Are there really keys to having a more powerful prayer life? I think there are. I have found that by doing the things listed below my prayer life has blossomed, I am more in tune with Holy Spirit, and my heart is more thankful.
1. Write it Down. I cannot say enough how this revolutionized my prayer life. My dad started writing down his prayer requests in his Bible while my sister and I were in high school, and when his prayers were answered he would write the date and how God answered them. It was his way of keeping a legacy of God’s faithfulness throughout our family. Writing down prayers isn’t some magical way of getting them answered, but it helps us keep track of our growth and gives God ALL the glory. Sometimes we pray a prayer, forget we even prayed it, and when it gets answered we don’t give God the glory because we forgot we even prayed it. So writing down prayers helps us to say, ok here is what I’m praying for and believing for, so when it does get answered we can go back and give God the glory.
2. Don’t Doubt the Holy Spirit. When you are praying and someone’s name pops in your head, start praying for them! No matter if you are friends with them, or it’s just an acquaintance. Last year in January, I started asking God who he wanted me to pray for, an acquaintances name popped up so I started praying for her. I had no idea why I was praying for her, I didn’t even have her phone number! So needless to say I began to doubt that I should be praying for her. I thought it was just my imagination that made it up, but I kept praying every single morning for 3 straight months. A few months after that season, my husband told me the girl’s husband left her in January and she was going through a very traumatic time. I was so shocked when he told me that because Corey didn’t even know I had been praying for her! It taught me to never doubt the Holy Spirit. I also realize that God loves us so much that he gets almost complete strangers to pray for us! From now on, when someones name pops up in my head while I’m praying, I pray for them no matter what because I know that means I need to be interceding for them.
3. Pray Out Loud. I used to keep to myself and pray quietly in my head. But there are several verses in the bible that say “Speak” or “Say” or “Call”. I believe there is power in our words and even more power when we are praying out loud and boldly. We can’t have power in our words if our words aren’t being spoken. When I am in the house alone I turn on worship music and start praying out loud. It is definitely not the volume of our voice, but it is about our hearts, and approaching His thrown with boldness. I love the verse James 5:16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” In the greek, effectual and fervent are one word which means “energeo: to energize, working in a situation which brings it from one stage to the next, like an electrical current, energizing a wire, bringing it to a shining light bulb.” I love to think of my prayer life as an electrical current, making waves in the atmosphere for Jesus!
I believe that all day long we should be in constant communion with our Father, and starting the day off laying down our schedules to put Him first is a sign of obedience and surrender. God loves it when we love Him. And prayer is a way to love God, by being thankful and lifting praises to Him.
Haylee
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Great post! It reminds me of one I did a while back, but you have a completely different spin on it that I love! Sharing on FB and twitter 🙂
Thank you Brittany! And I LOVE your blog!!
I don’t know how I missed your reply to this comment! I did click to get email notifications, but I missed it somehow. oops! Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks! 🙂
Haylee, great post. Thanks for linking at Mondays @ Soul Survival. Shared on Pinterest. Blessings, Donna
Over the past few years I’ve started writing down my prayer requests. We’ve all had times when we’ve said, “I’ll pray for you” and then forgot. My goal in writing down my requests was to be more intentional about praying for people. It’s definitely helped!
Tshanina that happened to me all the time, saying I will pray for someone and forgetting, so writing down those prayers is definitely all about staying intentional. That is a great word you used, intentional, an awesome reminder!
Loved this and all the amazing ways to make a difference I have found through #MADMlinkup!
Writing down the requests is a good idea. When you think God hasn;t ben listening or answering, just read back over. He has been!
Hi Haylee. Thanks for sharing on the Pintastic Pinteresting Party. This is truly a great post. I think prayer and scripture study are two areas of our life that can get out of whack pretty easily and it is always good to know how to take them to a deeper level so that we stay connected. I love that you follow the promptings and pray for people even when you don’t know why. I think keeping a prayer journal is a great idea also. Thanks again for sharing.