What are the two types of prayer in christianity ? Prayer is a big thing in christianity. It is a way to show devotion to god or to receive the help of god. There are two types of prayer. The first type is the personal prayer. This type is usually done by yourself and you ask for anything you need or want. The second type of prayer can be done with other people . It is called corporate prayer and it also refers to worshipping together as a community.
All over the Bible, we see people praying in different ways. While some may find this confusing, others may find it quite useful. Let’s start with the most basic definition of prayer: talking to God; different prayers are not different ways of trying to persuade God to do what you want. To communicate with God in prayer is not to manipulate God.
There’s always a point to our conversations with other people. We’d like to relay some information to you. It’s at this point that we can start talking about different “types” of prayer.
Jesus’ teachings on prayer suggest that “way” may be more appropriate than “type” here. This exposition discusses 5 types of prayer, and examples of prayer
Types Of Prayer In Christianity
The Bible reveals many types of prayers and employs a variety of words to describe the practice. For example, 1 Timothy 2:1 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” Here, all four of the main Greek words used for prayer are mentioned in one verse.
Here are the main types of prayers in the Bible:
The prayer of faith: James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” In this context, prayer is offered in faith for someone who is sick, asking God to heal. When we pray, we are to believe in the power and goodness of God (Mark 9:23).
The prayer of agreement (also known as corporate prayer): After Jesus’ ascension, the disciples “all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14). Later, after Pentecost, the early church “devoted themselves” to prayer (Acts 2:42). Their example encourages us to pray with others.
The prayer of request (or supplication): We are to take our requests to God. Philippians 4:6 teaches, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Part of winning the spiritual battle is to be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18).
The prayer of thanksgiving: We see another type of prayer in Philippians 4:6: thanksgiving or thanks to God. “With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Many examples of thanksgiving prayers can be found in the Psalms.
The prayer of worship: The prayer of worship is similar to the prayer of thanksgiving. The difference is that worship focuses on who God is; thanksgiving focuses on what God has done. Church leaders in Antioch prayed in this manner with fasting: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3).
The prayer of consecration: Sometimes, prayer is a time of setting ourselves apart to follow God’s will. Jesus made such a prayer the night before His crucifixion: “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will’” (Matthew 26:39).
The prayer of intercession: Many times, our prayers include requests for others as we intercede for them. We are told to make intercession “for everyone” in 1 Timothy 2:1. Jesus serves as our example in this area. The whole of John 17 is a prayer of Jesus on behalf of His disciples and all believers.
The prayer of imprecation: Imprecatory prayers are found in the Psalms (e.g., 7, 55, 69). They are used to invoke God’s judgment on the wicked and thereby avenge the righteous. The psalmists use this type of appeal to emphasize the holiness of God and the surety of His judgment. Jesus teaches us to pray for blessing on our enemies, not cursing (Matthew 5:44-48).
The Bible also speaks of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:14-15) and prayers when we are unable to think of adequate words (Romans 8:26-27). In those times, the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us.
Prayer is conversation with God and should be made without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). As we grow in our love for Jesus Christ, we will naturally desire to talk to Him.
Types Of Prayer
Although there are many different types of prayer, the following seven are the biggest ones. Each prayer type has one or two scriptures to give examples of those prayers. Here are the 7 main types of prayer:
- Prayer of Worship
- Prayer of Thanksgiving
- Prayer of Faith
- Prayer of Intercession
- Corporate Prayer
- Prayer of Consecration
- Prayer of the Holy Spirit
1) Prayer of Worship – Hebrews 13:15 & Revelation 4:11
One of the biggest types of prayer is a prayer of worship. Worshiping the Lord focuses on who God is. It is us recognizing God’s power and majesty.
These prayers can be as simple as, “God, you’re so good.” or as huge as in Revelation 4:11, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created.”
Worship can mean anything from singing praise songs, or it can mean simply doing what Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
2) Prayer of Thanksgiving – Psalms 100:4
Praying our thankfulness to the One who gave us what we have in our lives is another way we can pray. It is closely related to a prayer of worship, although the difference is that one is recognizing who God is, and the other is giving thanks to God for what He has done.
Psalms 100:4 sums both of the prayer types up by saying, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
3) Prayer of Faith – James 5:13-16
When we pray in faith, it is us reaffirming that we have faith in God’s will. It isn’t us enforcing our will into His, but it is us conceding that His will be done.
One example of this is in James 5:13-16 where it says, “13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
4) Prayer of Intercession – Daniel 9:1-27
Intercession is the act of praying on behalf of another person or group of people. When we pray for the well-being of others we are interceding on their behalf.
There are many examples of this kind of prayer throughout the Bible, but a clear one is Daniel 9:1-27. In this passage, Daniel goes to the Lord and intercedes on behalf of his people. We can also do this in our lives.
5) Corporate Prayer – Acts 12:5-18
Corporate prayer is praying in a group. This can bring a sense of unity and community to you and your fellow believers.
If you have been to a church service, then you have experienced this kind of prayer. An example of this type of prayer is in Acts 12:5-18. In this passage, the church is praying for Peter’s wellbeing.
6) Prayer of Consecration – Matthew 26:26-27
When we take communion, we are praying a prayer of consecration. This means we are consecrating the bread and wine (or grape juice) and asking God to make it holy. Jesus himself did this in Matthew 26:26-27, “26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.”
