A Short Book on Effective Prayer

© Kevin P. Halloran, 2023

The Author

Kevin serves with Open the Bible. Kevin loves spending time with his wife, Jazlynn, and two
young daughters. In his free time, you can find him reading, writing (in English and
Spanish), and serving at his church. Kevin is the author of When Prayer is a Struggle: A
Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer (P&R). Follow Kevin on Facebook
Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
____________________

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
 Table of Contents
Introduction
1. What Is Effective Prayer?
2. How the Lord’s Prayer Can Help You Overcome Your Prayer Struggles
3. How to Pray When You’re Overwhelmed with Need
4. How to Have a More Joyful Prayer Life
5. A Prayer Against Spiritual Complacency
—
Recommended Book: When Prayer Is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles
in Prayer
Free Resource: A Free Worksheet to Organize Your Prayer Life
Free Charles Spurgeon eBook
 Introduction
—
What is effective prayer?

It’s a question every Christian asks either consciously or unconsciously. We want our
prayers to work. We want them to accomplish their purpose.

I’ll let you in on a secret: prayer doesn’t work without our God who hears us and makes it
work. In other words, God works sovereignly through our prayers, our prayers don’t have
power in themselves.

But to really know how to pray effectively, we need to know what God says about effective
prayer, how our sinful hearts can hinder effective prayer, and practically how to walk in
prayer, leaving the results in the hands of God. You might say that we need a head, heart,
and hands approach to prayer.

In A Short Book on Effective Prayer, I hope to give you that approach. But more than that, I
hope that your vision of how God can use you (yes, YOU!) grows. He can do much more
abundantly than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), so let’s ask big!

Your friend in Jesus,

Kevin P. Halloran

Author, When Prayer Is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer
 1
What Is Effective Prayer?
—

The book of James says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is
working” (5:16b ESV). Other translations say, “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful
and effective” (NIV) or “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”
(KJV). This verse motivates us to cry out to God because He uses our prayers to change the
world.

But what exactly does this phrase from James mean? Does it mean that we will receive
everything we pray for, or that holiness strengthens our prayers? Before answering these
questions and pointing out the characteristics of effective prayer, let’s look at the verse in
its context.

The Context

The book of James ends with a call to prayer:

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray… Is anyone among you sick? Let him
call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him… And the prayer of faith
will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has
committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and
pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:13–16a)

In other words, if prayer can help a brother who is sick, battling sin, or suffering for any
other reason, pray! God listens to the cries of His children. Then in verse 16b, James
reiterates the power of prayer: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is
working.”

Characteristics of Effective Prayer

Elsewhere in Scripture we see characteristics of effective prayer:

1) Effective prayer is done in faith.

James mentions “the prayer of faith” twice, once in James 1:5-8 and again in James 5:15.
Faith is necessary for effective prayer because, as Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is
impossible to please God.”

Some people try to manipulate God on this point, claiming that they will receive their
requests because their requests were (supposedly) made in faith. But the prayer of faith is
not about the results of our prayers. Rather, it has to do with the simple belief that God
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exists, listens to us, and that every outcome of prayer is in His sovereign and merciful
hands.

2) Effective prayer has the right motives.

James mentions another obstacle to effective prayer: false motives. James 4:3 says, “You ask
and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” Impure motives
can disqualify our prayers.

3) Effective prayer comes from the lips of “the righteous.”

James does not promise that everyone’s prayer can obtain everything asked for, he
specifically mentions “the prayer of the righteous person” (emphasis mine). We must be
careful at this point, because no one is perfect and God ultimately listens to us because of
Christ’s righteousness, not ours. However, our holy living does matter in prayer, as James
asserts.

The psalmist acknowledges, “If I see iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm
66:18). Other passages mention that our sin against others can be a hindrance to prayer
(see 1 Peter 3:7; Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25; 1 Timothy 2:8).

Our motivation in living righteously should be first to please God, not to receive what we
want. (Don’t forget that our motives matter!) God is the One who decides how and when to
answer.

The example of King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38 is worth mentioning. After hearing that he was
going to die (verse 1), Hezekiah cried out for mercy, and undergirded his plea by reminding
God of his righteousness, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in
faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight” (verse 3).
God answered, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen
years to your life” (verse 5).

