The first of the Seven Habits of a Godly Life that I would like to talk to you about is A LIFE OF PRAYER. Jesus himself had a life of prayer. It was the most important thing to Him to talk to the Father.
Mark 1:35-37 Luke 4:42-43
Prayer is an important, life-giving spiritual discipline, and it’s a gift! It’s the gift of having God’s ear.
“Prayer is not about getting my will done in heaven. It is about linking up hands with God and getting His will done on earth.” – Daniel Fusco
In Luke 11 the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray like He did – talking personally to the Heavenly Father.
Every day you sense the need, the desire, the joy, and the awesome power that comes through praying and talking to the Father. Not because you sense a habit or need but because you love God and want to talk to Him.
“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” – Jeremiah 29:12
Prayer is a means of drawing near to God – interacting with Him – through communication.
Prayer is done by those who trust the power of word and thought. Jesus taught people to say the Lord’s Prayer. Prayer can be spoken, silent (no talking), or in a song. It can be used to praise God or to ask for something including help and forgiveness.
You can’t live a Godly life unless you have a good prayer life – because a prayer life keeps you connected to the Almighty God, sensing His will and direction for your life. It’s the most important activity in your life. It’s powerful in every single area of life.
In an impactful moment, Charles Stanley shared of the time God impressed on him that “Whatever you accomplish in life, you will have to accomplish on your knees.” So true!
Prayer is an opportunity to spend time with God. To really understand the heart of God, you need to pray. In John 15:15, Jesus says He no longer calls us his servants but calls us His friends. Talking with God develops a deeper relationship with Him.
“Prayer is not getting what we want from God, it’s joining up with God and wanting what He wants for us.” – Pastor Daniel Fusco
God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5).
The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe!
James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
“Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Colossians 4:2
Prayer is where we can bring our concerns, our needs, and our hearts to God in complete honesty. Prayer is of immense value and importance. Devotion is effort, not skill. Fortunately, being devoted doesn’t take skill. It doesn’t take some kind of special prayer-abilities. Sit before the Lord, meditate upon Him, listen to Him, then He will bless your home.
The Scriptures remind us to “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17) and “to give all things to God in prayer” (Philippians 4:6).
We dutifully resolve—fueled onward by yet another sermon or benediction or pastoral letter—to be more deliberate in talking with God. But when the inspiration has faded and there’s no discernible growth to point to, we give up once again and wait for the next wave of trying.
It’s wonderful to receive counsel from Godly, seasoned pray-ers, yet the lessons we learn from such people will never teach us what we really need to know. Only prayer—conversation with God Himself—can do that!
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