Probably the number one reason why prayer malfunctions in the hands
of believers is that we try to turn a wartime walkie-talkie into a domestic
intercom. Until you know that life is war you cannot know what prayer
is for. Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission…. But what
have millions of Christians done? We have stopped believing that we are
in a war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning.
Just easy peace and prosperity. And what did we do with the walkie
talkie? We tried to rig it up as an intercom in our houses and cabins
and boats and car – not to call in fire power for conflict with a moral
enemy, but to ask for more comforts in the den. ~ John Piper
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war
according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare
are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.Father,
Forgive me if I simply seek easy peace and prosperity instead of
choosing to fight the good fight. There is a spiritual war raging. Keep
me alert and diligent to the wiles of the Evil One and help me to stand
strong as I pray forthrightly. Amen.
Promises, though they be for a time seemingly delayed, cannot be finally
frustrated… the heart of God is not turned though His face be hid; and
prayers are not flung back, though they be not instantly answered. ~ Timothy Cruso
Ephesians 1:11 ESV
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according
to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,My Lord,
Thank you that Your promises are eternal and sure. Forgive me when I am
impatient. Help me to be patient, always trusting in Your ultimate goodness. Amen.
Whenever we stop short of our true desire in prayer and say, “Well, I
don’t know, maybe this is not God’s will,” then we still have another
level to go. It shows that we are not as intimately acquainted with God
as Jesus was, and as Jesus would have us to be–“…that they may be
one just as We are one… The reason for asking is so you may get to
know God better.” ~ Oswald Chambers,
Matthew 6:8
“For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”Heavenly Father,
Forgive me if I stop short in my prayers wondering whether it is Your will
or not. Lead me to into a deeper, more intimate relationship with You as I
pray so that I may become one with You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Waiting on God prepares for greater blessing. God has greater plans than
you have realized. Prayer has one function, and that is to answer “Yes”
when He knocks, to open the soul and give Him the opportunity to bring
us the answer. ~ Ole Kristian O. Hallesby
1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of
man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.My Loving Father,
It is difficult for me to be patient after I have spent time in prayer and
I am waiting for the answer. Calm my spirit as I contemplate the fact
that the answers You have for me are beyond my wildest imaginations.
Thank you for caring for me so deeply and intimately. Amen.
Prayer should be the means by which I, at all times, receive all that
I need, and, for this reason, be my daily refuge, my daily consolation,
my daily joy, my source of rich and inexhaustible joy in life.
~ Ole Kristian O. Hallesby
Psalm 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. SelahHeavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of prayer. No matter what the time or where I
am, I can pray. It is indeed my source of rich and inexhaustible joy in
life. Amen.
The real test of spiritual focus is being able to bring your mind and
thoughts under control. (note: That is, to not go off hallucinating
things which are not actually so.) One of the reasons for our sense
of futility in prayer is that we have lost our power to visualize. We
can no longer even imagine putting ourselves deliberately before God.
… The power of visualization is what God gives a saint so that he can
go beyond himself and be firmly placed into relationships he never
before experienced. ~ Oswald Chambers,
Romans 8:6 NASB
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit
is life and peace.O Lord,
Help me to focus on You instead of all the “what if’s” that whirr around
inside my head. When I meditate calm my soul and fill me with Your Holy
Spirit. Wash over me with Your peace that passes all understanding that
my thoughts are entirely on You, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Do not have your concert first and tune your instrument afterwards.
Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and first of all get
into harmony with Him. ~ Hudson Taylor
Psalm 91:1
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.My beloved Father,
When I arise each morning may my first thoughts be of You. Lead
my times of quiet reflection that the instrument of my heart is finely
tuned for the day at hand. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Prayer does not consist in an effort to obtain from God the things which
are necessary for this life. Prayer is an effort to lay hold of God Himself,
the Author of life, and when we have found Him who is the source of life
and have entered into communion with Him, then the whole of life is ours
and with Him all that will make life is perfect. ~ Sadhu Sundar Singh
(Indian Missionary)
Psalm 69:13 NASB
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD,
at an acceptable time;
O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness,
Answer me with Your saving truth.Father,
Thank you for the gift of prayer through which I can connect with You, my
loving Creator and Author of life. It is a true blessing to commune with You.
Amen.
Any concern too small to be a prayer is too small to be a burden.
