A number of of my associates have been asking me these days about my prayer life. In some way, simply by my residing my life, they see how essential and valuable prayer is to me and my religion.
In my relationship with Christ, prayer is THE most essential factor in my life. By each trial, as a result of I’m in such deep prayer, I see the hand of God working. It’s like He pulls again the curtain and permits me to see into His world and the issues He’s doing in mine.
I’ve to inform you, it’s the best factor on this planet.
That second once you see His hand. You’re in nice mouth-dropping awe and on the similar time, you’re scared, realizing how actually highly effective He’s. You’re humbled, realizing that you’ve got completely no management in your life. As a result of sure, there’s human will and sure, we are able to insurgent, but when God desires you to do one thing, He’s solely going to allow you to insurgent for thus lengthy. Whereas human will exists, He’s additionally in full sovereign management the complete time and sure, that is even for unbelievers.
I’ve seen His hand these days within the lifetime of unbelievers and people unsaved. I’ve seen Him use them to perform His will. And seeing all of this, makes me all of the extra fervent in my prayer life. It’s this tenacious starvation to see the Lord and His hand an increasing number of. Seeing His energy, His goodness, His love.
Immediately Remodel Your Prayer Life
There may be nothing larger, for my part, than seeing God work in a state of affairs and I’m not speaking about simply seeing one factor occur, however being concerned from day 1 in HIS will. Obeying Him each single day for the duties that He exhibits you to do, the roads He exhibits you to take, the actions He leads you to do. Previously three months, I’ve by no means been nearer to my Lord than in my complete life, and I can inform you that it’s not JUST prayer that does that. It’s not JUST learning the Phrase or studying my Bible. It’s additionally performing in obedience….each single day.
Each day for the previous three months, He’s proven me to do one thing. Typically it’s small. Typically it’s reasonably large. Typically I doubt. Typically I argue. Typically I don’t obey with a proper coronary heart, however reasonably obey as a result of I really feel compelled to…not as a result of I WANT to. However irregardless of my humanistic sin nature, as finest as I presumably can, I’ve been obeying Him. And the extra I hearken to Him and deepen my prayers after which obey what He exhibits me to do, the nearer to Him I turn out to be. The extra He exhibits me, the extra He pulls again that curtain and let’s me see His world….His plans!
That is how our walks with Christ needs to be all the time. Not simply once we’re in a trial, however every single day of our lives. Strolling with our nice and superb God. Following Him wherever He leads.
It’s probably the most lovely image you may ever hope to see on this life. I’ve discovered a lot about God in these previous three months. I’ve seen His energy and have been afraid. I’ve seen His love and don’t doubt His good will towards me. I’ve seen His sovereignty- that He WILL work every thing out in keeping with His will and the great of all Christians concerned in sure conditions. I’m actually humbled by His redemptive work in my life and within the lifetime of others surrounding me.
However how can we get to the purpose in our relationship the place we are able to have that…the place we are able to see all of this?
Step one is prayer.
On 1/28/2013, I began a grateful/prayer journal. I had heard in a sermon by John MacArthur, a narrative about how he knew a person who would hold a pocket book and go round at church asking everybody how he might pray for them. Every week, he’d comply with up with them on their distinctive prayers and he’d write all of it down as they spoke. So that each week, he’d cross out the prayers that have been answered and add new ones in.
Over time, that straightforward act, not solely modified the person’s life, however everybody in whom he was asking.
In deciding to start out my very own grateful/prayer journal, I began merely. I didn’t do it in entrance of man, it was extra of a personal factor, simply between me and the Lord. I purchased a journal and on the highest half of the web page, I wrote the issues I will be grateful of. On the underside half of the web page, I wrote down my prayer requests.
What I observed is that my prayer requests ALWAYS outnumber my grateful record. The issues which can be essential to me are extra egocentric, than thanksgiving.
This was the primary efficient lesson I discovered in retaining a journal. So, I made a decision that I might START with my grateful record first and write down 5 a day BEFORE I might even BEGIN my prayer record.
Some days, my coronary heart was bitter and indignant. I didn’t wish to be grateful. Some days, the thanksgiving flew out of me shortly. However after being constant, I began turning into a way more grateful particular person. And I spotted that even in trials, there’s nonetheless all the time many issues to be glad about.
A number of the issues I might write down have been:
- Salvation – I will be glad I’m saved, that God selected ME out of the billions of individuals on Earth to have a relationship with.
- Having a Biblical church to go to – I’ve traveled a LOT and have lived in MANY locations and I can inform you, that the quantity of actually Biblical, strong theological church buildings as we speak are few and much between. Whereas there are church buildings on each nook it appears, a lot of them are preaching a gospel opposite to God’s Phrase.
