Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

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Have you ever wondered how powerful prayer is? I mean, have you sat down and really considered whether or not Philippians 4:6-7 is applicable to 21st century Christianity?

I have.

You see, I grew up in the Church but never fully understood the spiritual power a praying Christian carries.

In truth, from things I saw in the Church community, sometimes the prayer chain was just an opportunity for people to gossip or slander Church members who opened up about their needs.

There was no way I wanted part in that kind of foolishness!

So, I learned to keep quiet and not get involved in prayer – even though I really needed it. And, I stopped participating in my family’s prayer times because I just didn’t believe God wanted to know what was going on in my life.

Prayer always has a beginning.

After college, a beloved Pastor gifted me a daily prayer book that spanned 365 days. It was such a lifeline! God really used it to bring me to a place of speaking daily with Him and letting go of the ways in which others abused prayer in the past.

So why start an online movement geared towards building up prayer in others?

Simply because I’ve stumbled through my own spiritual desert of a prayerless life, and after much hard work with God, I am now walking in the abundance of a lush prayerfilled life.

Spiritually speaking, we have such a powerful tool in our possession. But it does us no good unless we pick up that tool and get praying.

At times, we may fail to use it because of …

• Disregard. When I was in college, the only available time I had for prayer was when I needed my old car to start. Sometimes we can get so busy in our hectic lives that we forget to set aside time and really make sure we are praying to Him. Set aside 7 minutes every morning and just pray to Him (it really is that easy!).
• Disrespect. Sadly, I lost valuable time with God trying to tell Him how I wanted prayer to work on my terms. Usually, we human beings like to determine the destination and outcome we are pursuing in life. We carry over into our prayer life our own reliance on human: strength, understanding, planning and abilities. Stop telling Him how it should be and just start praying.
• Distractions. I am like so many other people in that I struggle to keep social media alerts and smart phones quiet while spending time with Him. In truth, it reached a point where it drove me crazy! Satan would come along and offer up tempting options that seemed to be more pleasing than spending time in prayer. However, following those distractions only landed me in a place of discouragement and even despair. So, I learned to silence all electronic devices and take time to settle into a quiet place that is guaranteed to have little to no distractions.

Why should we continue to wander in a spiritual desert when a powerful tool of God is so readily within our grasp?

Sweet friends, allow me to challenge you to take time to incorporate prayer into your spiritual journey with God. After all, we know not what prayer is capable of accomplishing in our lives.

Heavenly Father, I thank You so much that I have access to Your throne room through the sacrifices made by Your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank You for Your mercies which are new every morning. Ultimately, Father, I am so grateful to have prayer so that I can talk with You whenever I am in need. Please bring resources and other believers across my path that will help me in my journey towards a lush and vibrant prayer life. I thank You in advance. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen!

“It’s easy to compromise when people are waiting for you to act. Determine that no matter the pressure, no matter the cost, no matter the delay, you will act only when your response honors God. Never compromise your integrity to satisfy others.

In the passage of 1 Samuel 13, Saul lost his kingdom because he disobeyed God. He was pressured to act before all his men deserted. Lack of patience cost him everything. The lesson is to obey God’s command in all circumstances. Wait on the Lord; seek him for your next move, no matter how simple.  Don’t be hasty.

Scriptures to support waiting on the Lord Psalm 27 and Psalm 37:5-7.”

Matthew 6:10 (ABPEV) Let your Kingdom come, let your will be done also in the earth, just as it is in Heaven.

What type of relationship do you want with God? Do you want to be flirting on the outer courts or do you want oneness where you commune with God? Think?

Oneness with God means that self/flesh has to be slain. Self/Flesh cannot stand in the presence of God. Therefore it takes chiseling to be more like Jesus. Let’s look at the meaning for the word chisel: a wedgelike tool with a cutting edge at the end of the blade, often made of steel, used for cutting or shaping wood, stone, etc.

The process to be more like Jesus is hard. It takes full submission in every way. God is in control and whatever is done must be done to him for his glory. If oneness is what you want, let’s obey as he chisel and self/flesh be crucified. Let thy will be done in us today.

Psalm 37:5-9 (NKJV)

⁵Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. ⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. ⁹For evil men will be cut off; but those who wait upon the LORD will inherit the land.

“God’s people will receive “what they want” as they trust God, submit their lives to him and be joyful in serving him. Our assignment or our purpose is found at the intersection of God’s plan and our passion. In other words, what gives you pleasure when you do it? What is God calling you today to do? What do you really enjoy doing and when doing it, there is a strong connection. Ask a mentor, a leader, a pastor or ask a Godly friend for advice? Discover purpose and use your spiritual gifts to glorify God.  In doing this you will find true satisfaction in serving Him.”

Cross references:

1. Psalm 37:5 : Ps 4:5
2. Psalm 37:6 : Ps 18:24; 103:17; 112:3
3. Psalm 37:6 : S Job 11:17
4. Psalm 37:7 : S Ex 14:14; S Isa 41:1
5. Psalm 37:7 : S Ps 27:14; 40:1; 130:5; Isa 38:13; Hab 3:16; Ro 8:25
6. Psalm 37:7 : ver 1
7. Psalm 37:7 : Jer 12:1
8. Psalm 37:7 : Ps 21:11; 26:10; 119:150
9. Psalm 37:8 : Eph 4:31; Col 3:8
10. Psalm 37:8 : ver 1
11. Psalm 37:9 : S Ps 31:22; 101:8; 118:10; Pr 2:22
12. Psalm 37:9 : Isa 25:9; 26:8; 40:31; 49:23; 51:5
13. Psalm 37:9 : ver 22; Ps 25:13; Isa 49:8; 57:13; Mt 5:5

Prayer Requests.