How Do We Pray?

What a mighty God we serve.  I started reading a book weeks ago but life happened and I put it down. Now I know the devil wanted me to put it down, so he was behind a lot of the 'life' happening. The book is focused on prayer as well as the way the devil can attack us to take away our focus from praying because prayer is where our power is.


We know it, yet we still allow it to happen because he is crafty and subtle. One of the keys in this book is our 'order' of prayer.  Sometimes all we do is ask God for things, we forget that prayer is a conversation and conversation requires real communication.  When you walk up to a friend, what is the first thing you usually do/say? I usually ask how they are or tell them they look good or I like what they are wearing or how their hair is fixed.  God likes to hear us praise him and opening up our prayers praising Him for who He is and what He has done is important.


We also need to repent of any sin in our lives, we need to make sure the channel for communication is open.  Then if we have requests we can ask for those to be met.  Then acknowledge that you know not only that God is able, claim the promises from the Bible that say He will.


Praise - Thank Him for what He has done and will continue to do.  Praise Him for who He is
Repent - Confess any sin in your life
Ask - Bring your petitions to Him
Yes - Claim His promises, know that His answer may not be the one you are looking for but He will do what is best.


Taking this approach with our prayers and in many cases following all the steps for a specific request because that request brings with it specific needs, baggage and fears.


Prayer for my family is written on my prayer card (they have cards in the back of the book I'm reading, to write down your specific prayer requests) goes something like this


Praise - Thank You Lord for my family, thank You for Your provisions You have given us.  Thank You for keeping us safe and showing us Your love.  Thank You for answered prayers and for those that You will answer in the future.  I praise You for your almighty power and Your amazing grace.


Repent - Lord, You know every time I have failed as a mom, grandmom, daughter, niece, cousin.  You know that I am not as faithful as I should be and I have trouble controlling anger at times.  Forgive these things as You help me to grow and put them in my past.


Ask - Please protect my family mentally, emotionally, spiritually, emotionally and financially.  Please put a hedge of protection around each of us and not allow the devil to get past that hedge.  Provide for us daily what we need and help us to grow in Your power and grace.  Give us faith to trust You, increase our faith daily. 


Yes - Lord, You said if we ask in prayer believing you will do it.  You said when 2 or 3 agree toughing any one thing You will do it and I claim that as my friends and family pray for us as we pray for them.  You said Your grace is sufficient and that You will supply all our needs.  You promised that we can do all things through You.  I not only know these verses, I accept what they mean and claim them in Jesus name.  Amen


Now granted I normally get more specific in my ask part as I pray for specific needs of my family but this is the outline the book as taught me.  The confidence that praying God's promises in claiming His word I believe is the key.   You are not only saying you believe He can do it, you are pointing Him to where He said He would do it and He never lies. 


I'm only half way though the book and it teaches a lot of specifics that it is important to pray over as women that want to claim God's promises.  Some of the topics are Family, Focus, Faith, The Past (one I really need to read several times).  The enemy has a plan of attack, if we want to defeat him so must we!