3 Thoughts That Will Increase Your Effectiveness In Prayer

My desire is to continue to be more effective in prayer. I don't just want to toss-up casual prayers that may or may not be answered, I want to help bring God's purpose to earth through effective prayer. As I read Psalm 5:3 the other day, it reminded me of a few thoughts on how to increase your faith and make your prayers more effective.

In the morning, Lord , you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3 NIV)

Let's highlight 3 Key Concepts from this verse:

1. You Hear : 

This refers to God's posture toward your prayers.God doesn't just "overhear" your prayers, but God "hears intelligently". So he hears with all his attention on you. You're concerns or prayers are not secondary to Him, you have God's full and undivided attention.So my challenge to you is to think of God this way when you pray. You're not trying to get his attention, your prayers are going to a father that is attentive and interested. This will increase your faith and confidence when you pray with this picture in mind.

2. My Voice : 

This refers to the passion in your prayers.It carries the concept of someone who is making a loud cry...like the bleeding of the sheep.Is the thing you're praying for really something you're passionate about? I'm not saying you have to cry or scream when you pray, but how passionate are you about seeing it happen? Don’t pray religious prayers you think you are required to pray. Pray for and about and to God with passion about things that you're passionate about. Now sometimes it can be good to get your passion up a notch and cry-out to God! I feel like its similar to when God's people marched around the city of Jericho and then shouted out to God with a loud cry and that cry combine with the power of God brought the walls down. And some of the "walls" in your life aren't coming down with silent whispers, it's going to take some passion to rise up on the inside of you and cry out to God till the walls fall down!

3. Wait expectantly : 

This refers to faith after your prayers.When David says he "waits expectantly", It means to lean forward, look forward to the answer with expectation.I think this is one of the biggest issues in many of our prayers. We pray passionless prayers to a God that we've convinced ourselves isn't listening and then doubt that he'll actually do it. Faith & Expectation are very similar. And the Bible says that without faith its impossible to please God. So when you go to God in prayer, that's just part 1. Now you enter the 2nd part. Where you continue to direct your thoughts and words to line-up with what you just prayed for. Don’t pray for something in one breath and then speak doubt and fear in the next sentence. Prayer is both crying-out to God and leaning into God after the prayer is done with equal passion and expectation that it will happen.

Don't pray and sit back, Pray & Lean in!

With this in mind...Pray, Talk to God, He's listening & attentive to your voice...