Tag Archives: ongoing conversation with God

How to Pray: Be Specific, Bold, Expectant, and Thankful

There are some things a lot of people leave out in their prayer life. Learn how to pray by being specific, bold, expectant, and thankful in your prayers.

How to Pray: Be Specific, Bold, Expectant, and Thankful

This week we’re still on the topic of prayer.  Previously we discussed some of the reasons to pray, places/times to pray, and some examples of how to pray (here and here).  I’d like to continue discussing more on how to pray by being specific, bold, expectant, and thankful in our prayers.  These are some things I’ve learned over the years that I think a lot of people either leave out or are negligent in doing in their prayer life.

I’m so very thankful for my pastor teaching us these principles of prayer over the years.  These principles work.  Because I’ve learned these things and have put them into practice in my life, I have experienced a very powerful and effective prayer life.  My husband, Eric, was even joking with me once about my prayers getting answered.  A song that got on my nerves came on the radio, and I made a face at him and groaned.  Then, a few seconds later, the radio just went silent, and Eric said “Did you pray for that to happen?”  I replied with a smirk, “No, but I’m glad that you recognize the power of my prayers!”  If you will put these principles of how to pray into practice, you too will have a powerful and effective prayer life.

How to Pray: Be SPECIFIC when making requests of God and include scripture.

I learned early on from my pastor that God wants us to be specific in our prayers and when approaching Him with our needs.  We shouldn’t just go to God listing all of our problems.  We should tell Him how we want Him to help. When we are requesting something of God, we need to state our specific request.  I heard Kenneth Copeland say once that if you’re praying for “nothing in particular” that’s just about what you’re gonna get!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

The New Living Translation says “tell God what you need”.  I think it’s also important to remind God of His Word and promises.  In other words, find a scripture or a promise in the Bible to back up what you are asking for.  God wants us to remind Him.  In fact, He tells us to do so—to put Him in remembrance…

Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.” Isaiah 43:26 (ESV)

Example: 

Instead of saying,

“God, we’re short on money.  I can’t afford to pay this unexpected medical expense.  Please help me.”

Be specific and say,

“God, we’re short on money.  I can’t afford to pay this unexpected medical expense.  Your word says in Philippians 4:19 that you will provide all of my needs according to your riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  I need $800 to pay for this medical bill.  Please provide a way for this $800 need to be met—either by providing the money somehow or by providing an idea or means of obtaining this money.  Thank you for hearing me and for providing my need.”

The second approach states not only the problem but the specific request along with a scripture to remind God (and us) that He is our source and provider. 

How to Pray: Be BOLD and have confidence when approaching God.

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How to Pray: Speaking From the Heart

How to Pray: Speaking From the Heart

How to Pray: Speaking From the Heart

I think so many times people shy away from praying or hesitate to pray because they simply don’t know how to pray.  Previously we discussed the whys and whens and wheres of praying.  I’d like to spend a little time now on the hows.  We’ll look at some of the best ways to speak to and approach God.  Discussing in a few different posts, I’ll share some ways of “how to pray”.  In this post, I’ll focus on how to pray by speaking from the heart.

Afraid of not doing it “right”

I know from personal experience that praying can seem intimidating (especially if you have to pray out loud).  I’ve always been a rule-follower, and sometimes I’ve been reluctant to pray for fear of not doing it right.  I was afraid that God wouldn’t hear me or answer me if I didn’t know how to pray correctly or follow the right pattern or recipe for prayer.  I’ve heard so MANY formulas over the years!  Which one is the right one?  Which one do I use for which occasion?  What if I get it wrong?  What if I leave a step out?

Well, I’ve learned that there are really many effective ways you can pray.  However, all in all, the most important thing I’ve learned is that God is understanding and meets you where you are.  Contrary to popular thinking, He’s NOT a legalistic God who says, “Oh…you didn’t give praise and thanks first before making a request of me. Too bad, so sad.  Guess you’re not going to get your prayer answered this time.”  God cares more about speaking from the heart than He cares about the specific words or the way that we pray. He wants us to pour our hearts out to Him and be just honest.  He wants us to just be ourselves with Him. God already knows what we think and feel anyway.

“The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” James 5:16 (AMP)  

Want powerful and effective prayers? Don’t be fake.

