NEW BELIEVERS

Prayer, Part 1: The Foundation of Your Faith

If you want to ESTABLISH and MAINTAIN a great relationship with your Lord, you will need to talk with Him (i.e., pray) each and every day. And on some days, you’ll need to do it several times throughout the day! In other words, bowing your head and saying grace before every meal, and then bowing your head and listening to the minister pray on Sunday mornings at church is not enough.

Now, before I go any farther, let me say two very important things about prayer:

• The primary reason for prayer is FELLOWSHIP with your Lord!
• A secondary reason for prayer is for the needs of others (e.g., salvation, deliverance, water, food, shelter, protection, etc..)!
• A tertiary reason for prayer is for your own needs (e.g., deliverance from sin, protection, food, guidance, job, etc…).
• A quaternary reason for prayer is for personal desires/wants (e.g., new home, new car, new relationship, etc..).

With those things said, let’s move on to some basics. This first set of basics are for short prayers (i.e., 2 minutes or shorter):

1. Always begin with an attitude of reverence and awe. Why? Simple. He is God, and He deserves a special place in your mind and heart that no other thing or person deserves! In other words, He’s not your buddy. He’s not a magic genie. And He’s not the big guy upstairs. He is the most powerful, loving, holy, knowledgeable, just, majestic, creative, and most fantastical being in the entire universe! He gave you life and continues to put His breath into your lungs each day. So, present yourself to Him with reverence and awe!

2. Next, place yourself into a position of reverence and respect – something that only He receives from you. For example, sometimes when I pray, I bow my head, close my eyes and talk with Him. Other times, I kneel and bow my head. And at other times, I prostrate myself on the floor wherever I am – be it the living room, bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. I do this because of who He is (i.e., my Lord, my God, my King, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Creator, etc..) and who I am (i.e., a wretched sinner who’s highly imperfect, has tons of quirks and idiosyncrasies, and has been saved by His Mercy, Grace, and Patience)!

3. Next, praise, worship, and give thanks to Him!

4. Talk to Him about whatever is on your mind and heart.

5. Finish your prayers with praise, worship, and thanksgiving!

This second set of basics are for longer prayers (i.e., 5 minutes to a couple of hours):

1. Just like above, always begin with an attitude of reverence and awe.

2. Next, place yourself into a position of reverence and respect! This is important because it demonstrates how you think and feel about Him!

3. Next, praise, worship, and give thanks to Him!

4. Next, talk to Him about the needs of others. Your primary concerns should be the salvation of those you know who don’t know Christ. Without Him, they don’t stand a chance against the deceptions of the enemies of their souls! Here is a simple, list:

A. Unsaved family and close friends.
B. Unsaved co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances, and enemies.
C. Former high school, and higher education associates.
D. Former and current pastors and priests.
E. Current and former world-leaders.
F. Government officials near where you live.
G. Missionaries and evangelists.
H. The homeless and abused.
I. The people in your church as well as nearby churches.
J. The ministries you financially support.

5. Next, talk to Him about your own needs and desires. Make sure you state, somewhere in your prayers that “His Will be done!”

6. Take some time, be quiet, and listen for Him to speak to your heart and mind. Many times, you won’t hear anything. Other times, you’ll hear a whisper. And other times, you’ll feel an “unction!” Whatever it is, follow it!

7. Finish your prayers with praise, worship, and thanksgiving!

Let me ask you a few important questions:

• Who is praying for you? Who have you asked to pray for you in recent months? I have asked several people to pray for me in recent weeks because I know and acknowledge who I am!
• Who is praying for the salvation of your unsaved family members and close friends? If not you, then who? Remember: There are two places where people will reside after their life ends on this planet. Think about and pray for those for whom you care!
• Who is praying (weekly) for your pastor or priest? If not you, then who?
• Who is praying for the people who attend and/or visit your church? If not you, then who?
• Who is praying for your girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, or children? If not you, then who?

I hope this short post has been helpful. And, I hope you will see that with it, you can begin praying for those in your life and spend an hour or more on your knees interceding for their needs!

If you have questions or comments, or would just like to talk, send me an email here!

In His Name,

Roy