4) Effective prayer has the posture of “Your will be done.”

Wrong thinking about prayer teaches that it will always result in getting what we want,
sometimes with a “name it and claim it” mentality. But God’s answers are not always
according to our desires or our timetable. Even our Lord Jesus Christ, the pinnacle of
righteousness, prayed “not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Our confidence
before God is that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).
There is more I could mention, but it is worth recommending what I consider to be the
most helpful practice for prayer: praying the Bible. It shouldn’t surprise us that allowing
God’s Word to shape our prayers is powerful, because it produces what we need to pray
effectively: faith, holy lives and motives, and an understanding of God’s revealed will (see
Romans 10:17; John 17:17).

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[Take a free five-video course I offer called Pray the Bible!]

What Are the Results of Effective Prayer?

The answer is simple: the results that our almighty God wants. Consider the example James
shares:

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not
rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed
again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (James 5:17-18)

According to this example from 1 Kings 17–18, effective prayer can stop rain for more than
three years! So, there are no limits to the way God can answer our prayers that are
according to His sovereign will.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how
will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32). If we are children of
God and “more than conquerors” in His sight (Romans 8:37), why would He not answer us
if we pray according to His will?

Effective Prayer Changes the World

I like the story that Dr. Phil Ryken tells[1]. As a member of a church in Scotland, Ryken
observed that fellow church members thanked God for answering their prayers to help
Eastern European countries escape Communism and the Soviet empire. They really
thought that their prayers helped in these global events.

Ryken commented that he was about to tell some the situation was more complicated than
they thought. After all, there were issues of the global economy, the complex relationships
between nations, the threat of nuclear weapons, and the serious faults of communism. He
was going to tell them that their prayers alone were not enough to bring down the Berlin
Wall. But he didn’t. He knew that such thinking was not correct and that God does use the
prayers of His children to change the world.

Is it not true that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians
1:27)? Let’s not forget that God commands us to pray “for kings and all who are in high
positions” (1 Timothy 2:2). Why would He command this if he had no plans to use our
prayers for world leaders to change the world?

Effective prayer has greater results than we can imagine. God is “able to do far more
abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Do you pray as if this were
true? No, as I’ve mentioned God isn’t always going to answer us in the way or timing we
want. But when we pray in faith, everything is possible, not because we are so wise or
powerful, but because our sovereign God is.

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—

[1] Dr. Phil Ryken shares this story in the 9Marks article “Praying as a Church for the World and Your City.”

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 2
How the Lord’s Prayer Can Help You
Overcome Your Prayer Struggles
—
The reason there are so many books on prayer is that even after reading them, we still
struggle to pray. Some reasons are intellectual—we don’t know how or why to pray in a
particular situation. Some are volitional—our hearts are distracted or apathetic. Still other
reasons are due to lacking proper practical tools.

As I’ve pondered how to grow in prayer, one simple solution has stood out as a versatile
tool for overcoming our struggles: the Lord’s Prayer. This should come as no surprise, since
this is the way Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Matt. 6:9–13).

Here’s how the Lord’s Prayer helps us overcome six common prayer struggles.

1. We forget why prayer matters.

Perhaps the most foundational reason we struggle to pray is that we forget prayer’s
purpose. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us. We pray in order to glorify our heavenly Father.
We pray in order to unify our hearts with His kingdom vision for the world and to align
ourselves with His will. We pray for provision, pardon, and protection from the evil that
comes from both inside and outside us.

2. We aren’t sure God hears us.

This suspicion leads many to neglect prayer, which is the only guaranteed way for God not
to hear our prayers. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that we pray to God our Father. A good
father hears the cries and requests of His children. God, our perfect Father, always hears us
and always answers us in His way and His timing (not always in the way we want,
however).

3. We don’t know what to pray.

Sometimes believers don’t know what to pray, or they pray the same thing over and over
and stop praying due to the monotony. The Lord’s Prayer gives us a Spirit-inspired path for
knowing what to say in prayer.

