Many people want to grow their prayer life. They want to pray more often, pray with power, and enjoy being with God. But they do not know where to start. Some feel too busy. Others feel too dry or tired.
The good news is this: you can grow. Anyone can. Even great men of prayer started small.
The secret is not in being perfect. It is in being consistent. And many of the great men we read about in the Bible and in history followed some simple patterns that made their prayer life strong.
Here are five secrets they knew—secrets that still work today.
1. They created time on purpose
Great men of prayer do not wait until they feel like praying. They plan for it. They make space. They create time even when they are busy.
Daniel is a good example. The Bible says he prayed three times a day, every day, even when it was dangerous.
Daniel 6 verse 10:
“He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”
He did not pray by chance. He prayed by choice.
If you want to grow your prayer life, start by making time. It could be five minutes in the morning or ten minutes at night. The time does not have to be long. It just has to be regular.
2. They prayed even when they did not feel like it
Great men of prayer do not wait for perfect moods. They pray when they are tired. They pray when they are sad. They pray when they are confused.
Jesus prayed even when He was in pain.
Luke 22 verse 44:
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Feelings come and go. But a strong prayer life is built on discipline. You may not always feel like praying, but if you show up anyway, you will grow.
3. They had secret places with God
The great men of prayer had quiet places where they met with God often. These places were not always beautiful or special. But they were private and consistent.
Jesus often went to a quiet place early in the morning to pray.
Mark 1 verse 35:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
You can do the same. It could be your room. A corner. A chair. A walk outside. Wherever it is, make it your meeting point with God.
Your secret place is where your strength grows.
4. They used the Word of God in prayer
Many great men of prayer do not just speak their own words. They also pray using scriptures.
They remind God of His promises. They use verses to guide their words. They speak what God already said.
Isaiah 55 verse 11:
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.”
When you pray with the Word, your prayers become stronger. You do not have to force it. You can pick one verse and turn it into a prayer.
For example, if you read “The Lord is my Shepherd”, you can pray “Lord, lead me today. Be my Shepherd in everything I do.”
That is simple. That is powerful.
5. They kept showing up even when nothing changed
One of the biggest secrets of great men of prayer is this: they did not give up. Even when answers were slow. Even when things looked silent. They kept praying.
Elijah prayed seven times for rain to fall again. He did not stop until he saw a small cloud.
1 Kings 18 verse 43 to 44:
“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back!” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
Some answers take time. But every prayer you pray is doing something. Even the ones with tears. Even the ones with silence.
Keep showing up. That is how prayer grows.
Final Thoughts
If you want to grow your prayer life, you do not need to be a special kind of person. You just need to start.
Start small. Start honestly. Start with the little strength you have. God will meet you there.
Create time
Keep showing up
Use the Word
Have a quiet place
Pray even when it is hard
These are the same things that built the lives of the men we admire today.
And they can build your life too.