In order to develop our personal prayer life, I have discovered that:
1. There is no blueprint; just hints, i.e. The Lord’s Prayer
2. We have different personalities and communicate with God differently
3. I keep learning all the time as I grow as a ‘prayer’
Here are some things that I find helpful. Don’t copy them but they might just spark some inspiration.
- Read – a lot of people are stimulated and inspired by reading
- Bible, especially Biblical prayer in all their variety
- Biographies of inspiring believers in history
- Books – anything spurs you to pray
- Daily plan – get disciplined but not religious (heartless duty) about prayer
- This isn’t just about a quiet time
- Discipline is required – Set yourself reminders
- Pray as a conversation rather than just an appointment
- Appointments will make sure you don’t forget
- Put ‘God’ rather than ‘prayer’ as a subject
- Pop up prophetic prompt
- Sometimes a name or a situation comes ‘out of the blue’ in your mind
- Turn that thought to prayer
- Get in touch with the person and tell them you prayed for them
- Often God’s Spirit matches needs with intercessors
- Pray through a Week Prayer calendar/church directory
- If you have a church directory/make one – pray daily for a few people
- Pray for different topics daily: Missions on Monday, your nation on Tuesday
- Prayer walk your street and pray for your neighbours
- Pray a Bible passage through the week: fruit of the Spirit, beatitudes
- Pray for One More Soul – Pray specifically and intentionally for one person that needs to discover God’s grace
Prayer Instructions from Jackie M Johnson, author:
In the morning: Pray for wisdom, guidance, healing and favour.
In the evening: Give thanks and gratitude for all God has done for you that day – whether you enjoyed it or endured it. [Like that last bit, about enduring.]