As we petition God’s guidance and intervention, our requests and concerns are deeply rooted in the perception of two identities. Cultivating a rich prayer life requires understanding who God is and who God created us to be.

The ways of the world are based on image and exterior appearance.  Years ago, actor Fernando Lamas stated “It is better to look good than to feel good.” Modern social media can further fuel those fires. If Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts are any indication everyone is living a luxurious lifestyle constant of health and wealth. However, when life changes and the posts slow down or stop – “going dark” borders on an outright admission of facing difficulty. If you notice this occurring with someone you know, say a prayer for them. They may be going through a light shower or a major storm, but prayer can only help them – God knows exactly what they need. The end of 1 Samuel 16:7 says “Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.”

When we go before the Lord in prayer, there are two views that matter – your view of God and your view of yourself. Consider this:

Your view of God – Who is God to you? Who do you believe Him to be? When you go before the Lord in prayer, begin by acknowledging all that you know God to be. The bible describes Him extensively. This is only a partial list. Visit your local bible for more characteristics! Psalm 103 provides a wonderful synopsis of who God is and what He does. The bible also explicitly states that God is:

• Love – Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. -1 John 4:8
• Light – This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. -1 John 1:15
• Spirit – God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. -John 4:24
• Patient, Generous – For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. -Psalm 30:5
• Shield, Refuge – This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. -Psalm 18:30
• Present, Strong, Loyal, Supportive – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 41:10
• Great, worthy – For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. -Psalm 96:4
• Holy – But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. -1 Peter 1:15

Your view of yourself – Who are you? What are the best things about you? What are the areas where you need to grow? Who did God create you to be? When you go before the Lord in prayer, declare who you are according to God, not the world. The bible says you are:

• God’s children – Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. -John 1:12
  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. -1 John 3:1
• Created in God’s image – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. -Genesis 1:27
• Chosen, Royal, Holy – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9
• Wonderful – I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. -Psalm 139:14
• A Leader – The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. -Deuteronomy 28:13
• Victorious – No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.-Romans 8:37

When troubling situations arise, I encourage you to remind yourself of who you are and who God is. Pray according to your kingdom identity instead of however the world elects to label you.

Rhythm is defined as “a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound”. We should pray with increasing frequency as we mature in our Christian walk. People debate about whether it’s best to pray in the dawn of the morning before starting your day, at the evening to review all the concerns you faced, or in the midst of a crisis  – the answer is YES! The bible tells us to pray without ceasing.

Depending on our background and exposure, prayer may be envisioned solely as a formal declaration, speech, or sermonette. We can become preoccupied with our language, word choices, and delivery. The truth is that God doesn’t require us to be exceptional orators to pray effectively. We need only speak to the Lord from our heart, which the Lord can see anyway. 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that “ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Prayers may occur in multiple forms – as written words, spoken expressions, or intentional thoughts. Those who are blessed with artistic gifts may also allow prayers to flow into their creative works of music, visual art, or other expression such as cooking. The key is intention. Prayer is defined as a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God. To pray effectively, we need only to be sincere in our desire to grow closer to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Whether it is three words in breath, extensive time on our knees, a quick thought before walking into a room, or answering the phone – prayer is about conversation with the Lord. Psalm 34:15 assures us that “The Lord pays attention to the godly and hears their cry for help.”

Thankfully, there is a you-sized prayer to fit every situation. We do not have to concern ourselves with form nor fashion, only with seeking God’s face and declaring our trust in His sovereign and divine will. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The more readily we pray, the stronger our rhythm.

As children, we are equally innocent and accepting. Children generally accept every life circumstance, no matter how wonderful or terrible, as normal until someone else enlightens them about their situation being an exception. I’ve heard many adults remark about revelations regarding their childhood that they didn’t realize until years afterward.

