How to spend an hour in prayer?

First, let’s be honest, we live in an A.D.D. generation. We can’t focus on
anything for very long. Spending an hour in prayer is a tall order; but prayer is the one discipline that carries the capacity to cure us of what Leanne Payne describes as “the disease of activism.” I’m reminded of God’s …
By Seth Barnes
First, let’s be honest, we live in an A.D.D. generation. We can’t focus on
anything for very long. Spending an hour in prayer is a tall order; but prayer is the one discipline that carries the capacity to cure us of what Leanne Payne describes as “the disease of activism.” I’m reminded of God’s words: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The good news is, people put questions like this to Jesus all the time. Jesus’ advice is practical, summarized in Matthew 6:5-13. He gives us ten principles:
- Set aside a time of prayer (we need habits to help us fight our flesh).
- Set aside a place of prayer (again, this forms a habit).
- Make your prayer place distraction-free (one reason to seek privacy).
- Don’t just insincerely repeat words (Matthew 6:7 calls it “babbling”)
- Spend time praising God (“hallowed be your name”).
- Spend time asking God to establish his kingdom on earth (where does that need to happen in your life and ministry?).
- Petition God (ask him for daily bread – make a written list of petitions).
- Cleanse your heart (ask forgiveness and determine to be reconciled to others).
- Pray about the areas where God is growing you and you are being tested (also translated “temptation”).
- Resist the enemy (I find praying the Ephesians 6 armor of God passage to be a good spiritual discipline).
In all of this, I recommend that you dialogue with God. Ask him questions and listen for his responses, being ready to write them down. More on that later.
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Seth,
I take it from this post that the “ideal” prayer environment is NOT the 45 minute early morning walk/prayer time that I took this morning. I don’t think it would completely qualify as distraction free nor do I have a place to record what I hear. So I will follow your lead. Thanks.
Seth,
Yet another thought provoking “blog”. This morning was productive but yet i found my mind wandering alot. After reading your thoughts, i have also concluded that my dorm room is not the “ideal” place to pray…so i will be in search for a new place. Thank you for your time and investment in this…i can’t already see that it is paying off great dividends.
Kevin
After viewing my post, i realized that i made yet another typo. I meant to say, “I CAN already see…”
Sorry about that.
Kevin
It states that God already knows what you need before you ask for it but it is also states that you can ask and it will be recieved then what is prayer for? Is it only for communion?