How Do You Pray?

There are a few different ways I pray.

I really enjoy writing out my prayers.  It’s almost like a hobby.  I love writing in a pretty journal with different color pens.  The process is a little silly but the prayers are priceless.  These prayers for people God lays in my heart are not only recorded but I also speak these prayers out loud.  Something about hearing the words out loud encourages my heart and motivates me.  Builds up my faith.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (KJV)

I also spend time quietly. Meditating on Him.  I try to quiet my mind and think only of God.  Sometimes I picture myself in a dimly lit throne room.  Laying on the last few steps. When I picture this image, it helps me to quiet my mind.  I see from above looking down at myself praying at the altar steps.  I find this hard to do for long periods of time.  But I’m training my mind.  It is a form of worship for me.  I have instrumental music I listen to.  (if there are words I tend to sing).  I usually require a timer because if feels like I have focused on God for a long time and I look at the clock and it’s only been 5 minutes. 

This is my interpretation of Being still and knowing He is God.

Psalm 46:9-11 Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (ESV)

So, Lord, where does this scripture fit into prayers, into my speech, in my walk with you?

Isaiah 55:10-11 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing see to sow and food to eat, so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.

Aren’t we made in your image, Lord?

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…”

Don’t I have the mind of Christ?

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct him?  But we have the mind of Christ. (mind is translated in Greek the word “nous”-comprehension)

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Haven’t you called me to do greater things than you?

John 14:12 “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do.  And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the father.  Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that my Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Mark 11:23 Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Don’t you live in me, Jesus?

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Doesn’t your Spirit live in me?

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.  If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.  Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who has raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who live in you.

Is there power in the tongue?  In what I say?

James 3:6;8-12 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell… ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. ¹¹ Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

1Peter 3:10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,

Am I accountable to every word I say?

Matthew 12:36-37 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”  Storeroom can be translated as treasure.  Which includes thoughts stored up in the heart and mind. (HELPS Word-studies, Bible Hub)

Shouldn’t I guard every word that I say?

Psalm 141:2-3 May my prayer be set before you as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering. ³ Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. Guard is continuous protection placed over something valued. (Topical Lexicon, Bible Hub)

If I am seeking God in the flesh, praying in the flesh, I am not in the Spirit, I am in the flesh.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

James 4:2-3 You desire and do not have.  You murder and covet and cannot obtain.  You fight and wage war.  You do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (pleasures- what is enjoyable to the natural (physical senses)).

But what if I seek wisdom, will you show me how to pray?

James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God- who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly- and it will be given to him

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without pretense.  Pretense means giving a false impression.

Matthew 6:9-15 “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.¹⁰ Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.¹¹ Give us today our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³ And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

Romans 8:26-30 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.  For those he foreknew he also predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

But if present myself as a living sacrifice and line up with God’s word- then I will pray His will.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

1Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

If I choose to imitate Christ, I am allowed to speak the words you speak.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children