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How to Live an Effective Prayer Lifestyle
To be an effective person of prayer, you must have relationship with the
One to whom you pray.
Above all else, prayer is an opportunity to enjoy intimacy with God. Prayer
is all about relationship with Father God. God longs to have relationship
with you.
To know God is to realize that we are in a special covenant relationship
with Him. You are His child. He is your Father. You are His bride. He
is your Groom.
Beware, Jesus warns us that we can do His works and not be known
of God.
Matt 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, `Lord,
Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will
of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons
and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew
you. Away from me, you evildoers!
How Can I Develop
an Intimate Relationship with God?
Spend Time
with the Lord, daily.
In any relationship, the way to develop a relationship with someone
is to spend time with them. Intimate relationships are born by learning
to trust. Being open and vulnerable and being willing to show all of your
heart invites intimacy. To be intimate is to be willing to show all that
is in your heart to the person. To be an intimate friend of God, you need
to be able to pour out your heart to Him, sharing the most intimate details
of your life, your hopes, your dreams and your very heart with Him.
Prov. 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and
a brother is born for adversity.
This scripture not only applies to God's heart toward us, but it should
be our stance toward the Lord. Our hearts should long to be with Him
no matter what the circumstance. As His people, We are to love Him and
be His friend first. From that base of intimacy, we can pray effectively.
If our prayer life consists only of petitions and intercession, it can
lead to anger and frustration. If prayer is not answered in the speed
that we wish it to be answered, we can become bitter and resentful toward
God. However, If we grow to know God, a delayed prayer will only be
an opportunity to pray again. Spending much time with the Lord is one
of the only methods to truly know His ways, and not just His acts. Knowing
God leads to resting in the assurance of His ultimate goodness, despite
the circumstances we see around us.
Hab. 3:17-18 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and
the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and
no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful
in God my Saviour.
To be in intimate relationship with God is to make Him number one in
our lives, above all others, and above all else.
Matt 10:37 Anyone who loves his father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me;
Ask the Lord to show you any idols in your lives that would be number
one instead of Him. These idols can take the form of family, friends,
ministry, work or even personal dreams.
We get
to know Him through the study of the word of God, in prayer.
As you daily study His word, you will soon get to know His will, His ways
and His heart, which will give you keys to know how to pray. When you
understand the way He moves in the lives of people, you can pray prayers
that line up to His will. Psalm 119 is a wonderful passage to meditate
upon, as it tells us the rewards of studying His word.
As we worship
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, He births intimacy in our hearts.
In worship, we are lavishing all our attention and affections
toward Him.
Worship cleanses you from the "dirt" you pick up as you walk your everyday
life by just living in an unsaved world.
A good anointed worship time refreshes and revives you. It speaks to
your spirit the truth about God and His power. To be an effective intercessor,
you must be awake in your spirit. Worship will awaken and sharpen your
spirit to be in tune with the will of the Lord.
Repentance
Ask the Lord to search your heart, and to show you if there be any wicked
way in it. The Lord is faithful to show us our motivations and secret
desires. Keep a short account with the Lord.
1 John 1:8-9 If we claim to be without sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from
all unrighteousness.
If you know there are wounds from hurts you have received, allow the
Lord to heal those areas as you forgive and receive forgiveness and
healing. If you find it hard to hear from God, ask Him to show blockages
or walls in your own life that are hindering you from receiving and
giving to the Lord. Some blockages are unforgiveness, unconfessed sin,
disobedience, wounds and hurts.
To pray effectively, pray out of a pure heart, so you don't pray in
bitterness, anger and judgement.
Prayers prayed out of impure motives are sometimes known as soulful
prayers. They are usually not very effective. When the Lord begins to
show us things to pray for and our hearts are free from unconfessed
sin and judgements toward others, we can pray without prejudice.
Intercession is front line spiritual warfare. It is essential that you
pray for protection for yourself and your family as you enter into intercession.
Sin can provide an open door for the enemy to attack us. If, when you
pray for others, you find things falling apart in your own life, ask
the Lord to search your heart and show you any doors left open because
of your own sin, or sin against you.
Practise the Presence
of God.
Practise just "being with God." Just enjoy each others company.
Sometimes, just sitting with the Lord in silence can bring deep communion
and refreshment to your spirit, soul and body. An earthly example of
this sort of "being", would be a loving couple who have been married
for years. They do not have to say a word to each other yet a glance
or a smile can pass on deep intimacy and "knowing."
You don't always have to be talking to Him. You don't always have to
be expecting heavy revelation from heaven, in prayer, you can just enjoy
being with Him.
Part of practising the presence of God is to understand he is with you
always. It is a biblical fact and is not based on your emotions.
Deut 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not
be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with
you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
The presence of God is there all the time. Learning to know He
is there, however, will take time and patience. Just relax in His love
for in the presence of God, fear cannot reside, anxiety cannot reside,
heaviness cannot abide. You need to learn to tune into His presence,
it is always there, but we need to practise becoming aware of it.
These thoughts draw upon
the sermons of Revs Douglas Cranston, Iain Cameron and Murdo MacDonald,
but as arranged here by me the errors are all mine!
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