How to Build a Strong Prayer Life Even When You Feel Dry

The Parable of Tare and the Empty Well

Tare was a shepherd in a small desert village. Every morning, he fetched water from the village well for his flock. The well had never failed him, not in the hottest summers nor the longest droughts. But one day, as he lowered his bucket, he heard only the hollow echo of rope scraping against stone.

The water was gone.

Panicked, he rushed to the elders. “The well is dry! How will my sheep drink?”

An old elder named Yana smiled gently. “The well is not empty, it is blocked. Sand has been sliding in slowly, covering the spring. If you dig, the water will flow again.”

That night, by lantern light, Tare dug. His hands blistered, his back ached, and the night was silent except for the scrape of his shovel. Finally, at dawn, he struck something cold and wet. The water rushed up, clear and abundant, spilling over his feet.

From then on, Tare cleared the well weekly, never allowing the sand to build again. And no matter how dry the desert felt, the well always gave water to his flock.

Prophetic Declaration: My well of prayer will never run dry again, in the name of Jesus.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Parable

Like Tare’s well, your prayer life may not be empty, it may just be blocked. The spring of the Spirit within you never stops flowing (John 7:38), but life’s “sand” can pile up: busyness, disappointment, unanswered prayers, sin, or spiritual fatigue.

The dryness you feel is often a sign to dig deeper, not to walk away. Many stop praying because they think the water is gone. But the truth is, the Source, Jesus Christ has, never stopped flowing. Your part is to remove the blockages, stir your spirit, and keep your “well” clean.

Prophetic Declaration: I will dig again until the river of prayer overflows, in the name of Jesus.

Biblical Foundations for Prayer in Dry Seasons

Dryness in prayer is not a sign that God has abandoned you, it is often a part of your spiritual training. Scripture shows that even the most anointed servants of God experienced seasons when prayer felt heavy, delayed, or resisted.

1. David’s Desert Cry

Psalm 63:1 (NIV) — “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”

David wrote this while hiding in the wilderness. His surroundings were dry, but he turned that thirst into prayer. Your dry season can be your deepest place of seeking.

2. Habakkuk’s Yet-Praise

Habakkuk 3:17–18 (NIV) — “Though the fig tree does not bud… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Prayer is not only for the days you feel spiritual; it is for the days you choose joy in faith despite barrenness.

3. Jesus in Gethsemane

Luke 22:44 (NIV) — “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

Even the Son of God pressed into prayer under the weight of agony. This shows us that spiritual heaviness is not a reason to stop praying, it’s the very reason to press in.

Dry seasons train your spirit to pray by faith, not by feeling. Just as farmers sow seed before rain comes, you must keep sowing prayer until the clouds break.

Prophetic Declaration: I will pray in every season, and my dry ground shall be flooded with living water, in the name of Jesus.

Why Prayer Life Feels Dry Sometimes

1. Unresolved Disappointments – When prayers seem unanswered, the heart can quietly lose faith.

2. Neglect of Fellowship – The less time you spend in God’s presence, the harder it feels to return.

3. Sin or Compromise – Guilt and condemnation can silence your voice before God.

4. Distraction and Busyness – Life’s noise drowns out the still small voice of the Spirit.

5.Spiritual Warfare – The enemy resists prayer because he knows its power.

Scripture: Isaiah 59:1–2 (NIV) — “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God…”

Prophetic Declaration: Every blockage to my prayer life is removed today, in the name of Jesus.

Biblical Case Studies of Prayer in Dry Seasons

1. Elijah Praying for Rain

After a long drought, Elijah climbed Mount Carmel and bowed to the ground, praying for rain (1 Kings 18:41–45). He prayed seven times before a small cloud appeared. Elijah’s persistence in what seemed like a dry heaven teaches us that breakthroughs often require repeated, faith-filled prayer.

Lesson: Don’t stop praying just because you don’t see results immediately.

Prophetic Declaration: I will pray until I see the cloud of my answer rising, in the name of Jesus.

2. Daniel’s Unbroken Prayer Habit

Daniel prayed three times a day even when a royal decree made it illegal (Daniel 6:10). His discipline in prayer during political pressure and possible death shows that consistency builds unshakable strength.

Lesson: Spiritual dryness can be broken by disciplined prayer habits, not just emotional highs.

Prophetic Declaration: My prayer life will remain unshaken in every season, in the name of Jesus.

3. Anna the Prophetess

Anna prayed and fasted in the temple for decades (Luke 2:36–38) before witnessing the Messiah. Her faithfulness in what could have felt like a long, dry wait positioned her for divine fulfillment.

