In one day I received three devastating phone calls. First, my doctor called with concerning test results. I had Type 2 diabetes, he confirmed. Then my boss informed me of unexpected layoffs. And my name was on the list. Finally, my landlord announced a massive rent increase I couldn’t afford. I sat there, paralyzed, feeling like I was drowning in a sea of impossibility.
Maybe you’ve been there too. That moment when problems pile up like a mountain you can’t climb. When the bills exceed your paycheck. When the diagnosis shatters your peace. When relationships crumble despite your best efforts.
Here’s what I’ve learned: becoming a Christian doesn’t mean problems disappear. But it does mean you gain access to the most powerful problem-solving resource in the universe—prayer that actually works.
Let me show you how to solve problems through prayer using a biblical pattern that’s stood the test of time.
Key Takeaways
- God is personally interested in every problem you face, regardless of size.
- A specific 8-step prayer pattern from 2 Chronicles 20 provides a roadmap for breakthrough.
- Effective prayer focuses more on God’s character than on the problem itself.
- God’s solutions often require acts of faith that don’t make sense.
- Problems are opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper relationship with Christ.
- This pattern only works for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus.
The Story Behind the Pattern
In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, King Jehoshaphat faced an impossible situation. Three massive armies joined forces to attack the nation of Judah. He was outnumbered, outgunned, and out of options.
But Jehoshaphat’s response changed everything. His prayer didn’t just solve his problem—it revealed a pattern we can use today.
This wasn’t a desperate plea shouted into the void. It was a strategic, faith-filled approach that invited God’s power into an impossible situation. And the Bible recorded it so we could follow the same blueprint.
Step 1: Believe God Is Interested in Your Problem
The first truth that transforms how to solve problems through prayer is this: God actually cares about what you’re facing.
“Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD.” – 2 Chronicles 20:3 ()
Notice he didn’t turn to political allies first. He didn’t immediately strategize battle plans. He turned to the Lord because he believed God was interested.
Many of us struggle here. We think our problem is too small for God’s attention. Or we believe He’s too busy handling world crises to care about our struggle with anxiety, our financial pressure, or our difficult coworker.
But Matthew 10:30 tells us that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” That’s how detailed God’s interest in your life is.
If you don’t genuinely believe God cares about your specific problem, your prayers become empty words. But when you pray with confidence that the Lord hears and cares, everything changes.
Step 2: Remember God Is Greater Than Your Problem
The second step in learning how to solve problems through prayer is remembering who you’re praying to.
Jeremiah 32:17 () declares:
“Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”
Read that again. Nothing is too difficult for God.
Your problem might be bigger than you. But it’s not bigger than God. The issue that’s kept you awake for months? God is greater. The situation that seems to have no solution? God is greater.
Jehoshaphat faced three armies. Impossible odds. Yet he knew the God he served was bigger than the problem he faced.
This isn’t positive thinking. This is biblical truth. When you pray, you’re not hoping a small god might help if he’s available. You’re approaching the Creator of the universe who has unlimited power and resources.
Step 3: Seek the Lord First, Not Last
Here’s where most of us get it wrong when trying to solve problems through prayer.
We exhaust every human option first. We strategize. We stress. We create backup plans. Then, as a last resort, we finally say: “Well, I guess I’ll try prayer.”
Jehoshaphat did the opposite. The Scripture says he “turned his attention to seek the LORD” immediately. This wasn’t his plan B. It was his plan A.
The Bible tells us Jehoshaphat “set his heart to seek God” (2 Chronicles 19:3). This was his habit, not a one-time panic response.
When you develop a pattern of seeking God first, something powerful happens. Your problems begin to shrink because God becomes larger in your perspective. His presence, His power, His wisdom—these become your dominant reality instead of your circumstances.
I suggest starting every prayer with one word: “Father.” That single word sets your direction. You’re inviting the Almighty God with all His supernatural power and love into your situation before you do anything else.
Step 4: Involve Others in Prayer When Appropriate
Jehoshaphat didn’t pray alone.
He “proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD.” – 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 ()
Some problems affect more than just you. They impact your family, your church, your community. And some battles require the faith and prayer support of others.
There are two reasons to involve others when learning how to solve problems through prayer. First, it strengthens their faith when they see God answer. Second, their answered prayers become reminders for your future problems: “Lord, You did it for them. You’ll do it for me.”
Be wise about this. Not every problem requires a prayer meeting. But don’t isolate yourself when God prompts you to seek prayer support. The body of Christ grows stronger when we trust God together.
Step 5: Trust God Will Give You a Solution
If God was willing to give His Son to die on the cross for your sins, will He not also provide answers to your problems?
Romans 8:32 () assures us:
“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
But here’s a truth that’s hard to swallow: God may delay the answer. And that delay isn’t rejection.
Sometimes God waits because He sees something in your heart that needs attention first. He’s more interested in you becoming like Christ than in giving you quick fixes. He loves you too much to solve your surface problem while ignoring deeper issues.
Remember, God “predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). Character transformation matters more to Him than comfortable circumstances.
When you pray, trust that God will answer. But also trust His timing, even when it doesn’t match yours.
Step 6: Make Your Prayers God-Centered, Not Problem-Centered
This step revolutionized how to solve problems through prayer for me.
Listen to Jehoshaphat’s prayer:
“O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.” – 2 Chronicles 20:6 ().
Notice what he did. He talked about God’s power, God’s authority, God’s past faithfulness. His prayer focused on who God is, not just on what he needed.
When you spend time talking about God’s character, attributes, and past faithfulness in prayer, something happens in your spirit. The problem shrinks. Your faith grows. Your perspective shifts.