You might take a general approach to saying the Lord’s Prayer, using its petitions as a
template and filling them in with specific praises and requests. Martin Luther
recommended this technique in his brief book A Simple Way to Pray.

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You might also use a specific approach and filter one person or situation through the
petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. I’ve found this a helpful way to pray for both spiritual battles
and everyday matters.

4. We become distracted.

Peter admonishes us to “be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers”
(1 Pet. 4:7), and Paul adds that we are to “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in
it” (Col. 4:2). We can’t be sober-minded or watchful in prayer if our minds are somewhere
else. My to-do list, phone notifications, and young daughter all want my attention. The
Lord’s Prayer guides us on a mental path that helps the mind focus on each step of the
journey.

The Lord’s Prayer template can also be a helpful way to renew prayer after being
interrupted: If I’ve made it through the “Your will be done” petition and need to step away
for whatever reason, I make a mental note of where I left off and later return to pray with
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

5. We feel guilty.

Sometimes we may feel guilty because of specific sin, or maybe we because our prayer lives
are lackluster. The Lord’s Prayer cuts through our guilt by reminding us of the grace that
comes when we pray “forgive us our debts.” Be encouraged: God prescribes this petition for
sinners, meaning He fully expects you to need this petition and He fully wants to answer it.
This petition has confession of sins built in, reminding us, “If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John
1:9). The Lord’s Prayer tells us: Our guilt should not keep us from prayer but should drive
us to it.

6. We are busy.

The brevity of the Lord’s Prayer has something to teach excuse-making busybodies like me.
To pray the 52 words of the Lord’s Prayer verbatim takes about 20 seconds. If you have
more than 20 seconds, you can expand one or more of the prayer’s petitions in prayer to fill
the time. How many extra chunks of time do you have throughout the day that you could fill
with short pockets of communion with God through prayer?

Spirit-Inspired Tool for a God-Centered Life

It’s possible your greatest need in prayer is not to know more about it, but rather to know
how to use the most foundational and comprehensive tool given to us in Scripture. As with
any tool, its purpose is found not by focusing on the tool, but rather on setting our eyes on
our praiseworthy Father, King, Provider, Pardoner, and Protector—and to shape our lives
by His sovereign rule and care.

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—

For free teaching on the Lord’s Prayer, read (or listen) to chapter 1 of When Prayer Is
a Struggle titled “I Forget Why Prayer Matters.”

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 3
How to Pray When You’re
Overwhelmed with Needs
—

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I’ve felt bombarded with major prayer requests.
One day I hear news of sick and struggling family members, the next I hear a church friend
report that she has cancer. A steady stream of WhatsApp messages report crushing trials
for international ministry partners. Then I look at the news and hear of turmoil in
Afghanistan, an earthquake in Haiti, and a growing darkness in our country—and this
doesn’t even account for the prayer concerns in my own extended family that I seldom
seem to remember before the Lord.

The more my various inboxes fill with pressing concerns, the more I feel like a dam about
to burst. It’s overwhelming, making me want to throw my hands in the air and quit praying,
or pray with guilt as my motivator, something that won’t sustain faithful intercession over
the long haul.

How can we persevere as intercessors and not let the weight of the world’s problems crush
us? Here are six suggestions.

1. Be Realistic

There will always be more to pray for than you have time and ability to handle—this is
especially true with social media gathering prayer concerns from all over the world. God
doesn’t expect you to pray for all the world’s concerns, but He does expect you to pray for
some. Let your limitations drive you to the humble realization that you can’t do it all, and to
a greater dependence on the One Who can. Then resolve to use the limited time God has
given you to pray as faithfully as possible over the long-term.

2. Conduct Prayer-Request Triage

Ask these three questions when weighing the importance of prayer requests:

• Should I pray for this? The family crisis of a friend in your small group probably
does merit prayer, a sick dog you hear about on Twitter probably not. (Sorry,
Sparky.) The closer a situation is to you, the more likely God wants you to pray for it.
• How urgent and important is this for me to pray about? Some prayer requests are
one and done—pray as soon as you hear it, and then move on. Others require more
thought, energy, and long-term commitment.

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 • How often should I pray for this? Depending on how close you are to the situation
and how important it is, you may want to pray regularly for a request. I recommend
thinking in terms of daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms of prayer.

