Prayer is a familiar practice for many of us, often woven into the fabric of our daily lives. For some, it’s a ritual performed multiple times throughout the day. But what motivates us to pray?

I understand why I pray. I seek constant forgiveness and guidance to navigate life’s challenges and difficulties. I pray for the protection of those I love, as well as those I may not. I communicate with Yahuah to express my love and respect for Him, and to show my gratitude for sending His son, Yahusha, who laid down His life for my sins and rose again triumphantly as the Messiah and high Melchizedek priest, interceding for me at the right hand of the Father.

I offer my thanks, fully aware that I do not deserve even a fraction of His grace and forgiveness. Yet, His word assures me that He loves and cares for me. Who am I to receive such kindness?

I pray in gratitude for the food and provisions in my life. (Philippians 4:19) I seek discernment and wisdom as I study Scripture. I also pray for the courage to speak before a crowd of believers, many of whom possess far greater knowledge than I do. Most importantly, I ask for the Ruach HaKodesh to speak through me, delivering Yahuah’s message rather than my own.

The Prophet Isaiah eloquently captures Yahuah’s faithfulness to all who are considered ‘the remnant of Israel’—those who place their prayerful trust in Him:

I will be the same until your old age, and I will bear you up when you  turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will bear and save you.

Isaiah 46:4

Examples of Effective Prayer

Of course we know that in Matthew 6:9-13 Yahusha taught us to pray – commonly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer. However, this is not the only approach we should take in prayer. In verse five of Matthew 6, Yahusha admonished us to be authentic.

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing 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. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matthew 6:5-8

So it is okay to pray in other ways and for specific purposes. Other notable prayers you may  recall from the Bible are:

Yahusha’s prayer prior to his crucifixion:

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Matthew 26:39

Hannah’s prayer for a child:

In her deep anguish Hannah  prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you  will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant  but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor  will ever be used on his head.”

1 Samuel 1:10-11

Solomon’s prayer for wisdom:

Now, Yahuah my Elohim, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

1 Kings 3:7-9

David’s prayer of personal repentence:

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to  your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51:1-2

Daniel’s prays for the repentance of Yah’s people:

“I prayed to the Lord my God and  confessed: ‘Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with  those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We  have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and  laws.” 

Daniel 9:4-5

Effective Prayer Requires Preparation

It is essential to examine certain specific preparations mentioned in scripture and explore how they relate to effective prayer.

First we will examine Mark 9:14-29:

Synopsis: Jesus encounters a large crowd and finds His disciples arguing with some scribes. A man approaches Him, explaining that his son is possessed by a spirit that causes severe physical convulsions and has made him unable to speak. The man had asked Jesus’ disciples to cast out the spirit, but they were unsuccessful. Jesus expresses frustration at the lack of faith among the people and asks for the boy to be brought to Him. When the boy is presented, he convulses violently. The father shares that this has been happening since childhood and pleads for help, expressing doubt in his belief. Jesus reassures him that all things are possible for those who believe. The father cries out for help with his unbelief. Jesus then commands the unclean spirit to leave the boy, and despite the boy appearing dead after the spirit’s departure, Jesus lifts him up, restoring him to life. After He went into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why  couldn’t we drive it out? ” And He told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but  prayer and fasting .”

Key: The disciples were unable to drive out the unclean spirit because they had not spent time praying and fasting prior to the encounter.

Another one of my favorites is Elihjah’s prayer on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18:20-38:

Synopsis: The prophet Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to demonstrate the power of the true God. He challenges them to a contest: each side will prepare a bull for sacrifice and call upon their deity to send down fire to consume it. The prophets of Baal go first, calling out and performing rituals all day without any response from Baal. Elijah then prepares his altar, drenches it with water, and prays to the Lord. God answers Elijah’s prayer by sending fire from heaven, consuming the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the water in the trench around the altar. This event leads the people to proclaim that the Lord is the true God.

Keys: There are several key components tied to effective prayer in action here. In verse 24 the prophet drew a line between the One True Elohim – YHWH– and the false gods and priests of Baal. This is a very important distinction that will impact our prayer lives.  In verses 30-33 Elijah called the people near as he took the time to repair the altar of worship that had been neglected. This neglect served as a metaphor for the deterioration of the people’s faith. In repairing the altar, Elijah was obeying the requirements of the Law (Leviticus 1:9) which were binding on Israel.  Yahuah’s commands are also binding on us. Lastly, in verses 36-37 Elijah reminded the people of their heritage by invoking the names of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Israel) who in times past were also witnesses to YHWH’s miraculous power (often by fire) on their behalf. He was able to perform this amazing thing on Mt. Carmel because he acted according to Yah’s word.

Here are a few other examples of effective prayer from scripture to examine for this study:

• Elijah prays for rain in 1 Kings 18: 41-45
• Hezekiah’s prayer for healing in 2 Kings 20:1-6   
• Hezekiah’s Petition for Deliverance from the king of Assyria in 2 Kings 19:14-19 
• Jabez’s prayer for blessing in 1 Chronicles 4:10 
• Yahusha’s prayer for Lazarus to be raised from the dead in John 11:41-44  
• Peter’s rescue from prison in Acts 12:5-17  (Here it doesn’t quote the prayer but in verse 5 it reads “So Kĕpha was indeed kept in  prison, but prayer was earnestly made to Elohim on his behalf by the assembly.”) 
• Paul and Silas’ rescue from prison in Acts 16:25-26 (Again, here it doesn’t quote the prayer but in verse 25 it reads “And at midnight  Sha’ul and Silas were praying and singing songs to Elohim, and the prisoners were  listening to them.” )
• Moses’ intercession for Israel in Exodus 32:11-14 
• Daniel’s prayer for Wisdom to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:17-23 
• Jehoshaphat’s prayer for deliverance from the enemy army in 2 Chronicles 20:5-12 
• Jesus feeding 5,000 in Matthew 14:15-22 
• Yahusha calms the storm in Mark 4:35-41 

While there are numerous examples to explore in this study, I think these examples are particularly relevant and worth considering.

