03-28-2021, 06:30 AM
Prayer, some things I've learned over time about it, as I was talking to someone, bringing back things to her memory.
1 - I always ask the Father to wash me in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb and forgive me if I've done things wrong against Him.
So I can
Heb 4
[16b] ...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2 - My prayers seem to get stronger and way more focused when I ask the Lord to put the prayers into my heart that He would have me to pray and to bring them out by His Holy Spirit as I don't always know what to pray for. This seems to help me to focus on God in the heavens and Jesus at His side.
Roman 8
[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Proverbs 3
[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In the simplest things I want God in my life directing me. The children of Israel were tricked by the inhabitants of Gibeon:
Josh 9
[4] They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
The children looked at everything the strangers had, it all appeared old, why ask God, it was simple, they could see with their eyes it was old, go ahead and make an agreement with them, and so they were deceived by the people of Gibeon, they leaned to their own understanding.
I've found that even though everything looks fine and dandy, best to be like Nehemiah and go to the Lord immediately and ask help of Him.
3 - I try to empty my mind of all thoughts / thinking of everything that would take my mind off the Lord in the heavens and distract me.
2 Cor 10
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
The devil loves to get us thinking about what we are going to do after our pray time with the Lord; maybe thinking about a person; something that happened in our past or something someone did or said; or whatever will take your mind off God. You fill in the blank, it doesn't matter how he tricks you and takes your mind off God, he just wants to steal your attention, destroy your power in God and in the end kill your soul or any good you might do because he's destroyed one of the fundamental cornerstones of your spiritual life, focus on God especially when praying.
How many times have I started doing something, dishes and thinking I'll use this time to talk to the Lord, 'praise you Father, thank you Father, praise yo.........', 15 minutes later I'm done with the dishes and I don't remember really talking with my Father. I remember thinking about what I'll do afterwards, maybe what happened at work or what someone said, doesn't matter, my mind was distracted and the devil stole my thoughts and focus after only a few seconds it seemed. He doesn't care how he gets you, as long as he gets you.
Ecc 11
[3] If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
Whether you fall towards the north or the south, in the place you fall there you are, FALLEN.
The mind is the final battle ground and the devil try’s to steal your understanding, and that's your understanding during prayer of the GREATNESS OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
When a scribe asked Jesus what is the 1st commandment, Jesus said,
Mark 12
[28] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
[29] And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
To which the scribe answered Jesus
[32] And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
[33] And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength,
The scribe substituted the word 'understanding' for the word 'mind' which Jesus used, and Jesus said to him,
[34] And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
So with your understanding focused on the Father when you pray, directed to God, this is what is pleasing to our Father, and it's a fight sometimes all the time to maintain that focus.
1 Cor
[15] What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
4 - Start your prayer with praising and thanking the Lord, focusing on Him.
Psalms 100
[4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Praising and thanking God, putting your understanding on Him, your focus on Him when we come into His presence in prayer, acknowledging Him that we need Him and His leading when we asking Him to put the prayers into our hearts and bring them out by His Holy Spirit. By asking Him for help He will give it, Jesus said, 'ask, and ye shall receive'.
These are some things I've learned / experienced, and by no means is it meant to be a guide for prayer. But I learned these things and wanted to share it.
I hope it may be edifying to anyone who reads it.
1 - I always ask the Father to wash me in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb and forgive me if I've done things wrong against Him.
So I can
Heb 4
[16b] ...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2 - My prayers seem to get stronger and way more focused when I ask the Lord to put the prayers into my heart that He would have me to pray and to bring them out by His Holy Spirit as I don't always know what to pray for. This seems to help me to focus on God in the heavens and Jesus at His side.
Roman 8
[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Proverbs 3
[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In the simplest things I want God in my life directing me. The children of Israel were tricked by the inhabitants of Gibeon:
Josh 9
[4] They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
The children looked at everything the strangers had, it all appeared old, why ask God, it was simple, they could see with their eyes it was old, go ahead and make an agreement with them, and so they were deceived by the people of Gibeon, they leaned to their own understanding.
I've found that even though everything looks fine and dandy, best to be like Nehemiah and go to the Lord immediately and ask help of Him.
3 - I try to empty my mind of all thoughts / thinking of everything that would take my mind off the Lord in the heavens and distract me.
2 Cor 10
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
The devil loves to get us thinking about what we are going to do after our pray time with the Lord; maybe thinking about a person; something that happened in our past or something someone did or said; or whatever will take your mind off God. You fill in the blank, it doesn't matter how he tricks you and takes your mind off God, he just wants to steal your attention, destroy your power in God and in the end kill your soul or any good you might do because he's destroyed one of the fundamental cornerstones of your spiritual life, focus on God especially when praying.
How many times have I started doing something, dishes and thinking I'll use this time to talk to the Lord, 'praise you Father, thank you Father, praise yo.........', 15 minutes later I'm done with the dishes and I don't remember really talking with my Father. I remember thinking about what I'll do afterwards, maybe what happened at work or what someone said, doesn't matter, my mind was distracted and the devil stole my thoughts and focus after only a few seconds it seemed. He doesn't care how he gets you, as long as he gets you.
Ecc 11
[3] If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
Whether you fall towards the north or the south, in the place you fall there you are, FALLEN.
The mind is the final battle ground and the devil try’s to steal your understanding, and that's your understanding during prayer of the GREATNESS OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
When a scribe asked Jesus what is the 1st commandment, Jesus said,
Mark 12
[28] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
[29] And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
To which the scribe answered Jesus
[32] And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
[33] And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength,
The scribe substituted the word 'understanding' for the word 'mind' which Jesus used, and Jesus said to him,
[34] And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
So with your understanding focused on the Father when you pray, directed to God, this is what is pleasing to our Father, and it's a fight sometimes all the time to maintain that focus.
1 Cor
[15] What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
4 - Start your prayer with praising and thanking the Lord, focusing on Him.
Psalms 100
[4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Praising and thanking God, putting your understanding on Him, your focus on Him when we come into His presence in prayer, acknowledging Him that we need Him and His leading when we asking Him to put the prayers into our hearts and bring them out by His Holy Spirit. By asking Him for help He will give it, Jesus said, 'ask, and ye shall receive'.
These are some things I've learned / experienced, and by no means is it meant to be a guide for prayer. But I learned these things and wanted to share it.
I hope it may be edifying to anyone who reads it.