Praises over Prayers?

I remember hearing this statement right from childhood: “If prayer doesn’t work, switch to praises.”

I grew up believing it, and for a long time, it seemed valid. After all, many people have testimonies that support it. But later, I discovered something that made me question the foundation of that statement.

Jesus never said there would be a time when prayer would stop working, and we’d have to resort to praises instead. Not once. Even the Apostles never treated prayer and praise like interchangeable tools using one when the other “fails”.

They never switched to praise because prayer had somehow stopped being effective. So why has this idea persisted for so long?

Because in many cases, it appears to work. People switch to praises and see results.

But does that mean Jesus intentionally ‘kept’ this ‘secret’ from us, and we had to figure it out ourselves? Absolutely not.

Jesus didn’t tell us to switch to praises when prayer fails, because prayer never fails. The issue is not with prayer, but with how we define it and practice it.

What Does the Bible Say About Prayer?

Our modern understanding of prayer often boils down to just asking.

Let us revisit what prayer really means, based on what the Bible teaches.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:8 (KJV)

The kind of prayer Jesus had in mind was a faith-filled prayer. Not emotional words or rituals but prayer rooted in confidence that God has heard and answered.

It’s simple and direct: If you truly ask, you will receive. So, if we ask and don’t receive, the issue must be with how we’re asking.

John also added another layer:

[14] And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

[15] And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15 (KJV)

So now we understand two key things:

1. Prayer must be offered in faith.
2. Prayer must align with God’s will.

When these two conditions are met, the Bible assures us that our prayers will always be answered. Not sometimes. Always.

So Where Do Praises Fit In?

Praise is powerful. It honours God, shifts our focus from ourselves to Him, and often positions our heart to receive. It is important that we praise and praise often.

But praise was never meant to be a backup plan for when prayer “fails”.

Sometimes what we think is the result of praise is actually the result of a heart finally filled with faith and alignment to God’s will — the two ingredients that activate effective prayer.

Jesus didn’t teach us to abandon prayer when it seems unproductive. Instead, He taught us what makes prayer effective: faith and God’s will.

So, before you say prayer didn’t work, ask yourself:

Did I truly believe when I prayed?
Was my request aligned with God’s will?

Because when prayer is offered in faith and according to God’s will, it never fails.