Spiritual Formation: Course 1- Developing a Daily Prayer Life

Introduction/ Objective: 

Teach believers to cultivate relationship with God through consistent, powerful prayer.

The Purpose of Prayer – Why we pray (Luke 11:1; James 5:16)

Prayer is a genuine expression of faith. In order to pray, one must believe that to whom you are praying to lies the ability to answer.

James 1:5–6 “5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

Mark 11:24 “24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

1 John 5:14–15 “14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”

Prayer is the way we [align our will to God’s will and] submit to Him.

Matthew 6:10 “10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Luke 22:42 “42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.””

Prayer is the means by which we are transformed into the image of Christ.

Romans 8:26-29 “26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

The Model of Prayer – Breaking down the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13)

Matthew 6:9-13 “9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

Relationship/ God is our Father

Romans 8:15 “15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.””

Galatians 4:6 “6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.””

Reverent

Deuteronomy 10:12 “12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”

Kingdom-focused

Matthew 6:33 “33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Provision

Matthew 6:31–32 “31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.”

Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14–15 “14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Salvation

Colossians 1:13–14 “13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

Barriers to Prayer – Doubt, sin, distractions, busyness.

Busy schedules and daily demands

Mark 1:35 “35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Luke 5:16 “16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”

Schedule prayer appointments during the day.

Pray in frequent and small increments throughout the day.

Pray while doing other activities (walk, commutes, meals, etc.)

Struggles expressing our thoughts

Romans 8:26 “26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Matthew 6:7-8 “7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”

Use Scriptures and pray the psalms

Use a prayer journal

Keep it simple, sincere, and short.

Doubt and unbelief

James 1:6 “6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

Mark 9:24 “24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!””

Acknowledged your doubt and unbelief.

Unconfessed sin

1 John 1:9 “9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Begin your prayers with confession and repentance.

Pray Psalm 51

Selfish motives

James 4:3 “3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Pray for God’s will, not your will.

Pray for correct motives.

Different Types of Prayer

One system Steven Vazquez Spiritually Transformative Psychotherapy: Repairing Spiritual Damage and Facilitating Extreme Wellbeing:

Petitionary prayers- asking God for material needs

Colloquial prayer- conversational petitions to God

Ritual prayer- prepared or memorized prayers

Meditative prayer- involving intimacy with God

Common Prayers Types

Thanksgiving

Prayers of thanksgiving express gratitude and praise to God. They often include thanks for blessings, confession, and petitions for help. Used in worship (often near the end), they may be spontaneous or follow liturgical forms. These prayers thank God for specific blessings, recall Christ’s sacrifice (especially in communion), and should remain simple and genuine rather than overly complex.

Intercession

Intercessory prayers are petitions on behalf of others, reflecting Christ’s continuing ministry of intercession. In public worship, they cover shared concerns like God’s kingdom, societal needs, and the Church’s growth. Clergy or laity may lead them, and they focus on naming human needs before God. In Catholic teaching, intercession is modeled after Christ, the ultimate Intercessor.

Confession

Confessional prayers admit sin and seek restored relationship with God. They include longing for God, acknowledgment of sin, and renewed commitment to serve Him. Confession may mean both admitting sins and declaring faith. Such prayers combine honesty, humility, lament, and praise for God’s mercy. While some traditions use formal confessions, many emphasize honest, personal confession.

Supplication

Supplication prayers are personal requests to God, often seeking mercy, guidance, or deliverance. Common throughout Scripture, they include Jesus’ example of asking for daily needs while surrendering to God’s will (“Your will be done”). Supplication emphasizes persistence in prayer, but with balance—requests should be made in faith and trust. Though possible anywhere, many preferred sacred spaces for such prayers.

This gives you a clear framework: Thanksgiving (gratitude), Intercession (for others), Confession (repentance), and Supplication (personal requests)—together shaping a well-rounded prayer life.

Building a Consistent Prayer Habit – Practical rhythms, prayer journals, prayer partners.

Experiencing God Through Prayer – Listening prayer, praying Scripture.

Practical Application: Daily prayer journal challenge (7–14 days).