Prayer
Have you ever had questions about prayer or if you have to pray a certain way?
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Prayer is simply conversations with God.
Philippians 4:6
Colossians 4:2
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It doesn’t need to be rehearsed. It doesn’t need to be spoken with certain fancy words or in a
specific posture (on your knees with your hands folded).
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Do you ever wonder if God is listening?
You can pray to God anywhere, anytime. God never sleeps (Psalm 121:3) or gets tired of you talking to Him. He is omnipresent (everywhere). He is always available.
Your time of prayer does not have to be long or done in a closet. You can come to God with anything, you can tell Him anything. He already knows everything (Psalm 139:4) He is all knowing, so He knows what you are going to say before you say it, He knows all your secrets. He is not going to be “shocked” if you tell Him something you have never told anyone else.
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God also desires time with us. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. (James 4:8). It’s a time to be in His presence. Not only to pray or talk to Him but to be still and listen to Him speak to us.
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Prayer is powerful when we are taking the focus off of ourselves. Praying for those you dislike (your enemies) Matthew 5:44
It’s not easy, but when you pray for those who hurt you or that you just can’t stand, your heart begins to change toward them. Pray for them to be blessed. Ask God to help you see them through His eyes as He sees them. Satan lures us into a place of complaining and focusing on those things in our life that are negative and frustrating. Pray the ‘change me Lord’ prayer instead of the ‘change them, Lord’ prayer. None of us are perfect. The Bible says we all fall short (Romans 3:23). We all need to change, be transformed and become more like Jesus…daily.
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Some examples of prayer:
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The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
Vs. 9. Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name (this is glorifying God, making Him big) – Putting God on the Throne.
Vs. 10. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven (trading our will for His); Alignment with the Word and His promises.
Vs. 11. Give us this day our daily bread, (being thankful that God provides)
Vs. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (asking for mercy and asking God to remind me to be merciful)
Vs. 13. And lead us not into temptation, (we are prone to walk away from God) but deliver us from the evil one. (protect me from the schemes of the devil).
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For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen. (the Kingdom belongs to God. Power and glory are His as well; today, tomorrow and forever. Finish with a declaration of God’s power and authority over your life and this world.
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Pray the Bible
Here are a few examples:
Ephesians 1:17-18
Ephesians 3:16-19
Colossians 1:9-12
You can pray these over yourself or insert someone’s name and pray these over them. There are many scriptures in the Bible to do this with.
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Be careful not to compare your prayer time or your relationship with God with others. That can bring discouragement on yourself or it can make you religious and judging others, thinking we are better than someone else.
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We all go through different seasons in our lives. There may be seasons of your life when you spend an hour or two in prayer several days a week, and then there are seasons where your prayer time is spent during your 20 minute drive to work every day. I know in my life no day or week is the same.
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God also answers our prayers when we don’t realize it; because His answer may be “No” or “Wait”. We think we always know what’s best for us, but God see’s the whole picture and what we are wanting may not be a part of His perfect plan for our lives.