As adults, we often have to bridge the gap between the way we imagined our lives and the present condition. We find ourselves in the midst of painful struggles that we never anticipated. Other times we find ourselves suddenly living a different existence than we are accustomed to. Even if the change is positive, it is still stressful. We can find ourselves operating outside of our comfort zone in the midst of changes initiated by a change in our marital, employment, health, or other status. Thanks be to God, even when situations are unfamiliar, scary, or uncertain, our beloved heavenly Father is still with us. He doesn’t leave us simply because He’s permitted or presented us with a different situation. Deuteronomy 31:8 says “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” What’s more, God is the great I AM, which means He is multi-faceted and all-powerful. God is a creative problem-solver. Isaiah 55:8 reminds us that our mindset is not the same as God’s: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” 

When we feel empty, the Lord is awaiting the opportunity to fill us up. Ephesians 3:16-19 says “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.“

When we are seeking God’s hand to fill a void we can follow David’s examples in Psalm 13 where he followed these steps:

1. Acknowledge your feelings (v.1-2) – Tell the Lord how you feel. He sees your heart and knows it anyway! Sometimes we think God wouldn’t approve our feelings of being overwhelmed by disappointment, failure, grief, guilty, sorrow, or regret. Psalm 139:23 says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;”.
2. Ask for God’s intervention (v.3-4) – Invite God into the midst of the situation. Acknowledge that apart from Him, you can do nothing. John 15:5 says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
3. Act in faith (v.5) – Let God know that you trust Him implicitly, even when it doesn’t seem logical to do so. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Trusting God is only achieved through the activating God’s Holy Spirit that lives within us. Romans 15:13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
4. Anticipate movement/change (v.6) – Prepare your spiritual eyes to see God constantly at work in your life, on your behalf. 1 Corinthians 2:9 tells us “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

As Believers, we are called to pray continually. It is relatively easy to pray when the road of life is smooth. However, when we hit a bump (sometimes several in a row) in the road, it becomes more challenging to pray for ourselves or others’ situations. When the bump is a “man”hole – an instance where a person appears to be the source of stress – it takes spiritual maturity to address the situation effectively. John 16:33 reminds us  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

When you find yourself distracted, frustrated, confused, or otherwise offended by another person’s behavior, your feelings are also a signal to pray.  In those tense situations, you must call forth and exercise your gifts so that the situation helps the offender and (you) the offended to learn and grow. When you find yourself encountering a difficult person, remind yourself to:

1. Separate the action from the person – You are dealing with a spiritual problem, manifesting itself in the physical realm. The person is not the issue, the hindering spirit attached to them is the source of the problem. Ephesians 6:12 tell us that “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
   
2. Focus on the need presented through the conflict – In many cases, the root of the issue is a lack of wisdom. James 1:5 assures us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  Oftentimes, nasty attitudes are the branch of a painful root.
   Pride is also the source of many conflicts. People may go to great extremes when they are concerned about how others will perceive them. Proverbs 11:2 says “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
3. Walk in humility and compassion – As best you can, try to extend the same grace, mercy, and compassion to others that the Lord extends to you. Psalm 145:8 reminds us that “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy.” He has provided a wonderful template for us to follow. Philippians 2:3-4 charges us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
4. Exercise patience – According to Psalm 20:3 ” It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.” Author Kevin Murriel once stated “We do not have to give ignorance an audience.” You can walk away and still pray! Colossians 1:9-11 admonishes “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,”
5. Operate in love –  Galatians 5:14 states that “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Proverbs 10:12 reminds us that “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Forgiveness is part of the exercise of love. Forgiveness opens our hearts, and liberates our spirits, freeing us up to pray effectively. Colossians 3:12-14 says that we are to “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

Prayer and bible study are intricately connected.  Disciples aren’t just those we read about in the bible or see in da Vinci’s The Last Supper artwork. All followers of Jesus are Disciples or students of His teachings.  As a result, we must continue to study His word. 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 

Prayer is asking God’s wisdom, guidance, and inviting His will into every occasion and situation. Some reserve prayer for extreme situations, but it should be an ongoing part of your daily walk. You can integrate prayer into your ongoing internal dialogue so that it eventually occurs as naturally as breathing. You should not only pray about situations, but need to pray as you develop and strengthen your spiritual habits. 

For example, we should pray before reading scripture to ask God for fresh revelation. We should pray after studying scripture to thank God for revealing His truth to us. The Bible is “loaded”! It overflows with God’s promises! Like a coveted playbook, it offers sound counsel about how to identify distracting tactics and be victorious over the trick plays fabricated by our opponent. Studying scripture is critical because if we are unfamiliar with God’s promises, we cannot hold Him accountable to them. Reading scripture cultivates our faith. Romans 10:17 says “ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” 

God is absolute. His love is unconditional. When reading scripture, you can tune in to His promises by paying close attention to whenever absolute statements are made. As you read, the Bible, you’ll find that where you read the word(s):

• always or never – you are in a prime place to learn about the sacred promises of God.
• all – you are usually learning about the relationship between God and humans.
• forever – you are learning about principles.

