You can connect with God in prayer.
The world we live in is more connected by technology than ever before, yet a majority of people feel isolated, lonely, and hopeless! Now that you have been made new you need to know that you are never alone! You can experience God’s very real presence in your life each and every day. When you decided to follow Jesus, God adopted you to be a part of His family. His Spirit lives in you and every spiritual resource of Heaven is available when you ask.
Matthew 7:7-12 reminds us that when we ask God, when we earnestly seek Him, His response to us will be generous in every way—He’s our good Father who knows our every need! When you feel isolated from others, the Bible teaches that God never leaves you or forsakes you (Heb. 13:5). One of the most wonderful joys of being made new in Christ is that you have access to God in prayer. Prayer is a main and life-giving way you can build your relationship with the Lord.
God desires that you come to Him.
Even though God knows what you’re thinking and even everything that will happen in your life, He wants to build intimacy in relationship with you. You can talk to God about anything and everything! When we pray, we not only tell God what we need, but we can hear from Him and let Him shape our minds and hearts to be more like Him.
Prayer changes our hearts, makes us more like God, and unleashes God’s power upon the impossible circumstances of our lives. Just as physical exercise strengthens your physical body, the spiritual exercise of prayer strengthens your spirit and your relationship with God.
Keep it simple—talk to God.
Don’t over-complicate your prayer life, it’s simply talking to God—anywhere, in any position, raw and authentic (He knows your heart). It’s two-way—you speak to Him and He speaks to you. Prayer is both an invitation from God and a command of God.
God invites us to bring our needs and requests to Him (Hebrews 4:15-16) and also tells us that we should pray continually (Colossians 4:2) because you matter to Him. Peter puts it this way: “Cast all your cares upon Him; for He cares for you.” God’s request for us to “pray without ceasing” sounds impossible! It does not mean that you spend every 24 hours of the day on your knees, but rather that as you live your life, you are aware He is with you and you keep in touch with Him like a friend—no pretenses.
In healthy relationships, people communicate in small ways throughout the day but also make time for an intentional, focused connection. Prayer is no different! Consider starting and ending your day with a few dedicated moments of focused prayer. Set aside the distractions and noise of the day to simply talk to your Heavenly Father.
How should I pray?
As you consider how to pray, one of the most important decisions you can make is to keep it simple. There is not a magic formula to follow; however, these examples in scripture may help you to get started with confidence.
Alone and Together—Prayer should be done privately as you pour your heart out to God. It should also be done communally as you gather with other Christians (Acts 1:14; 2:42).
Earnestly—Most of all, we should pray with sincerity and integrity; James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us that, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).
Like Jesus—In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. You can follow His example with words from your own heart and lips…
Give thanks and praise—Worship God for who He is and what He has done in your life.
Ask for His will to be done—Pray for God’s help in making wise decisions and for Him to intervene in your life, your church, and your world.
Ask Him for what you need—God is your provider and you can share your needs freely with Him.
Ask for forgiveness—Confess your sin and ask for forgiveness.
Ask for protection—from temptation and the evil one.
Don’t give up.
Don’t let anything hold you back from coming to God in prayer. He longs to hear from you! Are any of these common barriers holding you back?
1. Busyness or thinking you can only pray in long blocks
2. Thinking prayer is complicated or that you’re “doing it wrong”
3. Focusing on place and posture
4. Unconfessed sin
5. Mistakenly believing that God is mad or indifferent towards you—He delights in showing you mercy! He is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love (Psalm 145:8).
Persist in prayer. God desires a vibrant relationship with you. Talk to Him today and be empowered by His Holy Spirit to live in joy and victory!