Category: Biblical

DEAR GOD, THIS IS HOW I WILL PRAY TO YOU

Dear Father, I come to you in prayer to receive what You have promised me so that my joy may be full (John 16:24). I’m in my secret place making humble prayers and I know you reward me openly (Matthew 6:6). I am coming to pray without ceasing to take hold of what You have promised me in your written and Rhema word (Luke 11:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). In between these spoken prayers, I pray in the Spirit so the Holy Spirit can intercede for me with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). I pray throughout my days on all occasions. And I strive to steadfastly pray with all kinds of prayers and requests, always alert, never losing heart. I ask that you guide and protect all the Lord’s people, helping us to confess our sins to one another, and praying for healing. It is helpful to know that the prayers of a righteous believer are the most powerful and how I live affects my prayers (Ephesians 6:18)(Luke 18:1)(James 5:16).

I am not here praying to you today because I’m worried. I’m coming to make my requests known to you. (Philippians 4:6)(Colossians 4:2). You say I have not because I have not asked, so I’m asking. Because I’m fruitful for the kingdom of God, and I keep my fruit producing ongoing, I know You hear and answer my prayers (John 15:16). I daily fill myself with the word of God and I strive to do what it says to do in order to have my requests granted (John 15:7). I come to you Father believing that I receive what I pray for (Mark 11:24). I pray that only the will of God be done in my life, which gives me confidence in You. And since You hear me, I can know that whatever I have asked, I already have the petitions that I requested (1 John 5:14-15).

Father, thank you for showing me in your word how to pray. If it wasn’t for my High Priest Jesus Christ, I would have no access to You to pray this prayer! I wouldn’t be able to approach You on my own (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus Christ is my mediator to You, the one who is holy and undefiled, and gives me the ability to pray to my Father in heaven (Hebrews 7:26). I pray my prayers to You Father and it is You who answers prayers. I never pray to Jesus Christ, I do not ask Jesus anything. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:14) but Jesus is not the one who answers prayers (John 16:23). Jesus represents me Father by making atonement for my sins before You (Heb 2:17).

An example of a right prayer is “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9-13)(Luke 11:2-4). But at the same time, I don’t repeat this prayer vainly, or heap up empty phrases to try to impress You or others (Matthew 6:7).

Thank you for releasing Your angels to carry out Your word of truth as I speak your Word back to you as truth (Psalm 103:20). I call forth all of your promises that you have written out for me. You have given me all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And so I take hold of them all to manifest in my life right now in Jesus’ name.

Thank you Father for making it clear in the scriptures how You want me to pray. In Jesus Christ’s name I receive your answers and I call them forth to manifest in my life now in Jesus’ name. I make my requests with urgency and with thanksgiving, knowing that You are listening. In Jesus’ name I have prayed. Amen.

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PRAYER FOR SALVATION OF OTHERS

Heavenly Father, I thank You that it is Your will for “all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). I also thank You that You are “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). I bind and tie up Satan and all evil spirits in ____ in the name of Jesus (Mt 16:19; Mt 12:29). I loose and untie Satan’s blinders which have “blinded the minds of them which do not believe” and I command the light of the glorious gospel of Christ to shine into them to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:4,6; Isa 45:11). I thank You as I am praying with strong desire out of urgent need that You send forth laborers into Your harvest (Mt 9:38) to preach the gospel (Ro 10:13-15). I thank You that the entrance of Your Word gives light bringing understanding to those hearing the gospel (Ps 119:130). I thank You that the Holy Spirit is convicting ____ of the sin of not believing on Jesus as Lord and Savior (Jn 16:9). I thank You for sending angels to continually minister to ____ and bring laborers across his/her path continually until they receive Jesus as Lord and be born again (Mt 26:53; Heb 1:14). I thank You for the salvation of the multitudes and the great harvest of souls that are being born again in these last days, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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PRAYER TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

Heavenly Father, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I come to You to receive the Holy Spirit. Your Word says, “how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him” (Lk 11:13). I now make spiritual legal demand of what is due me according to Your Word for you to give me the Holy Spirit. I thank You as I believe that I receive (Mk 11:24) the Holy Spirit into me now. I thank You that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in my spirit now, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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PRAYER FOR SALVATION

Dear God Who created me, I believe that Jesus Christ, Your Son, died to take away the sins of the world and to give me everlasting life. I want to receive the gift of everlasting life and I want to be washed of my sin of unbelief right now. I am ready to accept and receive Jesus Christ, Son of God as my Lord and Savior. I truly believe in my heart that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead and is alive now at the right hand of God the Father where Jesus is interceding for me and all believers (Ro 10:9). Once I confess out loud that Jesus is my Lord (Ro 10:9) I am now a born again, adopted child of the Living God (Jn 1:12). God is now my Heavenly Father (Gal 4:6). Father, thank you for saving me through your Son (Ro 10:10) and giving me eternal life (1 Jn 5:12)! I believe and trust that you have washed all my sins of the past away. At this moment, all things have become new. My new life begins now. In Jesus’ name I have prayed, Amen.

