Prayer moves from praise to asking.
Prayer starts with praise. Prayer involves returning to God in confession. Then prayer moves to our needs. The A in our acrostic P.R.A.Y. stands for ASK.
God wants you to come to Him and ask for the things you need. Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened,” (Matthew 7.7-8 NLT).
When you ask, remember you are praying for more than yourself.
Jesus asked His Father for several things, and in prayer you can ask for these same things as well. In the Lord’s model prayer, Jesus used plural pronouns such as “our”, “us” and “we”. In doing so Jesus reminds us that as we ask for our heavenly Father to meet our needs, we can also ask Him to meet the needs of others as we pray for them.
What should you ask God to provide for you?
1. Ask for provision.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” (Matthew 6.11 ESV). Asking for daily bread meant relying on God’s provision for the day. As you pray in the morning, ask God to provide what you need that day. It may be material (food, shelter, clothing). It may be practical (a new job, to make a sale). It may be emotional (strength to fight for your marriage, wisdom in raising your kids, patience with your boss). It may be spiritual (peace, joy, boldness). Pray with your schedule in mind. Pray for the things you will face that day and ask God to be your Provider.
2. Ask for personal relationships.
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” (Matthew 6.12 ESV). Why does Jesus add this here? Because your relationships with people affect your relationship with God. You can’t expect God to forgive you while you are holding a grudge against another person. Jesus said, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you,” (Matthew 6.14 NLT). He even went so far as to say, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matthew 5.43-44 NIV). Pray for health in your relationships and the strength to forgive those who have hurt you.
3. Ask for protection.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” (Matthew 6.13 NIV). The word temptation here comes from the Greek word peirasmon meaning “a trial or a test.” The idea here is not, “God don’t lead me into a place where I’m tempted to do evil,” but rather, “don’t lead me into a trial or test where Satan may attack me.” (1 Peter 5.8 (NIV) says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” We live in a dangerous world. Our enemy is on the prowl, looking for someone to eat! He’s on the prowl in troubles, trials, difficulties – looking for an opportunity to destroy your faith, cause you to question God, wreck your home and marriage and make you feel worthless and isolated. Jesus said, “Pray for protection. Pray for God’s leadership to help you avoid falling into the devil’s traps.”
Remember the heart of your Heavenly Father.
As you ask for these things, remember that your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to provide for you. In (Luke 11.11-13 ESV) Jesus said, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Pray specifically, persistently, and expectantly.
Pray daily for your needs. Pray specifically, not in generalities. Pray persistently and don’t quit. And pray expecting God to move. (1 John 5.14 NIV) says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, Walk With God.
