In my last post I shared the Lord’s counsel for times when it is hard to focus and concentrate for extended times of prayer. His wisdom was to use repeated bursts of fervent prayer throughout the day, not a long drawn out prayer time.
However, I still had questions – questions that I think are common to all of us.
- Have you ever felt that your prayers lacked specificity and direction?
- Have you ever wondered if your prayers were aligned with God’s heart?
The Lord then gave me several insights into how to be more effective in my prayers. He expanded on the idea of repeated bursts of fervent prayer (His words to me are in blue):
The Lord’s reply – Prayer Moments
“Pray My son, pray. This is an area of growth for you. Yes, you do pray, but I want you to be more effective. This means pray often. Each time you embark on a new task, pray. Each time you pause and reflect, pray. Each time you seek Me for My wisdom and input, pray.
These are prayer moments. That is, brief times when you turn your heart and mind to Me and we talk about what’s important. See, prayer is more than just asking, it is being in communion (in a conversation) with Me for a purpose.
These prayer moments do not have to be long. Rather, they are times of sharing your heart with Me.
In these times you can petition, you can declare, you can speak truth with the expectation that it will be the reality for that situation.
There is no need to explain to me the details of your prayers, for I already know them. I know your words before you say them; I know your heart.
The power of prayer moments
Now, the great benefit of prayer moments is that they occur when we are together and you are tuned to My presence. You speak these desires from your heart that is already softened and turned to me. For it is in My presence that true communion of heart and soul occurs.
This approach is what the apostle Paul and Brother Lawrence meant by praying continually. It is coming to Me throughout your day, and sharing your heart each time.
This is a discipline and requires practice. However, with diligent seeking and doing you will reap the benefits.
The Lord’s challenge
Take the time to try. Make an effort to be aware of how you are thinking so that you can adjust your heart to center on Me over the course of your day. This is a corollary of focusing on Me in the midst of everything you do. The goal is to be consciously aware and attuned, focused on Me. It is in these times that we can commune as one.”
I have been trying this approach of being more consistent in my conscious communion with the Lord while praying. Most importantly, during these times I have found that He has never failed to meet me.
Learning to pray this way has taken practice, however. The result is that l know that the Lord and I are in accord and therefore, I have confidence that my prayers are now more effective – I’m seeing the results in Norma’s cancer treatment and recovery.
As the Lord said, try to work prayer moments into your daily routine. I would love to hear how this insight has affected your prayer times. Your comments will help all of us who are striving to become more effective prayer warriors.
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Michael, your message is on point with where I am in my prayer life. Just today, the Lord had me take a detour that lead to a hotel where girls are being used for sex trafficking. I knew of the hotel but had never been there. As I pulled into the parking lot I prayed. It was a Divine appointment with targeted strategic warfare in its efforts in the kingdom. Our God is amazing!!!!!! I continue to lift up Norma in prayer to Our God who provides in abundance. Amen and Amen
What a great testimony to answered prayer. Thanks for sharing and for your prayers for Norma.
Oh my gosh, amazing! I have been struggling lately with this very thing! Thank you for sharing this wisdom wisdom. This has truly helped me!
I’m glad that this post was able to help you. Let me know how this works for you.
The reference to Brother Lawrence caused me to pause. Several months ago I added that book to Kindle and have been using it as a devotional to remind myself to be in constant communion with God. Oh how I fail at it daily, but I know God is with me throughout the day and ready for me to speak up, take His hand and walk together throughout the day. I know He can help me solve work problems, but I rely on myself instead. Brother Lawrence says it so simply yet my grasp seems to slip. I must change my habits away from this world and into the Spirit filled life. I’d rather reside in God’s truth, grace and love rather than the stress of the world. Thanks Michael. These posts ground me and help me see God from a different and better perspective.
Sean, I think you are probably doing better than you think. What is important is making the effort to be in communion with Him throughout the day. It is normal to get distracted by the things of life, but the fact that you are trying is good! The more you try the better you will get at being consciously aware of His presence. Keep at it, you will find that it becomes a habit.
Prayer for me has always been like conversation with a beloved family member. I could talk to a brick wall so its natural for me to include the Lord in my daily life. It is a startling reminder of His presence when He responds in an unexpected way. I talk to Jesus often, as though He is in another part of the house where I can’t see Him but close enough for Him to hear and respond to me. Yet prayer seems much more labored and unnatural. Is this typical? Should I strive to be more intentional in my prayers?
Prayer is simply talking with the Lord. So as long as your conversation with Him is a natural flow you are praying. During the course of your conversations with Him I am sure you touch on specific topics. These are the topics that are important to you and therefore, important to Him. I believe that He really enjoys this type of natural free flowing conversation.