3. Organize Requests

Once you have triaged prayer requests, plug the requests into a system for organizing
prayer requests. If you don’t have such a system, create one. You might try using index
cards, a prayer journal, an app like PrayerMate, or something similar like the free
worksheet at the end of this short book. The goal is to create a simple system that will
remind you regularly of a variety of prayer concerns. When you come to a prayer request
that’s been in your rotation for a while, you can update it or remove it. Not every prayer
concern is for the long-term.

4. Schedule Prayer

Busyness can kill our good intentions for prayer. That’s why planning is key. Maybe your
morning prayer time suffices for working through prayer requests, maybe pressing
concerns spur special times of prayer throughout the day. If our prayer concerns are
organized and we have a plan to pray through them, we will intercede more faithfully over
the long run than if we didn’t intentionally take these steps.

5. Ask Others for Help

When flooded with pressing prayer concerns, reach out to others. Ask them for help or to
pray with you. If you are a leader in the church, budget extra time in small groups and
meetings for praying through critical prayer needs. You may find bringing printed sheets
with specific prayer requests will help your group focus on prayer and pray more
specifically for the matters at hand. If you have a large group, divide up the prayer requests
for smaller groups who can pray over each one more deeply.

6. Trust

Even when the burdens of a broken world overwhelm us, we can rest confident that God
doesn’t call us to do more than we’re able. We’re not Superman. We’re not the world’s
saviors. We don’t hold the universe together—He does (Col. 1:17), and there’s nothing
more exhausting than forgetting that fact. He knows our limitations, hears our prayers, and
goes beyond our weaknesses to work out His redemptive purposes in the world.

Your Prayers Can Change History

Our intentionality in constructing a life of intercession isn’t simply to quell our guilty
consciences, it is to express faith in the God we pray to, express love to those we pray for,
and express the God-glorifying yearning of “Your kingdom come” for our broken world.

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Instead of letting a mountain of prayer requests overwhelm you, let the surpassing power
of God to answer prayer overwhelm you and drive you to prayer. Just like one seed can
eventually become an entire forest, one single prayer could change a life, a nation, or the
course of human history. The question for each one of us is, will we work diligently sowing
seeds for the kingdom, or will we enter heaven with prayers left unprayed?

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 4
How to Have a
More Joyful Prayer Life
—

If you had to describe your prayer life in one word, what would you choose? Fulfilling?
Effective? Joyful?

Or do words like irregular, inconsistent, or blah ring truer?

I’ve been there. And up until fairly recently, I haven’t been concerned, thinking it was
normal, and thus OK. What I soon realized is that being content with a lackluster prayer life
exposes an anemic view of God. It makes God seem optional instead of supreme and distant
instead of approachable by faith in Christ. He is worthy of so much more than my excuses
and laziness.

A more joyful prayer life may be closer than you realize, even if you have no idea how to get
there. God wants us to enjoy Him in prayer, and sometimes all it takes is a small onramp of
truth to take us to the highway of joyful prayer and deeper communion with God.

Onramp #1: Meditate on God as our Father.

In the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, our Lord invites us to address our prayers to,
“Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9); emphasis added). Seeing God primarily as Father
keeps us from seeing him as a harsh judge, an impersonal higher being, or a wish-granting
magic genie.[1]

Our all-powerful Father loves us as His children and seeks our best. He has the power and
desire to guide our lives, answer our prayers, and work out His purposes in us. Our
relational link with our Heavenly Father is unbreakable and His love for us unending.

Knowing implications of our sonship gives us confidence in prayer to our Father, “If God is
for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31b–32).
When you struggle in prayer, take heart that Your Father knows. Take heart that even
when you do not feel love toward God, you can draw near through the awareness of His
love for you.[2] All it takes is the mention of the word ‘Father’ to enter into a world of
delight.

Onramp #2: Confess your sins.

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During difficult spiritual seasons of my life, guilt over my sin kept me from prayer. How
could someone as unworthy as me approach a holy God? This attitude betrays a weak
understanding of the gospel. God knows our sin and invites us to confess our sins and
receive His cleansing (1 John 1:9; c.f. Matthew 6:12; Psalm 32).

