Positions For Prayer

God is a prayer answering God, and the positions you adapt while praying does not determine whether it would be answered or not. His ears are always open to receive our petitions or cries, not minding the position we adopt while making such request.

What positions should we use while praying?

1.Standing: We can pray to God while standing on our feet. Solomon made his request unto God by standing before the altar (1Kings8:22). The Levites and others also prayed to God by standing on the stairs. (Neh.9:4-5)

2.Sitting position: Prayers could be made in a sitting position. King David also approached him by sitting before him (Chr.17:16). People can also pray, sitting in sackcloth and ashes (Lk.10:13)

3.Bowing down: Prayer could also be made bowing down. Moses prayed to God in this position asking him to lead his people, and his request was granted. God did not decline because he prayed with his head bowed. (Ex.34:8). King David even called his people to join him in worship and bow down before God. (Ps.95:6)

4.Kneeling down: This is about the most popular position adopted by people while praying. It was mostly used in the old times, but it’s now being gradually replaced with standing position. Ezra, Daniel and the Apostle Paul used this position at one time or the other while praying to God. (Ezra9:5; Dan.6:10; Acts 20:36)

5.Lifting up your hands: Prayers could also be made with our hands lifted up. David appealed to God to answer him each time he lifted up his hands towards his holy oracle. (Ps.28:2). The Apostle Paul also encouraged believers to pray, lifting up their holy hands, without wrath and doubt. (1Tim.2:8).

6.Lying down: We can also pray in lying positions. Both King David and our lord Jesus Christ used that position at least once (2Sam.12:16; Matt.26:39).

7.Inside your room: We can also pray in our room (closet) and God would listen. Closing our doors does not shut him out of our life. When Prophet Elisha prayed to God to restore the life of the Shunammite woman’s son, he stayed in the room and shut the door behind him. (2Kings4:33). Jesus also advised us to pray in the room, with our door shut (Matt.6:6)

8.Outside: Prayers could be made outside, but not as the Pharisees do. You should not pray in public so as to be seen and praised by men; you should pray when an immediate situation demands that. Joshua prayed in the public, in the middle of a battle because he had no time to leave the enemies and rush into the house to pray (Joshua 10:12).

Each time you approach God, have confidence that he would hear you, irrespective of the position you use. The most important thing God needs from you is a clean heart and holy hands.