Prayer: 6 Basic Types and the Differences Between Them

Prayer can come across as this abstract concept that no one really knows well. But I’ve found prayer practical and vital for Christian life. It should not be possible to fully live without prayer. There are many different types of prayer that helps us pray without ceasing throughout life.

In general, there are six different types of prayer: adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, confession, and lament. While these differ in focus and purpose, they are all necessary for a vibrant and holistic prayer life.

Each type of prayer serves a distinct purpose and involves a different focus. Here’s a breakdown of how adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, confession, and lament differ:

Type of Prayer	Focus	Purpose
Adoration	Expressing love and worship	Praising the qualities and nature of a God without specific requests.
Petition	Requesting needs or guidance	Seeking personal or collective assistance, intervention, or provision from God.
Intercession	Praying for others	Seeking divine blessings, protection, or intervention for the well-being of other individuals.
Thanksgiving	Expressing gratitude	Acknowledging and giving thanks for blessings, answered prayers, or the general goodness in life.
Confession	Acknowledging shortcomings	Seeking forgiveness, guidance, and spiritual cleansing.
Lament	Expressing grief or sorrow	Seeking comfort, solace, and understanding during difficult times.

That said, they also are not mutually exclusive. So, let’s dive into each specific type individually and see how they relate to and differ from each other to bring a well rounded approach to our prayer life.

What is Prayer?

According to a 2014 survey by the Pew Research Center, 45% of Americans, including a majority of Christians (55%), indicated a significant reliance on prayer and personal when making major life choices.

Additionally, the survey revealed that 63% of Christians in the United States consider regular prayer an integral aspect of their Christian identity. But what is prayer?

In general, prayer is communicating (talking and listening) with God, based on a relationship where one acknowledges their dependence on Him and His ability to meet their needs. 

Augustine of Hippo, a prominent theologian in the 4th and 5th centuries, explored the idea of prayer as a means of aligning one’s will with God’s will. He saw prayer as a transformative process that shapes the individual’s character.

So, prayer brings us closer to God, shaping us into Christlikeness, through constant communication with Him in a way that recognizes our need for Him and brings Him glory. Prayer is inherently God centered and God focused. This fact brings us to the first type of prayer.

Adoration: The Prayer of Praise

Adoration is a type of prayer that focuses on expressing love and worship. Thus, they are sometimes called prayers of worship. Adoration praises God, His nature and character, without focusing on specific requests.

Key elements of prayers of adoration may include:

1. Praise and Worship: Adoration prayers often involve praising God for His attributes such as love, mercy, wisdom, and power. Worshipful language and expressions of awe are common.
2. Acknowledgment of God’s Majesty: Adoration emphasizes the transcendence and greatness of God. Prayers may include acknowledging God’s majesty as the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
3. Gratitude: Expressing thankfulness for the blessings and grace bestowed by God is a common theme in prayers of adoration. This may involve recognizing God’s goodness and faithfulness.
4. Submission: Adoration prayers may include a sense of humility and submission, recognizing the divine authority and surrendering to God’s will.

To help us pray prayers of adoration we can start by centering our prayers around three different things: the names of God, the attributes of God, and the relational metaphors of God.

The Bible has many different names for God that reveal unique aspects of His character. For example,

• El Shaddai: “Almighty God”–God is all-powerful and capable of anything.
• Jehovah Jireh: “The God who Provides”–God is one who provides for others.
• Adoni: “Master”–God is in charge of everything.

These are just a few examples, there are many, many more scattered throughout the pages of the Bible. Here is a great list from Pastor Tony Evans. This list includes many names of God, their meaning, a verse where it is found, plus a helpful audio clip pronouncing each name.

Secondly, we can focus our prayers of adoration around the attributes of God. God’s attributes are things that we attribute to God, that belong to Him, that help us define and understand God to the best of our ability.

These attributes come from, how God chooses to describe Himself and how others describe God as they relate to Him. For a look at some of God’s attributes, check out this article I wrote on the attributes of God. It is a quick Bible study that answers the question “Who is God?”

The last thing that we can center our prayers of adoration around is the relational metaphors of God or relational titles of God. By that I mean things in the Bible that metaphorically describe our relationship with God.

This could be things such as the Father-Child relationship, the Shepherd-Sheep metaphor, the King-Servant dynamic, or other metaphorical titles of God such as Rock, Shield, Fortress, Creator, Savior, Defender, etc.

Overall, adoration is just one type of prayer that focuses on praising God for who He is and what He’s done for us. But there are more reasons that we pray, like making a personal request to God.

Petition: The Art of Personal Request

Petition is a type of prayer that focuses on requesting personal needs or guidance from God. This often the type of prayer that we first think of when we hear the word prayer. Prayers of petition ask God to intervene or provide on our behalf.

