When most of us think of prayer, the most common notion would be that of someone praying with the familiar folded hands and bowed head in a kneeling position. However, prayer can take many forms and has really nothing to do with the position of the body, but rather the position or attitude of the heart. We can be on our knees in our heart without physically being in that position. Let us now look at some of the forms and methods of prayer that are mentioned in the Bible so that we can avail ourselves of them.

One Scriptural form of prayer is praying with our hands lifted up. I Timothy 2:8, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." Psalm 63:4, "Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." We should learn to worship and pray at times with hands lifted up. It is symbolic of our complete and unconditional surrender to the Lord. In war when someone surrenders, he lifts his hands up to show that he is no longer going to resist. When we surrender to the Lord, it shows Him we are no longer rebelling against Him, but have finally surrendered to His will. Lifted hands also symbolize our willingness to receive from Him, just as little children come to us with uplifted hands in order to be held. We also raise our hands when we are trying to get someone's attention. In a similar manner, this too is a way to get the attention of God. We can see how meaningful it is to worship the Lord with uplifted hands.

In the Bible we find many other body postures assumed by people while in prayer. Some people bowed their heads, others knelt, some fell prostrate to the ground, and some had their faces turned toward heaven, but all were in an attitude of worship. Even Jesus fell on the ground to pray. Mark 14:35, "And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him."

Another method of prayer is to anoint with oil as the oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit ministering to our bodies. James 5:14-15 says, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

The "laying on of hands" is still another Scriptural method employed in the Word of God when people are praying for others. Many people have received healing, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and been touched of God by this method.

Matthew 19:13, "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray..." Hebrews 6:2, "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." Acts 8:18-20, "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." These are some of God's "methods" of prayer, but we must be careful to keep this in mind as the Spirit of God cannot be confined to methods only.

In Matthew 8 there is an account of a centurion, whose servant was sick, who approached Jesus requesting that he heal him. He simply asked the Lord to speak the Word and he knew his servant would be healed. Jesus said he had not seen this great faith in all Israel. This was a simple asking for and sending of the Word. God is limited by neither time nor space. We can pray wherever we are and God can send the answer to our prayers across the miles.