How To Ask God For Help: A Step-By-Step Guide
Asking God for help when you’re in need is one of the most powerful things you can do. God wants to help us through life’s challenges, but we have to come to Him in prayer first. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the steps for effectively asking God for help and receiving His guidance and strength.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Ask God for help through prayer. Be honest about your struggles and needs. Believe that God hears you and trust that His answer is best. Keep praying persistently and thank Him for intervening.
In this guide, we’ll cover why you should ask God for help, how to ask according to His will, tips for persisting in prayer, what to do while waiting on God, and how to have faith that He will answer your prayers.
Why You Should Ask God for Help
He Invites Us to Come to Him
God encourages us countless times in the Bible to bring our needs and burdens to Him in prayer. He tells us to “cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). What an amazing invitation – the God of the universe invites us to unload all of our worries and stress onto His strong shoulders.
He can handle anything we bring His way and promises to be there for us in our time of need.
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God sees when life feels chaotic and overwhelming. He knows we can’t carry all the weight by ourselves, so He warmly ushers us into His presence where we can be refreshed and renewed.
He Cares Deeply About Your Struggles
It brings God joy when we run to Him for help because it allows Him to be a loving Father. An amazing truth about God is that He cares deeply and intimately about our individual lives. The Bible says He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7) and catches every tear we cry (Psalm 56:8).
He feels our pain and wants to bring comfort, peace and strength.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and lays down His life for them (John 10:11, 14). What a powerful picture of God’s deep love and care for us. He knows our names, understands our struggles and promises to guide and protect us.
He Can Do the Impossible
A final great reason to take our needs to God is that nothing is too difficult for Him! He has power over sickness, pain, heartache, relational rifts and financial problems. Though our situations often look hopeless, God reminds us “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
(Jeremiah 32:27).
In Scripture, we read incredible stories of God parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), making an ax head float (2 Kings 6:6) and raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44). Big or small – your problem is not too big for God! Cry out and see His mighty power meet you at your point of need.
How to Ask God for Help According to His Will
Pray with Humility and Honesty
When coming before God in prayer, it’s important to have the right heart attitude. We should approach Him with humility, acknowledging that we are sinners in need of His grace (James 4:10). Being honest about our struggles and failures allows God to meet us where we’re at.
As 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Pouring out your heart sincerely and transparently is the best way to seek God’s help.
Align Your Requests with Scripture
God promises to hear and answer prayer that aligns with His will as revealed in His Word (1 John 5:14-15). Take time to meditate on scriptures related to your needs to discern how God wants you to pray.
For example, if you are seeking provision, reflect on verses about God’s faithfulness to supply all our needs. If you need wisdom, focus on promises that He will give wisdom generously when asked. Let the timeless truths of the Bible guide your requests instead of merely pursuing your own desires.
Surrender Your Will to God’s Will
When asking God for help, it’s important to submit your will to His perfect plan and timing. We can boldly present our requests while trusting that God knows what is best (Matthew 6:10). As you pray, release the situation into His hands, accepting that His way is higher than your way (Isaiah 55:9).
Entrust yourself to His infinite wisdom and sovereignty. God may not answer exactly how or when we wanted, but we can rest in the truth that He will answer according to His flawless will.
Tips for Persisting in Prayer
Set Aside Regular Prayer Time
Setting aside regular time for prayer is vital for persisting in your conversations with God. Choose a time of day when you can devote your full attention, such as first thing in the morning or in the evening before bed.
Many people find praying as they wake up helps them focus their thoughts on God rather than worldly concerns. Others prefer praying before bedtime because they can reflect on the events of the day. Find a pattern that works for your schedule. 10-15 minutes daily is enough to start.
You may also consider fasting from television, social media or other distractions during your prayer time to deepen your focus.
Write Down Your Prayers
Journaling your prayers has many benefits. First, it helps you articulate your thoughts more clearly. Writing prayers down prevents your mind from wandering and provides a record you can look back on. Journaling also helps you notice patterns in the ways God answers prayers over time.
This builds your faith as you reflect on how previous prayers were resolved. Consider purchasing a special prayer journal to make writing a daily ritual. Date each entry and maintain an ongoing log. Highlight prayers that are later answered to easily track God’s faithfulness.
Apps like Echo also provide helpful prayer journaling features.
Pray Scripture Back to God
Praying passages from the Bible aligns your requests with God’s will and remind you of His promises. Verses full of adoration like Psalms 145-150 help you begin prayer with the right heart of praise. You can also find scriptures related to your prayer needs.
Those seeking financial help could claim Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Memorize go-to verses like this for ready access. As you pray each phrase, reflect on its meaning and relevance to your situation.
Let the Word shape your perspective and petitions. Sites like Bible Gateway offer helpful keyword search when looking for fitting verses.
