FoundationsSample

DAY 5: PRAYER

Prayer is one of the most powerful things that you and I have access to in our lives. Prayer can shift an atmosphere, prayer can turn a circumstance, and prayer can change our perspective. But what is prayer?

At its most basic, prayer is talking to God. It is that simple. It is not a complicated, long and overly spiritual speech that is only given by the most experienced and seasoned Christians. Anyone and everyone can talk to God. Sometimes it is hard to believe that the God of the universe, who spoke the stars into being and breathed life onto the earth, wants to hear from us. What can we offer? What can we say? But the truth is, God deeply cares for you. He loves you; He is for you; and more importantly He wants a relationship with you.

And that is where prayer starts - in relationship. In fact, Christianity is more than a religion, it is a relationship with God. In the same way that we build a relationship with our spouse, our friends, our colleagues, and our family, we also build a relationship with God. It all starts with communication. The more I speak to someone, the more I get to know them. The more I know them, the more I understand who they are, how they think, and what they say. Prayer helps us draw closer to God and understand Him more; and when we understand God more, we can then understand who we are, and who we are called to be.

It's important to understand that prayer is not a monologue, but a dialogue. Yes, we can speak to God, but God also wants to speak to us. An important part of prayer is talking to God, but effective prayer happens when we take the time to listen to what God is saying as well.

So how do we pray? In Matthew 6, the disciples ask Jesus this same question, and He teaches them something called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This prayer gives us an idea of how we can approach God every time we pray.

PRAISE- Our Father in heaven, HALLOWED be Your name.

Praise happens every time we honor, admire, and lift up the name of God. This is why praise is the best place to start. Praise changes our perspective and reminds us that God is higher and greater than anything in front of us.

PURPOSE– Your kingdom come, YOUR WILL be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

When we pray, it's important to realign our purpose to God’s purpose. Often, we come to God with our wish-list of what we want, but God knows exactly what we need. Start with God’s plan for your life, then go from there.

PETITION– GIVE us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

God doesn’t just care about us; He cares about the things that we care about. The Bible tells us to ask God for anything in His Name, so if it aligns with His Word and His Will, we should always have the confidence to ask.

PROTECTION– Do not lead us into temptation but DELIVER us from the evil one.

Ephesians 6 reminds us that the battles we face are not just physical, but spiritual. The Devil is real and wants to harm the children of God, and that’s why we pray for protection over ourselves, our leaders, and our loved ones.

PROCLAMATION– For YOURS is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

The best way to finish our prayer is to proclaim who God is. It is a reminder to ourselves that God is in control, that God is able, and God is always faithful.

The most important key is found in the first words of this prayer, ‘Our Father’. This is important because it reminds us to make our prayers personal. Whatever you are going through, God wants to know where you’re at. So be real, be authentic, and talk to God like you are talking to someone face to face. Every time we pray, we invite God into the moment, and when God is in the moment, anything can happen.

PRAYER:
Dear God, thank You for the gift of Prayer. Thank You that You care for me and desire to know me. Help me develop a lifestyle of prayer so that I can grow in my relationship with You. As I speak to You, help me to hear Your voice above the noise of the world. My prayer is to know You more and more, in Jesus' name, Amen.