- Bodily wants offered – I’ve a wonderful residence, meals in my fridge, even a freezer full within the storage and a second pantry filled with meals. I’ve a reasonably massive closet with manner too many garments in it (I’m obsessive about jackets and have over 20 of them!). Really, I’m blessed.
- Good associates – I’ve just a few very shut associates that actually love me and I can depend on to not run away when the powerful will get going.
Many occasions, the grateful issues have been extra private. An entry I wrote on 2/12/13 says that nothing dangerous has occurred in 8 days. If you’re within the midst of a trial, you get to know the dangerous days REAL good! So, when a day goes by the place there aren’t any assaults from Devil, it’s a superb day. I used to be grateful that I didn’t have any assaults in 8 days!
Or when my outdated automobile’s ignition went out an an extremely superior man within the church, fastened it for me. These are the sorts of belongings you bear in mind as a single mother. These are the varieties of individuals you pray for sometimes. Sooner or later, if God ought to ever permit me the great thing about being married once more, I pray that my husband will likely be a type of males that go round serving to and fixing issues for single mothers and the aged. As a result of there are true wants there and it’s such a blessing to each events within the state of affairs!
As time went on, I stored doing simply as that man had executed, crossing off prayers that have been answered. By retaining file, I found one thing TRULY wonderful.
God solutions each SINGLE ONE of our prayers! Do you know that?!?!?!
Each prayer I’ve prayed has been answered ultimately over time. Some have taken longer to reply. Some solutions have been no. Some the place sure. Some have been prompt. Some have been wait. However each single prayer I’ve written down has been answered apart from one…
For the previous 6 years or so, I’ve been praying to maneuver again to Oregon. I totally miss it there. I might transfer again in a heartbeat if given the chance, however to date, God has mentioned no. And whereas it hurts,and my coronary heart is IN Oregon, I do know I’m proper the place He desires me to be…however I nonetheless pray, sooner or later I can transfer again! 🙂 You simply by no means know…
Hear guys, God listens to us. He cares about us. The issues which can be essential to US, the issues that appear so insignificant and even foolish, are essential to him! Why? As a result of He genuinely loves us.
I believe that it’s additionally essential to notice at this level, that we needs to be very CAREFUL about our prayers! Figuring out that He does reply them and typically He’ll give us precisely what we ask, it doesn’t all the time change into the perfect and we remorse it. That has occurred a pair occasions with me and so now, I’m very cautious in my prayers and I’m very particular.
For instance, after I ask God for a future husband, I get REAL particular. Down to private preferences like I don’t need him to be a furry man. I don’t like beards, mustaches, furry backs, and so on. And I’m actually not a fan of muscle tissue (I do know, bizarre proper). It might appear extraordinarily foolish, proper, however once you get your prayer answered in one thing and you would like you possibly can have gone again and altered up the prayer just a little bit, novices will study REAL QUICK to start out praying extra detailed and particularly! Belief me on that! BE SPECIFIC! Not in the way in which that God is a few magic genie granting needs, don’t get me unsuitable, however that the issues which can be essential to you, it’s best to pray about them.
Your prayer life is your lifeline with God. We’re at some extent in historical past the place we have now entry to the Holy Spirit within us who intercedes on our behalf, praying for the issues we don’t know to wish for, however must. And whereas this can be a large blessing, we mustn’t take it with no consideration both.
I believe one of many largest issues that modified my prayer life and actually opened my eyes was throughout one other sermon.
Let’s think about you have got a finest buddy they usually occur to be staying with you for one week at your property. Throughout that week, you hardly ever speak to them in any respect. You simply do your individual factor and ignore them a lot of the time. How lengthy do you suppose you’d be associates with them?
Not lengthy, proper?!
It’s the identical with God. He IS residing with us, in our hearts. If we by no means speak to Him, hearken to Him, or domesticate that relationship, it’s doomed. Then once we need one thing from him, we go to Him and pray, “Lord, assist me out of this example,” and it’s virtually like He says, “Huh, you speaking to me?”
We will’t do this. He’s our BEST FRIEND. Deal with Him like a finest buddy. You possibly can’t get sufficient time along with your finest buddy. You’re there with them by means of thick and skinny. You hear. You care. You speak to them about deep issues. You share. You belief. You get to know them and allow them to get to know you. There’s no guard there with a finest buddy. You are feeling secure sufficient to inform them something and them to not run away for the hills. Speak to God in the identical manner. All day, every single day, about every thing.
Do that for just a few months and inform me in case your relationship with God will not be exploding with ardour.
As a result of bear in mind, you spend your money and time on what’s essential to you. Do you spend your time with God? Is He REALLY all that essential to you? I encourage you as we speak to deal with God like your finest buddy…as a result of should you’re actually saved…He’s!