A common question and issue for many is prayer how to pray and how to receive answered prayer. Some do the Lords prayer and recite it others get on their knees to pray others still don't even know how to pray they feel awkward doing it like their talking to air and others still only pray sometimes or when things get rough and mostly ask for things.
But I want to give some insight into prayer as to what is how we should do it and what we should see it as. Prayer itself if I were to describe in different terms I wouldn't call it asking him for stuff or lifting up our issues I would rather describe it as a conversation between us and God. Notice how in a conversation it is called a conversation only when the two ppl are talking to each others not one person talking and the other not listening or responding.
of course God encourages us to bring our problems to him to ask for anything we need but true prayer is when we talk to him as if he is our closest friend, he wants to talk with us about everything about all kinds of subjects about all the details of our life our thoughts our feelings he is literally our diary. He wants us to be able to speak to him as someone we can always go to and trust with our deepest thoughts and feelings and problems knowing that he never looks down on us with judgement never shakes his head in shame or disappointment he even would rather us be angry at him and express that anger to him than to hide it and pretend it isn't there because he sees it regardless he wants you to be able to be brutely honest with him without fearing lightning strikes.
Most people have no idea how happy he becomes from hearing the voice of his child, whenever you speak to him his heart leaps for joy his face brightens and glows he longs to hear from you he craves a deep and intimate relationship with you. You wouldn't think something as simple as speaking to him would make him that happy but I an promise you it does. And when you begin to speak to him like the closest and most trusted friend and when he becomes your dairy and becomes who you know you can confide in without fear or judgement even when you have the most sinful things then you begin to be able to hear back from him, maybe not a voice in your head or an audio voice but you will feel him mending your inner wounds you can sometimes feel a warmth come over you can sometimes feel him wash you with his love and when you think of him you no longer see a face of judgement or him shaking his head in shame or disappointment but a face of warmth of encouragement of love.
You are so very wise grasshopper
You are absolutely right, 100%. God's deal with Adam was I'll walk with you, talk with you, lend you an ear and offer advice - but what you say, Adam, that's what goes. It was very much a friendship-oriented relationship, with God giving us the authority and providing us mentorship and guidance in using it. That was lost in the fall, but restored by Christ - and is available now thru the Holy Spirit. Every word, every thought is part of your life's prayer, in this life's effort to import the Kingdom of God into this world. He hears every single one, after all, so why not make every single one in some way offered to Him?
That is prayer bringing God's world into ours. But there's also prayer that transports our world into His. This is more concerted prayer, dedicated to the purpose of our approaching His Throne. Following Jesus' example, one starts by praising Him, and thanking Him for the things He's granted us, including and especially the ability to bring our world into His presence. I often thank Him for the Blood of His Son, the only means by which I am able to come before Him. I ask Him to cleanse me, to purify and wash me, and not just me but the place(s) I occupy, confessing my wrongs and forgiving others, and in that being freed of them and removing barriers I bring to the table. I ask for strength, guidance, wisdom, and all those things I'm not wise enough to even know of. I might even do some silencing and casting out of things at this point. I find this point to be one of strength, and one where the enemy is not as willing to hang on. They don't like being dragged before God's Throne, after all. And that's the first half to this kind of prayer, cleansing and purifying yourself and your space, to uplift and bring it before the Throne.
Then it's needs. Lay yours at His feet. Lay your friends before Him. Lift up situations to Him. Pray in the Spirit, that you may speak and intercede in and to mysteries you know nothing about. Don't be shy, He knows all this stuff from your daily walks anyway. This is your chance to confirm these things in the environment of His Throne, instead of the environment of this world.
Then, thank Him. Thank Him for allowing you to come to Him, thank Him for listening, thank Him for answers to previous prayers and thank Him for expectations of His answer(s) to this one. It's a whole 'nother subject, but whether and how we thank Him DOES have a bearing on our receiving His answers. Then thank Him most of all, and seal it, by confessing the Name of His Son, sacrificed to give us the place to do and seek and ask all these things.
Matthew 6:9
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as
it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Every thought we have, every word we speak, everything we do is heard and seen by God. He walks with us in this world and thus our entire lives are our prayer to Him. But there are times we need to specifically enter His world, and there is specific prayer for that as well. May they both be on our hearts and lips always!