Lesson: Steadfast prayer in hidden seasons brings you face-to-face with God’s promises.

Prophetic Declaration: My faithfulness in prayer will position me for divine encounters, in the name of Jesus.

Steps to Build a Strong Prayer Life Even When You Feel Dry (Expanded)

1. Start Where You Are

Don’t wait for an emotional “push” to pray, start small and build. Even five sincere minutes daily can grow into an hour.

Example: A young believer I mentored began with a short prayer before bed. In three months, he was consistently praying for 45 minutes, and his heart was burning again.

Scripture: Zechariah 4:10 (NIV) — “Who dares despise the day of small things…”

Prophetic Declaration: I will start afresh in prayer without delay, in the name of Jesus.

2. Clear the Blockages

Identify and remove whatever is choking your prayer life, unforgiveness, bitterness, overcommitment, sin, or even misplaced priorities.

Example: A sister once told me she hadn’t prayed deeply for weeks. When she forgave a family member she’d been avoiding, her prayer life came alive again.

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1 — “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…”

Prophetic Declaration: Every hindrance to my prayer fire is removed, in the name of Jesus.

3. Use the Word as Fuel

Prayer without the Word can run dry quickly. When you pray Scripture, you align with God’s will and stir your faith.

Example: During a season of heaviness, I prayed Psalm 27 daily until my heart was filled with boldness again.

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:29 — “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord…

Prophetic Declaration: The Word will ignite my prayer life afresh, in the name of Jesus.

4. Pray in the Spirit

Praying in tongues bypasses mental dryness and connects your spirit directly to God.

Example: A brother struggling with distraction began praying in tongues for 15 minutes each morning. Within weeks, his desire for prayer returned.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:4 — “Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves…”

Prophetic Declaration: My spirit will stay ablaze through prayer in tongues, in the name of Jesus.

5. Set a Fixed Time and Place

Consistency is the backbone of a strong prayer life. Choose a time you can keep daily and a place that helps you focus.

Example: Daniel prayed three times daily in his upper room, regardless of political threats (Daniel 6:10).

Prophetic Declaration: My prayer altar will burn daily without fail, in the name of Jesus.

6. Add Fasting to Your Prayer

Fasting sharpens your spiritual sensitivity and breaks the hold of the flesh.

Example: Ezra fasted and prayed for protection before traveling, and God honored his request (Ezra 8:23).

Prophetic Declaration: My fasting will unlock new dimensions in my prayer life, in the name of Jesus.

7. Surround Yourself with Prayerful People

Prayer is contagious. Being around others who burn for God will keep your fire alive.

Example: In Acts 4:24, the believers lifted their voices together in prayer and were filled with boldness.

Prophetic Declaration: I will be surrounded by people who fan my prayer fire, in the name of Jesus.

Signs Your Prayer Life is Getting Stronger

You look forward to prayer instead of dreading it.

You begin to sense God’s presence more often.

You see answers big and small more consistently.

Your hunger for the Word increases.

You feel greater peace, even in trials.

Prophetic Declaration: My prayer life will move from duty to delight, in the name of Jesus.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Measuring prayer by feelings – Prayer works even when you don’t feel it.

2. Comparing your prayer style to others – God made you unique.

3. Neglecting rest – A tired body affects focus in prayer.

4. Overloading your schedule – Leave space for God.

Prophetic Declaration: I will avoid every trap that weakens my prayer life, in the name of Jesus.

Practical Tools for Revival in Prayer

Keep a prayer journal to track requests and answers.

Use worship music to set the atmosphere.

Start with thanksgiving to shift your heart.

Keep short prayer breaks during the day.

Prophetic Declaration: My prayer altar will burn with creativity and passion, in the name of Jesus.

The Prophetic Advantage of Persistence

Dryness is not a sign of absence, it’s often the threshold of deeper encounters. Elijah prayed seven times before the rain came (1 Kings 18:43–44). Persistence pushes you past emotional prayer into spiritual breakthroughs.

Prophetic Declaration: I will press through dryness until I touch heaven, in the name of Jesus.

Final Takeaway

Prayer is not about never feeling dry, it’s about refusing to stay dry. Even the greatest prayer warriors have had seasons of weariness, but they learned to dig until the water flowed again.

The Source is always ready; your part is to keep the channel clear and the altar burning.

Action Step

For the next seven days, commit to praying at a fixed time daily, no matter how you feel. Use one Scripture each day as your prayer foundation. At the end of the week, write down any changes you notice.

Prophetic Declaration: My prayer well is overflowing again, in the name of Jesus.