3 Ways to a Sweeter Prayer Life

If there is one thing that I often hear Christians say it is that they want to “do better”. Maybe that means reading their Bible more or having a sweeter prayer life or being more intentional in acts and deeds.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

I believe this statement comes from the fact that even after putting our trust and faith in Jesus, our human nature, which is a sin nature, still often rules in our lives. I believe the Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to Rome

So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s Law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:21-23 (BSB)

Although we want to do better and do what is right, there is a war going on inside of us. The good news is that God rules over all and He can certainly rule over our hearts and minds if we trust Him.

One area where we can be more intentional in or trust God more deeply in is prayer. I am not going to try and give you a perfect formula for prayer. Prayer is the communication between you and God. If this is an area that you struggle with. Ask God to guide and direct you.

This post is going to address three ways to that will help you to see that the communication between you and your Heavenly Father can come in many forms. Hopefully, you will be encouraged to trust Him more as you seek this time with Him.

Set Your Eyes on Scripture

One way to pray is to set your eyes on Scripture. This is not something that I do often but have been doing more for this one reason. I want to do what the will of the Father is.

You may be asking yourself, What is the will of God? How do I know if what I am doing, thinking or saying is the in line with His good and perfect will?
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:13-17 (BSB)

The Scriptures were given to us so that we would be fully equipped to do every good work. The will of God is to make us complete as we put our full faith and trust in Him.

Submitting ourselves to His Holy Word is His will. He gave us the scripture so we can align our life with Him. Praying His words back to Him would be praying in His will.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is teaching the disciples about ways to live according to the Father. In Matthew 6: 9 He teaches them how to pray and not pray.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

Jesus gave a perfect guide to pray the scripture.

Here are a few more suggestions and examples of scripture to pray back to God.

• Pray the attributes or qualities of God back to Him. (Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–  Praise you God for Your eternal power)
• Pray the names of God back to Him worshipping Him for who He is. (El-Roi “The God who sees” – Thank you for being the God who sees me)
• Read the Psalms as a prayer. (Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.)
• Find verses that speak of Jesus and pray that God reveals new things or brings your attention to certain parts. Then praise Him for the things He has revealed to you.  (When reading Matthew 6:9, something that may stand out to you is hallowed be your name. Hallowed means Holy. Holy is your name, Lord. Then spend time in prayer praising God for His holiness.)

An Outpouring of Your Heart

I think this is so often how I pray. Whatever is on my heart, I pray to God.  Whether it be praise, petitions, repentance or requests. Every time something comes to my heart, I talk to God.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Again in these verses, we can see God’s will. Never stop praying. Always be joyful and thankful.

Those sometimes feel like steep requests but they are God’s will for our lives. So even when life is tough, God is saying be thankful. He is not saying if you feel like it or when things are going good, be joyful.

Notice the two phrases, be joyful and be thankful are flanking prayer. Because in the midst of our trials, joy and thanksgiving come during prayer.

I know in my toughest times and when I have faced my greatest trials, prayer and God’s Word were my saving grace. The joy given to me and gratitude that came from my heart came during prayer. Eventually, my pain and sorrows turned to praise to God for who He was during it all.

When I take the focus off of me and place it on the one who deserves my praise for all things my heart opens to joy and gratitude.
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Open Hands

This has been the prayer of my heart lately. Asking God with open hands to empty me of myself. Then I sit quietly before Him so I can hear His whispers to my soul.

So often in life, we get tangled up in ourselves. Our greatest enemy is sometimes ourselves, our pride, and what we think we have to offer God.

I don’t want to come to God with my list of qualifications and resume. I want to come as an empty vessel for Him to fill me and use me in a way that He can.

So I have to pray to God that I can stay out of His way so He can do His work through me.

I was just talking to a friend today, telling her that I have been a blank slate when it comes to writing. Instead of brainstorming all the best or top trending topics, I have been relishing in my emptiness. Sitting at my keyboard and asking God to empty me of anything I think I can bring.

The amazing thing is, He is not short on words to inspire my heart. I can offer you very little but He can offer you His heart.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

Having A Sweeter Prayer Life

Prayer is our lifeline to our Heavenly Father.

Having a better prayer life is not out of reach. It is not something that I can prescribe a perfect formula for, however, God can.

He can show you in His Word and when you are in communication with Him. You need only need to ask.

Heavenly Father,

We stand before you today praising you for sitting on the Throne of Grace. Being willing to listen to our hearts and interceding our prayers. Lord, we ask that as you open our hearts you will pour yourself into our soul. Lord, please mold us to be more like you every day. We thank you for not leaving us in hopelessness but sending your Son Jesus to die for our sins. Thank you, Lord, for defeating death by raising Jesus from the grave so that I, too, may live.