Key elements of prayers of petition include:

1. Specific Requests: Petitionary prayers often involve presenting specific requests or concerns to God. These can range from personal needs and struggles to broader issues affecting the individual, community, or the world.
2. Humility: While presenting requests, prayers of petition often include a sense of humility, recognizing the petitioner’s dependence on a God and acknowledging His authority.
3. Faith and Trust: Petitionary prayers are typically infused with faith and trust in the belief that God is capable of responding to the requests. Expressions of confidence in God’s wisdom and timing are common.
4. Gratitude: Some prayers of petition include expressions of gratitude, even before the requested outcome is realized. This reflects a sense of trust in God’s goodness and a recognition of past blessings.

But how are we to ask? What attitude should we have? Thankfully, the Bible helps us know how to approach God in making personal requests. Biblically, we are to make our requests to God, ask in Jesus’ name, wait in answer from the Holy Spirit, persist in prayer, and be ready to accept God’s will.

We make our requests to God, because we know that He alone is able to meet our needs. We pray in Jesus’ name, because it is through His death and resurrection that we can confidently approach God in the first place.

Then we wait for an answer from the Holy Spirit, our Guide and Counselor. He is there to remind us of the things of God and even help us pray.

Sometimes that answer comes quickly, but other times it doesn’t. We wait for the answer with patience and persist in prayer. Sometimes, the answer is not what we wanted to hear. Those times require we be ready to accept God’s will, no matter what it is.

Prayers of petition can take many different forms including,

• salvation and healing (Jeremiah 17:14);
• comfort (Psalm 119:76);
• strength (Psalm 86:16);
• guidance (Genesis 24:12);
• wisdom (James 1:5);
• etc. 

Overall, prayers of petition usually focus on praying for our personal needs or provision. But what if we want to pray for others? Well, that brings us to the next type of prayer.

Intercession: Bridging the Gap For Others

Intercession is a type of prayer that focuses on praying for others. It is similar to prayers of petition in that it seeks God’s provision and assistance, but it focuses on other people and not ourselves.

Key elements of intercession include:

1. Advocacy for Others: The primary focus of intercessory prayers is advocating for the needs and well-being of others. Intercessors bring the concerns of individuals, communities, or even broader issues to God.
2. Compassion and Empathy: Intercessory prayers are marked by a deep sense of compassion and empathy for the struggles and challenges faced by those on whose behalf the prayer is offered.
3. Selflessness: Intercessory prayers demonstrate a selfless attitude, as individuals prioritize the needs of others over their own concerns during the prayer.
4. Alignment with God’s Will: Intercessors often express a desire for their prayers to be in alignment with God’s will. This reflects a recognition that God’s wisdom surpasses human understanding.
5. Faith and Trust: Like other forms of prayer, intercessory prayers are infused with faith and trust in the belief that God hears and responds to the intercessor’s petitions on behalf of others.

One of my favorite examples of an intercessory prayer in the Bible is when Abraham prays for Sodom and Gamorrah (Genesis 18). It actually teaches us a lot about how we are to pray prayers of intercession. We are to intercede boldly and honestly, arguing on the basis of God’s integrity, and resting in His character.

Abraham was bold and honest in his prayers for Sodom and Gamorrah. He asked God if He would destroy the city if there were 50 righteous people. Then Abraham kept lowering the number. 40? 10? That’s pretty bold. But Abraham was also honest. He told God exactly how he felt about what God was going to do.

But Abraham recognized God’s character as just and did not argue on the basis of his personal feelings. Rather, he argued on the basis of God’s integrity and character. Abraham showed that he wanted God to do what would bring God the most glory. That ought to be the basis of all our prayers of intercession.

Overall, intercession is a lot like petition, in that it asks God to act on someone’s behalf. But what should we do when He does? Well, that’s where our next type of prayer comes in.

Thanksgiving: A Grateful Heart’s Expression

Thanksgiving is a type of prayer that expresses gratitude to God. Thanksgiving acknowledges God’s inherent goodness and the blessings He has shown us in life.

Key elements of thanksgiving include,

1. Gratitude: The central theme of thanksgiving prayers is a genuine and heartfelt expression of gratitude. Individuals express appreciation for the blessings, both big and small, that they have received.
2. Specific Acknowledgments: Thankful prayers often include specific acknowledgments of the particular gifts, experiences, or aspects of life for which we are grateful.
3. Joy and Celebration: Prayers of thanksgiving are characterized by a sense of joy and celebration. We rejoice in the goodness of God and the positive aspects of our lives.
4. Reflection on Blessings: Thanksgiving prayers may involve reflecting on the blessings received over a certain period, fostering a sense of mindfulness and awareness of God’s presence in daily life.
5. Acknowledgment of Others: Some thanksgiving prayers include expressions of gratitude for the people in one’s life, acknowledging the role of others in bringing joy, support, and love.

