Effective Prayer

Prayer is talking to GOD and having a personal time of fellowship with Him. If you do not pray daily, well…. now is a good time to start talking to your father in heaven. It is vital for a fruitful and successful Christian life. When we talk to him daily, we build our relationship with him, if not he will always be a stranger to us. When we talk to him, we will also hear from him and will be able to recognize his voice. So let us begin our journey of prayer!!!

How do we pray?

Let us open the treasure book…

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 

Matthew 6: 6

Personal prayer time is not to show others your proficiency / fluency or to get their attention. It should be done in private – a secret time just between you and your father in heaven. This is what Jesus taught his disciples and what he practiced while on earth. He used to step away from the crowds & even his disciples and went to mountains for his personal time with God, spending all night in prayer. So first, move away from the crowds to your secret place to spend time in prayer.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God

Philippians 4:6

Begin prayer with thanksgiving. Remember everything God has done for, provided for, taken care of and thank Him for that. Then make your requests known to God.

There was a man named Elkanah from Ephraim and Hanna was his wife. She did not have any children and this made her very unhappy. Every year they would go as a family to worship and sacrifice to the Lord at Shiloh where Eli and his sons were the priests. One year as they went, Hannah was too sad and wept in pain before the lord and prayed. As she was praying, the priest Eli saw her and watched her. He thought she was drunk and rebuked her. But she told him

I am not drunk, but I am pouring out my soul before the Lord”.

Later on we see that God answered her prayer and a son was born to her, prophet Samuel who judged the people of Israel.

Hanna while praying poured out her soul before God. She was not pretentious or fake, but by pouring out her heart before God, she made her problem known to Him the same way she felt it. Her prayer was answered. So “be yourself” before God and “pour out your heart to him”.

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Matthew 6: 7-8

Do not use vain repetitions while praying because you are not heard for the repeated words you speak. Your father knows all your needs even before you ask and you don’t have to always repeat them. Do not corrupt the relationship by talking only about your needs. Your needs will be taken care of !!!

Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 14:14

Believing that you receive what you have asked for and asking it in the name of Jesus makes sure the prayer is answered!!!

Treasures uncovered

How to pray effectively

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for teaching us how to pray. Help us to pray daily and have a personal relationship with you. Help us to be thankful and be ourselves before you. Help us to believe that our prayers will be answered, in Jesus name AMEN!!!

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