According to Calvin, “[T]he beginning, and even the preparation, of proper prayer is the
plea for pardon with a humble and sincere confession of guilt…it is no wonder if believers
open for themselves the door to prayer with this key…”[3]

When feeling crushed by the weight of your sin, take hold of the key of confession and enter
through the door to prayer. Let your sin drive you to heartfelt confession and confident joy
in the Christ who came to rescue sinners and give them access to the Father (1 Timothy
1:15; cf. Hebrews 4:16).

Onramp #3: Pray prayers that God loves to answer.

God wants to hear your prayers for “the prayer of the upright is His delight” (Proverbs 15:8
NASB). He also guarantees to answer certain prayers. Why not take God at His Word and
pray the following?

…Pray for wisdom

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all
without reproach, and it will be given him.” God will grant you wisdom for any situation—
you just need to ask.

…Pray according to God’s will

Consider 1 John 5:14–15, “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.” This promise (that
can also be expressed as praying in Jesus’ name) should embolden our prayers and sharpen
our expectancy.

Since Scripture is God’s revealed will, praying the words of Scripture back to God
powerfully apply this truth. Note the following examples:

• Pray to be sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

• Pray for a renewed mind and set-apart life (Romans 12:1–2)
• Pray to bear fruit by abiding in Christ (John 15:1–8)
• Pray for the grace to please Christ in your work (Ephesians 6:5–8)
• Pray for joy and the Spirit’s presence amidst suffering (Romans 5:3–5)

…Pray the Bible’s prayers

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The Bible provides a storehouse of Spirit-inspired prayers. Whether it be the Psalms, the
prayers of the apostle Paul, or Jesus Himself (c.f. Matthew 6:9–14; John 17), praying the
words of Scripture helps us approach God with words of His choosing so we think on things
and ask for things near to His heart.

I’ve seen how God has answered my persistent prayers echoing the request of Paul
in Ephesians 1:15-23 for a deeper spiritual understanding of the hope, love, and power of
the gospel—things I would never have prayed for without Paul’s example. These answers
to prayer fuel my desire to pray.

Praying for these things doesn’t guarantee He’ll answer as we like, but will act as a
guardrail to keep us from stepping out of His will and bring our hearts in-line with His
purposes.

Onramp #4: Give Thanks.

Giving thanks lifts our eyes from focusing on our circumstances by reminding us of all God
has done for us in Christ. When coupled with genuine prayer, it leads to experiencing the
peace of God “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Famed Bible commentator Matthew Henry provides a perfect example of how thanksgiving
leads to joy as he reflected on having his wallet stolen:

1) I am thankful that he never robbed me before.

2) I am thankful that although he took my wallet, he did not take my life.
3) Although he took all I had, it was not much.
4) I am glad that it was I who was robbed, not I who did the robbing.[4]

Henry’s thankfulness turned a traumatic situation into an opportunity to behold God’s

grace. As blood-bought children of God with an eternal inheritance, we always have reason
to give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Let a thankful, gospel-focused heart lead you into
joyful communion with the Father.

Onramp #5: Meditate on the promises of God.

The riches of the gospel are too big and glorious to fully wrap our minds around and can
only be grasped in increasing measure as we sweat to comprehend them. Calvin says, “[W]e
dig up by prayer the treasures that were pointed out by the Lord’s gospel, and which our
faith has gazed upon.”[5] We only unearth some gospel treasures by the spade of prayer.
Meditating on God’s “precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4) will take you deeper
into the unsearchable riches of Christ and cause awe and wonder to spill from your lips. I
suggest meditating on specific promises for circumstances in your life: your struggles, your
doubts, your relationships, your work, etc. As God’s promises wash over your mind and
heart, you will enter into greater joy.

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Spurgeon comments, “The best praying man is the man who is most believingly familiar
with the promises of God. After all, prayer is nothing but taking God’s promises to him, and
saying to him, ‘Do as thou hast said.'”

Prayer: the path to fuller joy in God

Knowing onramps to joyful prayer isn’t the same as taking them daily. We must grow in
prayer by setting aside time and pursuing God diligently.

