Are You Still Praying Boring Prayers?

Boring prayers or power-packed prayers ... the choice is yours!

Ps 119.105

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

How would you describe the type of prayer you pray most often - boring or powerful prayers? It's up to you what type of prayers you pray!

This means that you can completely transform your prayer life from being boring to being filled with power and authority. What will you choose?

A successful life and ministry begin and end with prayer. Success and victory are impossible without prayer. Without the support of prayer, we cannot accomplish anything as a ministry.

It is easy to understand why Moses said what he did in Exodus 33.15 - If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 

Without the presence of God, he knew he could do nothing.

There is a big difference between list prayers and prophecy prayers. Do you know what the difference is?

A LIST PRAYER is when you list prayer topics and pray them repeatedly. 

This can be very helpful, especially if one does not know what to pray about. You might also find it useful for guiding your attention and staying on track.

It may, however, become mechanical and boring. I also refer to it as "grocery list prayers". In effect, it is like telling God what you need and want, ticking them off, and there you have it. The duty is done. 

I have tried praying through prayer lists - but without much success. It becomes really boring to me, to be honest.  It's almost like eating a flavourless meal; it fills me up, but it doesn't bring much pleasure! 👀 

Is it just me who feels this way, or can you relate? Personally, I prefer the following:

PROPHETIC PRAYER, also known as Spirit-driven prayer, is a  form of prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. 

Praying in the Holy Spirit refers to following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  There is no specific prayer program to follow from the beginning.  During prayer, it is the Holy Spirit who guides you on what to pray for next. While praying, you are all the time listening to God's voice and waiting for His guidance.

A list prayer may appear simpler at first - just pray through your list and then you're done. Prophetic prayer, on the other hand, requires time, patience, and faith. 

Prayer that follows Holy Spirit's leading is far more exciting than praying for the things we think we should pray for.

For instance, you may start out praying for your friend's physical healing, but then Holy Spirit shifts your focus and leads to you pray for their emotional healing instead.

Our God Himself provides help when we pray

Thankfully, we don't have to figure this out on our own. 

I would like to point you to Romans 8.26: Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Honestly, we have no clue what to pray for. Thanks be to God, He gave us His precious Holy Spirit to guide us. 

In case you have never practised this type of prayer before, here are several steps you can follow to get started right away.

How to start praying prophetic prayers

1. MAKE TIME FOR PRAYER. Don't rush through your prayer time. Respect God's timing and His ways. Trying to fit prayer time between your two favourite TV shows won't work! Let God have the best time of your day, even if that means waking up earlier! You won't regret it.

2. WAIT. Yes, wait on God! We can't box Him into our little programs and expect Him to obey. Wait on Him. Worship Him. Praise Him. Be silent before Him. Waiting on God is a sign of respect and honour.

3. BEGIN BY ASKING GOD WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO PRAY ABOUT. In essence, you are seeking to discover what Father's thoughts are on the matter you are praying about. The whole point is for us to pray with God and not for Him to pray with us.

4. LISTEN. Don't expect to hear a loud voice. Watch for the soft prompting on the inside - may be an idea ... a thought ... a picture ... you suddenly remember something or someone ... a desire. Since God is spirit, He communicates with us through our spirits. Pay attention to what you hear on the inside.

5. ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE YOU AS YOU PRAY. In terms of the what, the how, the where, and the how often, He will guide you. You just need to be obedient and follow His lead.  God has a plan in mind, and He will guide you in the direction of that plan if you are willing to listen. 

6. KEEP A PRAYER JOURNAL. This is extremely important to me. Writing down what you think you hear helps to clarify your thoughts and ideas.  It allows you to easily review and reflect on them later.  I often go back in my journals and then I'm surprised to see what God spoke to my spirit earlier. We can't remember everything He says. Writing everything down will greatly benefit you in the long run.

Prayer assignment

• Spend time meditating on the scripture references [Exodus 33.15 & Romans 8.26]. 

• Start praying prophetic prayers by applying the above steps. 
  

• Pay particular attention to number 6 -  Journaling.  I found a video on YouTube that might inspire you. 
  

• As a result, you'll begin to recognize what Holy Spirit's voice sounds like when it speaks to you.

May God bless you richly!

Until next time...

Stef Espag

---