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Sight That Changes Suffering

When we turn to God, he opens our eyes and shows us hidden treasures of darkness that we might know him (Isaiah 45:3). But since our vision is limited in the dark, we need to be purposeful about where we focus. If we view life through the lens of pain and discouragement, we will focus on all that is wrong and difficult. We will see our problems more than God’s provision. We will see our loneliness more than God’s presence. We will fixate more on our fears than on God’s promises.

What lens are you viewing your life through? Are you asking God for supernatural sight as you focus on him? Are you looking at the obstacles in front of you, or are you beholding the God who can move mountains? Are you trusting in your ability to fix the situation, or are you entrusting yourself to the God who commands the dawn? Are you focusing on what you don’t have, or are you centered on the fact that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills?

What we look at and focus on will change us. As we behold the Lord Jesus, he will transform us (2 Corinthians 3:18), but if we concentrate on our fears, they will consume us. If we put God’s steadfast love before our eyes (Psalm 26:3), then we will see his presence, protection, and provision more than we see our problems. He will delight us with Scripture even in our deepest affliction. We will rest in his protection, knowing he goes before us and will fight for us. We will see his marvelous provision, sending manna from heaven and water from a rock. We will know that he is with us, as our spiritual eyes will see our Teacher (Isaiah 30:20).

And as we walk by faith and not by sight, relying on what we know to be true rather than what we see, we will not be disappointed. “For we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

GOD’S PRESENCE

Perhaps the greatest gift of spiritual sight is to recognize God’s presence. Jacob wrestled with God, at first not knowing who he was, but eventually realizing he had seen God face to face (Genesis 32:30). This encounter changed Jacob forever — leaving him with a limp, but more importantly with a faith that never turned back. After seeing God, like Jacob, we will never be the same.

Even though we may intellectually know God is always with us, we need to pay attention to see him and be aware of his presence. Signs of his love are all around, but we need to connect them to him. It may be as simple as noticing the wisdom we have when we ask for it. Or the inexplicable comfort we receive when we cry out. Or the unexpected phone call after we pray. Connecting those gifts with God’s presence in our life can transform our suffering. Both Mary Magdalene at the tomb and the disciples on the road to Emmaus were dejected and discouraged until they recognized Jesus, and then they were filled with joy and peace. So it is with us. Knowing that God is with us, not just intellectually but experientially, can radically alter how we feel in our suffering.

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GOD’S PROVISION

In addition to his protection, God opens our eyes to his provision right in front of us. When Hagar was sent away with her son Ishmael, she wept when their water supply ran out and feared Ishmael would die. Then God opened her eyes to see a well of water that would provide for them (Genesis 21:19), most likely reminding her of years earlier when she declared, “You are a God of seeing. . . . Truly here I have seen him who looks after me” (Genesis 16:13). Hagar understood that God provides for and looks after us, even when we have no resources. The ability to recognize God’s provision is a gift, so those who don’t trust in God may not see good even when it comes.

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GOD’S PROTECTION

When God revives us, our spiritual eyes can see his protection as we look into the heavenly realms. Even though we may feel alone, outnumbered by our troubles and enemies, we can be certain that, in Christ, heaven’s armies are with us. When Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian army, Elisha prayed that the eyes of his servant would be opened. And when they were, the servant saw that the hills were filled with horses and chariots of fire. The heavenly realms surrounded them, and they both knew that there were more with them than against them (2 Kings 6:15–17).

Likewise, believing that the help of heaven is surrounding us can change how we face battles, whether we’re struggling against hostile people or alone in our rooms. Wherever we are, we are never truly alone.

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Show Us Wonders

Scripture becomes alive with meaning when God illuminates it for us. The Bible is inspired by God, and we need his Spirit to understand it (1 Corinthians 2:14). We can research and analyze Scripture and even read the original in Hebrew and Greek, but if God doesn’t reveal the truth to us, we cannot see it.

One way to get that sight is to pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). Just as the resurrected Jesus opened the disciples’ minds on the road to Emmaus to understand Scripture (Luke 24:45), God can do the same for us. The Bible moves from mere typewritten words on a page to Spirit-breathed words that change us — words that give life to our souls, give us wisdom and joy, and help us see the deep things of God. Even when we feel as though we’re lying in the dust, God’s word can revive us.

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Looking Through Another Lens

When God first brought the Israelites to the edge of the promised land, Moses told them to spy out the country God had given them. The spies returned after forty days, acknowledging that the land was flowing with milk and honey, but focusing their attention on the giants who lived there (Numbers 13:31–33). God’s promises and provision faded into the background, and the people succumbed to fear.

Forty years later, Joshua led the Israelites to the border of the promised land with even more obstacles. The same giants inhabited the territory, but now they needed to cross the overflowing Jordan River and conquer a walled city. But this time, the people didn’t hesitate or mention turning back. They focused on God, taking courage that he was with them, and the hurdles disappeared into the background. Rather than looking through the lens of fear, they looked through the lens of faith, focusing on God’s presence, protection, and provision.

Faith allows us to see far beyond our natural vision, assuring us of what we hope for but cannot yet see with our physical eyes (Hebrews 11:1). This spiritual sight is a gift from God, and with it we see our lives through a different lens. But why do we need it? When God opens our eyes, what can we see?

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