Effective Prayer Life

Effective Prayer Life (Luke 11:1)

Luke 11:1, “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

If you are seeking to follow God with your whole heart, you can confidently claim His promise for answered prayer. Hudson Taylor said, “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing challenge.”

3 Characteristics of Effective Prayer
We have a God who delights in answering the prayers of His children. Praying is a resource that everyone of us has at our disposal. However, in order for our prayers to be answered, there are unchangeable Biblical principles that must be met. Criteria such as faith, obedience, and persistence are among God’s key requirements. The Bible gives us many examples of people who had prayerful lives that God blessed through incredible answers: Abraham, Daniel, David, Elijah, Elisha, Hannah, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, and Paul. They were people who were just like us except for one thing: they had extraordinary prayer lives. For most of God’s children, the discipline of prayer is often neglected because we don’t understand the kind of praying that pleases God. We pray when we are faced with an emergency or an unexpected need, but during the normal down times of life, we pray with less frequency and effectiveness.

What kind of praying pleases God?
1. The Soldier’s Prayer Should Be Spontaneous
God cares for us and He compels us to go to Him in prayer. When we go to Him immediately in prayer, we let Him know that we believe Him to be the source who will answer our prayers. We should be ready to pray at all times, at any location, and under any circumstances. I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” I Timothy 2:8, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

2. The Soldier’s Prayer Should Be Specific
Many of our prayers offered to God are general, non-specific, and lacking in intensity. James 4:2, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” Matthew 7:7, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Prayer that is specific leaves no question as to what is being requested.

3. The Soldier’s Prayer Should Be Spectacular
By this, I mean that we are not afraid to ask God for things that are beyond our power. I am referring to things that some would consider impossible. Over and over, we are encouraged to come boldly before God for Him to show Himself strong on our behalf. Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

The Commission to Practical Prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
“Praying always…” (Ephesians 6:18a)
Notice how God has commanded us to pray:
1. I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
2. Romans 12:12, “Continuing instant in prayer.”
3. Colossians 4:2, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.”
4. Luke 21:36, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always.”
5. Luke 18:1, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

The final weapon we have is a direct link to the Captain of the Host. In the midst of the battle, every Christian has the assurance of direction from the Lord. Being well dressed for battle is essential, but we need direct contact with the Commander. For soldiers, staying in touch with command is crucial for the success of the mission and victory in combat. When soldiers are in contact with command, they know what to do, where to go, and how to go about doing it. Command gives the soldiers direction, encouragement, and focus on the mission and objective.

The soldier must ensure the lines of communication remain open. We need constant communication to defeat the enemy. An attack can happen at any moment, from any direction, so we must be on guard. Satan likes to attack when we least expect it. These attacks come suddenly without warning. He often comes during our times of weakness, even when we are alone, without the aid of other believers. Thank God we have a direct link to the throne room!

Just as a squad is to get their orders from headquarters, so too are the Christian soldiers! We are to stay in contact with our Lord and Master through prayer. We are to pray urgently, confidently, passionately, and persistently. As Christian, we can take comfort in knowing that we are never out of range and the enemy cannot destroy our communication base. We can go to the Father anytime and at anyplace. We are His servants on mission for Him and we must know where to go, when to go, and what to do! Paul declared the call, consistency, and the contents of a Christian soldier’s praying. A Christian soldier’s prayer should be dedicated, directed, determined, and demonstrated. We are to engage in prayer daily, dutifully, persistently, and personally. I want to challenge all Christian’s to put on the armor of God by prayer, fight the enemy through prayer, and to receive our orders from Headquarters in prayer.

As Christians, we are in a spiritual war and have been sent out with the Gospel. We face a real enemy that wars against us. We must stay in communication with command! Never lose that connection with Jesus; don't lay the receiver down; keep the line open. We must also keep ourselves holy before Him so that when a need arises, we can immediately call on Jesus. Don't find yourself in a condition where you have sin in your life and are out of fellowship with the Lord unable to pray for another. Pray always!

PRAYER: Father, I praise You that I can at anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance come to You in prayer. My desire is to keep walking continually with You, so that my prayer may be the natural expression of my life with You. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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