The Daily Guide
Learning to pray expectantly
In all your petitions pray at all times with every kind of spiritual prayer, keeping alert and persistent as you pray for all Christ's men and women.
Ephesians 6:18 - J.B. Phillips' Translation
Are you sure you know what to ask for in prayer? You may have things in mind but going straight to asking that those things be done isn't always the best way to begin the petition phase of prayer. It's often better to pray more generally until the Holy Spirit reveals to your heart what really needs doing.
"May God open our eyes to understand the holy ministry of intercession," writes Andrew Murray, "May He give us a large and strong heart to believe what mighty influence our prayers can exert." We need this as much today as it was needed when Andrew Murray first wrote it. The more you give the Holy Spirit time and an opening in your heart to receive His direction then the more you'll be fired up over the ministry of prayer. Andrew Murray writes, "We have become so accustomed to limiting the wonderful love and the great promises of our God. If there is one thing I think the Church needs to learn, it is that God intends prayer to have an answer." Joh.14:13-14, 1Joh.5:14-15.
We need to grow in confidence that God intends prayer to have an answer! Let's pray with every kind of prayer for all saints after the leading of the Holy Spirit. As Andrew Murray puts it, may we come to realise, "The Father waits to hear every prayer of faith." Major changes in conditions will take place by this. We will see that things are not always best accomplished by human endeavour or even by human ideas of what to ask for in prayer. We will see that things are accomplished gloriously in response to prayer as it's directed by God's Spirit!
God delights in the prayers of His saints!
Copyright 2005 P.F. (Simon) Measures
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