The Bible is filled with commands and encouragement to thank God for everything. Here are some things you can thank God for in your prayers of thanksgiving:

• His goodness and mercy (Ps. 68:19)
• The gift of Jesus, that is the Gospel (2 Corinthians 9:15)
• Jesus’ power and reign over everything ((rev. 11:17)
• The reception and work of the Gospel in others’ lives (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
• Deliverance from hard times (Ps. 31:7)
• Deliverance from sin (Romans 7:23-25)
• Victory over death and the grave (1 Corinthians 15:57)
• Wisdom and Might (Daniel 2:23)
• The Nearness of God’s Presence (Ps. 75:1)
• Supply of bodily wants and needs like food, water, etc. (Romans 14:6-7; 1 Timothy 4:3-4)

Simply put, we are to count our blessings and turn every blessing into a prayer of thanksgiving.

Typically, prayers of thanksgiving are often prayed for when times are good. But we must remember to pray when things are bad as well. God is good whether we are having good times or not. His character does not change.

So, even though we often pray prayers of thanksgiving when things are good, they are perhaps, best when things are challenging. Because it is then that our faith shines brighter.

God is worthy of constant thanks, as He is of constant adoration. We praise God for who He is and we thank Him for what He’s done.

Overall, thanksgiving is a type of prayer that thanks God for what He’s done for us. The greatest thing He did for us, being, sending Jesus to save us from our sins. This brings us to the next type of prayer.

Confession: The Path to Redemption

Confession is a type of prayer that focuses on acknowledging sins. Prayers of confession seek forgiveness, healing, and redemption. They involve a sincere and humble admission of one’s faults before God, seeking forgiveness and repentance.

Key elements of prayers of confession include:

1. Acknowledgment of Wrongdoing: Confessional prayers involve an honest and specific acknowledgment of the ways in which individuals have fallen short, whether through actions, thoughts, or words.
2. Expression of Remorse: Individuals express genuine remorse and sorrow for the impact of their actions on themselves, others, and their relationship with the God.
3. Request for Forgiveness: A central component of confessional prayers is the plea for forgiveness. We ought to seek divine mercy and understanding, recognizing our dependence on God’s grace.
4. Commitment to Change: Confession is often accompanied by a sincere desire to change one’s ways. Individuals express a commitment to living a more virtuous and righteous life with the help of the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Confession is a type of prayer of petition that focuses on our relationship with God. The Bible makes clear that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Sin is anything we think, say, or do that goes against God’s instructions, will, and desire.

Sin separates us from God and destroys any chance of a relationship with Him. Graciously, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and rise again. Belief in what Jesus has done for us, restores our relationship with God.

We are to repent, to turn from our sins and turn toward God. To confess our sins to Him and depend on His strength to work in us to help us grow more into who He’s made us to be and more like Christ. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9,

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

So, confession is vital not only for our salvation as Christians, but also our spiritual growth. There are still going to be struggles with sin in life as a Christian, because we still live in a broken and fallen world. Life is hard, and that truth brings us to the last type of prayer.

Lament: Finding Solace in Sorrow

Lament is a type of prayer that expresses grief or sorrow during hard times and seeks comfort and understanding from God. These prayers are often honest, raw, and even shocking prayers, allowing individuals to pour out their pain, suffering, and distress before the God.

Typically, key elements of prayers of lament include:

1. Expression of Suffering: Lament prayers begin with an honest and open expression of the pain, suffering, or distress experienced by the individual or community. This may involve describing the specific challenges or hardships being faced.
2. Questioning and Pleading: Lamentation often includes questioning and pleading with God, seeking understanding in the face of adversity and asking for intervention, mercy, or guidance.
3. Confession of Vulnerability: Individuals express their vulnerability and dependence on God. Lament prayers acknowledge human limitations and the need for divine assistance in times of difficulty.
4. Hope for Deliverance: Despite the anguish expressed, prayers of lament often contain a thread of hope. Individuals look to the divine for comfort, deliverance, and the restoration of hope in the midst of despair.

Lament, so common in the Bible, seems to be all but lost to Christians today. That is a tragedy. The world is no less wicked; no less in need of God today than yesterday or days long past. It is time for us to reacquaint ourselves with the prayer and the power of lament.

A great example of lament from the Bible is Psalm 60. David writes this lament after a lose in war. And in it we see the key elements of lament.

David talks about the situation that is causing all the grief. He discusses the recent wars and their effect on the nation and land. He says, You have shaken the land and torn it open…You have shown your people desperate times” (Psalm 60:2-3).

He goes on to express his feelings about the situation and how the nation as a whole felt like it was rejected, shaken, and drugged by God himself (Psalm 60:1-4).

