As we progress in our Christian life, we must build the character to pray faithfully. Learn how to pray to God consistently by building an effective prayer life in this article.

Most Christians don’t have a stable prayer life. A study conducted years ago found that the average Christian who participated only prayed for 3 minutes a day. Too many believers only get serious about prayer in crisis.

Multitudes of people know how to pray but don’t do it consistently. Some Christians used to be excellent prayer warriors but don’t pray much at all anymore.

If you are a Christian, you must learn to pray to God consistently. Most of us will admit that we don’t pray as much as we should.

Only through faithful and passionate prayer can we subdue the flesh, pursue sinners, and glorify God.  Share on X

Do you want to be a prayer warrior, or are you content to be a prayer “whiner?” The first powerfully affects his world through effective prayer. The second only pray when times are tough, usually whining about circumstances rather than claiming victory by faith. 

Do you pray consistently every day? Do you receive regular answers to prayer? Do you feel close to God?  

You can! 

Here are six tips to help you pray faithfully and build an effective prayer life.

1. Determine to Build a Prayer Life.

Romans 12:12 

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

The phrase “continuing instant in” is one Greek word that means “to persevere, to be constantly diligent, to adhere closely to.”

Prayer should be a matter of diligent character. You must pray on purpose, or you will not pray.

Since prayer is one of the most spiritual exercises you can do, your flesh will fight against it. Also, the devil will work to keep you off of your knees. He knows that you can only affect eternity when walking close to God.

Don’t just have a prayer time. Determine to build a prayer life.

Consider these verses as well.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

Luke 18:1 

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Typically, preachers use these verses to discuss importunity (persistence) in prayer. We will discuss that in a later article. However, we must be consistent in prayer before we can be persistent in prayer. 

2. Choose a Time to Pray.

Put prayer in your daily schedule. What gets scheduled gets done. 

Is there a best time to pray? Certainly, there is no wrong time to pray. As a young Christian, I would pray at night. One day the Lord showed me that I was getting beat up all day and then receiving help from the Lord at night. Why not pray in the morning and have His support all day long? 

I began starting my day with prayer and have been blessed over the years because of it.

Start your day with prayer. That’s what Jesus did. Sometimes, He would get up long before dawn to pray. If our sinless Lord started His day with prayer, how much more should we!

Mark 1:35

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Here’s a helpful tip. Schedule multiple times a day to pray. Emergencies happen, and schedules get turned upside down. If you miss your primary prayer time, you will have gaps in your schedule to make it up later in the day. For example, you could plan to pray for ten minutes during your lunch break.  

David prayed multiple times a day.

Psalm 55:17 

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: And he shall hear my voice.

It is wise to plan a time of prayer in the morning, around noon, and in the evening.

3. Pick a Place to Pray.

A time and place of prayer become an anchor making sure you don’t drift from God in the busyness of life.

Jesus loved to go to the mount of Olives.

Luke 22:39–41

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

What was the Mount of Olives like?  Read this excerpt from the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

OLIVES, MOUNT OF Two-and-a-half mile-long mountain ridge that towers over the eastern side of Jerusalem, or more precisely, the middle of the three peaks forming the ridge. Heavily covered with olive trees, the ridge juts out in a north-south direction (like a spur) from the range of mountains running down the center of the region. Both the central Mount of Olives and Mount Scopus, the peak on its northern side, rise over 200 feet above the Temple Mount across the Kidron Valley. It provided a lookout base and signaling point for armies defending Jerusalem.

David crossed the Mount of Olives when fleeing Absalom (2 Sam. 15:30). Ezekiel saw the cherubim chariot land there (Ezek. 11:22–23). Zechariah described how the Mount of Olives would move to form a huge valley on the Day of the Lord (Zech. 14:3–5). Many crucial events in Jesus’ life occurred on the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30; Mark 11:1–2; Luke 4:5; 22:39–46; Acts 1:9–12).

Jesus had a favorite place to pray. You should have a place to pray too.

Pick a spot at home that is comfortable and quiet. Pray there often. 

Also, you can pick a place to pray outdoors. Perhaps a particular place or a route that you walk and pray. 

How To Pray Faithfully By Building A Prayer Life Share on X

It’s easy to get out of your spiritual rhythm when you travel. Remain faithful to prayer when you are out of your daily routine by choosing a new place to pray while you are away. For example, when I stay in a hotel room, the first thing I do after I put down my luggage is choose the place to pray. 

Pick a spot. Own it. Use it daily.

4. Use a List to Pray.

A prayer list will focus your attention and keep your mind in a state of prayer. 

Create a list that works for you. It could be handwritten or typed. You can use a notebook or journal. Make your list easily accessible so you can have it with you during your primary prayer time. 

A beautiful and over-organized list is no help if you don’t have it with you when it’s time to pray.  Prioritize function over form in your prayer journal.

If you prefer, you can create a prayer list for smartphone or iPad and sync it to all your devices.

Regardless of the method of you choose to house your list, make a prayer list and use it daily.

5. Keep a Record of Prayer.

A record helps you be consistent in prayer. It records your habits so you can be encouraged or make adjustments when you slip.

A good record includes four elements:

1. Date: When you pray.
2. Time: How long you pray.
3. Results: Answers to prayer.
4. Streak: How many days in a row you have prayed.
5. Space: Room to write how God moves in your heart.

Make the commitment to record your prayer habits. You can buy a prayer journal or create one on a simple sheet of paper.  Also, you can create one in a spreadsheet or document and sync them on your devices.

6. Select An Accountability Partner

It’s human nature that we excel in almost every area when we have a partner. A partner provides encouragement, companionship, and accountability.  

When we struggle to find the methods or motivation to succeed, it is wise to enlist someone to help. For the same reason people lose more weight with a trainer, you will build the character and consistency to pray faster with help.

All you need to do is ask someone you trust to be your accountability partner for prayer. They will check up on you at regular intervals. Also, they have your permission to inquire about your walk with God at any time.

Of course, we are accountable to God ultimately. However, it helps to have someone with skin to keep you on track.  

Give it a shot. It may surprise you how much of a difference it makes.

CONCLUSION – How To Pray Faithfully

Only through faithful and passionate prayer can we subdue the flesh, pursue sinners, and glorify God.

1. Determine to build a prayer life. 
2. Choose a time to pray.
3. Pick a place to pray.
4. Use a list to pray.
5. Keep a record of prayer.
6. Select an accountability to partner.

If you faithfully include these six ingredients in your prayer life, you will remain faithful and see exciting results. Take a few minutes to renew your commitment and implement these instructions right now.