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(Presented by Lisa Bishop)
I have a question for you. How are you doing? No, really, how are you doing? What are the things that are most consuming your thoughts? What is a worry, concern or uncertainty, maybe a disappointment, unmet need, longing or loss that is weighing on your mind?
If you were to do a check-in with your heart and your soul, what would you notice? Are you weary, tired, stressed out, angry, or depleted? Are you feeling overwhelmed or overworked? In the busyness of life, it is important to take time to do a self-check and get a gauge on our souls. Because let’s face it, life can be hard, and it is easy to get depleted.
How do you experience renewal, refreshment and supernatural strength in your life? How do you receive sustenance in difficult times and grow in your ability to experience the divine power and presence of God? I want to remind you of the power of prayer. Now before you say, “I already know about prayer,” my question is, how consistently do you practice the power of prayer?
I read a quote that said, “If you want your life to experience divine power, it needs to be a praying life.” Far too often it can be easy to bypass the transformation that comes from prayer because we are prone to put it on the back burner. But we can experience the divine presence and power to greater degrees in our lives.
If you think about it, what are the reasons we don’t make prayer a daily habit? Being brutally honest, we don’t really believe that prayer works. Or since God already knows what we are thinking, why do we need to pray? And all too often the old “I am too busy” can become a barrier to a praying life.
If you think you are too time crunched to pray, you need only to look to Jesus who modeled prayer and whose life points to not only the necessity of prayer but the practice of prayer in the busyness and demands of life. In Luke chapter 5, we see that crowds of people came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed of their sickness, and then it says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). In the midst of his ministry, healing and teaching, Jesus points us to the power of prayer.
In the hustle and bustle of life it is so easy to be on autopilot, going at warp speed, that we neglect to take the time to slow down and get away from the crowds and pray.
Retreating from the crowds doesn’t necessarily mean going to a mountain or rural place, although that sounds really nice. It may simply be waking up early in the morning before the demands of the day kick in. Sitting in a quiet place in your house or apartment, even if for a few minutes before you start your day, to come before the Lord and in the quietness of his presence, pray. Of course, prayer is not reserved just for morning times. There is no one right time of day to pray, it is something you can do throughout your day.
When you spend time in prayer, you make space to hear from God and for the Holy Spirit to guide your steps and transform your heart. Having a vibrant prayer life is a significant spiritual practice among followers of Jesus. Prayer positions you to pour out your heart so that you can be filled up and experience deep connection with the Lord.
In Psalm 116 the Psalmist says, “I love the Lord because he has heard my appeal for mercy. Because he has turned his ear to me I will call out to him as long as I live” (Psalm 116:1-2).
I love the reminder all throughout the Bible that God inclines his ear towards us. He listens intently. He delights in hearing your voice.
Throughout the years I have struggled to pray. Especially in times where I felt distant from God, it was really hard for me to want to talk to him. Sometimes I didn’t even know where to begin. And then I read a book that suggested starting each day with the Lord’s prayer. In the gospel of Mathew, Jesus gave his disciples and us a model for prayer. Even if you start with 15 seconds a day, reciting this prayer out loud is a great way to begin creating the habit of intentionally coming before Jesus. I would personally recommend praying on your knees. There is something about the posture of bowing down before the Lord that is transformative in and of itself.
Before Jesus gives instructions in the book of Luke on how to pray, it is interesting to notice that he says, “Your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.” And yet, Jesus still says, “You should pray.”
I am certain you are familiar with Jesus’ model of prayer, but let’s look at it again. As you read the very words of God, try to understand them in a new and fresh way. Ask Holy Spirit to illuminate something to you, to make something stand out that you may not have noticed before.
Jesus says, “And when you pray, pray like this.”
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:9-13).
One thing to note is that this is not a prescription for prayer. It should be understood as an example of a pattern for prayer. It gives us prayer ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at how Jesus teaches us to pray.
