Starting with when I arrived at Los Gozosos in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, I have spent a lot of time thinking about prayer. It’s a theme that keeps coming up. I have had several people come to me for advice on listening prayer which led to me thinking about my journey with prayer in general. I started making a list of things that have helped me.
Start simple. You don’t have to be super wordy or eloquent. God knows your heart and where you are coming from. He says that he wants a humble heart not a show where the words conflict with the thoughts of the heart. Luke 18:9-14
The basic structure of a prayer:
Honor and thanks – Declare who He is and give Him glory for what He has already done
Repent. Confess your sins. Also forgive others.
Present your requests to God.
Sometimes I switch the order or go in cycles but it is important to always include thanks and confession in your prayers. Take a look at Matthew 6:5-15.
Check your heart. Attitude matters. This more than anything else affects how healthy your prayer life is. What is your attitude towards God? Do you believe what He’s said? Are you walking in obedience? Ps 51:16-17
Read the Psalms and pray through them. This is one of the best ways to learn how to pray.
Be honest. Don’t try to hide from God. He already knows everything and He still loves you. Psalm 139
Make time. It doesn’t help you grow if you try to rush through. Isaiah 64:3-5
Read the Bible. All. of. it. Even the parts that seem boring. It is all the inspired Word of God. The more time you spend in it, the easier it will become to recognize God’s voice. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Listen to the testimony of others. Hearing how God is moving in their lives can increase your own faith. Deuteronomy 32:7
Share your testimony – the story of what God has done in your life. Others may see things in it that you didn’t even realize were there.
Write down your prayers and God’s responses. Then you can go back and see how God answers your prayers. Looking back over them is also a great way to remind yourself of His faithfulness. 1 Chronicles 16:11-12
Ask God questions. What does He want you to do with the day? Is there anything hindering your relationship with Him? What would He like to teach you?….keep asking; the questions are endless.
Expect to hear from God. He’s always speaking. Ask Him for open ears to hear and discernment to understand what He’s calling you to do. Psalm 38:15, 40:6-8
When you hear from God: 1) write it down, 2) pray about it, 3)check it against the Bible, 4) ask others to pray over it with you 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, 1 John 4:1
Act. Walking in obedience proves that you are faithful and can be trusted with more. Matthew 25:13-40, Luke 12:48
Keep going. There may be times when you struggle or forget but don’t let that stop you. Pursuing God takes discipline. Recognize that praying without ceasing and learning to hear God’s voice is something that will take time to develop but the result is so worth it. Philippians 3:12-16
If you really want to make praying a habit, set aside time daily and find someone who can hold you accountable and check in on how you’re doing.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Finally, pass it on. In teaching others, you gain even greater understanding. Just as you have been encouraged by the testimony and teaching of others so you also must share your testimony and teach others. Matthew 28:19-20
God, may you use these words to draw others into a deeper relationship with You. Open their hearts to greater depths of intimacy and a more fruitful prayer life. Amen.