God is sovereign and honorable. Praying His word back to Him activates Him to honor His word. Here are examples just a few of God’s truths revealed through absolute statements in scriptures:

ALWAYS

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” -Philippians 4:4

“Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.”
-Psalm 119:144

NEVER

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” -Deuteronomy 31:8

“As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
-Romans 10:11

ALL

“You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.” -Psalm 54:7

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” -Proverbs 3:5

FOREVER

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” -Psalm 136:1

“As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” -2 Corinthians 9:9

Continue to study God’s word as it supports your prayer life. Continue to pray as it supports your study. Try God at His word. In your prayers, be bold in declaring the promises that you trust God to deliver. Allow the cycle of prayer and scripture to be a constant source of motivation and inspiration in your life.

If we are attentive, each day we observe a myriad of situations that should be presented to God in prayer: a family involved in a car accident; learning about a coworker’s absence in the midst of an unexpected crisis, a disheartening exchange of harsh words from the couple seated near you at your favorite restaurant. Those who feel a burden to pray for others can find themselves on assignment all day, every day, as situations constantly unfold.

Although the situations are disturbing and distracting, we must train ourselves as intercessors to look beyond the situation. 2 Timothy 4:5 says “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” As we petition the Lord regarding situations that burden our hearts, we should translate those situations to spiritual needs. For example, you may observe a student being nervous about an upcoming test. The situation is the test and the feelings around it. The need – what we should ask of God – is wisdom and peace for the student. Focusing our request on the heavenly need instead of the earthly situation allows us to live the gospel of God’s word instead of merely reading it. Matthew 16:19 “And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 

The next time you pray, try to spend less time re-explaining the situation to God. Instead, focus on asking God for the specific need based on the situation. Ask God for wisdom, hope, peace, favor, healing, restoration, deliverance, provision, protection, unity, fellowship, faith, grace, mercy or whatever you believe is needed in that situation. God sees our heart and honors our intentions because according on Matthew 6:8, He knows what we need before we ask. God is waiting for us to invite Him to move in the situations that move us, so that He will be glorified.

Forgiveness is an important aspect of this life’s journey. Scripture, sermons, testimonies, books, and songs highlight the importance and benefits of forgiving others. Colossians 3:13 advises us to “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Daniel 9:9 says “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.” 

Forgiveness takes on many dimensions and occurs at different speeds. Forgiveness is an act as well as ongoing process. Some offenses are slight and forgiveness is almost instantaneous. Other offenses are deep and excruciatingly painful. In those instances, forgiveness is multi-layered and may occur over an extended period of time. Forgiveness is a lifestyle – a constant internal check for situations we need to release to God so that we can continue to be renewed and walk in newness of life.

As we spiritually mature, we become increasingly aware of the importance of extending grace and mercy to others. Yet, we are often guilty of being more condemning of ourselves than those who have offended us. When others fall short, we have a tendency to excuse them. Yet, when we fall short, we are reluctant to forgive ourselves. Romans 3:23 states that “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Celebrated Christian author Anne Lamott stated that “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” Perfectionism is sinful because it is a form of pride. The All About God web site insightfully states that “Whenever we enact a different set of rules, a higher set of standards for ourself over others, that is pride. When we can find it within ourself to forgive others, but not ourselves, we are saying that we are less capable of making a poor decision than others. We are somehow more intuitive, wiser, more insightful, more careful than others, and therefore, we are without excuse and should not forgive ourselves. When we reject the forgiveness extended to us by God and others, when we refuse to forgive ourselves, what we are doing is setting ourselves above others and that is pride! Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Unforgiveness of oneself will bring self-destruction, a haughty spirit, and a fall. Christian forgiveness will bring peace.

Accepting the gift of God’s forgiveness is absolutely liberating. It removes guilt, bitterness, sorrow, resentment, regret, and other distractions that would hinder our prayer lives as well as our overall faith walk. Forgiveness allows us to be loving and generous with others as well as ourselves. We can submit to our natural inclination to be generous and loving because we know that the same measure of grace and mercy that God extends to us, we can extend to others. Gratitude for God’s forgiveness can further fuel our passion for serving others. The first four versus of the 130 Psalm says “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.”

