HOW TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER

FRESH START

As a quick overview, the best way to communicate with the Lord is speaking in prayer and listening through His Word. Prayer is the single most intimate part of our relationship with God. At the same time, it’s also the most difficult too. Understandable, it can be uncomfortable to speak into thin air. I get that.

Imagine a relationship with your friend. When you first meet it’s typical to have fewer words to say. Likely, the closer you become, the more you shared, the easier it gets. Over time, it becomes natural. That’s the goal when talking about how to have confidence in prayer. As a bonus, you’ll become stronger in spirit as well.

Fact is though, you won’t gain confidence in prayer on accident. You must be purposeful about taking action.

BENEFITS OF HAVING CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER

The biggest benefit of having confidence in prayer is the depth of connection to the Lord. Jesus says to stay connected to the vine. Jesus is the true vine and the Father is the husbandman. In simple terms, He’s the caretaker.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. John 15:1

Think about it, when the branch is connected to the vine it stays alive. If broken off, it loses all access to the water and nourishment of the vine and will quickly die.

With that said, staying in prayer is essential to a thriving relationship with the Lord. Still, prayer isn’t just, we talk God listens. Prayer also keeps the door open to hear what the Lord has to say back.

Personally, I can’t think of anything greater than hearing the from the Lord.

Take a moment and share what the Lord has shared with you through his Word in the comments below.

WHAT’S THE POINT OF PRAYER

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:15-18

The forerunner in building confidence in prayer is to understand the point of prayer. Above all else, the point is to seek the Lords will for all things here on earth as it is in heaven. We see that stated by Jesus in the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 5. Sadly, quality of prayer has lost priority. For instance, it’s not uncommon to hear phrases like, send prayers, pray for me, we’ll pray on it, let’s pray it in, I’ll pray for you, pray it away, or I pray against that.

What does all that even mean?

In honesty, what you see here is a passive way to avoid prayer. Most likely because many have no confidence in prayer and no idea what to say.

What I laid out above is filler, not prayer or a promise of prayer.

Jesus goes on to say if you abide in Him and you keep his words in you, you can ask and it’ll be done for you. Keeping that in mind, I can’t be sure, but, if that much prayer is happening, you’d think we would’ve long since seen a revival…

Or would we?

There’s a shocking combination here, a lack of prayer and focus of prayer. As a result, it’s shallow, ineffective, and shows zero confidence in prayer.

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WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY

Like clockwork, God uses His people to do His good works. Specifically, there’s a need for the body of Christ to increase confidence in prayer. The Bible testifies of many types of prayer. A few examples include people praying for people, specifically for Salvation. There are prayers for healing, help, deliverance, hope, holiness, refuge, to be heard by God, forgiveness, and protection.

Take a moment to reflect on how often biblical characters prayed for houses, shoes, parking spots, cars, sports teams to win, jobs, careers, promotions, grades, being on time, coffee, and the like?

They didn’t!

Below are scriptures used that paint God as a genie in a bottle.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24

Which also connects them to…

Delight thyself also in the Lord ; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

In short, the way we hear most folks quote these verses is “whatever material things I pray for I’ll get because God gives me the desires of my heart”.

Please understand, this is a prime example of using scripture to meet one’s own needs, therefore, being used way out of context!

THIS IS A GIGANTIC PROBLEM!

WHAT’S THE EXPECTATION

True born again Christians have been given the mind of Christ. So from there, the question isn’t what can I get from God, it should be, what are the desires of God? Is it really careers and houses?

Reality check: Did Jesus even have a house to live in when He walked out His ministry?

…And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Luke 9:58

If we have the mind of Christ and He transforms us, our desires will change as well to desire what God desires!

… And we know that all things work together for good TO THEM that love God, TO THEM who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. Romans 8:28

If we desire what God desires we’ll gain confidence in prayer by praying for that which builds our character to be more like Christ. The secret is confidence in prayer comes from God.

Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts know what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

What do you think the Holy Spirit will be praying for?

This is a very important aspect of prayer. We can’t pray or become confident in prayer without doubting if we don’t know what to pray for. Let alone pray for it with the confidence of Jesus.

If you’re a Christian, ask yourself, are the desires of my heart lined up with God or the world? Believe me, knowing what to pray according to God’s desires will lead to confidence in prayer.

…You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, [[because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.]] Jas 4:2-3

WHAT TO PRAY FOR

Take heed from what God has shown. Pray for the things that build character, are good to the kingdom of heaven and are the desires of God’s heart.

Make it priority to return to praying, with urgent frequency, as a result you’ll see an increased confidence.

Seek the kingdom of God first. Lay down the habit of praying for material things for a time in particular. Instead, focus on the things that can’t be bought or given by anyone else but God.

Also, prayers should be without ceasing and without doubting. Of course, pray for God’s will to be done.

SEEK HIS FACE, NOT HIS HAND!

Most important, the final step to gaining confidence in prayer!

Relationship with Jesus comes first!

Not what He can do for you. A real relationship with Jesus creates a desire to sacrifice our own will and make ways for his. Cultivate a relationship with the Lord through prayer.

Take these steps of action to create a life worth living and one God loves by the power of grace through faith. And most of all, become confident in prayer.

1. UNDERSTAND WHAT PRAYER IS

2. MEDITATE ON THE BENEFITS OF PRAYER

3. KNOW WHAT TO PRAY

4. SEEK HIS FACE

5. STAY CONSISTENT

6. LISTEN BY READING HIS WORD

7. BE CONFIDENT IN JESUS

Truly, when you follow these basic steps you’ll see the relational value grow. As your relationship grows, so will your confidence in prayer.

Be prepared, I can’t tell you it’s easy but I’ll tell you, it’s worth it. Relax, you can have a great prayer life if you put forth the effort just like any relationship. Don’t put too much thought into speaking into thin air.

To give you real-life example, praying at the sink is a commonplace of prayer for me. I like to imagine I have a friend over and we’re holding a conversation while I move about the kitchen. Goes without saying, I’m not always looking directly at my friend but I still know they’re with me.

Same is true with the Lord. He is with me and He’s with you too if you’ve laid down your life to follow Him.

I look forward to hearing how prayer has changed your life.

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ttfn,Jamee