The more you thank God for His greatness, the smaller your problem appears. This isn’t denial—it’s proper proportion. You’re seeing your situation through the lens of God’s glory instead of viewing God through the lens of your problem.
Try this: spend the first ten minutes of your prayer time praising God for who He is before you even mention your problem. Thank Him for His wisdom, power, love, and faithfulness. Watch how it changes your prayer.
Step 7: Expect God’s Solution to Require Faith
Here’s where Jehoshaphat’s story gets interesting.
God gave specific instructions through a prophet:
“The battle is not yours but God’s… You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD.” – 2 Chronicles 20:15, 17 ()
Then came the faith part. God told them to assemble the choir. Put them in front of the army. March toward the enemy while singing praises to God.
Can you imagine? “Okay, choir, you’re going to war today. Just sing. The army will be behind you.”
That’s insane from a human perspective. But it’s exactly how to solve problems through prayer with faith.
They obeyed. They sang. And God confused the enemy armies so completely that they destroyed each other. When Judah arrived, every enemy soldier was dead.
God’s solutions often don’t make logical sense. They require trust. And when He gives you direction that seems impossible, remember: the victory is already won. He won’t lead you to defeat.
Step 8: Accept That God’s Solution Is Always Best
You don’t know what happened five years ago that’s affecting your situation now. You can’t see what’s happening behind the scenes. You don’t know what tomorrow holds.
But God does. He sees the complete picture while you see one small piece.
That’s why God’s solution is always best. Not always easiest. Not always fastest. Not always what you expected. But always best.
When you pray, surrender not just your problem but also your preferred solution. Say: “God, I don’t understand. I may not like Your timing. But I trust You. I’m going to obey and watch You work.”
This surrender is where true peace lives. When you stop demanding God solve things your way and start trusting Him to solve them His way, you’ll experience the peace of Christ that passes understanding.
Problems: Obstacles or Opportunities?
Learning how to solve problems through prayer changes how you view difficulties.
Problems become pathways to spiritual growth that comfortable seasons never provide. They’re opportunities for God to demonstrate His power in your life. They’re invitations to know Him more deeply and trust Him more completely.
After a while, when problems arise, you won’t panic. You’ll recognize them as opportunities for God to grow you up and show up.
Does this mean you’ll enjoy problems? No. Does it mean they won’t hurt? No. But it does mean you’ll face them differently. With confidence in a God who is interested, who is greater, and who will work everything together for your good.
A Word to Non-Believers
I need to be honest with you. If you’re not a Christian, this pattern won’t work for you.
You can’t reject the Father and reject the Son, then expect His power to intervene in your life. That’s not how relationship works.
But here’s the good news: you can start a relationship with Christ right now. Simply pray:
“Lord Jesus, forgive me for rejecting You. I want to receive You as my Savior. I trust You to save me.”
That prayer changes your life forever. And I mean for eternity.
Once you belong to Christ, these prayer principles become available to you. You gain access to the power, wisdom, and love of God to help you through every problem you’ll ever face.
Your Next Step
You now have a biblical blueprint for how to solve problems through prayer. But knowledge alone won’t change anything. You must apply these steps to the actual problems you’re facing.
Whatever challenge you’re dealing with today—financial pressure, health concerns, relationship struggles, career uncertainty—God is interested. He’s greater than your problem. He wants to solve it His way.
Will you trust Him?
Start by seeking the Lord first. Say “Father” and invite Him into your situation. Follow these eight steps and watch Him work.
Remember, problems aren’t just obstacles to overcome. They’re opportunities to experience God’s power, grow in faith, and know Christ more deeply.
In my case, God healed of Type 2 diabetes. He opened the door for a business opportunity that brought in much more than my job. And last and not least, he blessed me with my own home. No more rent!
The question isn’t whether God can solve your problem. The question is: will you pray with faith and let Him do it His way?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long should I pray when facing a problem?
A. The Bible doesn’t specify a time requirement. Jehoshaphat spent significant time in prayer, and Jesus sometimes prayed all night. Quality matters more than duration. Stay in prayer until you sense God’s peace and direction, whether that’s five minutes or five hours.
Q. What if I’ve been praying about a problem for years with no answer?
A. God’s delays don’t mean denials. He may be working on deeper issues in your heart, preparing you for the answer, or orchestrating circumstances you can’t see. Continue to trust and obey. Thank Him in advance for the answer He’s preparing.
Q. Can I pray about small, everyday problems?
A. Absolutely. God cares about every detail of your life. Matthew 10:30 says He knows the number of hairs on your head. If it matters to you, it matters to Him. Don’t hesitate to bring any concern to the Lord in prayer.
Q. What if God’s answer is different from what I want?
A. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). His answer may look different because He sees what you can’t. Trust that His solution is always best, even when it’s not what you expected or wanted.
Q. Do I need to pray with others, or can I pray alone?
A. Both are biblical and valuable. Jesus prayed alone and with others. Some problems you’ll handle in private prayer. Others may need corporate prayer support. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in this decision.
Q. How do I know if God is answering my prayer?
A. God answers in three ways: yes, no, or wait. Sometimes His answer is immediate and obvious. Other times it unfolds gradually. Pay attention to open and closed doors, Scripture that speaks to your situation, wise counsel from mature believers, and peace in your spirit.
Q. What if my faith feels too weak to solve problems through prayer?
A. Jesus said faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Start where you are. Even weak faith in a strong God is powerful. Be honest with the Lord about your doubts, and ask Him to strengthen your trust as you pray.
