Q: Many people believe prayer has to be long, eloquent, or emotional to make an impact. What have you learned about the power of simple, even one-word prayers?
A: Jesus Himself warned His followers, “When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot.”
That’s a direct quote from Matthew 6:7. So right there, we see that longer isn’t necessarily better. The Bible also declares that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” in James 5:16. Notice it says effective and fervent—not long and eloquent.
When I look through Scripture, I find that some of the most powerful prayers ever prayed were incredibly short. Peter’s “Lord, save me!” in Matthew 14 was only three words, yet it brought Jesus immediately to his sinking side. The thief on the cross said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”—nine words that opened the gates of paradise for him that very day. Short prayers often carry a sense of urgency that long prayers don’t. I’ve watched a mother shout the single word “Jesus!” when her toddler ran into a busy street, and watched every car miraculously swerve or stop. That one-word prayer was as powerful as the tongues of men and angels.
Q: You say small prayers can unlock big miracles. Can you give us a story or example from your life where that happened?
A: I vividly recall the season decades ago when Free Chapel; the church I pastor in Gainesville, Georgia; was relatively young and we hadn’t yet built our first sanctuary. We had scraped together enough money to buy eighteen acres of undeveloped land. We were excited, but there was a problem—it was basically a huge hill, and you can’t build on a hill. You need it flat.
At that time we had three girls and they were all still little, some of them still in car seats. Every day we’d drive by that acreage with the earth-moving equipment working on it, and I’d reach my hand out toward that property and shout “Grace! Grace!” to it. That two-word prayer comes from Zechariah 4, where God tells Zerubbabel that mountains of obstacles will become flat plains when you speak “Grace, grace” to them. Soon all three of the girls were doing it too! We’d turn the corner and I’d hear three little voices from three little car seats shouting “Grace! Grace!” with little hands stretched out toward that construction site. Today, that property is central home to a thriving multi-campus church that has touched lives around the world. A two-word prayer opened the flood gates of Heaven’s enabling power.
Q: What do you say to the person who feels like they’ve prayed and prayed but nothing seems to be changing?
A: I’d point them to the story of the nobleman in John chapter 4. His son was dying, and he traveled two days uphill just to beg Jesus for help. Jesus spoke the word and the father headed home. But here’s what many people miss—when the servants met him on the road with the good news, they told him the boy “began to get better” at the very hour Jesus spoke. The healing was progressive, not instantaneous.
Some healings come like lightning, but others come like the dawn—gradually pushing back darkness until full light appears. You may have prayed and still don’t feel anything different today. The doctor’s report might not change tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean God hasn’t already set your breakthrough in motion. From the moment you believe His word, recovery begins. Keep praying. Keep believing. The answer may already be on its way, working its way toward you even when you can’t see it yet.
Q: In a world full of noise, how can we hear God’s response when we pray?
A: It’s true—it’s a noisy world. Most of us carry around a little device in our hands during all of our waking hours that is constantly shouting for attention and stressing us out. But to hear the still, small voice of God, you need two levels of quiet. You need to quiet your environment, and then you have to quiet your mind—your soul.
The first part is about finding a physical space where distractions are minimized. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. (Turn that mobile phone off!) But the second level is harder—it’s about stilling the anxious chatter in your own head. That’s where disciplines like fasting, worship, and simply sitting in God’s presence come in. When Elijah was looking for God, the Lord wasn’t in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. He was in a still, small voice. God often speaks in whispers, which means if our lives are a constant roar, we’ll miss Him entirely. David said, “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother... (Psalms 131:2) Make space for silence. Your soul will thank you, and you’ll start hearing things you’ve been missing.
Q: How do small prayers help us stay connected to God in everyday life—not just during church or devotion time?
A: Short prayers are perfect for the rhythm of real life because they don’t require you to stop everything and find a prayer closet. You can breathe a prayer while stuck in traffic, while waiting for test results, while walking into a difficult meeting. “Lord, give me wisdom.” “Jesus, help me.” “Father, I trust you.” These little conversations with God throughout the day keep your heart tethered to Heaven even when your hands are busy with earth.
