Knocking of Heaven's Door
What Is Prayer?
“Prayer is where the action is." - John Wesley
What Does Prayer Really Mean?
Luke 11:1-4 - “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Here are some points that I took from the Lord's prayer:
- Always praise God when you start your prayers. Putting him first gives him the glory he deserves, but it also helps us put everything in the perspective of God.
- Always invite God into whatever situation you’re dealing with and/or praying for.
- Always ask God to give you the physical, emotional and spiritual sustenance that you need to get through your day.
- Always ask for God to forgive you of your sins.
- Always ask God to forgive other people’s sins as well. Forgiveness isn’t selfish and the more you’re connected to God, the more you will desire for others to have that same connection without sin.
- Always ask God to keep you from falling into temptation. This is the least popular one, but it’s equally important as the others. Don’t forget it! It’s important!
Prayer Is Not Just Talking to God, It’s “Conveying a Message Intentionally”
Romans 8:26 “The spirit helps us in our weakness…”
We are constantly sending messages to God, often that he’s not doing enough or that he’s important to the current situation. We need to move into a more intentional, meaningful prayer life.
Final Thoughts
- Pray constantly: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “NEVER STOP PRAYING!”
- Pray meaningfully:
- Pray simply:
- Pray because it changes things. "The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray." S.D. Gordon