It’s the earnest and heartfelt prayers that are the powerful and effective ones.  For me, it’s such a turn-off when I hear prayers that sound so fake and ingenuine.  Prayers like…

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When and Where to Pray

Get tips here to know when and where to pray...

When and Where to Pray

In a previous post, we talked about the why’s of praying and the many reasons for the importance of prayer.  This week I’d like to share some about when and where to pray.  This by no means is a legalistic list of do’s and don’ts, but rather some food for thought or general guidelines to think about as you establish your own prayer routines.

Pray without ceasing…an ongoing conversation

As far as WHEN to pray, there really are so many options!  You can pray when you wake up, when you go to sleep, before meals, during quiet times, in the shower, in the car, anytime, or all the time.  The important thing is to find time.

I remember having an epiphany or an “aha” moment in college.  I read the scripture 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which states to “pray without ceasing” (some versions say pray continually, pray constantly or never stop praying).  Growing up, my regular (and really only) prayer times were before meals and at bedtime.  This new insight allowed me to realize that there is really no certain or right time to pray.  God wants to talk to me all day!  I just need to pray all the time.

That’s when I started having a daily, ongoing conversation with God.  I still had regular and more formal times to pray, but more often than not I would just talk to God throughout the day.  This idea of an ongoing conversation (kind of like an invisible friend walking beside me all day long) gave me the freedom to have a friendship and real relationship with God.  I didn’t even say “amen”—it was literally an unending conversation all day long (sometimes out loud and sometimes silently in my head).

I often tell people, “if people could see me when I’m alone they’d think I was crazy—talking ‘to myself’ all the time.”  At least nowadays there’s Bluetooth and earbuds, so as far as they know I might just be on the phone! The point is, you don’t always have to be formal in prayer.  Just have an ongoing conversation with God.  You don’t even have to say “Dear God” and “Amen”. 🙂

Have a regular prayer time

Aside from ongoing prayer, I think it’s also important to have a regular time to pray.  Having a routine can be helpful.  I heard Beth Jones say once, “You can pray anytime, but HAVE a time.”  A regular, routine time to pray will strengthen your relationship with God.  Morning, noon, or night, God wants to hear from you and connect with you.

Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice.” Psalm 55:17 (NLT) 

Pray when situations call for it

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Pray Without Ceasing

Pray Without Ceasing title image

Pray Without Ceasing: What does that even mean?

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. Some translations of this verse say pray continually or pray without stopping. So what does this even mean? Does mean that I need to sit around for hours at a time praying? I don’t think so. I think this is more about turning our thoughts to God on a regular basis and just talking to him as we do this. To me what it all boils down to is this, to pray without ceasing just means to pray and talk to God throughout your day as an ongoing conversation. Prayer is not a religious ritual. Prayer is a conversation with our father and our friend, and it comes from a place of relationship not rigid or rote protocol.

An “Aha” moment

In my previous blog post about When and Where to Pray, I wrote about how when I was in college I had a sudden realization after reading this verse that there is really no “certain” or “right” time to pray. Growing up, typically prayer times were before meals and at bedtime. I remember reading “Pray without ceasing” and having the thought that God wants to talk to me all day. I just need to pray all the time and not just before meals or bed.

From that point on, I started having a daily, ongoing conversation with God.  I still had regular and more formal times to pray, but more often than not I would just talk to God throughout the day.  This idea of an ongoing conversation gave me the freedom to have a friendship and real relationship with God.  I didn’t even say “amen”. It was just an unending conversation all day long.

Sometimes I imagine this like talking to an invisible friend walking beside me (because he kind of is!). It doesn’t even have to be out loud, but it can be. Sometimes I find myself praying out loud without realizing it. You can imagine some of the strange looks I might get. I remember one time I was walking in the kitchen feeling really frustrated, drained, and overwhelmed. Slightly under my breath (or so I thought), and in a bit of a growl, I pleaded to God saying, “Sustain me”. My husband, Eric apparently overhead. He laughed as he jokingly asked me if I was demon-possessed because all he heard was a growling sound and what he thought was a “SAVE ME”. We got a good laugh about that!

Some examples of what “pray without ceasing” might look like on an average day for me

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