BASIC MILITARY TRAINING FOR THE BELIEVER (15)
I believe if we are going to get the best results out of a developing prayer life, we must recognise there are ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS, and without some of these essentials our prayer life will be limited. This is not a formula, but you will soon see the importance of following an order.I have written on these ingredients before, and if you require further clarification, please feel free to email me.
8 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO PRAYER
We read in Psalm 66:18 NLT If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
PASSION Yet if I had closed my eyes to my sin, The Lord would have closed His ears to my prayer.
MESSAGE If I had been cozy with evil, The Lord would not have listened.
So we need to commence by clearing the decks of any unconfessed sin.
- CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
My problem is I cannot remember all my sons, so I pray 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 wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting
Then I list all my potential sins
In Thought, in word, in action, in reaction, sins of omission James 4:17, those things that are not of faith Rom.14:23, In my motives & attitudes, any presumptuous sins, any violations of God’s will, His Way, His Word, and if I have let any “little foxes spoil the nines (stop the flow of the Spirit) Song of Solomon 2:15.
I am sure there is some repetition there, but I want to make sure every sin has been covered. I say God be merciful to me a sinner and thank God he is always true to His name, to forgive us 1 John 1:9 AMP. N.T. and receive His forgiveness and cleansing.
2. SURRENDER Rom. 12:1
We must do this constantly, offering Him everything, Mind, will, emotions, our drives and senses.
3.THANKSGIVING Psalm 100:4
develop an attitude of gratitude
4.PRAISE Psalm 100:4
We have so much to thank and praise the Lord (make a list if you need too.
5.WORSHIP John 4:23
6. INTERCESSION
7.PETITION
1-5 are all about you and the LORD, 6 is about OTHERS, 7 is about YOU
8.LISTENING
I recommend you do not open your Bibles until you have prepared your heart first.
THERE ARE 4 WAYS TO APPROACH THE WORD OF GOD.
1.Read it
2.Study it
3. Meditate on it Josh. 1:7-8
4. Expect God to speak to you, and let it be a come a Rhema Word.
If you have a Prayer Language, throughout these 8 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS, do as Paul suggests pray in the spirit, let the Holy Spirit pray through you (Rom. 8:26) it edifies you 1 Cor.14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,
These 8 essential ingredients are essential in our growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and deepening our intimacy with Him, and will help us develop that inner strength that is required so that we can PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD,
Eph. 6:11 NLT Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
Let us order our private world and like Jesus and meet with our heavenly Father at the beginning of the day. Have you ever read this poem?
I met God in the morning,
When my day was at its best
And His presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.
All day long the Presence lingered;
All day long He stayed with me;
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind.
When I too had loosed the moorings
With the Presence left behind.
So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day.
Ralph Spaulding Cushman
