To be a prayer warrior, commit to praying daily. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Practicing prayer makes you better at it...
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Do you wish you could pray for others in a more effective way? Have you ever considered honing your skills as a prayer warrior? I’m here to tell you – you can! (see the 8 keys at the bottom of the page)
God meant for everyone to be a powerful and effective prayer warrior. That’s why prayer is not one of the spiritual gifts. It isn’t for only a few or select people. It’s not just for leaders or pastors. Praying is an activity that is open to all believers. Christians are expected to pray for each other constantly.
What is a Prayer warrior?
A prayer warrior is someone who understands that our battle is spiritual warfare and wants to participate on “God’s team.” He or she commits to praying diligently and constantly in the name of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean he never stops praying, but that he is committed to praying many times daily. His prayer life is consistent and his dedication is unwavering.
As you get to know people, you usually end up knowing a lot of their personal history. You learn about their strengths and weaknesses, and through that you become aware of how to pray for them. For example, you have a close friend, Margie. Margie’s cousins were killed in a crash. The child they left behind is hyperactive, and you can’t imagine Margie having enough patience to deal with him, but she seems anxious to take him on. Rather than discuss it with her, which is bound to raise some hurt feelings, you can pray privately for her, asking God to give your friend the patience she needs to deal with her new child.
All believers are called by God to fight in the spiritual battle that is good against evil. Evil (or Satan, or the devil) wants to cause suffering. God works to cause everything to work for righteous principles. Remember that wherever Satan is at work, God is already there working:
But where sin increased, grace increased all the more (Romans 5:20, NIV)
A prayer warrior is someone who answers God’s call to participate in the battle. Prayer warriors clearly see the spiritual battle and act by working alongside each other to pray – thus taking on the fight.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5)
Are you Equipped to Be a Prayer Warrior?
As you begin to pray, God will guide you in the way you should pray. He will show you the various battles. At first you may only be aware of one battle, and then you may not see another for many months. But as you become stronger in your quest to become a prayer warrior, you will begin to see more and more of the spiritual battles that are raging around you.
Becoming more sensitive to the spiritual means seeing more things to pray about. It is a cycle that helps you to increase in knowledge and in the strength of your prayers. We must put on the full armor of God in order to pray effectively. It is God’s power that is needed here. We are all equipped with the tools to pray because we are promised to be able to do all things through Christ. All we need to do is begin.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1. If you feel the need to pray about it first, then do so. But God wants every believer to pray so it’s possible that he will give you a resounding “yes.”
2. Begin your prayers knowing who the winner is. Please don’t ever feel burdened or overwhelmed. God is the victor.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6, NIV)
3. Commit to praying daily. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing, so a prayer warrior does not pray just once a day but several or many times. Practicing prayer makes you better at it, which makes you a stronger prayer warrior.
4. Strengthen your relationship with Christ. A closer walk means a better understanding of what prayers you need to pray. Also as you develop a heart like his, you will see things in perspective and pray correctly.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
5. Start a prayer journal. It can be as simple as a small notebook where you can jot down who needs prayer. You can also put things you discern that you might want to refer to later, to pray over and ask the Lord if this is a real need. Many times prayer warriors have an understanding than others don’t about spiritual matters.
6. Learn Scripture. Memorizing Scripture means you can incorporate it into your prayers.
7. Let others know you are praying. Your pastor and your church’s prayer groups will want to include you in their activities. Your friends will appreciate knowing who will pray for them when they feel a need for it.
8. However…. Don’t do it just for public gain. Keep your prayer life private and your heart humble. It is always God who answers prayer – not us.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray to stand in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward. Matthew 6:5
If my people, who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.(2 Chronicles 7:14)
Q&A About Prayer
Q: Do I have authority to pray?
A: Jesus gave us his authority. Pray in Jesus’ name and know that you pray within the highest authority of all.
Q: How do I know there will be victory from my prayers?
A: you can start from a position of victory. Although the Lord may not answer every single prayer of yours in the way you imagine he should, the victory is already his. Many, many situations will be righted because of prayer warriors and their diligence. Also see How Does Prayer Change Things.
Q: Sometimes I feel discouraged by the huge amount of prayers I need to pray.
A: Never feel discouraged! Your strength comes from God. He will make the path clear for you. If you are discouraged, divide your list into smaller parts and only pray for some of them at a time. For example, pray for the first 1/3 of the list in the morning, then then next in the afternoon and the last in the evening. Or pray on Mondays for everyone who is ill, on Tuesday s for those who lead worship, and so on. There are many ways to make your list smaller. And don’t’ forget that you can always get a prayer partner to help you pray.
Verses about Prayer
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
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
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray to stand in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward. Matthew 6:5
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20)
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
