P.R.A.Y.E.R. - A for Act
The Act of Prayer
Establishing a healthy prayer life is essential for maintaining a strong relational connection with God. While we may desire a great prayer life, nothing “great” is also easy. Greatness always requires effort and perseverance.
Prayer is deeply personal and unique to our relationship with God. It is His chosen method for us to communicate with Him. Sometimes we lack confidence in our ability to pray but it is important to know that we cannot fail at prayer. To try to pray is to pray.
Prayer should always be a “delight” but at times it feels more like a “duty.” In these moments we must pray in a dutiful and disciplined way until prayer becomes a “delight.” When we delight in prayer, we depend on it each day. Our day feels incomplete without it.
Jesus gave us the perfect model for prayer with the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15.) Most Christians know the Prayer by heart but may not realize that Jesus gave it to us specifically to teach us how to pray. Understanding each component of the Prayer, helps us adopt His pattern for prayer as our own.
“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” Praise is where prayer should always begin. We praise God with a grateful heart and recognize Him as our Creator, Lord, and Savior.
“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” We pray for what’s on God’s heart and His work in the world. Praying for God’s agenda first makes His priorities our priorities and turns our hearts toward His.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” We present our requests to God with our needs and desires for ourselves and others. We acknowledge that God is our Provider, and we are dependent on Him for everything.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We humbly name our sins before God with a desire to turn from them and pursue righteousness. We also remember our call to forgive others as we have been forgiven.
“Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil” We ask for protection from evil and strength in our weaknesses. We have an enemy who wants to keep us from a deep connection with God and the fruit of His Spirit. We replace the enemy’s lies with truth from God’s Word.
“For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen” We declare our faith in God’s sovereignty and power for His Kingdom and eternal Glory.
Prayer is not just a command, but an invitation. The Apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.” He means that in everything we do, live in conscious and continuous reference to God. This habit of “constant prayer” produces spontaneity in our prayer life - an ongoing dialogue born out of the discipline of regular, daily prayer. Dutifully make an appointment with God each day in a place of quiet and solitude. You will “delight” in spending time with Him.
Stay Hungry,
Big E
Matt. 5:6