How to Pray with Power

The secret to powerful prayer

David Yonggi Cho was a South Korean Christian minister and founder of Yoido Full Gospel Church, which is one of the largest congregations in the world. He also established a prayer mountain that shifted the spiritual atmosphere over South Korea.

He said his secret was, “I pray, and I obey.”

There is no formula

Below are some “tracks for you to roll on” based on your gifts, personality and season of life.

This may change based on where you are in your process of maturity and your situation in life.

There is no proper prayer formula or model to effectively pray!

What matters is that you connect with the Lord as you would in a relationship with someone on Earth.

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The parable of the unjust judge

In Luke 18:1–3, the woman kept coming back, day after day, asking for justice. The judge finally gave it to her.

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” Luke 18:6–8 NIV

How to make prayer a priority

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35 NIV

To pray effectively, you need to have an intimate relationship with the Lord.

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You don’t have to pray your laundry list of needs every time. You can just spend time with God and get to know Him better.

Reading the Bible will help you know God and your rights. And by combining this with worship and communion, you will go to new levels with the Lord.

Steps to praying more effectively

Get real with God and talk from your heart. Be like a person having a conversation with a father or a friend.

Create a list of Bible verses that have meaning for you or to back up what you are asking God for.

[Tweet “Write down prophetic words and promises that God has given you, especially the ones that have not yet come to pass.“] 

Write down prophetic words and promises that God has given you, especially the ones that have not yet come to pass.

Be like the widow in Luke 18 and continue to ask!

Keep a record of your needs and prayers and the ways God is answering them.

Praying continually

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NIV

You can be in a state of constant prayer and interaction with the Lord throughout your day.

Use worship songs and Bible verses to pray back to the Lord.

Go beyond asking for your needs to be met and pray for the people around you and in your life.

Prayer types and styles

• Reflective prayer
• Intercession for yourself and others
• Praying the Bible (declarations)
• Healing prayer
• Listening prayer
• Spontaneous prayer or tongues
• Worship music
• Prayer and fasting
• Prophetic intercession and watchman
• Spiritual warfare

Clues about your style

God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:6 NLT

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Are you better in the morning, afternoon or evening?

What are your natural gifts and talents?

What teachers or ministers are you drawn to?

Your spiritual gifts influence your style!

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:4–5 NIV

[Tweet “You might operate in one gift more than another, but you have access to everything you need through the Holy Spirit.“] 

You might operate in one gift more than another, but you have access to everything you need through the Holy Spirit.

It is common to have a dominant gift or set of gifts such as: administration, compassion, evangelism, intercession, healing, teaching, prophetic, pastoring, etc.

Remember, these are gifts and functions and not necessarily positions in the church or community.

The Holy Spirit tool belt

It is easier to understand prayer as wearing a “Holy Spirit tool belt,” similar to what a carpenter might wear.

You see this with Jesus and His disciples, and they operated in all the gifts.

Another example is cooking utensils. You might be better at using certain tools, but you have the whole toolbox available to you.

No matter what gift you tend to use more, everyone can pray for the sick, see people healed, use gifts of encouragement, hospitality, etc.

Mixing prayer with other gifts and styles

You don’t have to go into a dark, quiet room or close yourself off to pray unless that is your style.

You can combine prayer with worship music, acts of compassion, creating financial strategies and spreadsheets, etc.

Try not to fall into a rut of praying the same way all the time. Mix up your routine to stay fresh!

Try taking prayer walks or drives, praying with others, praying over text, declaring and praying the Bible, etc.

Where to go from here

Just as you don’t have to be a prophet to hear God and give a prophetic word, so it is with praying.

You don’t have to spend hours in prayer to be effective.

You have access to everything you need through God’s love and the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are part of the Body of Christ, which is made up of many parts (1 Corinthians 12). Your style of praying will be different!

Blessings, 

Doug Addison
DougAddison.com

P.S. When you pray with power, things shift and the breakthrough comes! The Lord has so much to say to you right now and He wants to reveal specific strategies and plans! I want to help in this pivotal season to go deeper with the prayer tools I’ve learned. You Can Hear God Now will take you to the next level and prepare you for the rolling out of your destiny. Find out more here.

Doug Addison is the founder and president of InLight Connection. Doug is a prophetic speaker, author and coach. He is known for his Daily Prophetic Words, Spirit Connection podcast and blog. He and his wife Linda live in Los Angeles, California where they are impacting the arts, entertainment and media industries.