In many ways, this whole chapter is a misnomer. Our goal should not be merely joyful
prayer, but joy in God through prayer. As we discipline ourselves toward that end, our faith
will be strengthened and lives enriched as we live more and more in His presence where
there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

[1] This comparison was laid out by Colin Smith on a sermon in the series Three Gifts to Transform Your Prayer Life.
[2] To paraphrase Michael Horton in Calvin on the Christian Life, Kindle Location 3568.
[3] From John Calvin’s Institutes 3.20.9.
[4] John Yates, “An Attitude of Gratitude,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 110.
[5] From John Calvin’s Institutes 3.20.9.

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 5
A Prayer Against Spiritual Complacency
When Things Are Going Well
—
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So,
because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you
say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” — Revelation 3:15–17

Dear heavenly Father,

There’s a huge difference in saying, “I need nothing” because I’m content in You and
because I feel no need of You. It’s so easy to drift into self-dependency, prayerlessness, and
pride when things seem to be going well and I enjoy an abundance of material blessings
from Your hand. In such times I subtly think, “Look what I’ve done” instead of “Look what
You’ve done for me.” Forgive me, Lord.

Help me to be zealous for You and repentant of my self-sufficiency, pride, and unbelief.
Keep the blessings You’ve given me from being my joy and focus, and increase my gratitude
in You as I enjoy Your blessings. I don’t want to my faith (or lack thereof) to make Jesus sick
to His stomach because I’m neither hot nor cold. I don’t want to think I’m strong spiritually
when I’m actually weak.

I confess my attention is drawn to temporary distractions like social media or the news
cycle here on earth. Remind me how I need You every hour and how man does not live on
bread alone but on every Word that comes from Your mouth. Keep me from the pursuit of a
comfortable life and give me zeal to seek You and Your kingdom first. Set my mind on
things above and cause me to long for more communion with You.

Father, I praise You for Your loving rebuke and discipline. You have given me so much in
Christ, and I pray for You to restore to me the joy of Your salvation. Would my “I need
nothing” mentality shift to a Spirit-dependent mentality in all things, so I treasure You
more and bear more fruit for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Related Scriptures: Revelation 3:14–22; Deuteronomy 8

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Book Recommendation:

When Prayer Is a Struggle:

A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer
If you struggle to pray, be encouraged—God
wants to help you!

Writing as a sympathetic guide, Kevin Halloran

shows how gospel truths speak to your prayer
struggles, diagnoses issues of the heart that
hinder true prayer, and gives practical tips for
moving forward. Pinpoint areas of weakness in
your prayer life—from distraction and
disorganization to guilt and anxiety—and take
immediate steps to overcome them.

We learn:
• how gospel truths speak into our
common struggles in prayer
• how we can move forward in prayer in
practical ways
• how believers from past and present
have overcome obstacles, persevered in
prayer, and grown in their love for God

Examine your heart, implement practical

measures, and experience the joys of faithfully
drawing near to God.

“A very relevant and very applicable guide to prayer… we

would at times all benefit from this book… I believe that
through this book, God will… help you fight through your
struggles and learn to enjoy prayer as one of his most
precious gifts.” —Tim Challies on When Prayer Is a Struggle
Buy a copy of When Prayer Is a Struggle today.

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A Short Book on Effective Prayer KevinHalloran.net 16
 A Free Worksheet to Organize Your Prayer Life

One surprising lesson I learned from writing When Prayer Is a Struggle is that often the
simple tools for prayer are most helpful at overcoming the obstacles we face.

The free worksheet I share below is a simple but profoundly helpful tool to help you
organize your prayers. The first row focuses on Scriptures to begin your prayers, then
moves to prayer for yourself and intercession for others in a variety of categories.

My friend Mike, a deacon at a campus of our church, uses this method, and when he finishes
with the worksheet, he folds it in half and tucks it into his Bible. So easy!

I’m convinced that spending five or ten minutes setting up a simple system for prayer has
the potential to both change your prayer life and the world.

Download the free worksheet at KevinHalloran.net/free-prayer-worksheet.

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A Short Book on Effective Prayer KevinHalloran.net 17