We should carefully study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we may understand His word. We should take one verse, and concentrate the mind on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put in that verse for us. We should dwell upon the thought until it becomes our own, and we know “what saith the Lord.” – The Desire of Ages, p. 390

“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)

“Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the SECRET of spiritual power. No other means of grace can substitute for prayer and preserve the health of the soul. Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact with the Wellspring of life, strengthening the sinews and muscles of the religious experience. Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage in it spasmodically, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God.” (Gospel Workers, p. 254)

Bible study is essential, but it cannot replace prayer. Eating is necessary for life, but without breathing, we will die. We need both the Word of God and prayer to sustain spiritual life.

A well-known American evangelist of the early 20th century is often quoted as saying, “He that is a stranger to prayer is a stranger to power.”

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

One author on prayer says, “The whole secret of prayer is found these words of our Lord.”

This verse reveals the key to effective prayer: two conditions. First, we must abide in Christ. Second, His words must abide in us.

To understand what it means to “abide,” we can look at Jesus’ illustration of the vine and branches in John 15. It’s worth taking the time to read and meditate on this chapter.

George Müller, a man of extraordinary prayer and faith who cared for over 10,000 orphans during his lifetime, relied completely on the Lord for every need. When it was time to pray, he would begin by reading and meditating on God’s Word. As he immersed himself in Scripture, a prayer would naturally take shape in his heart. In this way, it was God Himself who inspired the prayer, and He faithfully answered the prayers He had authored.

The Word of God is the tool the Holy Spirit uses to work in us, like a sword in His hands. To pray in the Spirit, we need to spend time in God’s Word, allowing the Spirit to use it as a foundation for our prayers. Without the Word, praying in the Spirit is hard. But when we use Scripture in our prayers, our struggles begin to fade.