Lastly, David returns to the character of God. He recalls God as a divine warrior fighting for His people (Psalm 60:5-8). Then he asks God to fight for them now (Psalm 60:9-12). 

Overall, lament is type of prayer that gives us the freedom to express how we feel about challenging circumstances and ask God to act in the midst of them.

The Content of Prayer

Prayer is a personal and corporate spiritual practice that can encompass a wide range of topics. But a recent Lifeway survey discovered what Americans typically pray about when talking to God.

• 82% pray for family or friends
• 74% pray for thier own problems or difficulties
• 54% pray for good things that have occurred recently
• 42% pray for thier own sin
• 38% pray for people when natural disasters occur
• 37% pray for God’s greatness
• 36% pray for their personal future prosperity
• 20% pray for people of other faiths or no faith
• 12% pray for government leaders
• 5% pray for celebrities or public figures

While this survey is fascinating and provides insight into common things people pray about, it is vital to recognize that there is so much more that we can pray about. We can approach God with anything we want to talk with our Creator about.

We can express gratitude for who He is and what He’s done. We can seek guidance and wisdom as we make choices about our life. We can find comfort and strength during our trials. Or simply, seek to grow closer encounter God in a deeper way.

Ultimately, prayer invites us into an ongoing relationship and conversation with God. It allows us to encounter God in such a way that we come to desire to live Biblically. A.W. Tozer writes, “Prayer at its best is the expression of the total life.”

That is worth thinking about. So, I’ll leave it there and let it simmer. Does your prayer life reflect your entire life? Are you using all these different types of prayer to glorify God and grow closer to Him in faith and love.

Tips for Praying

1. Find a Quiet Space:
   • Choose an environment with minimal distractions for focused prayer.
2. Establish a Routine:
   • Set aside dedicated time each day for prayer to build a consistent habit.
3. Start with Gratitude:
   • Begin your prayers with expressions of gratitude for who God is and what He’s already done for your life.
4. Use Different Forms of Prayer:
   • Incorporate adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, confession, and lament for a well-rounded prayer life.
5. Be Honest and Authentic:
   • Speak from the heart; honesty fosters a deeper connection with the God. Prayers don’t have to be perfect, just heartfelt.
6. Practice Mindfulness:
   • Stay present during prayer, letting go of worries about the past or future. Focus your time on God and spending time with Him.
7. Active Listening:
   • Create moments of silence to actively listen for guidance or insights during prayer.
8. Keep a Prayer Journal:
   • Document your thoughts, feelings, and requests in a dedicated journal to track your spiritual journey.
9. Adapt Postures:
   • Experiment with different postures (sitting, kneeling, walking) to find what helps you feel more connected.
10. Reflect Regularly:
    • Periodically reflect on your prayers, celebrating answered ones and learning from challenges.
11. Include Others:
    • Pray for others, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and compassion.
12. Explore Different Styles:
    • Try various prayer styles, such as silent meditation, spoken words, or written expressions.
    • Consider giving Lectio Divina a try. It’s a way to prayerfully read Scripture.
13. Pray the Bible:
    • Include readings from the Bible to inspire you and enliven your prayer life. Learn to pray the Psalms and breathe freshness into your prayer life.
14. Invite Silence:
    • Allow moments of silence in your prayers; silence can be a powerful space for connection.
15. Be Patient:
    • Understand that spiritual growth and answers to prayers may take time; practice patience.
16. Engage in Acts of Service:
    • Extend your prayer life through acts of kindness and service to others. Prayer is not just the words we say to God, it is a way of life.
17. Seek Guidance:
    • If you feel lost, seek guidance from spiritual leaders, mentors, or trusted individuals.
18. Express Repentance:
    • Embrace confession as a form of spiritual cleansing, acknowledging and seeking forgiveness for mistakes.
19. Celebrate Small Victories:
    • Acknowledge and celebrate even the small victories and positive changes in your life.

Key Takeaways

• Prayer is practical and vital for Christian life.
• Prayer is defined as communication with God, involving both talking and listening. It is based on a relationship where individuals acknowledge their dependence on God and His ability to meet their needs.
• Adoration focuses on expressing love and worship, praising God’s qualities and nature without specific requests.
• Petition involves requesting personal needs or guidance from God, emphasizing specific requests.
• Intercession focuses on praying for others, advocating for their needs with compassion, empathy, selflessness.
• Thanksgiving expresses gratitude to God.
• Confession acknowledges sins, seeking forgiveness, healing, and redemption.
• Lament expresses grief or sorrow during hard times, seeking comfort and understanding from God.

Overall, prayer is an ongoing relationship and conversation with God, inviting us into a transformative encounter that aligns our lives with biblical principles. In short, it is a way that we can encounter God and live Biblically.