4 Keys to Growing and Sustaining a Vibrant Prayer Life

How do you begin building Your Prayer Life? You must acknowledge that without Christ you can't do anything. Christ himself knew the value of praying and took the time to "slip away" to the wilderness to pray.

Prayer is the most powerful weapon that we can use to overcome all obstacles in our life. It is imperative that we take the following steps to build a prayer life.

1. Praise

In 2 Chronicles 20:2-25, We see the story of King Jehoshaphat and what he did when not just one, but three groups of people came against him and God’s people. First, he humbled himself and the people of Judah. He proclaimed a fast and they sought the Lord in prayer.

It says, “The Lord came upon Jahaziel and said - Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but God.”

What a truth to soak our minds in. This is one true story you won’t want to forget. I encourage you to dig in and read the entire accounting.

This news encouraged God’s people and instead of running around in a panic overcome with fear they fell on their faces in worship.

The next morning, the King reminded them, “Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established.” He appointed those who sang to the Lord to go out before the army and it says when they began singing and praising the Lord set ambushes against the enemies.”

Thanksgiving is one of the most important aspects of prayer. It’s not a means of buttering up. It is not a preamble. It’s genuine gratitude for who God is, what He’s doing in our lives now, and what he’s already done.

We see examples of God’s mighty power work through the act of Praise and Worship.

It does not mean that we are never sad or have problems.

It is an act of faith that God will get us through those situations and bring us to victory. 

No matter what we go through we can rejoice.  The Lord said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV).  We are overcomers through Christ. 

We don’t have to wait to see the situation turn around before we praise God. We can choose joy right now and the JOY of the Lord is our strength.

2. Repentance

 God’s true and only desire is to have your heart, completely. So, prayer isn’t only a time to come requesting that He do something for us, but it should also be a time to allow Him to remove those hidden things in our hearts that we often refuse to deal with.

Expect prayer to expose things in your life so that you can be Righteous. Line up your strategies with repentance the courage to trust and turn and walk away.

"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgave the iniquity of my sin. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance" (Psalm 32:5, 7).

When we confess our sins, God surrounds us with songs of deliverance.

3. Asking

Make your request known unto the Lord.

 Be personal and specific.

Write down the detail of your issue and difficulty, and be transparent before God.

Don’t hide behind that smile and wonderful exterior and do not allow Him to rule in your heart.

You’ve been invited, to ask, seek, and knock.

Matt. 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Pray Offensively.

Be intentional about your prayers.

Pray God’s word over your life.

One of the last things Jesus did before going to the cross was to pray for those who believed in Him. The believers he walked the earth with and those who would believe in Him because of their words. That’s us!

He saw the importance of placing those he loved and valued into the Father’s hands.

You can read the whole passage in John 17, but in verse 11 He says, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.”

When we pray God’s word we can be assured that it will not return void.

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “It is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.”

Pray Preemptively. Don’t wait for things to happen before you pray.  Pray ahead of time.  Be proactive in your prayers.

“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.”  Prov. 22:2 NKJV

4.Yes and Yield

All of God’s promises, the Bible says have been fulfilled in Christ with a responding

Yes.

2 Cor.1:20 “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes: therefore, also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” 

You may not understand what’s happening in your life right now but God is Faithful.

Praying like this, you can expect God to respond in accordance to His own sovereign and eternal will

Finally, my friend,

Prayer Releases All Your Eternal Resources

The Christian’s most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it—especially because God encourages us to do so

Remind yourself – I Believe God and repeat it out of your mouth.

P-raise
R-Repentance
A-Ask
Y-Yes and Yield

How has God changed the way you pray over the last 4 weeks? How have you seen the way you pray affect your perspective? I would love to hear your heart. Feel free to respond in the comments.