Watch the video above and talk about it with a friend or mentor.

Looking to grow in your personal prayer life? Try this 4-step method to bring a simple, biblical structure and focus to your prayer time.

Looking to grow in your personal prayer life? Try this 4-step method to bring a simple, biblical structure and focus to your prayer time.

P = Praise

Start by praising God: telling him who he is to you and what you are thankful for. This will get your heart in the right place as you begin connecting with God in prayer.

R = Repent

Next, move in to a short time of repentance: admitting to God your faults and allowing him to convict you of the things that are wrong in your life. This is the natural response of a sinner in the presence of a sinless God (Isaiah 6).

A = Ask

Prayer requests are what most people think of when they envision prayer, and that’s the third step in this method. Philippians 4:6 teaches us that we should confidently present our requests to God.

Y = Yield

The final step is to spend some time yielding to God: stopping and quieting your heart to hear from God. This is probably the most difficult step in prayer, but it’s worth the effort to make it a habit.

At the end of the day, prayer is about submitting to God. You’re admitting that he is sovereign in your life. In prayer, we tell God that he is God and we are not.

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Key Points:

  • P=Praise
  • R=Repent
  • A=Ask
  • Y=Yield

See Also: Tags

Talk About It
  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. What are some helpful things you’ve learned about prayer? Have you ever tried the P-R-A-Y method? Which step seems the hardest to you?
  4. Make a list of the things you can praise God for.
  5. Read Isaiah 6:1-5. Describe Isaiah’s response to God. Why do you think he responded like this?
  6. What is the benefit of repentance in your prayer life? How will confessing things to God affect your relationships in life?
  7. Read Philippians 4:6-7. What are the commands in this verse? What are the promised benefits? Discuss.
  8. What does it mean to “yield” to God in prayer? Try to list some practical steps for developing this habit in your prayer life.
  9. Read Luke 18:9-11. Talk about the irony of the Pharisee’s prayer. What is the true heart of prayer?
  10. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

This is part of the Spiritual Growth After Mormonism series.