Prayer is so vital in the Christian life. Yet oftentimes it's relegated to praying for a meal before we go to bed before and after a church service. And they're all good places to pray.
But a lot of the times these prayers can be shallow and even vague. But we hear stories of incredible answers to prayer. Stories of people hearing from God where they see the power of God not in a distant, ancient way, but in a tangible, close and present way.
So this is something that you're lacking. The problem is found in a weak prayer life. So if you want to grow stronger here, here's what you need to do.
Step number one just start talking to God. Philippians chapter four, verses 5 to 7. The Lord is near.
Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This passage is so inviting. Paul encourages us that God is near capable of meeting our needs.
And he's not distant trying to escape us. And he hasn't placed requirements on us when it comes to prayer. He doesn't set up police tape to prevent us from going somewhere, or to stop us from asking him.
We are invited to pray about everything, responding to everything by prayer. So give it a try and talk to God about what's on your mind. However, don't take this as pressure to force holy and intellectual prayers.
In fact, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew chapter six, verses 7 to 8, when you pray, don't babble like the Gentiles. since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words. Don't be like them because your father knows the things you need before you ask him.
You see, prayer is simply joining into what God is already doing. Surrendering our will to his. There are no magic words to convince God to listen, and you don't need to dress up your prayers to get past the clouds.
Jesus says the father knows what you need. So that means that the father is close enough to know what you're going through. He sees you and he doesn't skip town.
If you say the wrong thing. So think about it like you're talking to a friend. A good friend who listens intently, hanging on every word.
Not to provide a solution for every complaint or pity for your faults. But a friend who is present. Your friendship didn't just randomly go from saying, what's up?
to chilling on their couch on a random afternoon with no plans beyond, hey, let's just hang out. That friendship probably had. Some weird conversations and some awkward moments of silence that were strengthened by honest and simple conversation.
This is the first step in a deeper prayer life. Simplicity. Simple prayers that look like thanking God for the sunrise, asking God why it's raining on the weekend when you wanted to go to the beach, and telling God that you're nervous to talk to someone because you think you like them.
And at first it might even be difficult or strange or uncomfortable to talk to God. But don't worry, because that's normal. Because prayer is a relationship built on time spent together.
And that leads us to step number two set specific times to pray. Colossians chapter four, verse two. Devote yourselves to prayer.
Stay alert in it with thanksgiving. Another way to say this is commit to prayer and make it a part of your daily life. you see when you devote yourself to something, you're making it a priority.
And if that's a relationship, it means making time to spend with that person. Think about it like this. If you commit to running, what does it look like?
It looks like making time to lace up your shoes and actually running. For my friend. He sets aside mornings making time each day before he goes to work or hang out with friends to run a couple of miles.
And he says, these morning runs serve a twofold purpose. One stay in shape and two, to make space to spend time in God's presence. And this is a regular reoccurring time, which he says reorders his responsibilities and commitments.
And the reason why he's been doing this is to actively reform his focus and his desires. You see, he's not running because God only hears us when we're outside or when we're camping, and we can't breathe and his focus is not hearing from God or even getting something from God. He told me his aim is to simply enjoy spending time in God's presence.
The same way anyone would enjoy sitting on a couch watching anime with a friend, or getting lunch after church with some people. My friend told me that if he hears from God while he's running, it's a bonus, and that he's simply making space for God to be present. And in the same way people say, hey, we should grab coffee sometime, but fail to set up a date.
If you say you'll pray when you feel like it, you'll probably never pray. Our lives are busy. And we're too easily distracted to want to pray naturally.
So in the same way, if you want to get to know someone better, you need to spend intentional time with them. So in order to have a more personal relationship with Jesus, you must make an intentional effort to set aside time daily to pray. And by this, I'm not saying that you have to pray for hours on end, sacrificing all of your time.
instead look at the way Jesus and the early church prayed. Jesus's life was defined by prayer, and his daily life was built around time spent with his father. Throughout the Gospels, the authors were extremely intentional to point out how Jesus regularly woke up before dawn to go and pray.
and throughout the book of acts we see miracles during regularly scheduled prayer meetings and on the way to and from times of prayer. And we see this in acts chapter three and ten. you see regularly scheduled prayer built around the biblical model of morning, noon and evening is a great framework to build your prayer life around.
So as a set point here, remember to keep it simple. Start out with the Lord's Prayer in the morning that you read in Matthew chapter six, verses 9 to 13, and Luke chapter 11, verses 2 to 4. And then take a couple of minutes around noon and intercede for others.
and in the evening, when you come home from work or school, or before you go to bed, walk through your day with God. Allow this to be a kind of framework, a foundation you build on, set up to maintain and improve your understanding of God. Not a rigid system that stifles joy.
You see the point of setting specific times to pray is not to receive revelation. Every time. but to spend time with God, inviting him into your day to day activities.
Allowing friendship to grow the same way that you would with your best friend. Behold God every day. And this builds as we look to step number three.
