HEART PREPARATION BEFORE INTERCESSION

One of the areas that the devil has deceived believers is in the area of the importance of prayer, many of course have never been Biblically Discipled and have never had anyone walk with them until prayer becomes a lifestyle.
Related to this deception is sadly the common attitude that having a “QUIET TIME” is old hat, and so they say when you are driving for example slip up a prayer if you need too. My response is it is not either or, but both, as prayer must be constant   in our hearts, remember Paul said PRAY WITHOUT CEASING  1 Thessalonians 5:17
What I want to share with you today, and I trust it will greatly help is that we must”

PREPAARE OUR HEARTS BEFORE WE SPEND TIME IN INTERCESSION.

Before I spend time in prayer for others, I spend considerable time preparing my heart to do so. This is what I do.

1. I pray King David’s prayer in Psalm 139: 23-24 NKJV Search me O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.    I want to make sure there is no unconfessed sin in my heart because again the psalmist says in Psalm 66:18 NKJV I I regard (have) sin in my heart THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR.
2. I cannot remember all  my sins so I list all my possible sins  in thought, in word, in action, in reaction, any sins of omission, or things said and done, not in faith  (but in doubt, fear and unbelief) any mixture in my motives and attitudes) or any wilful sins, If I have violated  God’s will, His Way or His Word, I pray GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER, and claim on the basis of the finished work of Christ His forgiveness. The assurance quickly comes there is now nothing between me and the Lord, and I know IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL Hallelujah
3. I specifically re-affirm Christ’s Lordship over my life Romans 12:1) and constantly and regularly present my body to the Lord, and ask the Lord to re-fill the House, and let the Holy Spirit have complete control over my life.
4. I then take the Psalmist’s words very seriously in Psalm 100:4 I enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  I spend time considering what was  being depicted at the brazen altar, and thank the Lord, he became our Lamb, I consider the cleansing power of the Word of God as depicted in the brazen laver, I then thank God for the third cleansing power expressed in the oil and flame of the lampstand and the illumination  the Holy Spirit gives me in the Word of God. I then thank God for the food to make me grow as expressed in the manna, then I thank God for the privilege of prayer as expressed in the altar of incense, then push through the veil of my fears and doubts and laziness and bow down and worship the Lord in the Spirit and in truth.
5. MY HEART IS PREPARED AND NOW I AM READY TO SPEND TIME IN INTERCESSION
6. I happen to have a  list of things I THANK the Lord for, and a PRAISE LIST.  and a very long of matters I intercede to the Lord about.
7. DON’T BE IN A HURRY  HEART PREPARATION IS IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE ESSENTIAL.
8. Let me remind you of what I believe are the eight (8) ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO DAILY PRAYER. 1. Confession & Repentance 2. Reaffirming Christ’s Lordship, 3 Thanksgiving, . Praise, 5. Worship, 6, Intercession, 7. Petition (prayers for yourself) please note 7 not no. 1.   8. Listening.
9. CAN YOU BELIEVE FOR AN OPEN HEAVEN ?