A decision to pray is good. But that decision must be carried out. A desire to pray is great. But that desire can become dissipated without concrete action and direction.
Here is an easy plan to follow. Try it five days in a row. It’ll help.
Worship with the Word (15 minutes)
Start praying with your eyes and Bible open. Let Scripture get you started and keep you sustained in prayer. Simply open the Bible, read a small portion, and turn that portion into a prayer.
Praise God for what He reveals about who He is. Turn what He teaches about life into a prayer.
Meditation is the missing link between Bible intake and prayer.
The word feeds meditation and meditation feeds prayer.
Every time meditation is mentioned in Psalm 119 it is in a prayer.
Meditation happens when I listen to the Spirit of God speak through the Word of God in the silent place of my heart.
Prayer happens when, by the Spirit of God, I speak my words (informed and shaped by God’s Word) back to Him.
Thanksgiving (5 minutes)
Thank God for Who He is, for what He has done, for provision, for answered prayers, for blessings, for difficulties, for anything and everything.
Nothing is off limits here.
Go small and specific (thank you for Alterra coffee, thank you for our missionaries in Kenya, thank you for vanilla ice cream, thank you for classical music).
Go big and spiritual (thank you for your covenant with Abraham, thank you for the prophecy of Isaiah, thank you for disciplining us for our own good as a Father who loves us)
Confession (5 minutes)
You need more of this than you think you do. Slow down and speak Psalm 139:23-24; Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9).
Drill down into your life and be specific. Lord I am cold – fill me with love. Lord I am lustful – purify my heart and eyes, Lord I am mouthy – silence me. Lord I am bitter and unforgiving – melt my heart.
Supplication (5 minutes)
Bring your prayer requests to God. Cast your cares upon Him and know that He cares for you.
Start with yourself – your day, your future
Lift up your family
Include the church and missions
Know that as you pray – The Lord Jesus advocates for you from above (Romans 8:34) and the Holy Spirit advocates for you from within (Romans 8:26)