How direct and to the point are your prayer requests to God? In general, when we pray, we ask for our protection, for God to bless us and others, for His will to be done and for us to hear His voice. No wonder we might sometimes feel God does not answer our prayers! He does protect and bless us, and we do hear His voice, but as time goes by we come to feel frustrated that specific things in our lives do not change.
Take a moment to think about it. Are you specific in your requests to God? I was recently touched by a comment by a well-known writer; I read through the vague requests in my prayer journal, and I wondered where my confidence had gone. Do I still trust God like I once did? She started out an IMPOSSIBLE PRAYERS list and because she felt embarrassed to ask God for these things, she hid her list in her Bible after writing it. Almost a year later, the list one day fell out from the back flap of her Bible. To her surprise, God had in the meantime taken care of most of the items and those still ‘outstanding’ already showed remarkable progress since she had made the list. She then, with her husband, began to pray persistently about those issues, and of course, added new prayer requests to the list!
From time to time it is necessary to reconcile your prayer life practically and ask God for renewed intervention. These are a few ideas on what you can do to put the fire back into your prayer life and your faith in God.
1. TIME OUT
Take time out to consider the current condition of your prayer life. Be honest and speak to God about it. Also confess any unbelief and negligence on your part to trust and ask Him for specific things.
2. NOTEBOOK OUT
Take a piece of paper or card and write at the top, IMPOSSIBLE PRAYERS. You can also consider getting a ‘Prayer Request Notebook’, just for your IMPOSSIBLE PRAYERS.
3. WORRIES OUT
Now take time to list your ten biggest worries and desperately needed miracles, leaving some open spaces in between. Remember, none of the things you have listed are too hard for God. It might take a while for Him to answer some requests. The answer may also come in a surprisingly different way, but He will answer each one of them. The answer may also come when you least expect it!
4. REQUESTS OUT
In the open spaces between your requests, write down specific things about each point. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you promises from the Bible that you can add here and pray over the different pointers.
5. EASY TO TAKE OUT
Put the list in your Bible or in a place where you have easy access to it.
6. LEAVE NOTHING OUT
Make sure you take some time as often as you can to pray over each pointer. You do not have to spend an hour on each, but it is of value to cover all of them as often as possible.
7. CUT DISCOURAGEMENT OUT
When you become discouraged, consider asking your spouse or a trusted friend to pray over these issues with you.
8. ANSWERS OUT
As God begins to answer your prayers, write down what happened and list the details of each answer God gave.
9. SHOUT IT OUT
You will be surprised how God is working in the lives of others and your own continually! Take time to give thanks to the Lord for every prayer request that He answers. Also give thanks to Him as you begin to see the breakthrough coming.
10. TESTIFY
Remember to testify when there is an answer to a specific prayer. In this way you will encourage others to begin praying for specific issues in their own lives.
