DAY 1

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE

Luke 18:1
“Then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”                                                                           

THESE ARE PRAYING TIMES…As the world advances, man is increasingly seeing the need to stay in touch with each other. For this reason, he has invented several methods of communication: telephone, cell phone, email, express mail, etc. While these methods are convenient for communication “man to man” they are not appropriate for man’s communication with God. God has prescribed another method for man to communicate with Him and that is through prayer.

In building any structure, it is very important to lay a proper foundation. Prayer is one of the key elements in building a strong spiritual house. Although the foundation is unseen, it is necessary and very important.  If the foundation is unstable or weak, the building will be unstable or weak.  ENSURE that you are laying a strong foundation by resorting to prayer on a daily basis…the times demand that we engage in prayer continually…God is just a prayer away!

DAY 2

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

Ephesians 6:18
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”

What is prayer? Why pray? How do we pray? These are relevant questions that must be answered if we are going to be successful in during our prayer times. Today we will answer these questions.

What is Prayer?  Prayer is the method through which we communicate with God. It is the key to building a strong relationship with God. Prayer is simply engaging in conversations with God. This is something we should do on a daily basis. You can conquer the cares and fears of the day when you talk to God in advance.

Why Pray?  Since man is totally dependant upon God it is imperative that he stays in touch with Him (God). Furthermore, man will fail if he does not seek guidance from His Father through prayer. Besides, God created man and knows man’s ending from the beginning. Therefore, man must take time to talk to God through prayer.

In order to know the will of God for our lives, we must pray. A better understanding of prayer will assist you in becoming more intimate in your relationship with God. When you develop your prayer life, chances are you would not be distracted or disturbed by circumstances and/or adverse situations that you are confronted with in life. Furthermore, you won’t pray with the wrong motive when you understand the purpose of prayer.

DAY 3

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
“Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”                                           
It is God’s intention that prayer becomes perpetual or continual. In the reference, Paul encourages us to pray at all times. This could be a task for us if we haven’t developed the mindset where we don’t wait for things to happen before we pray.

According to Paul, it is God’s will that we become people of prayer. This is important because God is a God of relationship. Whenever you are seeking to establish a relationship with anyone, the first thing you must do is make contact. Once you would have made contact, you must stay in touch with each other in order to maintain and develop your relationship. If you want to know the will of God for your life, Paul gives us the answer…prayer. “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

DAY 4

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE

Matthew 6: 9-13
“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name….”

How should we Pray?  Many have succumbed to the pressure of society which suggests that in order for your prayer to be effective you must always kneel or be in a certain place. Since God is everywhere, we must make every effort to pray whenever, wherever and as often as we can; “morning by morning.” We should not wait until it becomes perilous to pray. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, exhorting them not to cease from praying. The Bible makes no reference to praying in a specific spot. However, there is nothing more fulfilling than having a specific spot marked for prayer and fellowship with God. 

Everything within us must be involved in prayer; heart, mind, spirit and body. Prayer involves conversing or making a vow or request to God. One must be sincere and honest as he prays. Since God is all-knowing, nothing is hidden from Him. Consequently, He is neither moved nor flattered by nice sounding words or impressive expressions of human thought. The quickest way to get a positive response from God is to come to God in a child-like manner (Matthew 18:3-4). In other words, we must come thankfully; humbly confessing our shortcomings before Him.

DAY 5

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE

Matthew 6: 9-13
“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name….”

Jesus made prayer a habit and He taught others to pray by His words and example. Seeing Jesus constantly in prayer, His disciples were more interested in prayer than they were in how to work miracles. Instead of wanting to do miracles, the disciples observed Jesus regularly in prayer and they wanted what He had; a passion for prayer. The model prayer came about as a result of the disciples’ interest in prayer. The model prayer is a guide or plan for prayer. It begins with God and ends with God. God is the central focus of the model prayer.

Here is an antidote for a successful time of prayer, consider these aspects of prayer and follow this pattern:

1. Begin with a time of thanksgiving. (Phil. 4:6)
2. Transition into a time of adoration (tell God how you appreciate what He has done and is doing for you. (Daniel 4:34, 35)
3. Come clean before God; Confess your sins before Him. (1 John 1:9)
4. Pray for someone; Intercede on his/her behalf. (James 5:14- 15).
5. Supplication; Make your request known to God. (Phil. 4:6)