In our prayer lives, we tend to have conversations with God about what we want: wisdom, joy, peace, and favor to name a few. However, there is also power in explicitly praying about what we do NOT want: ignorance, pride, hard-heartedness, temptation, and shame to name a few. The more specific we are in our prayers, the more we invite God to unleash His power into our situations.

Over the weekend, I encountered a lady who was emotional and quite upset. A couple of other women were consoling her. I must admit that I initially hesitated about whether I should offer to pray with her. However, I’ve learned the hard way that just as it says in Samuel 15:22, obedience is better than sacrifice. These days, if I feel led by God’s Holy Spirit to do something, I act first and ask questions later. Typically, my obedience is almost immediately confirmed with positive outcomes and a sense of peace. After walking away initially and feeling a heaviness and sense of spiritual urgency, I circled back and offered to pray with her. The lady accepted provided some background, and the small group of us bowed our heads, our hair touching in this intimate circle, as I prayed. I didn’t pray very long, but I did pray for what I believed she needed. I continued on with my anti-prayer, asking God to block unwelcome vices. I’m sharing this principle with you in hopes that it will amplify your own prayerful conversations.

Anti-prayer statements are paramount because of Matthew 18:18 which tells us that “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Is there a spiritual battle going on in heavenly realms? Absolutely! Ephesians 6:12 clearly states that “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Praying and stating what evil aspects are NOT allowed in a situation limits the enemy’s available room to operate. It’s like adding a clause to a contract that closes loopholes that the enemy would otherwise try to maneuver around.

As you pray for yourself, people, and situations that touch your heart, I encourage you to fortify your prayer life by stating what is welcomed and unwelcomed. For example, if you pray for (loose) faith, pray against (bind) fear. Cultivating a prayer life is like learning to play an instrument – the more often you practice, the better you’ll become.

“So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.” – Hebrews 4:16