Effective Prayers

If there is one thing we hear often it’s “I don’t know how to pray”. The beautiful thing about prayer is that you don’t need a degree, you don’t need to be a pastor or have studied theology. What you do need is a heart that understands that when you SPEAK God listens!

There is an account in the bible where Jesus in fact teaches us how to pray. As Jesus was teaching the thousands of people listening that day how to pray he begins by encouraging us that prayer is not meant to be full of big words, or complicated phrases, rather our prayers are a beautiful conversation for an audience of ONE – The Lord.

In the Old Testament, the only way to speak to God was through a priest in the temple. Jump forward to today, Jesus has now replaced the high priests, which means we have full access to speak to the Lord, and don’t need any human intervention to do so.

The Lords prayer is a very well known and well recited prayer. I can remember as a child this prayer was always recited. Whether it was at school, church or at a memorial service, this prayer has become an anchor in the christian faith. When we actually understand that every single line of the prayer has a purpose and a function for our daily lives, rather than a ‘feel good’ prayer, then it changes the way we pray.

The prayer has now shifted to a warfare declaration! Jesus knew what He was talking about, and He knew that we needed to speak certain things over our days.

He says “This is how you then should pray” –

The first thing Jesus taught was to worship his father. Above all else, this should be the FIRST posture of our hearts. Declaring how great and wonderful the one and only God is.

The word ‘hallowed’ means:

1 – to regard as special (sacred), i.e. holy (“set apart”), 

2 – to sanctify (hagios) = “to make holy, consecrate, sanctify;

3- to dedicate

4- to separate

We are declaring that the LORD is in the rightful place of authority in the heavenly realm and that we place ourselves under His authority in holy submission as we have a revelation of who He is.

There is no end to how much we can praise the Lord. Whether it’s in song, whether it’s in declaration of our speech – it’s all praise and worship.

The Lord has already established the days we are living in. They have already been written in the scrolls/book records of heaven. In the book of Daniel in the Old Testament (Daniel 7:10), it is recorded that “the courts were seated, and the books were opened”. The heavens have a court system just like we do on earth. The heavenly courts have a judge who is the LORD. The LORD renders the verdicts of each case presented to him which is subject to the law. In this case, the law is the will of the LORD, it’s what God has already spoken both in the heavenlies and upon the earth realm.

When we pray this phrase, we acknowledge that God has written about our days and what He has written about our destiny must be activated and released over us.

The Lord has storehouses in heaven that are full of provisions for our daily needs.

Deuteronomy 28:12 says “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure” – this word treasure means ‘Storehouse’.

When we pray to God to give us our daily bread, we are declaring the release of His divine provision to come into our hands. His divine provisions are those things which we can’t create when there is a natural lack. He knows what is needed before we even pray, we just need to speak forward the releasing from heaven.

When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God released Manna from the storehouse of heaven. It was a sweet wafer like piece of bread that fell from heaven every morning. Just one piece gave them the very nutrients they needed each day so they wouldn’t starve and die (Exodus 16). God wants to daily give us the things we need.

Be bold and begin to speak forward those things which you are in need of.

Forgiveness releases us and sets us free. Jesus died so we are released from sin and the grave. When we ask the Lord to forgive us, we acknowledge that we have fallen short and have stepped away from his will. Whether by sin, disobedience or the choices we make, we aren’t perfect and have allowed things to seperate us from God.

When we ask for forgiveness, that separation is erased by the blood of Jesus. The Word says, the effects of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

When things happen to us that we have no control over, whether it is an abuse, a trauma, a relationship breakdown, our bodies retain the memory of those things, not only mental pictures but also physical damage to our cells and circulatory system. When we forgive those who have wronged us we are essentially clearing our soul of the effects of the trauma on both a spiritual and natural level.

Satan will use sin and unforgiveness as a way to bring an account over you in the courts of heaven. That is why it’s so important to forgive and to be forgiven – it silences the accusations that Satan will attempt to slander you with.

God does not lead us towards and into temptation, that is the work of Satan’s cohorts, the powers and principalities of evil on this earth.

James 1:13-14 says; ‘Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.‘

God fights for us, He also gives us the weapons to stand against the enemies schemes and attacks (Ephesians 6). The angel armies are also on your side, ready to be released as you command them to do so.

James 1:12-16 says,

‘Blessed is the one who endures temptation; for when they have been approved, they will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him… Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived.‘

1 Peter 5:8 says ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour’

As you pray, declare that you are alert and vigilant and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you area’s that may have become prey for the enemy.

Ephesians 6:12 says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

When we pray with an understanding of the spiritual realm around us, we have a better grasp of what is coming against us. God has all power and authority over Satan.

Jesus’ death and resurrection brought us victory and gave us the dominion over every power, principality and rulers of darkness.

Declare that it’s HIS kingdom, it’s HIS power and HIS glory!

Praying changes everything in your world!

The prayer that Jesus taught us above, unlocks for us powerful revelations on how to defeat the enemy and how to become victorious! Don’t be intimidated with how others pray.

Use the guide above as you begin to structure your prayer life.

Every morning this prayer is the first thing I pray. With each section I decree the words of Jesus first, then I begin to add those things that are present in my world that align to each section.

Remember…