How to Arise in your prayer life

This morning as I set out to pray and write, I came across some of the following points on social media of all places!   Yes, I was obviously distracted.  Getting on social media while I was setting up for prayer.  Just like the enemy me to bring distraction!  Sometimes I am my worst enemy. But God.  A couple of scrolls into it I came across some reels on prayer.   And it made me think, oh look God is talking to me through social media!  Not so silly really, he can talk to us through anything.  Remember the donkey? 

I stopped scrolling and pulled out my bible and journal.   (Last year, I quit reading my bible online.  Way too many notices and such would pop up leading me down other trails.  I found that I love reading my bible in my women’s devotional that I have had for 25-plus years.  There are notes and highlights in it, underlined passages and dates.)  

Oops, I got sidetracked there!  We can talk about that some other time!  Anyway, as I began to read, I came across the believers’ prayer in Acts 4.   Verse 29 says “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”   Being a writer, I consider speaking almost the same as writing.  Maybe it’s not, they both have their place.  However, most speakers do write out what they are going to say or at least create an outline so they don’t get off track.   Anyway, I prayed that God would enable me to write with great boldness. 

What I’m wanting to show is that God wants us to pray his word!  I even pray some of Proverbs 31 over my husband! What?!  Yes. I do, like this:  That he would have full confidence in me and lack nothing of value (31:11)   That as his wife, I would bring him good, not harm, all the days of my life (v.12) and that he would be respected in his place of business. (v.23)

I’m saying these things to set up this next part about arising in your prayer life.  Besides the example given to us by Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer, there is no formula for how to pray.  We can come before God anywhere, anytime, in any emotional state.   He hears us when our hearts are humble before him.   I have come into prayer every which way; did He hear me every time?  Probably not.  Some of those times it was just emotional babble. He may have heard me, but instead of answering my prayer, he patted me on the shoulder with a “now, now, get a grip.” Do you understand?

Praying doesn’t just happen when we get on our knees. It begins in our hearts and our minds from the moment we wake up in the morning. It becomes a part of who we are. In order to have intimate conversations with God I have found that these 9 things have helped me to persevere in prayer. 

9 keys to help you persevere in prayer

1. Pray daily.  At least.  Sometimes multiple times a day.  Time at the beginning of your day is so important.  It sets the tone and gives you direction for the rest of the day.
2. Acknowledge His sovereignty in your life.  Praise Him in song or words that tell Him how you love Him and that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in your life. 
3. Rebuke distractions.  They will come!  Dogs, coffee, phone calls, texts, scrolling social media.  Shut. It. All. Out.
4. Guard Your Heart.  “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)  He knows your need even before you ask.  He knows your attitude toward the need.   Are you asking with the right heart? 
5. Speak words of faith.  Speak the word of God over your situation.  Align your words with that which you are believing.  When we are believing for healing, we speak healing! 
6. Have a thankful heart.  Express your gratitude to God for the answers to your prayers, knowing that He may not answer them in the time and way in which you desire, but He will answer!  He knows the end from the beginning of every one of our situations.  He already knows the outcome, yet He still wants us to pray about it.  Trust him and thank him.   Stay away from doubting and complaining. 
7. Feed your faith.  Read the word of God daily!  By knowing His word, you will know what to pray over yourself and your loved ones.* Spend time listening to things that can help you grow.   Read blog posts (wink) and other publications that are in line with the word of God.  Listen to praise music.  Be careful what you watch on TV. Go to a bible believing church! 
8. Keep a journal of your prayers and bible reading. Your faith will increase as you reflect on how God has answered you!
9. Praise and worship Him every chance you get, everywhere you go! 

*For more on praying the scriptures check out this blog post that I found: https://thefaithspace.com/praying-the-scriptures/ (It’s a good informative article – I neither endorse nor deny the contents of the blog or its author – what I have seen and read so far lines up to the word of God)

The more you pray, the stronger you become in your spirit.  The more you pray the more the enemy is afraid of you.  If the enemy knows you are a woman of prayer, it will not come and try to take what belongs to you.  Let the Holy Spirit fill you so you can arise in your spiritual life.  Arise and do mighty things for the Lord! 

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