While in prison, Paul, in Ephesians, has his prayer focused on God. His thought patterns were about how he was saved, adopted, accepted, redeemed, set free, forgiven and sealed and so much more. He did not pray to get out of jail. He has taught me how to pray.

For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God. To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen. – Ephesians 3:14-21 GNT

I can see Paul falling on his knees to pray. It is an outward expression that I do in order to let God know that He is in charge and I am not. If Paul and Jesus can pray from their knees, so can I.

Paul teaches me to pray, asking God, through His Spirit, to make me strong in my inner self. My world consists of being private – no one but God knows, personal – close friends and family know, professional – colleagues, peers associates and co-workers might know and public – this is what people hear or read via word of mouth or social media. This inner self of mine needs to move so that I can receive God’s grace. I need to pray that my heart can receive God’s grace. I need to pray humbly to a God whose wisdom is far beyond my imagination.

When it comes to praying for the lost, this might be a verse that could help me out.

I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. – Ezekiel 36:26 GNT

This is a word of assurance that makes prayer relevant and possible. Promises like this one are an encouragement to pray. In order to obtain such promises, I need to pray for those blessings. It is here, in prayer, that God gets to carry out His purposes of mercy.

I may find myself content to prayer within my own dimensions, my own religious interests and from the values of those I surround myself with. However, as a child of God, I am required and commanded by the giver of these promises to pray and keep on praying.

The Sovereign Lord says, “I will once again let the Israelites ask me for help, and I will let them increase in numbers like a flock of sheep. – Ezekiel 36:37 GNT

The answer to prayer is an increase of those things God has promised me.

“I trust we all feel the missionary spirit; we all long to see the kingdom of the Lord come, and to see the converts in Zion multiplied. But God has appended to the granting of our desire that we should pray for it: we must plead and enquire, or else the increase will be withheld.” – Spurgeon

David teaches me how to pray with humilty.

Listen to me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am helpless and weak. – Psalm 86:1 GNT

“When our prayers are lowly by reason of our humility, or feeble by reason of our sickness, or without wing by reason of our despondency, the Lord will bow down to them, the infinitely exalted Jehovah will have respect unto them.” – Spurgeon

Following this request will come a reason David will give to God why his prayer should be answered. David thought carefully in his prayer, and presented both requests and reasons to God. “The psalm is unique in its method of urging a petition upon the ground of some known fact.” – Morgan

“The book of Habakkuk is nothing but a dialogue of prayer by the prophet with God. Habakkuk waited in prayer for God’s answers to his questions.” – Timothy Keller