Three elements of Prayer for a stronger prayer life

Prayer is such a powerful tool. “The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective...prayer offered in faith will restore...pray for one another so you may be healed” James 5:15-16. We are encouraged to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. To ask, to knock and to seek. "To enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise” Psalm 100. Whatever is taking place, we can take it to prayer. We can take it to the one and only almighty God. The best thing is, that’s exactly what He wants us to do!

The Psalms show us a great example of the heart of a man who feared and trusted in the Lord and loved Him above all. In them, we see the Psalmist give praise and glory to God over and over; we see him pour out his heart, his fears and anguishes as well as his joys, delights and gratitudes. David calls out to God in distress and when he is in joy. He gives blessings and curses. He relies on prayer to help him fight his enemies and tell of the Lord to all the peoples. He is continually declaring who the Lord is: the one who heals you, redeems you, crowns you, has compassion on you, the one who sits on the high throne in heaven, who knows you, whose lovingkindess is everlasting, the one who is your rock, your refuge, your shelter, your shepherd, your rescuer, your light and salvation, the defense of your life, the king of glory! David cries obey His word! Trust in Him and He will do it! Who can stand against the might God! Wait on the Lord, those who do will never be disappointed! These poems and songs and expressions have come from one who has been in a long personal relationship with the living God. They are a testimony of who the Lord is and will be to you personally if you enter into a deep personal relationship with Him.

God wants us to pour our hearts out to Him Psalm 62:8. He wants us to love Him with all our strength, heart and mind Mark 12:33. He wants us to trust Him with the depths of our hearts. The Lord has given us all identity, purpose and vision(destiny). He wants us to cling to His truth concerning these aspects of our lives and not let the enemy steal them from us. For the enemy is prowling around trying to do just that. But we do not have to fear because we are the Lords. However we must protect against the enemy, put on our armor, fight the good fight and with prayer and petition speak boldly and claim our lives Ephesians 6:18. The Lord is fighting for us and is our greatest asset but we are still in this battle. Remember the Lord is already victorious for He has won the war through Jesus! Look to Jesus to be save, healed and find life! God is with us, nothing is impossible with Him. He wants us to be bold and courageous. The more we hear from Him, the more we love Him, the more we obey Him, the more we will be aligned with His will and this is a joy to Him and us because we will see all the more God prospers through our prospering. By being in a deep personal relationship with Him, we enter into a  give and receive cyclical union. As we get to know Him, He gets to know us. As we give to Him, He receives our hearts. Getting to know Him, we understand ourselves as made in His image. The best qualities about ourselves reflect the best qualities about who He is. We are taken into deeper levels of connection, communication, knowing, experiencing and loving God. We step into our identities in Christ as daughters and sons of God, being who He made us to be and so representing Him and His kingdom. We put ourselves into a position to receive from Him by giving to Him. We give our prayers to Him and in so doing He receives our trust and abidance. In return He gives answers to our prayers and blessings and we receive His love and goodness.

David combines prayer, reverence(the fear of) and worship for the Lord in the Psalms. These three elements are very powerful spiritual warfare and develop a strong believing and loving heart for the Lord. Prayer establishes open communication and builds reliance on Him as our God who is able and willing to meet all our needs. Worship glorifies the Lord and demonstrates His victory, it encourages all creation to sing his praise. It fills us with joy and wonder. Reverence solidifies Him as the power of all powers in the world, gives Him homage and fidelity. These three all fight against the spiritual things in the unseen realm, for we fight not with flesh and blood but against the evil forces, worldy powers, etc... Ephesians 6:12. Though it may not appear so at first, the Lord directs us to do these things because it actually blesses our lives! Watch and see the good way the Lord changes and shapes you and your life as you make a habit of these things in your day to day.

Scripture is the word of God. It is our sword of truth. It is very important that we write the word of God on our hearts and strengthen ourselves with the word. It enables us to know Him and hear Him better. It grows us so we know what is of God and what is not. One can find scripture concerning anything and everything pertaining to the concerns of daily life and it will strengthen us in God and our prayers. This is the foundation of gospel centered living.

Here are some prayers, reinforced with scripture that I have started. As you pray, I know the Spirit will lead you to take these prayers further concerning your personal relationship with God. As we really build ourselves up in the Lord and strengthen Him as our authority in our lives and heal where we need healing, then we begin to be a cup that is overflowing and will find ourselves praying for others more and being of service more too.

Heavenly Father,

Praise and Thanksgiving

I come before you with thanksgiving Lord, for by your grace I have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. I am saved because of His willingness to obey you by being my propitiation offering and not because of my own works or righteousness. Thank you for this gift that by the obedience of one the many are saved. That even though I was far away from you Lord, by Jesus’ blood I have been brought near and reconciled through the cross to you, now being able to come before you as a citizen of your household. Thank you Jesus for making it possible for me to come before my God and make supplication. Thank you that through you I can be known by Him and know Him. Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 2:13-18, Galatians 4:9.

