Ok it’s Jesus that has the power but he did it in me and it is super!

Have you ever woke up praying? I have and I finally figured out what was happening. I woke the other day and as I woke I realized that I was praying. It took a few seconds to get a grip on that. Weird, strange, disorienting, and the most beautiful, wonderful thing I’ve ever caught happening to me. I say happening because I am fully aware that I am not capable of something so awesome. Looking back I realized that it wasn’t the first time either. Crazy right? Well I felt so good afterward that I want to share how it came to be with you. Maybe it’ll happen for you.

It started probably about 5 years ago. I was going through kind of a dry spell. I hadn’t fallen away but I was definitely Luke warm. I didn’t like me and it was grieving me and the spirit in me. One of the most lacking areas for me was prayer. I didn’t feel effective in prayer. I realized it was because I wasn’t putting anything into it.

What I mean is that my prayers were lacking real desire and expectation. When I would see a need I would ask God to meet it but that’s it. It was gone, never to be considered again. I never looked for God to act.

I realized that while God heard those prayers and He knew how to act or what needed to be done. How though could I expect to see action based on my asking, if I didn’t bother to care? That wasn’t good enough for my God. I owed Him more. He sent His Son for me. His Son died and rose again for me. I realized that kind of prayer wasn’t good enough for me. I know He’s an understanding God but I owed him my all and I wasn’t giving it in prayer.

Please don’t hear what I’m not saying. God will act if needed. Because I’m weak, He will not stop acting.

And sometimes you simply can’t give more or even know how to pray or know what to expect. If all you can do because of circumstances is simply ask, then that’s what you give up in prayer.

Romans 8:26-27 CSB

[26] In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

However for me that was often not the case. In most cases I knew exactly how and what to pray but simply didn’t put any effort into it.

When I realized this I started what I called practice praying. Note: Practice praying is praying. God hears them the same. The reason I dubbed them practice is because I would run them through my mind and verbalize them over and over in an effort to create a habit. Now I didn’t go for flowery words or anything special. I simply talked to God about whatever I needed to talk about. I would pray about everything.

Philippians 4:6 CSB

[6] Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

James 5:13-15 CSB

[13] Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. [14] Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Pray for everything. From suffering and confession to healing and praise. Pray for literally everything over and over. The result will be prayers your actually thinking about, a common language with God, and a constant communication line.

The next problem I recognized was that I prayed for things I really didn’t want. That sounds weird I know. Let me explain. I would pray for the healing of my pain pain but I didn’t want the change. In reality I didn’t want healing because healing would bring change. I needed to understand that change is needed to solve problems. Most people do this somewhere in their lives. Maybe it’s healing or situation. Maybe it’s any number of things or everything. Just remember, God is good. Change is necessary for real resolution. Trust Him. The result isn’t always the way I think it should be or even what I wanted. But He is faithful and good. He knows best.

Romans 8:28 CSB

[28] We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Yet another problem.

My expectations were human. When I prayed I had a one sided view of the equation. 2÷2=1. I kept expecting a solution that worked for 1. In most cases me. The problem with that is that God is infinite. Man isn’t smart enough to work out infinity. God will act. He will always act to, His glory. He will always act to the good of those who love Him. If I assume that He’s going to work for only me or only in the way I’m thinking. I’m probably going to miss the blessing.

Matthew 6:9-13 CSB

[9] “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. [10] Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us today our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

There are 3 singles in these verses.

1. You: Who is to pray? You are.
2. Your: Who’s name? God’s name. Who’s Kingdom? God’s Kingdom. Who’s will? God’s will.
3. One: Deliver us from who? The evil one.

The point is that I am not alone. Us us we our us.  Kind of makes a point. The only time I’m specified here is that I am to pray. Otherwise it’s all about Him. We are a collective. Even when we are mentioned it’s Him that is the main subject. This prayer is about the God of all not of me. Finally in point 3 we see one not ones. This brings me to my final point for this post.

Why are we praying in the first place? Because we’re fallen, broken, and in need of that which only God can provide. The real thing we often don’t recognize is why? There is one real enemy. Satan. He has minions yes, but he is the enemy. The strange thing about it is that we aren’t his focus. Satan attacks us because we are a means to (for lack of a better word) deglorify Jesus. Satan doesn’t care about us at all only that we don’t give glory to Jesus. That being said we can’t fight the enemy. We have to go to God and let Him fight. We do that through prayer.

Honest, meaningful, divinely expectant, consistent with the Spirit that He placed in you, and glorifying prayers that never end.

Matthew 6:6 CSB

[6] But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 CSB

[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray constantly, [18] give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. [19] Don’t stifle the Spirit.

I still have prayer problems. Many no doubt. Praise Jesus for His work in my prayer life and on my prayer life. I can’t wait for the day that I’m able to get past me and pray constantly. I have to figure that praying while I’m sleeping is a start.

Love in Christ

Colby