Remind yourself of who God is. Psalm chapter 33, verses 6 to 9. The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars by the breath of his mouth he gathers the water of the sea into a heap.
He puts the depths into storehouses. Let the whole earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke, and it came into being he commanded, and it came into existence. Well, the psalmist is doing here can be referred to as adoration, simply taking time to adore God and His creation. He's remembering when God created the universe with words, and he's reminding himself and his audience that God is powerful enough to create everything with no effort beyond speaking.
And I want you to think about that for a second. This is the God who we're praying to. The God who created humanity from dust, made gravity a universal law, parted the Red sea and caused the Earth to rotate at exactly the right speed on the right axis, the right distance from the sun with the right chemical makeup to support life.
This should cause you to be in awe, recognizing the magnitude of who God is. He's not like you and he's not like me. He's infinite and entirely self-sufficient.
And as we realize this we are seeing God as holy which means he is separate or set apart. You see God is set apart from sin completely pure. And that means that he is incapable of being exactly like anything or anyone.
And as we grasp God's holiness, I want us to look at how Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew chapter six, verse nine. he says, therefore you should pray like this. Our father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.
You see, he starts by recognizing who God is. He doesn't throw himself on the floor in fear before the presence of the one who once flooded the entire earth. He speaks to God as Father.
He speaks to God as a child, going before their dad. Now, this might be painful for some, but stay with me. God is not an earthly father with all the faults that fathers can carry with them.
No, he is in heaven. Greater than anything we can compare him to. This heavenly father is holy.
And this can be a difficult concept to grasp, but when this is the foundation that you build on, prayer becomes easy Because you recognize that there's nothing beyond his reach, nothing he can't do. And he does all of this with a fatherly heart that can't help but embrace his children. You see, this massive universe creating, being chose to relate to us as father.
the father who is the source of every good and perfect gift. As we're told in James 117. The father who planned on redeeming humanity from the moment sin and death entered the world.
The father who loved the world and gave his one and only son. That whoever believes in him won't perish but have everlasting life. So as you pray, remember, adore God, and take the focus off of yourself and place it on him.
Remember who he is believing what the author of Hebrews says. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Which, when attributed correctly to each person of the Trinity, we are able to trust God's faithfulness as a promise of future action.
Step number four. Don't hold back. Psalm chapter 31, verse ten.
Indeed. My life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning. My strength has failed because of my iniquity.
And my bones waste away. Here David is brutally honest with God, and he doesn't present himself as dressed up or clean. Instead, he portrays himself as being broken and exhausted.
And not just that, but he also recognizes that the reason for his suffering is his own iniquity or sin. you see that's honesty right there. So when you pray, pray what you're feeling, So if you feel weak or broken, tell God that.
and if you're angry at someone and even angry at God. Prayer is the perfect place to process through it. Look at how David prays in Psalm chapter four, verse one.
Answer me when I call God who vindicates me. You freed me from affliction. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
You see, David doesn't sneak in and gently ask God, being careful not to wake him up. No. David goes into prayer the same way a child jumps onto their parent's bed demanding attention and action.
You see, David recognizes what God has done for him in the past, and then he passionately calls for God to act without fear of punishment for his audacity. So for you, what are you holding back from God? Is it possible that you're doubting that God can heal your friend in the hospital?
Or your family member with cancer? Are you hesitating to surrender your fear of moving into a new school? The idea is to not hold anything back.
Until, God, you're worried about your friend, your school assignment and bring to God your situation, no matter how bleak it might be. Remember that the God you're praying to is your creator. So your doubts and confusion won't surprise him and they don't lessen who he is.
So don't hold back when you pray to him because he can take it. Step number five pray boldly. Matthew chapter seven, verses 7 to 8.
Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives. And the one who seeks, finds. And the one who knocks.
The door will be opened. Once again, this is a freeing passage with no parameters. Caution, no walls or gates to climb over.
There is complete access to the creator of the universe. Jesus, who is God, invites his followers to pray boldly. And something interesting about this section is the verb tense that it's written in, in the original Greek.
The commands ask, seek, and knock can be better translated to say keep on asking. Keep on seeking and keep on knocking. So know that our boldness is meant to be persistent.
there's no limit that we can hit where God says that's it. You've been too bold for too long, and I'm done. No.
Instead, he invites continual boldness. So be bold in your prayers. Don't pray generic, vague, and safe prayers.
Pray for specific areas in your life where you need wisdom. So think of what you need for school, work, family, your friends. And when you do that, ask for help with that test and ask God for good friends or guidance with an addiction.
And continue to pray for your mom, your dad, your siblings, and that close friend that needs to be saved. The key is to ask for specific things and if you have questions or doubts, seek answers. Knock on heaven's door and expect that you're going to get an answer.
you see. There's a special type of closeness that God wants to share with his children, and it's a kind of closeness and comfortability that kids share with their parents. Where they tug on their parent's pants asking for desert, or the kind of familiarity that allows the child to ask for toys or for something special for the birthday.
