LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
8 keys to a more powerful prayer life in 2023
CLED 700
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Ministry Department of Christian Leadership and Church Ministries
By
Henry Edwin Shikuku
Lynchburg, Virginia
10/2022
8 keys to a more powerful prayer life in 2023
Here are eight keys that have helped me develop a more powerful and effective prayer
life. I hope they will encourage you to make 2023 a year of prayer.
1. Know to whom you are speaking.
Prayer is a conversation with God, and every conversation begins by addressing the
person to whom you are speaking by name. Jesus begins with “Our Father in heaven.” He
focuses on a distinct person — the Heavenly Father with whom he has a personal relationship.
We share the same right to call God “Father,” and there are times when we need to talk with
our Abba Father, Daddy God. But God is three distinct persons in One: the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.
I find it helpful in my prayer times to focus on which of the Holy Trinity I need to talk to.
Often I talk to Jesus, the friend who is closer than a brother and the Savior of my soul. Other
times I cry out to the Holy Spirit, who fills and empowers me to do the tasks Father God has
called me to do. Having a distinct sense of who I am speaking to helps me formulate what I
want to say and how I want to say it.
2. Thank him.
A heartfelt thank you is always a great conversation starter. Like any parent, God loves to
see that we have grateful hearts. But more importantly, as we take the time to praise God for
all He has done in the past — the answered prayers, the impossible situations overcome, the
healings and grace — our faith to believe for even greater answers to prayer grows stronger
and more confident. Praise opens the gates of heaven and should always be part of our alone
time with God.
3. Ask for God’s will.
The Lord’s Prayer is not the only place where Jesus role-modeled a heart of obedience
and submission to the will of God over his own desires and needs. In the Garden of
Gethsemane, only hours before Jesus’ crucifixion, he would once again pray, “not my will, but
yours be done.” In a world where right and wrong are frequently confused and the future is so
uncertain, it can be hard to know how to pray or what to ask for when difficult circumstances
arise. But the one thing we can know with absolute certainty is that God’s plan for those who
love him is good, and the safest place we can be is in the center of his divine will.
4. Say what you need.
In Jesus’ time, bread was a staple — one of the most basic needs of life — and he did not
hesitate to ask God to provide it. But we often hesitate to bother God with the little things we
need, thinking he shouldn’t be bothered. And when the big problems come, we try everything
we can to solve the problem before we think to pray. The Bible says, “You do not have because
you do not ask God.” So never hesitate to ask God for what you need in 2023. Your Father in
heaven delights to give you good gifts.
5. Ask for forgiveness.
James 5:16 reminds us that if we want our prayers to be heard, our hearts need to be
right with God and with one another. If you feel your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, take
some time to check your heart.
6. Pray with a friend.
There is power in agreement when we pray in Jesus’ name. When I have an urgent need
to take before the throne of God, I will often call a friend to pray with me. If you don’t already
have one, make finding a trusted prayer partner one of your goals in 2023.
7. Pray the Word.
My mother was a spiritual prayer warrior, and much that I know about prayer I learned
from her. I loved to listen to her pray because for every need or situation, she would claim a
scripture of promise. “The Word of God has power and is our great spiritual weapon,” Mama
would say. “Pray the Word, Marilee. Pray the Word.”
Jesus did the same when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (see Luke 4:1-12). He
was the Son of God, but he did not use his divine authority. Instead, he used the authority of
the Scriptures.
8. Memorize Scripture.
The most important key to a vibrant prayer life is to understand our spiritual authority in
Christ as explained in the Scriptures. The only way to do that is to become intimately familiar
with the Bible. Even a few minutes a day in the Word of God will add strength and authority to
your prayers in 2023.
