As Christians, many of us pray for the wrong things without realizing it. We pray for houses, cars, promotions, or to be as rich or successful as someone else. There is nothing wrong with wanting stability and blessings—but when our prayer life becomes self-centered and material driven, we limit where God is trying to take us.
I used to spend most of my prayers complaining, begging for things God had already given me, and crying about what I didn’t have. But the real issue wasn’t God—it was me.
I was blinded by low self-esteem, fear, discouragement, and spiritual delay.
A Vision That Changed How I Pray
One night, after praying with deep joy, I went to sleep and had a dream. In the dream, I was in a church. I opened my phone and saw my vision board— the same one I had made earlier on Pinterest before sleeping. But this time, every single goal had a green check mark next to it.
God was showing me:
“You already have your inheritance. Your blessing is already released.”
That dream taught me a powerful truth:
Many Christians spend all their prayer time asking for what is already theirs, instead of praying for what matures them.
Jesus’s ministry did not focus on teaching people how to become wealthy. He taught deliverance, healing, spiritual warfare, repentance, character, and obedience.
These are the foundations that unlock everything else.
The Three Core Prayer Points Every Christian Needs
The truth is, God won't show up at your door with a million dollars that will take the problems away or will magically make the problem go away without you doing anything. As I grew deeper in faith, the Holy Spirit showed me what I must consistently pray for:
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Insight & Knowledge ( Read the story of Daniel)
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Strength & Joy
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Strategy
These are the prayers that unlock miracles, blessings, and spiritual breakthroughs.
1. Pray for Insight & Knowledge
God will not bless you by dropping a million dollars in your lap. He blesses through:
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Ideas
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Opportunities
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Jobs
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Creativity
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Divine instructions
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Spirit-led strategies
This is why you must pray:
“Lord, give me wisdom, insight, and knowledge.”
Without divine insight, you can sit on your blessing, live in the right environment but fail to prosper, or follow people’s opinions instead of God’s direction.
Biblical Example: Isaac in the Dry Land
Everyone was leaving the land because it was dry.
But God told Isaac, “Plant here.” (paraphrasing)
He obeyed.
He planted where everyone else was running away from—and he prospered a hundredfold.
Why?
Because God gave him insight.
Personal Example: My BYB Brunch Event
I remember visiting a four-star hotel for my Build Your Brand Brunch. It was out of my budget. Others advised me to go somewhere cheaper. But the Holy Spirit said:
“Do your event here.”
I obeyed.
God sent sponsors.
The event was successful.
The team was excellent.
Everything worked.
If I had listened to people instead of the Holy Spirit, I would have planted my seed in the wrong soil.
This is why you must pray for insight—so you recognise where God wants you to be.
2. Pray for Strength & Joy
Every Christian will face spiritual battles.
Dreams are one of the key ways God warns us of incoming attacks.
Warning Dreams Include:
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Fighting with people
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Being chased by animals
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Something is being stolen from you
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Accidents
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Being trapped
These dreams are not random—they are spiritual signs.
If in the dream you win the battle, it means spiritually you are strong.
If you lose or freeze, it means spiritually you are weak, and you must rise in prayer.
Why Strength Matters
The enemy attacks your spirit through:
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Discouragement
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Lies
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Heartbreak
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Betrayal
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Financial stress
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Delay
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Fear
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Confusion
Strength allows you to stay joyful and courageous even when the physical world looks dark.
How to Pray During Spiritual Attacks
Wake up between 12 AM and 4 AM to pray. As you pray, you cancel the plans of the enemy and speak into existence the opposite of what the enemy had against you. For example, if you had been stolen from, pray for restoration. If it's a heartbreak pray for peace etc.
If you're Catholic:
Pray Psalm 35 and Psalm 69 (prayers of battle and protection).
Then pray the Rosary if you choose.
If you’re not Catholic:
Read Scriptures of warfare, pray battle Psalms, then end with worship.
Do this consistently until God shows you that the enemy has been defeated.
3. Pray for Strategy
When God blesses you, promotes you, or gives you an assignment, you must ask:
“Lord, give me the strategy.”
Sometimes God only gives you:
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A word
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A location
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A timing
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A small instruction
The rest must be revealed through prayer.
Pray Especially for Strategy When:
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You start a new project
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You receive a divine idea
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You get a new job or promotion
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You launch a business
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You enter a new environment
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You are sent on a mission
Strategy prevents you from mismanaging your blessing
Why Many Prayers Don’t Get Answered
It’s not always because God is silent.
Sometimes it's because you are spiritually blind.
Blindness comes from:
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Trauma
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Unforgiveness
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Jealousy
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Bitterness
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Envy
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Pride
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Fear
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Shame
God cannot bless a prayer rooted in jealousy (“Make me richer than my neighbour”).
This is why the book of James teaches that wrong motives block prayers.
When your prayers begin aligning with God’s will—
insight, strength, strategy, purity, and obedience—
Your answers come instantly, sometimes within hours.
Why Gratitude Matters Before Anything Else
Before you begin asking God for anything, you must practice gratitude and worship.
When God answers a prayer, don’t rush to ask for more—praise Him first.
Sometimes we ask and ask, forgetting that prayer is not always about us. As you grow with God, He will begin to shift your heart to pray for others—to intercede.
This is what true Christianity is about.
Mature in Your Prayer Life
Every season requires a different strategy.
Every blessing requires maturity.
You cannot pray the same way you prayed seven years ago.
As you grow with God, He will teach you:
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How to pray with revelation
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How to intercede for others
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How to fight spiritual battles
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How to walk in confidence and joy
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How to step into your destiny without fear
Prayer is not only about asking—it is about aligning with God.
If you take anything from this blog, let it be this:
Pray for insight.
Pray for strength and joy.
Pray for strategy.
And always begin with gratitude.
This is how you grow.
This is how you mature.
This is how you partner with God to fulfil your destiny.
For further reading
Isaac's story: Genesis 12-13
Read James 1 & 4
Watch teaching on Spiritual Maturity by Pastor Stephanie Ike Okafor