~ Corrie Ten Boom
1 Peter 5:7 AMP
Casting the whole of your care {all your anxieties, all your worries,
all your concerns, once and for all} on Him, for He cares for you
affectionately and cares about you watchfully.My Lord,
I have many small concerns in addition to my large ones. Sometimes they
all pile up and become heavy burdens. Help me to remember that any worry
that I feel is too small to be a prayer is definitely too small to be a burden. The
concerns that are worthy of prayer, should all be cast upon You. Thank you
for caring about all the details of my life. Amen.
We lie to God in prayer if we don’t rely on God after prayer.
{Submitted by Rev. Nancy}
Psalm 5:11
But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice:
let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them:
let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee.Holy Father,
So often I pray asking for help, guidance and strength and then I
foolishly start relying on my own self or others for results. Keep
my focus on You, Your will and Your graciousness in all things.
In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Lord, I forego all anxious thought,
And cast on You my care;
Content that You are over all,
And rule everywhere.
Teach me to listen for Your voice
When the storm howls loud;
Help me to look for light from You,
Beneath the darkest cloud.
Your face I seek with earnest prayer,
For You are all my stay,
Now let Your mighty arm appear
And drive my griefs away.
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon {adapted}
James 5:13 AMP
Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)?
He should pray.O God,
When I pray You remove my anxious thoughts. I am assured that You indeed
rule over all and everywhere. Thank you for being my stay, my light and my life. Amen.
Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion.
In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels. ~ Thomas Watson
James 5:13 AMP
Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should
pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise {to God}.Holy God,
May Your praise be continually on my lips as I pray and commune
with You. Amen.
He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness,
in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking
Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts
in the morning, he will be in the last place the remainder of the day. ~ E. M. Bounds
Psalm 5:3
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee,
and will look up.Lord,
You instruct me to “seek ye first the kingdom of God.” May my first
thoughts of the day be of You, my first words be praise to You.
Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen.
Why do so many Christians pray such tiny prayers when their
God is so big? ~ Watchman Nee
1 John 5:14 NASB
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask
anything according to His will, He hears us.Heavenly Father,
Make me confident as I come before You in prayer. Make my prayers
as mighty as You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
I can take my telescope and look millions of miles into space; but I
can go away to my room and in prayer get nearer to God and heaven
than I can when assisted by all the telescopes of earth. ~ Isaac Newton
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.O God,
What a precious gift I have in being able to talk with You and pray in my
own room. I can call to you at any time and in any place. You promise
not only to hear me but also to draw near to me. Thank You for this wonderful
blessing. Amen.
You must pray with all your might. That does not mean saying your
prayers, or sitting gazing about in church or chapel with eyes wide
open while someone else says them for you. It means fervent,
effectual, untiring wrestling with God…This kind of prayer be sure the
devil and the world and your own indolent, unbelieving nature will
oppose. They will pour water on this flame.
~ William Booth – Founder of Salvation Army
Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah.O God,
Teach me to pray fervently and effectually. Amen
Some think Christ so distant and their prayers so
ineffective that they describe it this way, “I feel like
my prayers are reaching only the ceiling and bouncing
back to me.” However, since Christ is in us, that bounce
means he hears our prayer twice! Great efficiency. ~ Gayle Erwin
John 16:24
Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.O Lord,
When I think my prayers are bouncing off of the ceiling
remind me that they are indeed being heard twice! Amen.
Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue; God’s voice is its
most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret
of the assurance that He will listen to mine. ~ Andrew Murray
Colossians 4:2 ESV
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.Open my ears Lord.
Clear my mind of all the useless dissonance. Make me a willing
vessel to receive direction from You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
When we shoot an arrow, we look to the fall of it;
when we send a ship to sea, we look for the return of it;
and when we sow seed, we look for a harvest; and so
when we sow our prayers into God’s bosom, shall we
not look for an answer? ~ Richard Sibbes
Psalm 91:15
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him.Loving Father,
When I pray, lead me to look for Your answers. They
may not be the answers I am seeking. Your answers
may be found in unlikely places. Open my mind and
my heart to receive and accept all answers to my prayers. Amen.
Promises, though they be for a time seemingly delayed,
cannot be finally frustrated… the heart of God is not
turned though His face be hid; and prayers are not
flung back, though they be not instantly answered.
~ Timothy CrusoIsaiah 58:9
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer;
thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.Lord Above, When prayers appear to be unanswered I do become
frustrated and even fearful. But I have to remember that
they only “appear” to be unanswered. I may not get the
answer I want, but I know it will be the best answer. Thank
you for hearing me and responding in such loving ways. Amen.