Paul told us to “pray without ceasing.” I used to think that sounded impossible—until I realized he wasn’t talking about being on your knees twenty-four hours a day. He was talking about maintaining an open line of communication with God at all times. Short prayers make that possible. They turn your entire day into an ongoing conversation with your Heavenly Father rather than limiting your prayer life to scheduled appointments.
Q: How do prayer and fasting work together to deepen our relationship with God?
A: Fasting isn’t popular but it has become one of the most powerful, most treasured, aspects of my walk withGod. There’s nothing like it. Fasting is a way of saying to God—and to your own flesh—that spiritual hunger matters more than physical hunger. When you fast, you’re creating space in your life for God to fill. You’re voluntarily setting aside something you legitimately need in order to seek something you need even more. It sharpens your spiritual senses and helps you hear from God more clearly.
Prayer and fasting work together because fasting adds intensity and focus to your prayers. It’s like turning up the dial. Jesus said some things only come by prayer and fasting. There are breakthroughs that require both. I’ve practiced regular fasting for decades now, and I can tell you that some of the most significant answers to prayer in my life have come during or immediately after times of fasting. It’s not about earning God’s favor—it’s about positioning yourself to receive what He already longs to give.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to grow a stronger daily prayer life but feels overwhelmed or unqualified?
A: Start with a pattern. Jesus gave us one—we call it the Lord’s Prayer. It’s only sixty-six words, but it contains everything you need: worship, surrender, petition, forgiveness, and spiritual warfare. I’ve prayed through that prayer almost every day for more than thirty years, using it as a roadmap rather than just words to recite. It keeps my prayers focused and comprehensive without requiring me to reinvent the wheel each morning.
And please hear this: you don’t have to have your life perfectly together to pray. The thief on the cross had lived a life of crime. Peter had just failed miserably when he cried out “Lord, save me!” God isn’t looking for polished presentations—He’s looking for honest hearts. Start where you are. Pray what you can. A stumbling, honest prayer moves God’s heart far more than eloquent words that don’t mean anything. Just start talking to Him.
Q: Some people feel unqualified to pray—like they don’t know the “right words.” What would you say to them?
A: I’d say look at the peopleJesus responded to in Scripture. A desperate nobleman who simply said, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” A group of lepers who shouted, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” A criminal in his final moments who gasped, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” None of these were theological experts. None of them had the “right words.” They had desperate need and simple faith—and Jesus responded to every single one.
God isn’t counting your words; He’s weighing your faith. He’s not impressed by eloquence—He’s moved by sincerity. When Mary received the angel’s impossible announcement, she didn’t have a prepared speech. She simply said, “Let it be to me according to your word.” Fifteen words that changed human history. Your Heavenly Father wants to hear from you, not from some polished version of you that doesn’t exist. Just talk to Him like He’s your Father—because He is.
Q: What are some of your favorite, go-to “small prayers” that our readers can try?
A: “Grace, grace!”—fromZechariah 4. I speak this over obstacles and mountains that stand between me and what God has called me to do. “Lord, save me!”—Peter’s three-word cry when he was sinking. Perfect for any moment when you feel like you’re going under. “Jesus, have mercy on me!”—the cry of the lepers. This is my go-to when I need healing mercies of any kind. “Let it be to me according to your word”—Mary’s prayer of surrender. I pray this when God asks me to trust Him with something that seems impossible.
I also love praying the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6 over my family: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” I’ve spoken that blessing over my children since they were small; and over my congregation weekly for many years. These aren’t magic formulas—they’re biblical patterns that align our hearts with God’s heart and release His power into our situations.
Q: If there’s one takeaway you hope every reader walks away with after reading this book, what is it?
A: You can get a lot done with a short prayer. Don’t let the enemy convince you that your prayers don’t count because they’re not long enough or eloquent enough or spiritual enough. Some of the most powerful prayers in the entire Bible were fewer than ten words. The mother who shouts “Jesus!” when her child is in danger is praying a prayer as effective as the tongues of men and angels.
I’m not saying you should spend less time with God—by all means, pour out your heart to Him and spend as much time as you can in His presence. But don’t make the mistake Jesus warned about, thinking you’ll be heard for your many words. Sometimes less is more. Your Heavenly Father’s ears are always inclined to the voices of His people. He will pause His purpose to bring about your possibility. That’s the kind of God we serve—one who responds to short, desperate, faith-filled prayers with the full power of Heaven.