You see, if God is our father, it means something, and the boldness and persistence that we have in our prayers should come from a place that knows that God, our father, has a heart to love us and meet our needs. Step number six pray for others. First Timothy chapter two, verse one.
First of all, then I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. as Paul points out here we are called to intercede for others. So intercession is simply praying on behalf of another, or praying for favor or action for someone else.
and here Paul takes it to the extreme, and he tells them to pray for everyone. And he doesn't qualify those who are worth our prayer and care, but leaves it broad and all encompassing. now we get to take all the things that we've learned about personal prayer and apply it to praying for those around us.
And this is an incredible gift, because we get to go to God as a representative of of another person. And we do so in an act of joining arm in arm with countless people, begging for God for healing and deliverance, or praising him for what he's done. Another aspect of intercession is explained in Colossians chapter four, verse three.
when Paul says, at the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word. To speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. So please know that we're meant to pray for others to come to faith in Jesus.
And we're also meant to pray for those who share the gospel so that they can have divine interactions with those that are lost. And this can look like you praying for your pastor as they teach on a Sunday morning, or praying for a friend who is wanting to share the gospel with a coworker, that they would have the courage and wisdom to present the gospel in a loving and personal way. So once again, this takes the focus off of us as individuals and allows us to have the heart of God that the Apostle Peter talks about in Second Peter chapter three, verse nine.
And it reads, not wanting any to perish, but desiring all to come to repentance. And because there's so many people to keep in prayer, I'd recommend that you make a list of people that you want to pray for. And maybe you keep that list in your Bible so that whenever you open your Bible up, you can lift them up in prayer.
Or maybe you keep a picture of that person on your home screen, on your phone, so that every time you see their face, you speak to God on their behalf. So be creative with it. And may we all grow to intercede more on behalf of our loved ones.
Step number seven be persistent. First Thessalonians chapter five, verse 16 to 18. Rejoice always, pray constantly.
Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. In this passage, Paul tells the church at Thessalonica to pray always. And this is where the rubber hits the road.
you see when your prayers haven't been answered the way that you want or expect. And when you keep bringing God the same request. But he seems to be silent.
You have to keep going and keep praying. Like this passage says. And Jesus even admits that this will be part of our experience in prayer.
And he gives us a parable to think about in Luke chapter 18. and in this passage Jesus gave a parable, and he spoke of a judge who didn't really care about God, or people for that matter. And one day there was a persistent widow who kept on asking this judge to help her and to bring justice.
And he said no. But she was persistent and kept nagging him and said, help me, help me, help me. And finally the judge was fed up and said, fine, I'll help you, but I'm not doing it because of you.
I'm doing it because you keep bothering me. And then Jesus says that if this unjust judge who didn't care about people brought justice due to the persistence of this widow, how much more will God our father responds to our persistence? And I should note that no one in Jesus's time was in more need than an old widow.
They were unable to work, unable to testify in court, and they were completely and utterly reliant upon the generosity of the community. Yet it was this widow's persistence that brought her ultimate victory, and her persistence saw an evil judge moved to justice. So, to echo Jesus, how much more does your good Heavenly Father desire to bring justice for his chosen people?
you see, God is welcoming you, encouraging you, and desiring you to bombard him with your prayers. And he stands there with open arms to receive, listen and to act upon your requests and your desires. However, with the invitation to be persistent, we must remember what God told Isaiah.
look at Isaiah chapter 55, verse nine, for as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. You see, God is beyond us. So we must understand that sometimes what we think is best for us, or even best for the kingdom, is shortsighted and could possibly be bad for us.
So in our prayers, we must hold to the fact that we pray for God's will to be done and not our own. Okay, so looking at prayer, there are seven steps that we can take to develop a deeper and richer relationship with the God of the universe. Just start talking to God.
Set specific times to pray. Remind yourself of who God is. Don't hold back.
Pray boldly. Pray for others and be persistent. To close, let me tell you a little story.
There was a man by the name of D. L. Moody, and he is remembered as one of the greatest evangelists of the 19th century.
And one of the things that he was known for was carrying around a list of 100 names in his pocket. And there are the names of all of his friends who didn't know God. And he prayed for them by name every day.
And he prayed that God would bring to them salvation. And by the time that he died, 96 of the 100 people. got saved.
you see, it was Moody's daily sacrifice and faithfulness that resulted in 96 of his friends coming to salvation. and while seeing a 96% success rate, is exciting and inspiring. One of the best parts of that story occurs after Moody died.
you see at Moody's memorial service the four friends that were left on that list. They were so moved. That they came to faith.
So in the end, a man known for preaching to thousands of people saw a fruitful ministry, not in just his preaching prowess. but by his simple and faithful seeking of God through prayer. So keep on praying.
And as you pray, always remember Jesus loves you.
