A Practical Step Toward a Powerful, Promise-Centered Prayer Life #2

Guest Post: by Trista Pagel

Before I get into the details of this prayer tool, first let’s address two issues:

1. Why do we tend to waver in our prayer life?

2. What would some characteristics of a fruitful prayer life even look like?

I’m sure you can think of many reasons why most of us travel on a prayer roller coaster, being faithfully committed to daily prayer one month and then totally going the next month barely praying at all. Here are some of the reasons I came up with:

• We are busy – Let’s take a cue from Martin Luther: “If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.”
• Lack of discipline – 1 Peter 4:8 tells us that the end is near, so we should be self-controlled/disciplined for the sake of our prayers
• Satan hates prayer – God’s Word warns us that the enemy is like a lion, always on the prowl to devour someone, or someone’s prayer life. Philippians 6:18 charges us to “Be alert and always keep praying.”
• Lack of faith that prayer works – Check out what James 5:16 tells us, that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective!
• We simply forget how much we have to be thank God for – The apostle Paul was a great example of one who was always giving thanks for all things

So what are some evidences of a fruitful prayer life? Let’s look to Jesus in these verses:

• Mark 1:35 – praying early, alone, daily
• Luke 18:1-8 – praying continually
• John 17 – praying intimately to the Father for ourselves, for other believers and for the lost
• The Lord’s Prayer – a great model on how to structure our prayer, by praising the Lord, confessing sin, thanking Him for His goodness in our lives, making requests of Him, and finally closing it all in the name of Jesus.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the intro to this prayer tool!