How To Pray

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." [Luke 11:1 ESV]

Just as the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He will also teach you to pray. Jesus desires for you to not only learn the art of prayer but to learn intercession on behalf of others. It is in prayer that you have fellowship with the Most High. It is in prayer that the promises of God wait to be fulfilled so that the Kingdom may come to its Glory and it is only through the work of the Spirit that you can be taught how to pray. Yet, the Spirit cannot make a home in your heart unless you surrender yourself completely to the Savior. It is through regular prayer that you learn the desire of God and how to be in His will (see John 15:7). As you pray with confession and intercession you seek to serve the Holy God of Israel and in doing this you look more to pleasing God rather than yourself, and it is then that you allow God to serve you. It is how you pray that brings you to this point. When you put God’s interest above your interest and happiness, then you will know true joy in Christ. In this true joy, God reveals Himself to you and will show you His love. For God seeks to deliver you in your day of trouble so that you will give Him glory (see Psalm 50:15). Another aspect of how to pray is learning to wait on God for answered prayer (see Psalm 106:113). Have you ever made a decision that turned out to be trouble because you did not wait on God to answer? Do not worry for you are not alone in this but it is not the way God desires for you to act. For as you do not wait for His counsel, you get into trouble.

For Thought:

How to pray?

1.     Intercede on the behalf of others.

2.     Confess your sin to God.

3.     Pray continually seeking God’s will, not yours.

4.     Wait for His counsel.

As you seek God in prayer today ask the Father to teach you how to pray just as the disciples did. Jesus wants you to be obedient by having a two-way conversation, one where you talk, and listen. It is then that you will wait on the Lord’s answer and you will seek His desire and service to be one with God.

Like a servant's eyes on his master's hand, like a servant girl's eyes on her mistress's hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until He shows us favor. [Psalm 123:2 HCSB]

LORD, may it be so!