Prayer is a raw, real, and powerful way to connect with the God of the universe.
However, countless people have attempted to make prayer simple, designing acronyms like P.R.A.Y. or A.C.T.S. They’ve made prayer templates and handed-out products. These people often have good intentions, but their method has a problem.
Prayer isn’t a simple thing.
It isn’t something we can fit inside a box and reveal only before lunch and dinner. It isn’t a way to “let God in on our thoughts.” It’s not about looking good in the eyes of society.
Prayer is a weapon (Ephesians 6:14–20).
A prayer is an act of spiritual warfare—and guess who has the power to use it: You.
So what if we stopped praying template-able, quotable, cutesy prayers and started paying the devil his dues?
It’s time to get deep.
How are you supposed to do that? How should you pray?
With a Ready Heart
I think prayer has a lot to do with our hearts being in tune with God (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We praise Him in every circumstance, ask Him to fulfill our needs, and request forgiveness when we notice a sin. So how could you pray without ceasing in your own life?
In Private
Away from crowds, away from life—and alone with God.
When we pray, we are to go into our room and shut the door. Don’t pray to impress the masses (Matthew 6:7). Instead, pray straight to God. Go to Him with a humble heart.
Without Distractions
Put away the screens, the books, the to-do list—and choose to be with God. Get away from people who will likely put your focus on something else.
One way I stay focused is by writing my prayers. Think you should try it? All it takes is to pick out a designated “prayer notebook” and write down your thoughts as they come.
Be Real
Honesty is the best policy—especially when talking to a God who knows the truth.
Are you struggling? Tell God. Is it the best day of your life? Tell Him.
Remember, your prayers can be messy and honest because your goal is not to impress someone. Jesus sweat blood during one of His prayers (Luke 22:44). So no, they don’t have to be devotional-ready prayers. They can be full of shattered messes, wrecked sentences, and mangled words.
Listen
We say God never talks to us, but we never stop to listen. Have you ever tried listening? When was the last time you didn’t do anything except sit in God’s presence? When was the last time you waited for His response?
We often say we love God but don’t even spend time praying. Not an hour. Not thirty minutes. Not five minutes between waking up and grabbing our beloved phone.
But do you know why we need to pray?
God knows what’s on your heart but will often wait to act until we make our requests known to Him. So do you want to keep fighting on your own? Or do you want to join the fight—and become a battle-worn prayer warrior?
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