One Simple Act that Will Change the Outcome of Your Situation
Want to know what that one simple act that will change the outcome of your situation is? That's right. I'm not going to make you read this whole post to find out. The one simple act that can improve the outcome of any situation is PRAYER.
Sounds too simple, right? Let me explain…
The New Testament is full of example after example displaying the power of prayer. But I'm going to keep it old-school in today's post. I've been reading through the Old Testament this year. Recently an example of the power of prayer stood out to me.In the Old Testament, one of the kings of Israel had been captured by the enemy. This king prayed for God to set him free and restore his kingdom. The Bible says that God was MOVED by the king’s prayer. God then resorted this king to his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)
Related Post: The Faith that Moves Mountains
God was moved??? I was blown away by this story in the bible!
During the same week that I read this passage of scripture and had it on my mind, I spent time reflecting at the beach. While I was sitting there silently, God spoke to me about prayer, saying: "You need to gain a greater understanding of the power of prayer."God told me that I needed to gain a greater understanding of how I talk to Him. It was a moment of true revelation in my life.I began to question myself by saying, "Am I praying incorrectly?" I felt an overwhelming peace come over me as I began to study prayer. During this time of study and revelation, I came up with 4 things that I applied to my prayer life. As a result, my prayer life has been revolutionized.
4 Points About Prayer That Will Change the Outcome of Your Situation and Life:
1. Prayer is a lifestyle.
"Pray continuously." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIVGod created us to be in a relationship with Him. He desires us to communicate with Him just as we would with a physical person around us. He made this life for us to enjoy with Him, not on our own. Throughout your day, remember God! Speak to Him, do life with Him. Thank Him for even the smallest things that happen throughout the day.
2. Prayer requires intimacy.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
Throughout Jesus' life, He often prayed publicly. But when it came time for Him to have quality time with God, the bible speaks of Jesus separating Himself from the crowds. This is important to realize that we cannot just have our public time with God. We also must have intimate time with Him to grow and learn more about who He is.To really connect with God on this intimate level, our whole heart must be involved. This requires us to be proactive in prioritizing our intimate time with God. Plan your time alone with God, and don't let anything take priority over this time!
3. Prayer demands reverence.
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. - Ecclesiastes 5:2 NIV
When Jesus was alone with God, He was seeking God's face. Jesus wasn't just going through a list of prayer requests or trying to get as many words in as possible before having to return to the crowds or His disciples. Jesus understood the importance of seeking God's face. Sitting quietly, waiting for God to speak. Simply enjoying being in God's presence.When you do have that alone time with God, let your words be few. Let God be the one speaking to you. Do not give God a grocery list of what's going in your life, then quickly finish your time with Him. Stop and listen! If you haven't done this, you'll be surprised by what you hear...
4. Effective prayer is faith-filled.
When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. - Matthew 6:7 NIV
When you pray, don’t say a generalized prayer. Instead, pray exactly what you feel. You are in a relationship with God; speak your heart to Him. When you pray, really go to God, tell Him what is on your heart; be intentional while speaking to Him. Then believe that it will be done. Don't repeat yourself over and over out of fear or because you're under pressure; don't beg God.Example: Imagine going to your boss's office to ask him for a raise, but instead of just asking him directly, you say all sorts of generalized statements about your performance and hinting about a raise. Your boss would probably get annoyed quickly while wondering what you wanted in the first place.
Related Post: 4 Elements of Jesus’ Prayer Life That Each of Us Should Implement
How do you think God takes it when you are praying general prayers? Take some time, know what you want, make sure it lines up with the Word, and tell Him about it!Today when you pray, do so continuously. Prioritize that alone time with God; let Him speak, slow down, and don’t bring a list to your creator. Lastly, know what you are praying for and believe that it will happen. Prayer can and will change the outcome of your situation and life. Prayer moves mountains.