Becoming a prayer warrior starts with a desire to develop a deeper relationship with God through prayer. Prayer warriors make prayer a priority in their daily lives and devote themselves to praying for others, situations, and issues regularly. Here are some tips from the Bible on how to grow as a prayer warrior:
1. Pray persistently
Jesus emphasized the importance of persistent prayer in Luke 18:1-8 (ESV), sharing the parable of the persistent widow who kept appealing to an unjust judge until he granted her request. Though we appeal to a loving God rather than an unjust judge, Jesus highlights that we should pray persistently rather than giving up. Persistence in prayer demonstrates faith that God hears us and can work in mighty ways.
We see many examples of persistent prayer throughout the Bible. In Matthew 15:21-28 (ESV), the Canaanite woman kept crying out to Jesus to heal her daughter despite initial silence from Jesus. Her persistence paid off as her daughter was healed. Another example is the paralyzed man lowered through the roof in Mark 2:1-12. His friends were so persistent in getting him before Jesus that they dug through the roof! Their faith led to his healing.
As prayer warriors, we need to pray persistently rather than just casually or sporadically. Keep bringing requests to God daily rather than just one time. For bigger requests, you may need to pray persistently for years, but your persistence demonstrates faith that God hears you.
2. Follow Jesus’ model of prayer
Jesus himself was the greatest of prayer warriors during his earthly ministry. If we want to grow in prayer, it helps to follow Jesus’ model of prayer.
Luke 5:16 (ESV) notes that Jesus often withdrew to desolate places to pray. Jesus made prayer a high priority even when busy ministering to others. He knew the power of prayer and started his days praying to be filled with strength by the Spirit. We should similarly commit to start our days with prayer for God’s guidance and strength.
Before choosing the twelve apostles in Luke 6:12-13 (ESV), Jesus prayed all night long. He saw the importance of prayer before big decisions rather than rushing ahead on our own wisdom. We too should thoroughly bathe important decisions in prayer seeking God’s will.
In tough times, Jesus continued to pray trusting his Father’s purposes. In Matthew 26:36-44 (ESV) Jesus fervently prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion, exemplifying crying out to God in desperate and sad times.
We can model Jesus’ passionate and persistent prayer life. Praying through our decisions, challenges, and ups and downs will strengthen our connection as prayer warriors.
3. Pray according to God’s will
God calls us to pray according to his will and purposes. 1 John 5:14-15 (ESV) shares, “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.” As we mature in Christ, we will pray more according to His will naturally rather than just our wishes. This involves aligning our heart with God’s desires.
We can discover God’s will through Bible study and examination. If we find a clear principle or command in Scripture, we should pray accordingly. For example, we should pray for our enemies or those who mistreat us based on Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5:44 (ESV) to love our enemies. Though our natural inclination may be to avoid or condemn our enemies, we should pray for their well-being and salvation instead. This demonstrates trust in God’s plan.
For topics less clear in Scripture, we can seek wisdom and insight through prayer itself. James 1:5 (ESV) assures that God will give wisdom generously to those who ask Him. The Holy Spirit can also guide our intuition on how to pray according to God’s purposes.
As prayer warriors, we show maturity when we pray according to God’s greater will rather than just our personal desires in the moment. This comes through intimacy with God.
4. Pray with faith
Prayer warriors pray with deep faith in God’s ability to respond. Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) declares, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Believing that God can and will act is essential to effective prayer. Doubt and unbelief hamper our prayers.
Mark 11:22-24 (ESV) shows Jesus’ encouragement to pray with faith: “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” While the “mountain” here can represent obstacles in our lives, Jesus’ main point is that through faith in prayer, God can work amazingly.
Becoming a prayer warrior involves growing in boldness to pray for things that seem impossible in the natural. As our intimacy with God develops through persistent and faithful prayer, He may lead us to start praying for healing, miracles, reconciliation in relationships, and more based on His leading and direction. Our role is simply to pray with faith.
5. Pray Scripture
Praying Scripture helps us pray powerfully according to God’s will. The phrases and themes we pray become aligned with God’s truth versus just our opinions. The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV), “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” Praying Scripture unleashes the power of God’s Word in our lives.
To pray Scripture, take passages and literally pray the words back to God. For example, you can pray Psalm 23 verse-by-verse. You could pray, “Lord, you are my shepherd, I shall not want…” and continue reciting the psalm prayerfully. Let the passages sink into your heart as you pray them. The Psalms are great for praying Scripture given their expression of various human emotions and situations.
