Commanded: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6)
To be offered to our triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: to the Father we pray with the psalmist, “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray” (Psalm 5:2); to the Lord Jesus, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59); to the Spirit and in His power, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20).
Through Jesus, our Savior: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).
Confession leading to being upright, a delight to God: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8)
Prayer of the righteous avails much: “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).
Lift up your soul: “Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25:1)
Pour out your heart: “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8)
Seeking the face of the Lord: “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek” (Psalm 27:8)
With confidence in God: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14)
With submission to God: “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42)
With unfeigned lips: “Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips” (Psalm 17:1)
With deliberation: “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)
With truth: “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18)
With earnestness: “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?” (1 Thessalonians 3:10)
With desire to be heard: “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer” (Psalm 61:1)
With desire to be answered: “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness” (Psalm 143:1)
Everywhere: “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8)
In everything: “…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6)
For temporal blessings: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11)
For spiritual blessings: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33)
For mercy and grace to help in time of need: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)
God hears: “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear” (Psalm 10:17)
God answers: “Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am (Isaiah 58:9).
Praise Him: “I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue” (Psalm 66:17)