Lord, you are too magnificent for words and I love you and praise your great name forever.

In your Precious Name, Amen!

Amen! Thank you so much for joining us here today.

Personal Reflections

1. Do you have a personal prayer life? 
2. How would you rank it (Not next to the person you think is a prayer warrior but with God)? Why did you rank it that way? Do you want it to change?
3. What are you doing well? What is one thing you can change today?
4.  Do you have any tips or things you can share with us today to encourage us to spend that time with God? Personal Testimonies to prayer?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

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This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

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How to Have a Pure Heart and Healthy Thoughts in Prayer

As a member of the women’s ministries prayer team at our church, I frequently pray for other women.

Sometimes, we intercede for women I don’t know. My prayers flow freely and easily for their needs. Others times we pray for friends and women I know well. Then I pray passionately for God to move powerfully.

Before you think this makes me holier than you, I want to be upfront with you.
In all these moments, I want my prayers to be effective.

Occasionally, this requires me to stop and take notice of the feelings I have for the person I know and for whom I am praying.

Pain over a past hurt, anger over a disagreement or unintended slight, envy over their qualities, which I wish I had may flit into my mind.

I try to dismiss these reactions in an effort to appear devout. Or I decide it is better to put them to one side and pretend I am saint like.

Yet, what I really should do is pay attention to these unhealthy feelings, which often have taken root deep inside of me, because they can affect the effectiveness of my prayers.

I must first of all be honest with myself and then be truthful with God.

If you have anything that stands in the way—And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone says Mark 11:25.

I need to make sure I come with a pure heart and healthy thoughts about the person for whom I’m praying.

So where do we start. What do we do? In the Tough Love Prayer Challenge, I share these ways that you can bring your messy thoughts before God:

• Take yourself off to a place where you can be alone with your heavenly Father.• Do some deep down searching.• Be honest with God. 

This sounds difficult to do. I often want to put on my Sunday best when I’m in front of God, especially because I am a member of a prayer team.

However, if God knows everything about my heart, and he knows my thoughts—and the Bible is very clear he does—then I might as well be completely honest with him.

This, I believe, opens the door for God to move right in and change what is bad to be good, what is ugly to become beautiful, and what is dark to become light.

You don’t need the strength or the ability to change your negative feelings for a person. You just need the determination to bare all that in unclean in your heart before God and ask him to help you.

God knows we are not capable of changing ourselves. That’s why His Spirit, through the work of Jesus Christ, can make a stony heart start beating healthily.

God is able to do what we’re not able to do.

God working and moving inside us changes things.

It doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing. We work hard at prayer.

Then we see the wonders of what God can do in our own lives and
the lives of other people.

Rachel Britton is an author, blogger, and speaker. Raised on the east coast of England, Rachel lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three children. Rachel is passionate about helping women become healthier in their relationship with God, with others, and with themselves, and to thrive from the inside out. Visit Rachel at her blog to download her Tough Love Prayer Challenge eBook to pray for peace in the midst of your difficult relationships. http://rachelbritton.com/tough-love-challenge/

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In the Wake of Comfort

First of all, I just want to say to all of you who prayed for me and my family this week, thank you so much. Your comments have been such a blessing. I have felt the peace so deeply this week. My son’s appointment went fine and all is well.

God of All Comfort

Comfort in Trials

As we face these trials, I know we can seek His comfort. I know, God is in control. I know, He knows the path He has laid out for us. He knows me and calls me by name and I can rest my weary head in His comfort.

Hope in Christ, Alone

New Book From Lisa Murray                                         Peace For A Lifetime

Friends, this is a great time to introduce you to a new book I am reading. This wonderful book from Lisa Murray comes out in March. It is called Peace for a Lifetime. I am going to write a post for it on March 9, please stop back by. This book has been so beneficial to me and I know you will love it, too. I am excited to share it with you because it has been a blessing to my heart.   

While you’re here, sit down with some of my friends. They are amazing writers with so many great stories to share with you. Just clink on a link below and you will go directly to their site where you can get to know them more. 

Please, linkup your family-friendly inspiring stories, recipes, DIY, homeschool, giveaways, and your life’s greatest passions. 

Friends are here to encourage and challenge us in our walk of life, so enjoy!

Thank you for posting and linking up. I try to read and comment on as many of these wonderful posts as I can and as time allows. I just want to say you are all doing wonderful work and praise the Lord that I have had the opportunity to come across the path of so many of you. 

This party has been fantastic and it is thanks to all of you who stop by and Share this party with your friends. Together we can make this a great place. There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post (mobile) and after you linkup. 

               Thanks! From all of us at  #SittingAmongFriends 

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“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love the neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 
Matthew 5:43-44

You Are Uniquely You

“Life”

 

He Gives You Purpose

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