The main purpose of praying is to gain a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior. There are many ways to pray and there are many things to request when we pray. People often wonder what is the proper way to pray, here is the good news there is no proper way. When we pray we are having a conversation with God, so just talk to him, but make sure you listen attentively because it is not a one-sided conversation it is two-sided. God wants to speak to us also, and when he does it is usually after we have been praying or fasting. The posture in which we pray is also something that has been misconstrued, it doesn't matter what position you are in when you are praying just as long as you are praying. You can be laying prostrate, kneeling with your head bowed and hands folded, you can be sitting, standing, walking around, or you can even be in bed. God does not care how or when we speak to him just as long as we are doing it. Here are some examples in the bible of the positions they were in when they prayed.
31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. Exodus 40:31
18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 2Chronicles 20:18
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Matthew 26:39
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 1Kings 8:22
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land
It is through the power of prayer that we start to see things happen that are "unfathomable" to us. See with God all things are possible, There is nothing too difficult or too impossible for God.
It also states in Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. When people need something they tend to pray, you have believers and non-believers who only pray when they need something. It is amazing to me that even people who do not believe that Jesus is the Lord and Savior start to pray when they are in a rut. Why is that? The reason I think is because they have looked every where else before they decided to look up. God speaks to each and everyone of us weather we are Christians or not, it is up to us if we choose to listen or not. So when you pray what do you pray about? Do you pray just for yourself? What about if your child, friend, pastor, church family, or community needs. Do you pray? Do you ask God to bless those less fortunate than you or do you ask God to increase your pay so you can give to the needy? Or do you just ask God to bless you and "forget" those around you? We need to remember that it is not about us and that it is about God and what God has planned.
If your prayer is in accordance to God's will for your life then it will be answered. 1 John 5:14-15 states 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. God hears your prayer only if the prayer request is in His will for you and your life. If it is not, then the above verse is implying that He will not hear your prayer. If your prayer is not in accordance to God's will then it will not be granted. This is where each Christian has to really get a grip on any specific prayer requests they are presenting to God. If God comes back letting you know that what you are asking for is not in His perfect will for you and your life, then you have to let it go, trust that God knows best and move on. So the first thing you have to do before approaching God on your specific prayer request is to make sure that your prayer request is in His perfect will for you and your life. There are several ways you can do this. The first is to analyze your prayer request. When you have analyzed it and still do not know if it is the will of God then ask Him and He will answer you. The second way is to ask the Holy spirit if this is something you should be praying for. The Holy Spirit is here to guide us according to God's will so ask him and he shall respond. Do not hesitate to ask if you are unsure because you will receive an answer. No matter how dumb you think the question is the important thing is that you are inquiring if you are doing the right thing or not.
When we pray we should pray in faith. Without having faith that it will happen then it probably won't. Why then should you pray if you lack the faith that your prayer will be answered. It is like you are saying Lord I want this to happen but I don't think you can do it. It states in Matthew 6:30-31 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? Have faith that it will happen and it will if it is in accordance to God's will.
When God answers our prayers we need to start praising him. Shout to the lord with a voice of triumph and say THANK YOU. Don't hold it in. It is also through our praise that we come closer to him. Psalm 34:1 states I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. With his praise continually on our mouths the more the spirit will move freely within us. The Holy spirit loves an attitude of gratitude. So continue to pray and to praise God through the Hard times and you shall come out of it standing. There is a song that I have been listening to called We fall down by Donnie Mcclurkin it states We fall down but we get up for a saint is just a sinner who fell down but we couldn't stay there and got up. The way we get back up is through prayer and through praise. You can't have an intimate relationship with God without prayer and with out praise.
Here are a few verses from the bible on praise and prayer.
Psalm 72:14-15
14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
Acts 16:24-26
24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Psalm 66:20
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Prayer and Praise should go Hand in Hand. So if you are going to pray remember to have faith and when God gives you your answer or blessing Praise him with all you heart. Also remember that if ti is the will of God it shall come to pass. You might have to wait a while for it to come but don't give up do not lose your faith. Have patience for one moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. We often pray for something and become impatient when it doesn't come fast enough and through that impatience we tend to do things our own way and in the process lose what we first prayed about. Hebrews 10:36 states For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Is not praying the will of God? So lets see if I have this correct if we pray we are doing the will of God so then by doing the will of God we will receive the promise. I don't know if you got that so I will say it again IF WE PRAY WE ARE DOING THE WILL OF GOD, AND BY DOING THE WILL OF GOD WE WILL RECEIVE THE PROMISE OR SHOULD I SAY PROMISES.
No comments:
Post a Comment