Develop Your Prayer Life

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).

We had an excellent time of prayer last night in our mid-week service. I want to encourage you to set aside some time each day to pray. I usually get up early and spend an hour or so in prayer. I pray in tongues and in English. And then I have times of prayer throughout my day. To become proficient at something, you have to just go there and do it.

Prayer is that way. Some things are better caught than taught. We’re going to be spending some time each week praying together in our mid-week service after I minister briefly. But make sure you follow up by praying alone at home. Hon you prayer skills!

I’m learning to play the saxophone right now. I’ve read books and looked at technique videos, but there’s nothing quite like squeaking it out alone to develop ability and skill. Athletes practice the same feat over and over, just like musicians and singers. First attempts are halting and feeble. Practice improves performance. In the same way, let’s work on flowing with the Holy Spirit in our prayer life and become skilled at it!

1 Corinthians 14:13 encourages us to ask the Lord to help us know what we’re praying about when we’re praying in the Spirit or in tongues. So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said (1 Corinthians 14:13- NLT). Paul tells us to pray both in tongues and with our understanding when we pray. For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.
Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.(1 Corinthians 14:14-15 – NLT).

We need the Holy Spirit’s help in our praying in this volatile hour! He will help you if you will pray in the Spirit or in tongues and then allow the interpretation of what you’re praying to come when the Holy Spirit gives it.

I’ve been do this for many years now. I set aside some time to spend with the Lord. I worship Him and remind Him of His promised answers to prayer (Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 15:7; John 16:23-24; 1 John 3:22; 1 John 5: 14-15). I remind Him of what He said I do when I pray in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:2,4, 14; Romans 8:26-27; Jude 20). Then I just start praying in the Spirit (tongues), I pray slowly and keep my mind and attention on Him. The most frequently used Word for prayer in the New Testament means a face to face encounter. So I envision myself right in front of my Father God, pouring my heart out to Him in a language that only He understands. I ask Him to let me know what I’m praying about when He wants to do so.

Then I just pray for a while. Frequently, after a few minutes, thoughts begin to come up from my inner man to my mind. I’ve learned to recognize these as thoughts from the Spirit of God; so when they come, I simply speak them out in English. At times, the anointing of the Spirit becomes strong on you when you pray this way. A theme of praying about certain things begins to develop. Time passes swiftly.

Then, when I’m through praying this way, a tranquility, a peace settles over my entire being, and I feel as though I’ve been sitting in my Father’s lap! When you leave this place of prayer, you don’t want to talk to anyone for a while. You just want to soak and bask in that serene Presence! Sometimes I’ll have an intuition about things that are coming in the future during this afterglow.

Let me urge you to take some time to develop your own prayer proficiency. Our world is changing rapidly. Life as we have been living it may suddenly change, and you want to be prepared. Now is the time to develop that intimacy that will take you through any and every challenge as a victor. Now is the time to be used to minister life to others. All ministry comes out of our prayer life. No praying means little fruitful ministry. Much praying means being used as a branch of the vine where His life flows out of you. Begin today!