Understanding Effective Prayer: What It Looks Like and How It Works

Growing up in Oklahoma with a mother who had unwavering faith in the power of prayer, I learned early on that when severe weather approaches, we pray against the storm, rebuking it and commanding it to be calm and still, just as Yahusha did. I am grateful to have witnessed storm after storm dissipate as it neared our home, all thanks to our prayers. Praise Yahuah!

Let’s consider what effective prayer really looks like in our lives. You may be familiar with the examples listed below.  However, when reading through them this time around, pay particular attention to small details and hints presented in the text, which point us toward achieving effective prayer.

What are some passages that discuss prayer in a higher level of detail? We will begin with James 5:13-19, which focuses on prayers that target specific needs.

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

At the end of this section of scripture, James uses Elijah as an example of what effectual prayer can accomplish.

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

James 5:17-18

The Method of Effective Prayer

Now we will focus on the ‘method’ presented in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which leads to achieving the desired result in one’s prayer life.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Realize you are ‘His people called by His name → Humble yourself → Seek His face (meaning seek his torah/ways in earnest) → Turn away from wicked ways (meaning truly repenting from sins and sinning no more = Yahuah hearing you (your prayers) from heaven = Forgiveness of one’s sins and healing of the land.

So essentially the formula for effective prayer is:

Self Realization of Identity + Work + Faith + Learning + Difficult lifestyle changing work = Yah actually hearing prayer = Forgiveness and Healing.

I won’t break down the subsequent examples listed below in this way, but hopefully this gives a visual of how  to identify key points, key words, and methodologies of achieving more effective prayer, in your  personal studies.

• 1 Kings 8:22-53 – Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication: Here we see King Solomon’s extensive  prayer at the dedication of the temple, highlighting the importance of repentance,  forgiveness, and Yah’s faithfulness. 

• Daniel 9:1-19 – Daniel’s Prayer for His People: Daniel’s pours out his heart in confession,  repentance, and supplication for the people of Israel, humbly seeking and seeking  God’s mercy.

• Mark 11:24 – Highlights the importance of faith in Yahuah, believing that He is able to accomplish things that appear impossible with infinite ease. 

• Philippians 4:6-7 – Emphasizes that there is to be such confidence in Yah as to free our mind from anxiety, and such a sense of dependence on Him as to keep it calm.  Everything is in reference to the supply of our wants and our spiritual condition.Supplication is a mode of prayer which arises from that sense of need or want. Thanksgiving is the heart condition necessary as we make our requests known.

• 1 John 5:14-15 –  The confidence referred to here is that which relates to the answer to prayer. The sense is that one of the effects of believing on Messiah is that we have the assurance that our prayers will be answered. We must remember also that Yah has not promised to grant anything that is contrary to His will. The expression ‘according to His will’ is a) in accordance with what He has declared He is willing to grant and b) limits the answer to prayer to what He sees to be best for us and our situation.

• John 17 – Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer: This entire chapter is a beautiful prayer by Yahusha,  where he prays for Himself, His disciples, and all believers. 

•• In Ephesians 1:15-19 , Paul highlights a heart full of thanksgiving, asks for wisdom and revelation of knowledge and that the Ephesians would have enlightened minds to know the ‘hope of His calling’ for their lives.

One prayer many are familiar with is from Daniel 9:1-20. Often referred to as a prayer for his people, Daniel’s Prayer is a shining example of how confession and humility can be the catalysts for powerful prayer. Here is the preamble, and the prayer in its entirety, for you to review and analyze in your devotional time:

In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was ruler  over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel,  understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the  prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70.  So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of  Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel — those who are near and those  who are far, in all the countries where You have dispersed them because of the  disloyalty they have shown toward You. 8Lord, public shame belongs to us, our  kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 

Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have  rebelled against Him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by  following His instructions that He set before us through His servants the prophets.  All Israel has broken Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. The  promised curse written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured  out on us because we have sinned against Him. He has carried out His words  that He spoke against us and against our rulers by bringing on us so great a  disaster that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done  under all of heaven. 

Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has  come on us, yet we have not appeased the Lord our God by turning from our  iniquities and paying attention to Your truth. So the Lord kept the disaster in  mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all He has done. But  we have not obeyed Him. 

Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of  the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made Your name renowned as it is this day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. Lord, in keeping with all Your  righteous acts, may Your anger and wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers,  Jerusalem and Your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around  us.

Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of Your servant. Show  Your favor to Your desolate sanctuary for the Lord’s sake. Listen, my God, and  hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city called by Your name. For  we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but  based on Your abundant compassion. Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and  act! My God, for Your own sake, do not delay, because Your city and Your people  are called by Your name.

In Part II of  “Effective Prayer: A Torah Perspective”, we will explore how prayer preparation results in an impactful and meaningful life and why it is important.