Praying Backwards: Transform Your Prayer Life by Beginning in Jesus' Name

"Praying Backwards" by Bryan Chapell is an interesting and thought provoking book.The author does a good job of challenging readers to consider the way that they pray. Oftentimes people pray about a wish list that they want God to fulfill, treating Him like He is Santa Claus, rather than the Creator of the Universe. I am not criticizing others on this point without also doing it to myself. I have been there and done that.Mr. Chapell encourages readers to begin prayers in the name of Jesus with the premise that they will then be focusing on His will, rather than their own. It has certainly caused me to evaluate myself in that regard and work on improving.I recommend this book for anyone wanting to deepen his/her prayer life.

This book was recommended by the Pastor at our church. I was a little skeptical as my initial thought was it might be one of those, "follow this formula and all your wildest prayers will be answered" sort of things. My pastor is extremely balanced on spritual topics so I put aside my skepticism and got the book. It is excellent. It covers many areas about which most believers have probably had questions about prayer at least once or twice in their lives. Things like, "if God already has it all planned out what is the purpose for praying?" or "Is God really going to change the way things work out because I asked Him?" or "if two people pray for the opposite but equally good things, whose prayer wins" or even "Do you have to know God's will before you pray, since it says if you pray anything ACCORDING to His will and, if so, how do you do that if it's in an area not covered in the Bible?" etc. Nobody has all the answers but this book gives an interesting perspective on many areas regarding prayer that give a possible insight on the purpose and process of prayer. If anybody ever sees a book that says it has discovered all the answers related to prayer or the "secrets" of God, my advice is to avoid it. This book doesn't do that but it does give some excellent thoughts that will allow a person a better perspective about prayer.

Point: "In Jesus' name" is not merely a hashtag to get God to see your prayer. Praying in Jesus' name is the recognition of God's sovereignty over all things, Jesus' intercession for all believers, and the Spirit's understanding and communication of God's perfect will.Path: Miller breaks a path for the reader through the daunting jungle of prayer. He explains what "praying in Jesus' name" is not (ch 1), praying for God's will (ch 2), praying without doubting (ch 3), the Spirit's intercession in prayer (ch 4), the grounds upon which a believer can pray (ch 5), hope in prayer (ch 6), persistence in prayer (ch 7), prayer and God's will (ch 8-9), and prayer and action (ch 10).Sources: Chapell uses helpful illustrations, good quotes, applicable scriptures, and an easy to understand style to effectively communicate great truths regarding prayer.Agreement: This readable, helpful, and extremely challenging book is a great resource. Some books you should skim through to get the main point. Some books you should read very slowly. This book is best read chapter by chapter.I loved the summary statements at the end of each chapterThe discussion questions at the end of the book would make this a great resource for a small group studyThe example prayers are helpfulHis everyday illustrations were very goodPersonal App: Is my heart ready to pray in Jesus' name?Favorite Quote: "Praying backwards simply ensures that he comes first in our thoughts so that we are prompted to make him first in our priorities" (p. 16).I was challenged by this book, and look forward to going through it again with others. It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

This book caught my attention because of its provocative title. Chappell's premise is that our prayers would be transformed if we considered how we ought to pray in and through Jesus' name at the beginning of our prayers. The author begins by addressing the reality that "in Jesus' Name" has become a sort of tack on to prayers that are often solely focused on our wants and desires. He then proceeds to explain the real significance of praying "in Jesus' name", namely that we are praying for God to do whatever would bring glory to the name of Jesus. Armed with this idea, he shows how a focus on Christ's glory should transform how we pray and what we pray for, even when praying for the desires of our hearts. The chapters on praying for God's will when faced with multiple options are especially helpful!

If you desire to learn how to pray effectively to God I 100% recommend this book! It's easy to read and understand and it gives examples to help you understand his divine perspective. Don't let the title fool you.. this book is all about Christ centered prayer. I love it so much I've bought copy for a friend and plan to read it over and over again until its contents are forever written on my heart!

Since prayer is one of the greatest challenges for the followers of the Lord Jesus every help we can receive is greatly appreciated. This book helps us see that the phrase "in Jesus name" is no mere tag line but integral to every prayer.

Well written and offering an important challenge to superficial faith.

I found this a great book, it encouraged me to pray more, answered some tough questions on prayer biblically and had encouraging true stories throughout.

A thought provoking book

Loved it and easy to read and innovative