The Bible gives us examples that we can follow to live in inner peace. I like Joe Luke 5:26 shows that just like you and me, Jesus needed a break from the demands of His busy life to recharge His batteries and spend time with His Heavenly Father.
Jesus didn’t draw on His superpowers as the Son of God when it came to facing life’s challenges. Instead, when He was exhausted or burdened or in need of Spiritual refreshment. He would “slip away” to spend time praying -plugging into the power, perception, and purpose they could only be found in God’s presence.
Praying to God is one of the most powerful weapons we have. Maybe you know the repeated prayers like “Our Father, who is in heaven” in Luke 11:2 and Matthew 6:9. These prayers should be hidden in our hearts. But I don’t think Jesus intended it to become a ritualistic prayer. He intended to have a relationship with Him. Talk to Him as you would an old friend.
There are a few keys that have helped me develop a more powerful prayer life.
- Know who you are praying to.
Prayer is meant to be a conversation with God, and conversations begin by addressing the person you are speaking to. When Jesus prays He would always begin by addressing His Father in heaven.
We share the same right to call God “Father” because of what Jesus did at the cross and His resurrection. We are God’s children.
- Thank Him
A heartfelt thank you is always a great conversation starter. Like any parent, God loves to see when we have grateful hearts. But more importantly, as we take the time to praise God for all He has done in the past -the answered prayers, the impossible situations overcome, the healing and grace. Our faith you believe or even greater answers to prayer grow stronger and more confident. Praise open the gates of heaven and should always be a part of our alone time with God.
- Ask for God’s will
Jesus role model a heart of obedience and submission to the wheel of God over His own desires and needs. In the garden of Gethsemane, only hours before Jesus’s crucifixion, He would once again pray, “not my will, but yours be done.” in a world were right and wrong are frequently confused and the future is so uncertain, it can be hard to know how to know what to ask when difficult circumstances arise. But one thing we can be absolutely sure of is that God‘s plan for those who love Him is good, and the safest way we can be is in the center of His divine will.
- Say what you need
In Jesus‘s time, bread was a staple, one of the most basic needs of life. He did not hesitate to ask God to provide it. By today’s standards, we often hesitate to bother God with the little things we need, thinking He shouldn’t be bothered. And when big problems come, we try everything we can do to solve the problem before we think to pray. The Bible says, “ you do not have because you do not ask God.” never hesitate to ask God for what you need. Your Father in heaven delights to give you good gifts.
- Ask for forgiveness
James 5:16 remind us that if we want our prayers to be heard, our hearts need to be right with God and with one another. If you feel your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, take some time to check your heart.
- Pray the Word
The Word of God has power it is our greatest weapon. Jesus prayed the word when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-12). He is the Son of God, but He did not use his divine authority when He as on earth. Instead, he used the authority of the scriptures.
I think the most important key to vibrant for life is to understand our spiritual authority in Jesus as he explained in the Scriptures. The only way to do that is to become intimately familiar with the Bible. Even a few minutes a day in the Word of God will add strength and authority to our prayers.
From Pity to Praise 