Has someone ever asked you for a favor at an inopportune time? Have you ever put forth your best personal effort, only to feel that your diligent work went unnoticed? Imagine how our Heavenly Father must sometimes feel! We approach Him with a barrage of requests, petitions, needs, and concerns. Sometimes we fail to acknowledge all that He has already done for us before asking Him to do more. Without meaning to, we can become so focused on asking God to address the wrongs that we believe have been committed against us, that we do not seek His forgiveness for our own sins. This self-centered and self-righteous mindset can not only disrupt our prayer life; it can sabotage the effectiveness of our prayers altogether.

When we pray without first asking God to forgive our sins, we pray with a false assumption of righteousness. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”  Everyone wants to be thought of as a good person. But to deny our sins, is to deny our Heavenly Father’s power to forgive us.
1 John 1:8-10 says “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

Therefore, before taking our petitions to the Lord in prayer, we must confess our sins. An old Scottish proverb acknowledges that “Open confession is good for the soul”. Open doesn’t mean declaring our shortcomings publicly, it means bringing issues out in the open before God instead of keeping them covered and hidden in our hearts. Confession is liberating because it clears out the spiritual interference, burdens, and distractions so that we can focus on communing with God.

It can be difficult to admit our wrongdoing to ourselves, much less to our Creator. Yet, confessing our sins is essential to an effective prayer life. We can sin by commission (what we do) and omission (what we don’t do). We sin in our hearts, through our thoughts, because those thoughts can grow to become words and deeds that are outside of God’s will. We may as well go ahead and confess our sins because the Lord knows all about them anyway.  Hebrews 4:13 says “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 

Confessing our sins and approaching the Lord with a contrite heart, opens the doors to a rich and fruitful prayer life. Proverbs 15:29 “The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”

What object do these activities have in common?

• Drinking water
• Drinking coffee
• Driving any form of motorized vehicle
• Operating a vacuum cleaner

Filter use is the common denominator among these activities. Without realizing it, we constantly rely on filters in our everyday lives. Filters purify a specific environment and ultimately improve the quality of the final product.

Sometimes we grow frustrated or weary in our prayer lives. Somehow our spiritual discipline suddenly feels ineffective. We seek the Lord in prayer, but no longer see God responding to concerns and situations as quickly or definitively. Some situations seem to stagnate or deteriorate. We begin to wonder whether the Lord is evening listening to our petitions. If you feel like you are just going through the motions, it may be time to check your prayer filter!  James 4:3 says “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

Prayer is one of the most basic yet powerful spiritual disciplines that we can exercise. Prayer is a direct line of communication with our Creator that transcends time, space, distance, and every other restrictive parameter that we can imagine. Yet, when we approach the Throne of Grace, we must ask God to check our filter. We need the Lord to remove impurities from our heart so that we can focus on His will and convey our petitions effectively. The less often we make this spiritual filtration request, the more urgently it is needed.

Sometimes we erroneously assume that we can be our own filter: “I’m in a good place.” we think or “I’ve had a decent day. I’m not mad at anybody.” The truth is that in our human hearts are fraught with impurities. God knows our hearts. In His infinite wisdom, the Lord can readily identify every issue in our corrupt and polluted souls. Nothing is hidden from God. He sees the pride, arrogance, envy, disappointment, frustration, resentment, fear, unforgiveness, doubt, malice, lust, self-righteousness, self-pity, or whatever other impurities that happen to be present within the fragmented vessels that all of us are. 1 Kings 8:38-39 says “What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)” 

Furthermore, to deny those impurities is also to deny our belief that the Lord can address them. Psalm 51:10 says “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”  When we ask the Lord to cleanse us, He removes those ineffective human-based filters and replaces it with the loving filter of His Holy Spirit. Then we are able to pray effectively, because we’ve invited the Lord to extract those impurities and to operate through filters that are based on the fruits of His Holy Spirit which are keenly attuned to the meet the needs of His people. Ephesians 3:16-19 explains it this way:  ^“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

We can rejoice in knowing we have access to the most effective filter in the cosmos!