7) Prayer of the Holy Spirit – Romans 8:26-27
Sometimes we don’t know what we want or need to pray for at any given time. In Romans 8:26-27 the Bible says, “26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
Examples Of Prayer In The Bible
If you ever find yourself at a loss for what to pray for, the Bible, which was written by God Himself, is the best resource available. Almost every book of the Bible makes some sort of appeal or request, and every single one of those pages highlights yet another reason why we require a Savior. If you find yourself at a loss for words, Scripture should be your first port of call.
We could list hundreds of prayers from the Bible, but instead we’ve chosen five of our favorites to demonstrate how abundantly Scripture is filled with opportunities to pray to our mighty God.
This is Jabez’s Prayer (1 Chronicles 4:10)
The author of Chronicles can’t help but go on and on when he lists all of Judah’s offspring for us. In the midst of all these names, he brings up Jabez, a man he wants us to remember as an honorable person. The following prayer is for anyone who has ever felt responsible for another person’s suffering or who has wished they could have faith that God is capable of doing more than they could ever ask or imagine.
Jabez beseeched the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” Please protect me from harm and bring me relief from suffering. To which God graciously acceded.
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God’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13)
In terms of prayers, this one is a true classic. The majority of us have prayed this way before, and we could probably recite it now if we had to. Jesus gave us a template to follow, but it’s about so much more than just memorizing a set of rules. All that we require for the day can be found in this prayer: the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will. It packs a serious punch. So, let’s examine its lessons more closely:
The Lord, our God, you are holy. Pray that God’s will be done, both here on earth and in heaven. Bread for today, and forgiveness of debts, just as we have forgiven those who have owed us. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Salvation Prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2:2–9)
While most of us are unlikely to meet the same fate as Jonah and be swallowed by a massive fish, we can still feel the same sense of disgrace and regret that he did after turning his back on God. A heartfelt framework for our own prayers of contrition is provided by the prophet’s appeal to the Father. Keep in mind that God granted this genuinely respectful request:
When I needed help, I cried out to the Lord, and he came through for me. I yelled for assistance from the underworld, and you heard me. You threw me down into the ocean’s core, where I was buffeted by whirling currents and washed over by crashing waves. My words were, “I have been cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.” My life was in danger from the encroaching waters; I was surrounded by the ocean, and seaweed had coiled itself around my head. I sank to the base of the mountains, where the ground firmly repelled me. But you, O Lord, my God, raised my mortal coil from the depths.
At the end of my life, I thought of the Lord, and my prayers ascended to his holy temple. Those who worship false gods reject God’s unfailing love for them. But I will sacrifice to you with cries of thanksgiving and honor. I intend to fulfill my promises. The Lord alone is our source of salvation, I declare.
Salvation Through David’s Prayer (Psalm 3)
It was difficult to pick just one, as the Psalms are full of supplications and laments. This sage book is perfect if you’d like a primer on prayer. But we picked Psalm 3 because it paints a clear picture of how it feels to cry out to God in times of trouble. In the same way that David’s words are applicable to the workplace and modern lifestyle, they are also applicable to his wars.
O God, my enemies are numerous. How many people dare to oppose me! I’ve heard it said, “God won’t deliver him.” But the Lord is my protection, my crown of glory, the One who makes me stand tall. When I yell to the Lord, he hears me from heaven on his holy mountain. After going to bed, I sleep well and awake refreshed because the Lord is my helper. Even if tens of thousands of them surround me, I won’t be afraid. Come up, God! God, please save me! Break the teeth of the wicked and smack the jaws of all my foes. Freedom is a gift from God. Your people deserve your blessing.
Hanna’s Thanksgiving Prayer (1 Samuel 2:1–10)
Hannah immediately begins to praise God after receiving the child she had prayed for. After being saved by Him, she feels compelled to praise Him for His greatness. When God answers our prayers, we often fail to thank Him by praying again. Thankfulness can be facilitated by the following prayer:
The Lord is the joy of my heart, and the stronghold of my horn. Because of my joy at your deliverance, I make fun of my enemies with my tongue. For there is no God besides you, O Lord; there is no rock like our God. Don’t be so haughty in your speech any longer; the Lord is a God of wisdom, and he evaluates deeds. When their bows are broken, the powerful fall but the weak cling to theirs. Those who were well fed have sold their labor for food, but the hungry no longer feel hungry. The childless woman has given birth to seven, while the childless mother is sad. The Lord is a God of death and life, who both destroys and revives. The Lord brings low and lifts high; he makes poor and makes rich. He brings the downtrodden from their squalor and causes the destitute to inherit a place of prominence alongside kings. Since the earth’s foundations belong to the Lord, it is on them that he has established the global community.
Not by strength shall a man prevail; therefore, he will keep the feet of his faithful ones safe. The Lord’s enemies will be shattered; he will roar down from heaven to destroy them. A final judgment will be made by the Lord; he will strengthen his king and lift up the horn of his anointed
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Don’t Worry About Praying “The Right Way”
At the end of the day, it is important to lose our fear of praying “wrong.” There is no wrong way to pray honestly. If you are being honest with God and honest with yourself, then you are praying correctly.
God can handle our anger, our grief, and our fears. He is there to walk with us through our journey, and He wants to see our growth.
Pray All the Time
We want to get to the point where we are praying constantly because that is what helps us grow in our relationship with God. It takes time to get there, but we should be striving for it