The In's and Out's of Prayer (The Basics)

I go to a ministry school called Mission Baltimore.  It is a school fully dedicated to the gospel of Christ and molding Christians into future leaders in the field of ministry.  So, it should come as no surprise  that we are always learning new things.  Sometimes it can be something complex that I really have to pull apart and other times it is the simplest of things that make the biggest impact in our minds.

During our Prayer 101 class this week (a class that teaches us the vastness of what prayer really is)  I learned 4 reasons why people don't pray.

4 Reasons People Don't Pray

1. People are not sure HOW to pray
2. They get easily bored or distracted when trying to pray due to the Enemy (Satan)
3. They think that their request is too SMALL for God (This comes from a lack of biblical perspective of who they are in Christ)
4. They are not sure their prayers will make a difference

Prayer is simply communicating with God.  Talking to God should be an intimate conversation with our Lord and Savior.  Conversation here meaning that it should go two ways.  Yes you pray to Him but there should also be silence for you to listen to His still small voice speak to you through his Holy Spirit.

Ways God Speaks

• Prayer
• Church
• Bible
• Circumstance

Something important to remember is that other people can become your gods.  Yes, OTHER people can separate us from the goal and God's love.  We tend to think that only objects and activities can become our Idols but that is untrue.  If you talk and spend time with other people more than you spend time with God you are making them your idols or gods.  You are potentially just praying to them instead of God.  Remember!  If you cut even one of these off, you are cutting off one channel God uses to speak to you!

Definitely something to chew on.  Take these last 4 ways to communicate with God and see if it changes your prayer life.

4 Simple Ways to Communicate With God

1. Talk to God with gut-level honesty
2. Talk to God about everything
3. Talk to God continually
4. Listen for his response