Asking Prayer Tool
Written by Brayden Brookshier
Before reading further, take time to read John chapters 14–17, noting each explicit and subtle reference to prayer and “asking.”
It's about the "ask".
The fact that Jesus implores us to “ask” in prayer implies that answers are not automatic but that they are readily available to those who avail themselves of prayer’s potency. You can’t read the gospels and come to the conclusion that answers to prayer are rare and exceptional. We are designed for answers to prayer (as you read in John 15). When we are not receiving answers to prayer, we must check our connection to the vine (also John 15).
According to John 15, Jesus links answered prayers to producing “fruit.” It can’t get any clearer than this:
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. (John 15:7–8, CSB)
According to Jesus, we were designed for answers to prayer. So, how do you get more of the “fruit” of answers to prayer? You ask! You practice praying! The more you “remain” in Christ, the more your prayers will match His heart. The more they match His heart, the more answers you will experience. The more answers you experience, the more “fruit” that will be evident in your life and in the world around you! It’s that simple–and that profound.
So, how do you unlock the power of miracles in your life? You cultivate intimacy with God. You fill your mind with His Word, meditate on His promises, and refuse to partner with fear or doubt. You take risks—stepping out in obedience even when you can’t see the outcome. And you celebrate every breakthrough, knowing that each testimony is an invitation for God to do it again.
Remember, faith doesn’t make God do something—faith positions you to receive what He’s already made available. Miracles are the natural result of a life surrendered to Him, believing that He is who He says He is, and He’ll do what He’s promised.
And As discussed in the previous module, petition and intercessory prayer can be grouped together and summarized as “asking” prayer.
Let’s get practical. While this prayer practice does not need much form, consider the following as ways to help organize your approach to how you pray the “asking” prayers!
Step 1: Pinpoint the need.
Every prayer on behalf of self (petition) or others (intercession) starts with a clearly defined ask. This is more than just stating the need generally. Pray big and bold. And depending on the circumstances, you might have to also pray some incremental baby steps toward that breakthrough.
For example, let’s say you are praying for someone you know to come to saving faith in Christ. Yes, pray generally for their salvation. But get more specific! You can pray that the Lord reveals himself to that person in a similar way to how Christ is revealing himself to Muslims all over the Middle East. You can pray that God gives them a specific word that pierces their heart and opens them up to Christ. However, think about the incremental prayers. You might pray to receive a word from the Lord to tell that person. You might pray for an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with that person! As you can see, pinpointing the need is about getting specific and dreaming about the breakthrough. This will reinvigorate how you “ask” in prayer, and it’ll give you more specific ways to praise God when He answers these kinds of prayers.
Step 2: Align with Scripture.
The Bible is your continual ally in prayer. Taking that even further, using Scripture when praying is like adding gasoline to a fire! God’s promises are like a compass, providing true north of how we pray. When we pray in the direction of God’s promises, we are able to call upon God to act with greater levels of confidence!
Part of the reason this is a highly recommended step in praying is because it gets our eyes off on how big the obstacle is and puts our eyes on how big our God is! You can make this a prayer point: “God, help me raise the ceiling of what I believe about you—your worth, your power, and your willingness to act.”
Therefore, find a Bible verse that speaks directly to your need or to the person/situation you wish to intercede for. Pray the scripture over the circumstance, inserting the name or the specific need, aligning your requests with God’s promises. We discussed the power of praying Scripture in module 10, revisit that one if you need more inspiration of how this can integrate with your petition and intercessory prayers.
Step 3: Pray for the glory of God to be manifest in the situation.
This takes us back to what we discussed in the earlier modules on the “Our Father” prayer. However, John 14:13 and 15:8 clearly connect answers to prayer to the glorifying of the Father and the Son. The “ask for anything” is in the context of “greater works” that “glorify the Father” (see John 14:12–13). And God reserves the right to say “no” to anything that undermines his glory or purpose.
Think about it this way: Prayer is where we entirely depend on God to do what only He can do. When we put our stake in the ground that our best effort is to give our energy to prayer, and when God shows up in a powerful way in the answer, He gets all the glory! Even when the answer involves our activity, He gets all the glory. So, praying and answers to prayer are a prominent way God’s name, glory, and renown are spread across the earth!
“I woke up in a world where Jesus has risen from the dead. Anything is possible.” – Jon Tyson
Here is a challenge: Make prayer adventurous! Try to challenge yourself to pray for others with bold, specific prayers that if God answered, it would be evidence of His glory and a catalyst for worship.
Step 4: Pray until something happens.
Here is a memorable acronym for this one: P.U.S.H. (Pray until something happens). Sometimes the potency of prayer is seen in an immediate response where God acts swiftly! But many times, to see a breakthrough or answer to something we are praying about, it takes more than one prayer. The key here is to persevere in prayer and not give up. In fact, read Luke 18:1 if you need the reminder that Jesus told a specific parable so that His people would pray and not give up!
“Our praying needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency which will not be denied, and a courage that never fails.” – E.M. Bounds
We need more tenacity in our prayer lives. And so, pray until “something” happens, even if that “something” is not what you expected. We are partners with God in this cosmic redemptive story. He welcomes us to use prayer as a tool that shapes history–no matter how big or small that may seem. Even when our prayer lives are not moving the mountains we thought they would move, they might be moving something else inside of us instead. No matter what, God is always up to something transformative.
Step 5: Document the journey & Celebrate the victories!
Whether it is progress or resistance to the resolution, our prayers deserve to have their story recorded. You might have a list of things you are praying over. Perhaps have a place visual like a fridge or a wall where you can pray over these things.
We see this reflected in the Psalms, often having long diatribes recounting what God has done, in particular ways. That builds faith!
→ Our prayers should get bolder as we get older because we will have had a lifetime of documenting answered prayers.
Try it: We continue to come back to the importance of having a prayer journal. Here, you will use it. Write a list of 3–5 things you desire to see God’s powerful hand involved in currently. Make sure at least one is not only about your life, make it “intercessory” (on behalf of someone else). Pray circles around those things. Pray with great faith. Pray with the authority of Scripture. Pray to the glory of God. Pray and keep praying until something happens. And document the journey.
Discuss
- What is one example from your own life where you saw a clear answer to a specific prayer? How did that experience impact your faith or view of God?
- After reading John 14–17, which promise or statement from Jesus about prayer stood out most to you, and why?
- How do you feel about the idea that “we are designed for answers to prayer”? Does this change the way you approach asking God for things?
- Which step in the process of asking prayer (pinpointing the need, aligning with Scripture, praying for God’s glory, praying until something happens, documenting the journey) feels most challenging or new to you? Why?
- Identify a current need or desire in your life. How can you pray about it more specifically and boldly this week?
- What is one promise from Scripture you could pray over your need or situation today? How does praying God’s Word increase your confidence in prayer?