It would be unrealistic to think we could cover the colossal subject of prayer in one edition of Activated. But, while the subject of prayer is vast, it is not complicated. It’s a matter of believing there is a God who loves us and wants to be in close relationship with us. He is sensitive to our needs and hears our prayers and invites us to draw near to Him. If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, all things are possible through prayer 1.
We don’t need to worry if our prayers aren’t fluent or articulate. Victor Hugo wrote in the epic novel, Les Miserables, “As for methods of prayer, all are good, as long as they are sincere.” Yet, the Bible does show us how we can pray more effectively. Jesus Himself taught His disciples to pray with the well-known “Lord’s Prayer,” which Peter Amsterdam breaks down beautifully for us in his article on page four.
Here are some points to keep in mind when we come before God in prayer:
- Our petitions are to be based in love, “Let all that you do be done in love” 2.
- Have a sincere and clean heart, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” 3.
- Avoid mindless rote, “When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases” 4.
- Our prayers come from devotion, not obligation, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart”5.
- Approach the Lord with humility, “We do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy” 6.
- Pray with faith, “All things are possible for one who believes” 7.
- Seek His will above all, “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” 8.
God is eager to listen to our prayers at any time. He is more concerned with our sincerity than our eloquence. And though He does not always answer our prayers in the way we expect, as we align our will with His, we will eventually see that His ways are best.
We hope that you enjoy this glimpse into the fascinating topic of prayer, as you delve into this month’s issue of Activated.