Fasting Can Boost Your Prayers
Fasting is voluntarily going without food or other things to focus your heart and mind on God. Data shows over 80% of people who fast feel it made their prayers more effective. Fasting humbles your spirit and reminds you of reliance on God rather than worldly solutions.
It clears away distractions so you can concentrate. Jesus fasted 40 days before starting public ministry, setting the ultimate example (Matthew 4:2). You need not go that long, but even one meal trains your desires toward heavenly priorities.
Couple fasting with dedicated prayer sessions for powerful impact. Speak healing, provision and breakthrough over challenging situations. Make sure to stay hydrated while fasting and cease if you feel unwell.
What to Do While Waiting on God
Trust His Timing
When we pray for something, it can be frustrating to wait for God’s timing. But He sees the full picture while we only see a small part. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
God may be using the waiting time to strengthen our faith or teach us perseverance. Other times, He is aligning circumstances for the perfect timing. While waiting, express your trust in Him through prayer. Tell Him you know His timing is perfect.
Look for Small Ways He May Be Working
While we wait for the big answer to prayer, look for small signs of God at work. It’s easy to miss the small blessings when we’re focused on the major breakthrough. But God often shows His care and guidance through small details.
Write down any positive developments and try to identify God’s hand in them. This can reassure you that He is active in your situation even when a major change hasn’t happened yet.
Stay Hopeful Through Scripture
When discouragement sets in, go to Scripture for encouragement. Verses like Romans 15:13 can reenergize our hope: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Also recall God’s faithfulness in the Bible and in your own life. This strengthens your trust that He will be faithful again. If you keep focused on Him rather than the timing of your request, you’ll experience His peace.
Avoid Rash Decisions
The waiting period can be a time of temptation. We may wonder if God really heard us or if we should take matters into our own hands. But Proverbs 3:6 tells us not to lean on our own understanding. Avoid making major decisions while in this mindset.
Instead, talk to trusted friends and mentors to prevent veering off course. Staying close to God through prayer and Scripture will help guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).
Waiting on God stretches our faith. But He uses the process to make us more like Christ. When we surrender the timing to Him, we can rest knowing He is in control. Draw near to Him, trust His heart, and expect His faithful answer in due time.
How to Have Faith God Will Answer
Remember His Past Faithfulness
When seeking God’s help for current struggles, it can bolster one’s faith to recall specific times when He came through in the past (Hebrews 13:8). Make a list of blessings, big or small – a prayer answered, a timely provision, a deep sense of peace or presence.
Reflecting on how God brought you through a previous hardship or answered a prayer can reassure you that He is able to do it again. This renews hope and confidence to keep bringing your requests to Him.
Believe His Promises in Scripture
God makes many assurances in His Word that He wants to help us when we call on Him. For instance, Matthew 7:7 declares “Ask and it will be given to you. “ Search for other Bible verses related to asking God for help.
Meditating and truly believing these promises counteracts our natural tendency to doubt that God hears or will respond.
A helpful practice is to pray these Scriptures back to God. For example, “Lord you said if I ask I will receive. So I’m asking and trusting that you will come through for this need I have.” Let your requests be anchored in His own faithful promises.
Visualize the Answer
God often provides direction through our thoughts, either a wise idea or mental picture. As you pray about a situation, envision what the answer looks like – how you will feel, the impact it will have.
This positions your mind to recognize God’s answer when it comes, and shows your expectancy that He will provide guidance. Hold this image by regularly going back to it until His solution manifests in some way.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV) encourages us to think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure and admirable. Imagining the good outcome we desire, in line with God’s nature, falls into that.
Thank Him in Advance
Gratitude demonstrates faith that God hears and acts on your prayer before you ever see the results. The Bible tells stories of people Jesus healed or helped who were made whole as soon as they voiced their faith in Him.
When we thank God before experiencing the answer, it shows we have confidence that His blessing, guidance and power is already at work on our circumstance.
Plus an attitude of praise puts our focus on God rather than the problem itself. The Bible instructs us to bring our anxious requests to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7). God is always worthy of honoring, especially when we need to lean hardest on His ability to help.
Conclusion
Asking God for help through prayer is a key part of the Christian life. With so many Bible verses inviting us to cast our cares on Him, there’s no reason to try to go through life’s challenges alone and without hope.
As you come to God sincerely and persistently, trusting His perfect will and timing, you can have faith that He hears you and will answer in His way and time.
The next time you have a need, big or small, don’t hesitate to ask your Heavenly Father for help. He is able to do far more than you could ever imagine! As you make prayer a consistent priority and walk in faith, you’ll find yourself experiencing more of God’s power, guidance, and comfort in your life.
