You May Need a Prayer Shift

Shift the way you pray.

If we get honest, many of us pray with a list of to-do’s for God. Lord, I need this. Lord, if you could help with that… And, of course, this is important. We see in Matthew 6:11 that Jesus modeled asking our Heavenly Father for our “daily bread.” But if we dissect what Jesus said about how to pray and analyze Matthew 6:5-13, we see that He gives specific instructions. As we battle Discouragement and seek the Lord, let's ensure our prayer life aligns with Jesus' model.

1. Worship & Gratitude

We talked about worship yesterday, but we see that in the launch of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus begins with acknowledging the greatness of our God, e.g., "hallowed be your name." He admits that it's not our will but His will that is to be done. "You are worthy of all praise, Lord. Thank you for salvation, for freedom, for provision, for redemption. Thank you for my health and my church and friends. Thank you for protection and conviction and wisdom."

2. Repent

We must ask the Lord to search our hearts. What is in our lives that does not honor him? Is there unforgiveness? Is there sin? Forgiveness and "deliverance from evil" are also part of Jesus' model.

3. Humility

We see that Jesus instructs in our Scripture of the day in Matthew 6:5-7 that we are to be humble before the Lord. Jesus highlights the hearts of the hypocrites. The Lord knows our hearts. Come before Him with reverence, honor, and humility.

4. Warfare

This is where many of you need to transition in your fight of Discouragement. After you have brought a clean and prepared heart, worshiped and repented, it is time to move into warfare. Take your rightful place as co-heirs. Take the authority given to you on earth. Ask the Lord to send warring angels to fight on your behalf. Push back the darkness. Thwart the plans of the enemy. No weapon prospers. Greater is He that is in you. All knees must bow. His Kingdom come. Woe to the one who stands against the plans of the Lord. Pray for protection over your soul and that of your children. Pray for the protection of your home. And, importantly, begin to intercede on behalf of others, especially pastors, church leaders, Bible study teachers, bosses, and any in authority. Learning to become an intercessory prayer warrior will not only shift things spiritually but will also shift your perspective.

We have spent time this week analyzing reasons why Discouragement has come and discovering ways to successfully fight it, including:

• Guarding your mouth
• Renewing your mind
• Assessing God’s track record of faithfulness
• Praising despite how we feel
• Seeking the plan of God for our lives, and now,
• Shifting our prayer life.

Friends, this is the recipe for encouragement, joy, and freedom. You are daughters of the highest King. You are royalty, bought at a high price, and are joint heirs with Christ Jesus. You are bought and paid for by the blood of the Lamb. You are righteous by that blood—your portion to walk in freedom, encouragement, wholeness, and joy. Your portion is to walk in the love of Christ that covers a multitude of sins. If you pray and seek the Lord, you are a good mom.

Points to Ponder:

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