You can also identify key themes or phrases from passages to pray. For example, from Colossians 1:9-12 (ESV), you could pray regularly: “Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” and “Lord, make me fully pleasing to you, bearing fruit in every good work.” Your prayer life will be enriched as it aligns with Scripture.
6. Pray in Jesus’ name
Praying in Jesus’ name means we pray according to his character, will, and purposes—not simply tacking on the phrase “in Jesus’ name” at the end. Jesus assures us in John 14:13-14 (ESV), “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” As prayer warriors who have accepted Christ, we have the privilege of praying directly to the Father in Jesus’ name.
Praying in Jesus’ name involves recognizing we approach God based on Jesus’ sacrifice for us rather than our own worthiness. We can boldly and confidently approach God because of Christ’s atonement, as Hebrews 4:16 (ESV) notes, “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.”
This privilege also means we want our prayers to align with Jesus’ character—his mercy, grace, compassion, righteousness, and love. We should pray “in Jesus’ name” meaning according to his character and will.
7. Pray for others
Part of being a prayer warrior involves interceding for others regularly. As 1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV) encourages, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” Praying for others demonstrates selfless love and care.
We see Jesus’ selfless prayer life in passages like John 17 where he prays at length for his disciples. Following Jesus’ model, we can lift up prayers for those in our spheres of influence including family, friends, co-workers, leaders, neighbors, our church, and more. Think beyond just their physical needs to pray for their faith, struggles with sin, decision-making, and more. Be specific in praying for others.
Matthew 5:44 (ESV) even commands us to pray for our enemies—“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Blessing others through prayer, even those who mistreat us, is key to being a prayer warrior.
Keep a running prayer list of people and situations heavy on your heart. Devote yourself to regularly lifting them up to God in detail. Praying for others will change your heart and draw you closer to God in the process.
8. Fast along with prayer
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that can boost the effectiveness of our prayers. By temporarily giving up food or other things, we direct that time and focus to prayer and intensely seek the Lord. Fasting demonstrates the sincerity of our prayers and helps intensify our desires for God’s purposes.
In Matthew 6:16-18 (ESV), Jesus gave instructions on fasting: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Fasting should center on God, not outward displays.
In times of deep seeking and crying out to God, fasting can support persistent prayer. Combining fasting with prayer allows us to devote additional focus, time, and sacrifice toward God to show the depth of our desire and trust.
9. Pray the Word using Scripture-based prayers
Praying Scripture back to God is so powerful that entire prayer books have been written just using the Bible as the prayers. These Scripture-based prayers take key phrases from passages and transform them into prayer. They capture the truth and essence of Scripture to focus our prayers on biblical ideas rather than just our opinions. They teach us to pray biblically as prayer warriors.
For example, Nichole Nordeman’s book “Every Mile Mattered” compiles verses into prayers organized by topics like comfort, healing, protection, etc. It turns the passage from Hebrews 4:16 (ESV), “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” into a bold prayer: “Lord, I draw near to Your throne of grace with confidence. I ask You for mercy and grace to help me in my time of need today…”
Pre-written prayers like this can jumpstart our Scripture-based prayer life. Over time as we internalize them, our own prayers will become more biblically grounded.
10. Journal your prayers
Recording your prayers in a journal is a helpful tool for any prayer warrior. Writing down your prayers solidifies your thoughts and helps you track how God moves over time. You can note when and how God answered a prayer, which strengthens your faith. Journaling creates a record of your journey with insight you can refer back to later.
In your journal, you can record prayer requests, prayers for others, prayers in response to sermons, prayers during difficult times, and more. Journaling allows you to freely pour out your heart to God. You may find writing your prayers promotes greater focus and sincerity. Re-reading past journal entries gives you a window into your spiritual journey and deepening prayer life.
Add variety to your prayer journal with written prayers, topical prayer lists, praise reports of answered prayer, study notes from devotions, and any reflections on your prayer life. Let journaling move you forward in your role as a prayer warrior.
Growing as a dedicated prayer warrior involves commitment, persistence, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. But the effort is well worth it. A robust prayer life will transform how you view life’s circumstances, approach decisions, minister to others, pursue intimacy with Christ, and more. Our lives overflow with greater power, faith and purpose when prayer becomes a central pillar guiding our days. Developing as a prayer warrior equips you for victory in the spiritual battles of this world as you tap into the power of the Holy Spirit through consistent, intentional prayer.