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For most of my life, praying was difficult. I felt stuck on what to say, and my most natural prayers only came when I was in distress or really wanted something. But, I wanted to pray zealous prayers every day– not just in difficult times. A few months ago, I was praying to God about my prayer life. It felt unnatural to me and I didn't want it to feel like a chore. I wanted to desire prayer just as much as I loved reading the Bible. Like Charles Spurgeon says,
"When asked, 'What is more important: Prayer or Reading the Bible?' I asked, What is more important: Breathing in or Breathing out?"
A week after praying about my prayer life, God led me to pray through the scriptures- and that was a game-changer! I became Spirit-filled when I prayed and didn't want to leave His presence. I felt convicted by His words and felt Him transforming my mind and heart as I prayed. And I came out of each prayer a different person. Prayer can be so transformative and it is such a blessing when you can witness and experience God's presence and power in it. If you're struggling with it, ask Him and He will teach you. Praying through the Scriptures is just what I've found to be the most helpful, especially because I get distracted really easily by my own thoughts. Though, whatever way you choose in approaching prayer, there is one thing that I think we should all try to do. Before anything else, ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart to lead and guide you in your prayer (do this before you start reading the Bible too). Ask that the Holy Spirit may search your heart (Romans 8:27), convict you, and help you pray in a way that glorifies and pleases Him.
I will be starting a series where I write down my prayers as I pray through books in the Bible. The first book in this series is Colossians! I hope that you will find this series helpful and that it may encourage you to meditate on His words day and night as He has called us to do (Joshua 1:8).
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
"Dear Lord God,
I pray that your will would be accomplished in my life just as it has been in the lives of Paul and Timothy. I ask that your Spirit will work powerfully in me so that I can faithfully serve and honour you with my life."
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—
5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel
6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
"Thank you, Father, for all the blessings you’ve generously given to me.
I pray that like the believers in Colossae, I will have unshakable faith in you and Christ-like love for your people.
I pray that every morning, my love for you will increase.
That I will seek you more each day because you tell me that when I seek you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, I will find you.
My hope is in you and your eternal kingdom that is to come.
Please remind me of this each day and help me to not place my hopes in this world.
It is meaningless to place my hopes in anything of this world for everything will disappoint me.
But, Lord, you have never, and will never, disappoint me.
I can trust in you and put all my hopes in you.
And only when I do that will I find complete peace, joy, and fullness in life.
I pray that the joy and hope I have in you will be a light to those around me.
That you will fill me up with your love and that this will overflow unto those around me.
Show me how I can bring love and joy to my friends, family, strangers, and even my enemies. Help me to love my neighbour as myself, as you have commanded me to do.
Show me the ways in which I can bless others today.
I also ask that, like Epaphras, you give me the courage to be a faithful minister of your gospel. That I will be unafraid to share your truth and the good news."
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
"I pray that your Spirit will lead me each day as I read your Word.
That it will lead me in truth, in conviction, increasing my knowledge in You, and increasing my wisdom so that I may make choices that please you.
Help me to live a life that pleases you and is worthy of the purpose you have called me to.
May all the decisions I make honour you and give you glory.
Help me to better understand the grace you have shown me so that I may not take it for granted.
Help me to realize all the blessings you have given me and to properly thank and praise you for them.
Because I am your child, I have every reason to be thankful and joyful, and I ask that you remind me of this each day, so that I may have uncircumstantial joy."
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
"For you have rescued me from the dominion of darkness.
I am no longer bound by the chains of sin.
Because you have freed me by your death on the cross, I pray that I will no longer be ruled by my flesh and earthly desires.
I pray that my mind, heart, and soul will be ruled by your Spirit, sanctifying me so that I may be holy and blameless when I stand before your throne on the Judgment Day.
I ask that you give me the strength to fight the spiritual battles I will face today.
And when I do sin today, please convict me of my sin so that I may humble myself before you, come into repentance, and ask for your forgiveness.
I pray this all in Jesus's name, Amen."
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