Luke 5:16
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Jesus often times was in need of a break of His daily routine to get recharged from God and the Holy Spirit. This shows us as an example that we need to take time to pray.
It is important for God's people to spend time on their knees in prayer. However, know how to pray is also important. It was important enough for Jesus to teach the people to pray in Matthew 6:9-13.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
I am going to give you 6 keys to help you be a better prayer warrior.
- Know who you are praying too.
When you answer your phone do you not always start by saying Hello and address the person who calls you. If that is the case you should do the same with God. Address Him and let Him know that you are making a call to Him.
Today we are constantly on our phones for everything. I have my calendar on my phone, my reminders to do things like change filters, I even have my shopping list on my phone.
Prayer is a conversation with God, and every conversation begins by addressing the person to whom you are speaking by name. Jesus begins with "Our Father in heaven." He is praying specifically to the one in charge of all thing God "Father," and there are times when we need to talk with our Anna Father. But God is three distance persons in One: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I always pray to my God that can do anything. However, there can be times when we pray, that we need to pray to the Holy Spirit for help in discernment or for power over something.
- Thank Him.
We need to Thank Him for all that He has done for us. I always start after I have addressed Him that I Thank Him for everything that he has done in my life. You can Thank Him for healings, answered prayers, for overcoming an impossible situation or even keeping you alive. It is important to Thank Him for all things.
You can never say enough to God about what he has done in your life. The times He has saved you from a car wreck or when He has given you something that you needed.
- Ask for God's will.
1 John 5:14
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
The Lord's Prayer is not the only place where Jesus gave us an example of prayer. When Jesus was in the last hours before His crucifixion, He would once again pray, "not my will, but yours be done." We sometime forget or not think about the fact that God is not a Jennie in a bottle that we command at our will. God has a plan in our lives and it is important that we allow God's will since He know us from the beginning to the end.
We do not know God's plans for our lives. We do not know why God sometimes answers prayer or why is does not at times.
- Say what you need.
In the days of Jesus' life bread was the main meal that people needed and wanted to survive. When Jesus need something to eat He did not hesitate to ask God to provide it. He would even have birds deliver it if He wanted. The Bible says, "You do not have because you do not ask God." So never hesitate to ask God for what you need.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
If you are about to take a trip then pray before you leave for safe travels.
If you need a new job or more income then you pray that God will help you to find the right job or give you a better income.
Be specific with God. When I was young I would ask my parents for something and I did not beat around the bush.
- Ask for forgiveness.
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
This reminds us that if we want our prayers to be heard, our hearts need to be right with God and with one another. If you feel your prayers are bouncing off the walls, take some time to check your heart.
- Pray the Word.
Mark 11:22-25
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Read and write down scripture's that you are praying about. The Word of God has power and is our great spiritual weapon.
Jesus did the same when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness in Luke 4:1-12. He was the Son of God, but He did not use His divine authority. Instead, He used the authority of the scripture.
Pray and know that God is listening and know that when you pray it is important to Him. Also, know that Prayer is powerful even though you may not being seeing the results the way you want it to happen.