matthew 6:5-8 when He instructs us to not pray to be seen by others. Peter sent everyone out of the room before he prayed. And everyone got to see that prayer works by seeing Dorcas alive. Which led to them spreading the word about God’s power and many people coming to know Jesus.
10. Elisha Prays for His Servant’s Eyes to Be Opened and His Prayer Works!
Read: 2 Kings 6:17
This story is incredible. Elisha is a prophet and in 2 Kings he helps the King of Israel by telling him about the moves of King Aram while the two kings are at war.
King Aram rages in anger because the Israelites keep evading him. He demands “Who is revealing my plans to the Israelites? How do they know my every move?” And one of his officers informs him that Elisha tells the King of Israel the words that King Aram speaks in his bedroom.
So King Aram wants Elisha to be killed and sends his men to capture him.
The next morning Elisha’s servant got up and saw that the city they lived in was surrounded by an army with horses and chariots.
Elisha comforts his servant and tells him in verse 16 ” Do not be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And then Elisha prayed for God to open his servant’s eyes. And when the servant’s eyes were opened he saw “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”
Elisha’s servant got to see some of Heaven’s army!
I’ll leave the rest for you to read on your own, but Elisha prayed again and amazing things happened!
Conclusion
So, does prayer work? These Biblical examples clearly answer that question. If you have an example of how God answered your prayers, please leave a comment below so that people can read modern-day examples of God working in our lives.
God answers prayer. The
I hope this post encourages you to spend time with God in prayer.
If you are unsure what to pray please check out my Praying From Scratch cards!
