Practicing Daily Prayer!

Discipleship: February 4, 2007

Prayer is learned. Prayer may be the natural language of the soul, but learning to speak it fluently takes time. Just as other marks of discipleship require training, so does prayer. We fall into false thinking if we believe that prayer is easy or automatic. Prayer is often hard work.

Prayer is relational. Prayer is our way of communicating with our living Lord. Prayer is a two-way channel—we speak to Him and He speaks to us. The Holy Spirit may leave impressions on our hearts and minds, or we may feel led to a particular Scripture after or during prayer. God may answer through a change of circumstances, or He may nudge us to take a step of faith, or He may tell us “wait.”

Prayer is confident. Our confidence is in God—that He hears us, He responds, He loves us, and calls us into His presence.

Prayer is continuous. When we have practiced prayer and are fluent in our prayer life, there comes a time when prayer becomes continuous. We may not be aware of it, just as we are not always aware of the blood pulsing through our veins or our lungs taking their next breath, but those life-giving activities are happening all the time. So it is with prayer. Our prayers are a conscious and unconscious reality of life in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prays for us in ways that we don’t understand, and our abiding relationship with Christ is lived out in those prayers. Continuous prayer is like a husband and wife who can sit silently with one another and yet be communicating at a deep level of understanding.

Prayer is expectant! Jesus said that the prayer of faith would move a mountain. What are the mountains in your life and in the lives of those you pray for that need to be moved?

Prayer is multi-faceted. The acronym ACTS has often been used to describe the nature of prayer:

* Adoration: appreciating God for who He is and beyond what He has done for us.

*Confession: acknowledging to God our sin and seeking His mercy.

*Thanksgiving: thanking God for His blessings.

*Supplication: interceding for ourselves and others.

So much could be said about prayer, but when all is said and done prayer is “better felt than telt!” Set a goal to maintain a regular prayer time. Perhaps use a journal to record insights as you meet with God in prayer, and be prepared for God to show up in ways you may never before have imagined!