Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart (Colossians 4:2, NLT).
Confession: After 52 years of praying on a regular basis, sometimes I feel that God isn’t listening, and I have difficulty finding His presence.
When I get frustrated with my prayers, I can blame God and develop a lethargy in my praying.
I begin praying without expectation of answers. Routine without life.
God is perfect and loves me, so I assume the trough in my praying is either God strengthening my faith or challenging an area in my life that hinders my prayers.
I find that checking the three areas below helps rejuvenate my praying.
First: Seek first the Kingdom of God
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).
List five current specific prayers, then ask this question, “Is this seeking first the Kingdom of God?” We fall into routines of asking according to our complaints or pain rather than requests that further His Kingdom.
Second: Consider your flesh
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and power plays. These are not from the Father, but are from this world (1 John 2:16).
The flesh works through lust of the flesh (physical pleasure), materialism or a desire to possess (craving for what we see), and pride (what we achieve and our control of things in our lives).
A significant portion of our despair comes from not getting or having our expectations met. If these desires are based upon lust or pride, and we ask God for something with impure motives, we will wallow in unanswered prayers.
Third: Ask according to calling
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God (Ephesians 4:1).
Do you know your calling?
Asking while walking the narrow path of God’s will releases His power, peace, and provision.
God wants to answer your prayers. His calling in your life has been designed before creation. Finding this calling by seeking first His Kingdom and refusing life choices based upon lust and pride will enable great requests.
One, two, and three prayer boosters for 2023!
Also, the best book that I have read on prayer is Paul Miller’s, A Praying Life …
When Jesus describes the intimacy he wants with us, he talks about joining us for dinner. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). A praying life feels like our family mealtimes because prayer is all about relationship.
A fourth way to boost prayers in 2023 would be reading A Praying Life.