How can we pray without ceasing?
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, KJV). The Greek word "without ceasing" means continuous action.
Just as soldiers have radio transmissions built into their helmets to hear their commanding officer at all times, prayer is our way of hearing our leading Savior. It’s a heart attitude, expressed throughout the day in silent prayers of communication with the Lord. It’s being willing to be inline with Him so that when He prompts us we respond.
It’s before our feet hit the floor, at meal times, the last words of the day, while driving, changing diapers, washing dishes and piles of laundry, weeding, picking up toys. It doesn’t replace our alone time, but adds to it.
I have justified to myself that I have been too busy to be consistent with my quiet time. But yet, it really is my own lack of self discipline and laziness. I stay up late to watch an episode on Netflix, which means I am too tire to get up for quiet time before all the kids are up. And then my head and heart are not in the right place so I'm annoyed at the interruptions. I am committing to get my act together.
I wrote about my devotional time, what I do and how I got to that point
here.
Satan wants me so busy, so depleted that I am too discouraged and too tired to spend time with God. As a mom, sometimes it feels like another task or chore.
I look back at all the heart ache over the past 5 years and see that as my quiet time with the Lord has dwindled my stress levels have risen. Not that previously life was easy, but the weight and burden of the emotional and mental handling of situations was different. Life has actually been easier these past couple of years, but I feel overwhelmed and lost a lot of the time. As I set back and have started digging in again, I can feel that calm. As if I was separated from my unit, trying to survive in a jungle and suddenly I am found and being led back to safety to be flown home. Why would I even have given this up?
When we spend time in prayer, it familiarizes us with the Lord. I need to know Him well enough to recognize His voice so that when He whispers directions, I can trust He is the one speaking rather than the enemy. I do not want to miss a divine appointment. I want to play a role in a great assignment.
While I have always enjoyed studying the Bible. There have been times when I questioned if my prayers really made any difference, felt that prayer time was boring, that God was going to do what He planned reguardless. So this prompted me to want more and understand the ways and why's of prayer.
My biggest take away is that there are not RIGHT words, only RIGHT desires.
But I am not very good at free styling anything. I
like, love lists. I need direction. Below is what I've found and some of the ideas that work for me. I am freshly motivated and challenged to be consistent in my morning devotions again. I hope it will help give you a starting point or perhaps to add in to your quiet time and prayer time as well.
n,Who God Is:
Listen to a praise and worship song, I like to listen to
International House of Prayer
Read a Psalms
Sing to Him
Confession:
Ask God what areas He is not pleased with
Confess my wrongs
Give thanks that He forgives
Pray about others I need to forgive
Thanksgiving,What God has Done:
Thankfulness cards (we have a recipe box filled with 365 index card and each morning we write the date on the top and then add 5 things to be thankful for, then as each year goes round, we can just add to the cards)
All the blessings He has given us.
That I can come to Him with my problems anytime
That He is concerned about me
That He loves me
That He said He would help me
That He will see me through this problem
That He has the power to calm the storm
Jer 29:11-I’m at the perfect place, what am I suppose to be growing in?
That I trust Him 100%
Review Prayer Journal with answered prayers
Supplication and Intercession:
Focus on people not things
*When praying for others and ourselves, pray for the person and their characters to grow in the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generiosity and self-control)
Don't give up if it something that I feel is in God's will, such as a marriage healed, someone's salvation etc. By prayer and petition. Waiting on God to answer is sometimes a test for our own endurance, faith and committment.
Say the Lord’s prayer
7 questions for our prayers:
1) Will the thing that I am praying for meet my Godly personal needs and will it fit in with a just and righteous life style
2) Am I being submissive to God's will, and will I gladly accept what ever God is willing to give me, if anything. Can I say, “not my will Father, but let your will be done?”
3) If my prayer is answered will the result honor God?
4) Will it harm or hurt someone else or will it interfere in another person's life.
5) Will it please God.
6) Does my request contradict or conflict with the Word of God in anyway.
7) Will it further my spiritual growth. Will what I pray for bring me closer to God?
Thumb: Our strongest digit. Pray those things closest in our lives and spouse, kids, (when folding laundry, dishes, picking up), family, friends, neighbors,
Index: Points the way
Pray for those who direct us: our teachers, mentors. Prayer for our church – personal, local, national, and those with influence, CCC, MOPS, School
Middle finger, tallest:
Pray for World Issues- Our town, our state, our nation, globally, Peace in the wars, our leaders and influential people,
Ring finger, the weakest:
For Missions & Foster Care Families– faith, personal and financial support, their family life, the places they are working, protection against Satan’s attacks, praise for their ministry, For the sick healing, peace, their family, strength, their Doctors, andFor non Christians, their needs For the poor, For 3rd world countries suffering For our environment,
Little Finger, smallest:
For Ourselves-our needs not wants, our character to become more like God/Jesus, protection against evil and temptation.
Read a devotional prayer book:
Power of the Praying Wife, Parent or Woman. Have been powerful tools for me to know where to start with prayer many days.
Days of the Week:
I also divide life into Daily, Areas of life,
House Blessing Focus of the Day, Meal Time Topic of the day, Special Night plans.
Monday:
(Husband) One of the prayers from Power of Praying Parent.
(Child) and specific issues going on in their life. One of the prayers from Power of Praying parent.
(My Siblings) Their lives and families, anything specific they are facing.
(Teachers) Both from church and school. For wisdom, love for students, for their lessons to touch the hearts of those hearing.
(World Issues) Our Town: Revival, employment, construction, jail.
(Missionaries/Foster Care) specific family & how can we be missionaries in our own neighborhood/town.
(Myself) : specific struggles. Read a prayer from Praying Power of a Woman or other devotional book.
(Areas of life)
Field: my career with Young Living, where to work, follow up, fresh ideas, wisdom with promoting and conflict resolutions, speaking life, encouraging, tasks to be completed, areas of emotional focus for each family member, which products do we need this week for supporting health. Read and pray over a promise and topic in my Business Prayers book. My responsibilities as a stay home mom, housework projects, balance in completely quickly, staying on top of chores, energy and thankfulness for the chores. Read a devotional prayer from Moms prayer book.
(House Blessing) Kitchen: This is the day I pray for wisdom in organizing, cleaning and balancing my time in the kitchen, cooking, spending time with kid of the day during cooking times.
(Meal Topic) Current Events: what is our Christian World View on Current Events? Who can we be praying for that is or will be affected?
(Special Night) Movie Night - Pray that the time together will be enjoyable, that we can have a great discussion after and leading to next weeks movie.
Etc for each of the week, I change my focus topics. There are so many areas to pray about.
And most importantly : Just Rest in His Spirit and Be Still. Be present and allow yourself to just feel and breathe Him.
