Prayer 101

How is your prayer life? Sunday Pastor Kurt challenged us in a basic, yet challenging call back to prayer. Our personal and corporate prayer lives have need of deeper levels and Pastor Kurt brought us four points to help in us prayer.

1. Prayer is relationship. Jesus introduced the concept of God as our Father as He taught the disciples how to pray. Prayer is about relationship, not about ritual. Jesus prayed conversationally, speaking His heart to God as His Father. We are to come to that place in our prayers. Jesus modeled prayer for us throughout His time on earth. Jesus brought His struggles, His questions, His disappointments, and His victories to God in prayer. All of these round off the communication as relational. Where is your relationship with God?

2. Prayer is Holy Spirit led. Jesus didn't recite memorized mantras every day. His prayer life was led by the Holy Spirit. We know that in those times we don't know how to pray, the Holy Spirit is sent to pray for us. He knows the Father's heart and can pray exactly what we are needing. Are your prayers more memorized or led by the Spirit?

3.Prayers are to be specific. Often we get in the habit of praying generalized prayers, covering everyone around us in prayers of blessing or protection, but never getting specific with God. This hinders us from seeing the specific answers to our prayers, which will build our faith and give God glory. Instead of praying blessing over your child, pray specifically...for their school work, for their relationship with God and with others, for a healing of their emotions in a certain area. When you get specific in prayer, you will get specific in answers. This also focuses your prayer life, causing you to pray with more energy and purpose and intentionality. Keep a prayer journal of the specific prayers you are praying and the answers as they come. God needs to get the credit as He answers and your prayer life will deepen in power when you begin to see His hand moving in your life. Are you prayers general or specific?

4. Prayers are to be persistent. As Pastor Kurt noted, we do not have McAltars at the front of our churches. We are used to the instant society we live in with fast food, microwaves, and technology. God is not like that and prayer is often a process of persistence. Don't get discouraged in your prayer life. If an answer seems slow in coming, remember that God is more concerned with building your character and your faith than in giving a quick answer all the time. Be persistent with God, be willing to tarry or linger in His Presence until You hear from Him. God's timing is always perfect in our prayer lives. Do you tend to give up easily in your prayer life, letting it die down when answers or God's voice don't seem to come?

Prayer is key to seeing our relationship with our Heavenly Father deepen. It is key to surviving spiritually in the chaotic world we live in. It is key to defeating the enemy of our souls. Dive deeper into prayer this week and as Pastor Kurt challenged us, take one day this week to both pray and fast. God is sitting in heaven, burning with a longing to speak and commune with you. His heart is for Ulysses...His heart is for you. He misses you when you are quiet in prayer.