I give thanks for ___________. Thank Him for things He has done for you personally and others.

Lord I enter your courts with praise and glorify your holy name! Better is one day in your house than a thousand outside Psalm 84! Yes how blessed is the one whom you choose and bring near to you to dwell in your courts Psalm 65. I praise you, for You wipe out my transgressions for your names sake! Isaiah 43:25. Lord how precious are your thoughts to me! How wonderfully and fearfully made I am! You know everything about my life! In my book you have written and ordained every day of my life before there was yet even one! Psalm 139. Praise the Lord! Praise him all heavenly hosts! Praise Him from the earth! The Lords voice breaks the cedars! The Lord stretched out the heavens like a curtain! He formed the son of man from the dust! You open the eyes of the blind and thwart the way of the wicked! How majestic is your name in all of the earth! I will tell of your wonders for you abide forever and I will exalt you! I praise you for making yourself known! Psalms.

I give all glory to you for_____________! Praise Him for the miracles He has done for you & others.

                                                                Reverence

Lord you favor those who fear you, who wait for your lovingkindess Psalm147:11. We are informed that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Proverbs 9:10. I pray Lord that you would teach me the fear of the Lord. Please help me to understand in my heart you as the one and only, who has all authority. Please make my heart and spirit steadfast knowing that you hold my life in your hands, You are the defense of my life! You hold the stars in your hands, what is there to fear!? You say you have stored up your goodness for those who fear you Psalms 31:19. You say how blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights in your commandments. I pray that I will be blessed by you in my reverence for you only and that calamity will not fall me as one who hardens my heart Psalm 112:1, Proverbs 28. Help me Lord not to harden my heart against you, please soften my heart. Make me to know you, to trust in you, rely on you, come to you, love you and listen to you that I may receive the riches and honor and life of one who fears you. That I may be untouched by evil and have long life and the desires of my heart. I know as I continue to draw closer to you, you will draw closer to me. Please align my will with your will, my heart with your heart. I'm so happy to get to know you better and share myself with you too through the most important relationship in my life. Already Lord it is so clear to me that there is no other god like you, there is no other Heavenly father like you, no other lover of my soul and friend like you. I give you all honor and glory and praise. Everything that is good about me is because of you, everything that is good in my life is because of you. Oh Lord where would I be without your love and faithfulness!? Where would I be without your mercies and grace!? Thank you for desiring a personal relationship with me and calling me yours that I may be blessed and glorified by you.

The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, honor and life. The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may be untouched by evil. The fear of the LORD prolongs life, so we would have many days. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. Salvation is near for those who fear him. Proverbs 22,19, 10, Psalm 145, 85.

Relying on God

LORD, I need you in my life. I want you in my life. Help me to prioritize my relationship with you and make time to come to you daily. Draw me deeper in my walk with you through the relationships and experiences I have. Bring me to you Lord whenever there is confusion or chaos or disagreement to ask ‘what does God have to say about this?’. Make me willing to hear and joyful to follow your commandments. Lord today if I hear your voice help me to not harden my heart but to know I have heard you and willing to act on your word Hebrews 3:4. Lead me as I walk by faith and not by sight, giving more power and authority to what you say over what I am seeing or the world is saying. Lord even as you ask me to lead and make choices please help direct and guide me. Help remind me that your ways are higher and your thoughts are higher and that a fools way is right in his own eyes but a wise man walks in godly counsel Isaiah 55:6-12, Proverbs 12. Lord help me to work out my salvation, in fear and trembling, allowing you to do a work in me Php 2;12. Thank you for working everything together for the good and for your good purposes in my life Romans 8:26. Help me to allow you to do the work, help me to give you my burdens. Show me how your yoke is light and easy. Thank you for your plans to prosper me and not to harm me, but to give me a future and a hope Jeremiah 29:11. I will seek you Lord with all my heart and strength. Help me connect with your visions for my life and be in agreement with them. I give all glory to you Lord for you made everything with intention and purpose, when you speak your words go out and they accomplish what they set out to do and come back to you successful. I give glory to you who made me and said it was good, who wove me in my mothers womb and called me by my name Jeremiah 1:4.

Oh Lord hasten to me, give ear to my voice when I call you Psalm 141. You are my stronghold and all those who know your name put their trust in you, Lord you have not forsaken those who seek you Psalm 9:10. O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You Psalm 38:9. Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly! Psalm 69:1.

Your Father knows what your needs are, seek His kingdom and all will be added unto you Luke 12:30. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit“ John 14:13-16. For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes and Amen to the glory of God. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge 2 Corinthians 1:20-22.