We who’ve trusted Jesus for salvation, are filled with the Spirit of the living God, we have access to the inner throne room of Almighty God. Ponder that truth for a moment! We don’t have to get in line, take a number, or know someone who knows someone. Jesus, Himself, made a way where there was no way.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
Prayer changes everything. The type of prayer that changes things starts with remembrance, gratitude, and praise. Not the kind of prayer where we rehearse our worries but forget who we’re talking to.
Before you pray, pause, and remember who you’re talking to. God–the Alpha and Omega–is the God of the universe, the One who spoke the galaxies into existence. He merely spoke, and the heavens were created. We read in scripture that whenever He revealed His glory, men went face down and trembled before Him. We’ve gotten so used to living without a sense of His presence that it seems we’ve also lost a sense of His glory.
Want to change your prayer life? Pause first. Consider God. Stand in awe of Him. Then, thank Him for all He’s done in your life, all He’s provided, the unfathomable things He’s prevented. Who can comprehend His goodness? Once you’ve poured out your thanksgiving, give Him praise. Put on a worship playlist, raise your hands, and sing a new song to Him. Worship Him until your heart beats in rhythm with His. This will bless His heart and strengthen yours.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer (remembering God, acknowledging His presence) and petition (make your appeal), with thanksgiving. Bring Him your concerns with the understanding that He’s been good and will be good again. When you know the One to whom you’re praying and believe with all your heart that He loves you, it’ll change how you pray and why you pray. And once you’ve left your concerns with Him, you can move forward with a peace that brings clarity to your heart and mind. What a gift He’s given us!
When we take our hearts seriously before the Lord, He takes very seriously the prayers that come out of our mouths!
I’ve heard from many people who long to grow their prayer life. If you need direction on where to start, below you’ll find a list of prayer starters.
Top Ten Prayer Starters
- Heal, change, redeem my story, and do the impossible in and through me! Grant me an increasing love for Your Word and Your ways!
- Do these same things to my friends and family
- Do these same things in my community
- Do these things in my state
- And in my nation
- Bring prodigals home
- Strengthen marriages and families
- Reach the radically lost and make them radically saved for Jesus.
- Cut off the strength of the wicked and increase the power of the godly (Psalm 75:10)
- Raise up leaders to push back the darkness, evangelists to bring in the harvest, and intercessors to pray the mountains right into the sea!
God can infinitely do above and beyond all, you could ever dare to ask or imagine according to His power at work within you (see Ephesians 3:20). He can do it. He wants to work mightily in and through you. But He’ll never force His ways into your life. You get to decide how much access you give God. But know this: He’s good and kind, faithful and true. The power in your prayers is directly connected to the power of God at work in your life.
When you ask God to do the impossible in and through you, He will answer that prayer. When you dare to pray for the neighbor who rubs you the wrong way, you bring a blessing upon your neighborhood. When you pray for miracles in your city, state, and country, you serve as God’s ambassador to a lost world. Bless the churches, businesses, and hospitals. Ask God for specific wisdom on how to pray for the things that burden your heart.
If you have a prodigal, the enemy will try to diminish you and blame you for your child’s choices. But God invites you to rise up with a roar and with holy confidence dare to pray for your child and the many wandering ones today. Imagine the ripple effect!
If you have a strained marriage, pray for your marriage and the many who struggle right now. The enemy of our souls hates strong marriages and families because they’re the infrastructure of a healthy community. Pray like there’s a God in heaven who hears you when you pray because there IS, and He DOES!
Dare to intercede on behalf of the godly saints who dare to stand up for truth in this upside-down culture. They need our prayers! Ask God to raise up more leaders to push back the darkness, more evangelists to preach the gospel and bring in the harvest, and more intercessors to pray the mountains right into the sea.
The more you know God, the more you’ll love time in His presence. And the more you pray His Word, His way for His glory, the more you’ll see changes occur right before your eyes.
Samuel Chadwick wrote these wise words:
“The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.”