How to Say a Short Prayer

Saying a short prayer to God is just as powerful as saying lengthy ones, as we are praying to the most powerful and awesome Almighty God who hears and answers all our prayers. If you are on a tight schedule or have an important meeting that requires you to say a short and brief prayer, there are many ways to offer short but meaningful and powerful prayers:

1.    Read a Scripture and declare it.

As you ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance on what Scripture may best minister to the listeners, obey Him and declare it. For instance, you may be led to pray Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. With this Scripture in mind, you can pray in this manner:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for this wonderful day. You said in Your Word: Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Whatever you are doing in our lives right now, and even the things that have just begun, thank You, for we can be confident that You will complete the good work You have started in each one of us, until the day Jesus Christ returns. Be glorified, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

2.    Pray an exaltation prayer that magnifies and praises God.

You can also exalt God, say a thanksgiving prayer, and praise Him for what He will do throughout the day. This is also a powerful prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the Father, who deserves all the glory and honor. You can pray in this way:

Heavenly Father, we are gathered before Your presence, and may You be lifted high in our lives. You have always been so good and faithful to us, in both good and bad times. We thank You for who You are and for loving us unconditionally. All the praise and glory to You for all the things that You will do today, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

3.    Say a blessing prayer to everyone before an event starts.

A short and powerful prayer can be a form of blessing. You simply bless everyone present in the room or whoever is with you, and give thanks to God. Here is a short prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for gathering us here today. Your presence is here, and I ask that You bless each and every person who is here right now. May Your will be done today, and may we glorify You for what You are about to do, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

4.    Thank the Father and declare words of encouragement and life.

Another way to say a short but powerful prayer is to offer a prayer of thanksgiving and a declaration of words that bring encouragement and life. Here is an example:

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us another chance to live today. It is not an accident that we are here, and we will continue to fulfill our mission here on earth. I declare that today will be a successful meeting, and may we learn and apply all the lessons today, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

These are just some of the ways to say a short prayer. You must always partner with the Holy Spirit, who guides and helps believers in what to pray and how to pray. As you do this, you make impactful and effective prayers, even if they are short. After all, only the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:11). And when you pray what is on God’s mind, you are declaring His will on earth. We praise the Lord because, through the Holy Spirit, you can have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

What is a good short prayer?

A good short prayer can be as simple as giving thanks to God, reading a Scripture and declaring it, or praising the Lord for His goodness. As long as the prayer is Spirit-led and comes from the sincerity of your heart, it is powerful enough to move heaven and the heart of the Father. Prayers are powerful and effective, not because of the words we say, but because of the One to whom we are praying. God is listening, and He hears the prayers of His people.

In the Bible, there are many prayers, both long and short, offered by Spirit-filled-faith believers. However, one of the shortest prayers that was most powerful and effective was offered by the Lord Jesus Christ when He raised Lazarus from the dead. He prayed to Father in this way:

And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people who stand by I said it, that they might believe that thou hast sent me. John 11:41-42

After He had prayed that short prayer, He called forth Lazarus from the tomb, and Lazarus was brought back to life.

Prayers are done in faith, knowing that God is listening, with the confidence that He will hear and answer you, and make an effective and powerful prayer that can move mountains, just like Jesus (see James 1:6-8).

As you pray a short prayer on the occasions and circumstances of your life, know that God hears your prayers and answers them because You are His beloved child. May God bless you, in Jesus’ name.