Sniper vs. Shotgun

Why You Should Pray in a Sniper-Style

A lot of times its tempting to pray in a shot-gun style manner.  Shotgun prayers just blast in the general direction of where prayers are needed. There is no precision - just a hope that maybe we've got everything covered.

But there is tremendous power in targeted prayers. Sniper-style praying is concentrated, focused, specific and targeted. 

Scripture tells us that "we have not because we ask not" (James 4:2 b). This means that we must be specific to get the full benefit of what God would bestow upon us, if only we would pray more in a sniper-style.

Sniper-style prayers are not only targeted upon a specific topic, seeking a specific outcome, they are also concentrated. Concentrated prayer means that we are "all-in" and completely fervent about the prayer. Its not a verbal shot gun kind of "we'll-shoot-off-in-the-general-area-and-hope-everything-turns-out-right" sort of prayer.

In conversation, we sometimes use a shotgun approach also.  We say things without any depth of meaning. For example, when someone greets you saying, "How are you?"

You are expected to say, "Good." You say this as an automatic response, whether or not

you're feeling good.

Sometimes we tend to do a shotgun approach with God also. We pray, "Father please bless my family and keep us safe." We do want these blessing, but we pray them without any depth of emotion, awareness of what is needed in the family to receive this blessing, or real fervency in prayer. 

As you can see from this target, which was hit with a shotgun blast, shotguns can hit all around an area while never actually hitting the target. The same is true in prayer.

For a hell-shattering prayer, we need the concentrated fervency of sniper-style prayers.
"...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Sniper prayer takes time. It takes patience. It also takes awareness of what God's Will is in the situation. For a good sniper is always operating under orders. 

So when you next kneel to pray for your family, spouse, career, future, friends, or anything else that really matters - don't just aim a general prayer in the direction of need and hope for the best. Try praying in a sniper-style. You'll see results for God has promised.