We see that at the opening Jesus addressed God as Father. Acknowledging God as Father is an expression of affection and confidence and trust. It signifies the close, intimate relationship of a father and his child and Jesus reminds us of the close relationship we have with God. We also see that Jesus began with worship.
In “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” right away Jesus removes the focus from us and turns our attention to God. He teaches us to begin our prayers by recognizing the God to whom we pray and to worship him and praise him for who he is.
When you approach God the Father in adoration and worship, it brings your worries and anxieties into perspective as you turn your focus to God and fix your eyes on Jesus. Or as my friend Nicole says, “raise your gaze,” keep looking up!
It can be tempting to focus on your circumstances and glance at God rather than glance at your circumstances and gaze at God. Remembering and worshiping God for his character, his holiness, and that God is your protector, defender and provider. God is your refuge and strength, your fortress. He is trustworthy and faithful. He is all knowing and all sufficient. He is a loving Father who invites you into his presence. He genuinely cares for you. This is a powerful part of prayer.
What is your view of God when you pray to him? Our view of God can hinder our prayers to God. If you are in a season where you are struggling in your faith, you are finding it hard to believe God is who he says he is, ask some friends to pray for you. In the times where life has been challenging, I have asked a few trusted and faithful friends to pray for me. I know their prayers held me up and sustained me through hard times. Maybe you are in a season where your faith is strong, and your prayer life is robust. Who around you are struggling? Who can you pray for? Who can you come alongside to hold up in prayer?
The phrase “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is ultimately praying for God’s plan in your life and the world, not your own plan. It is a true position of surrender, trusting that God’s plans and ways are higher than yours. Jesus modeled this prayer in Matthew 26:29. Knowing of his impending arrest, crucifixion, and death we see that “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.”
Especially in the midst of suffering and unmet longing, it is hard to trust God. Praying God’s will be done is asking God to give you strength and grace to surrender all to him and to trust him.
Further along in the Lord’s model of prayer we are encouraged to ask God for the things we need in “give us today our daily bread.” This is a reminder that God invites us to pray what is on our heart and to present our needs, desires, and hopes to him.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we ask God for our daily bread, we ultimately trust him to provide what he knows we need.
Philippians 4:19 reminds us of what is true. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” This is especially hard to believe if you are experiencing hard times such as a job loss, family conflict, loneliness, marital strain, or financial stress. If you are struggling to trust God’s faithfulness, cry out to him. “Jesus, please help me to see all of the ways you are providing for my needs in this season.”
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” reminds us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them, and to forgive others as God has forgiven us. When you confess your sin to God, he is faithful and just to forgive you and you experience greater intimacy with him because the barrier that sins cause in your heart is removed. Forgiving someone who has hurt or wronged you is also an important part of your prayer life. Your feelings may not be there at first but by faith ask God to help you forgive with a sincere heart. God will work in your heart as you forgive in obedience.
And finally, the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” is a plea for help in achieving victory over sin and a request for protection from the attacks of the devil. Every day we face spiritual battles. Some are obvious while others are subtle. You will face temptations that will try to lure you away from God. You have an enemy who wants to discourage you and does not want you to trust in and follow Jesus. So, he will do everything he can to distract you with fiery darts that come in the form of accusations, lies, guilt, despair, self-doubt, and discouragement! As a result, an ingredient of prayer is asking God for protection. When you are facing a temptation and a spiritual battle, do not try fighting the battle on your own. Turn to Jesus in prayer and remember the apostle Paul’s reminder in Ephesians 6:10-18:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
“If you want your life to experience divine power, it needs to be a praying life.”
If you are new to prayer or maybe you have lost your fire for prayer, begin your day with The Lord’s Prayer as a guide to help you worship him. Ask him for what you need. Trust in his provision. Confess your sin. Forgive others. And pray that God will help guide you and protect you.
Take intentional time to build your prayer life and bolster your faith in Him. and remember the words of Psalm 116:2: “Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”