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 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:

1. Set aside a time of prayer (we need habits to help us fight our flesh).
2. Set aside a place of prayer (again, this forms a habit).
3. Make your prayer place distraction-free (one reason to seek privacy).
4. Don’t just insincerely repeat words (Matthew 6:7 calls it “babbling”)
5. Spend time praising God (“hallowed be your name”).
6. Spend time asking God to establish his kingdom on earth (where does that need to happen in your life and ministry?).
7. Petition God (ask him for daily bread – make a written list of petitions).
8. Cleanse your heart (ask forgiveness and determine to be reconciled to others).
9. Pray about the areas where God is growing you and you are being tested (also translated “temptation”).
10. 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.