You Can Pray Like a Prayer Warrior (pt. 2)

Praying in a way that impacts our world is not just for the super-spiritual. I’m not even sure who the super-spriitual are. God wants to engage with every-day Christ-followers like you. He wants you to be a man or woman of prayer. And you can be.

If you didn't catch my last post, you may want to read it now before this one. This is part two.

I’ve learned that prayer is similar to many other things in life, it’s hard to be effective without a plan. That’s where a prayer list is helpful. It provides that plan. Here are some things in my prayer life that I have learned enable me to be consistent and effective in praying.

• Set aside a time. Just like anything else, if you don't make an appointment, if you don't set aside the time and be committed to it, your good intentions will accomplish nothing. Decide now when you are going to do this and put it in your appointment calendar (it’s in my Smartphone calendar) and don’t allow things to get in the way.
• Find a place. Jesus talked about having a prayer room and entering it to pray. There is something special about a place you go to, or a chair you use, that you only use for prayer. Having a place like this puts you in that frame of mind just by entering it. It will become your “God and I place” that is special for meeting him. It really makes a difference. Try it.
• Use a list. I gave the benefits of this in the last post, and I hope it convinced you. Besides the stack of weekly prayer cards I receive from church attenders, I have a list that is synced between my phone, iPad, and computer. 

To keep you focused on God first, as you are praying, and to keep your priorities right, this helpful acrostic that I use can guide your list and allow you to pray through much of it even when you cannot refer to it, such as when you are driving. It’s the easy-to-remember acrostic, "PRAY".

P – Praise & thanksgiving – Use this time to worship God for his greatness and to thank Him for His goodness to you. 

R – Repent – Confess any known sin and ask God to forgive you and to gain victory.

A – Another – Pray for the needs of others. Keep a list of requests and people you are committed to pray for.

Y – Yourself – Don’t be afraid to go to God for your needs and the desires of your heart.

Praying like a prayer warrior is not only for saints of old or the super spiritual high and mighty. You are God’s child. He wants to spend time with you. He wants to hear from you. He wants you to be a man or woman of prayer.