Prayer. It's the foundation of a Christian mom's life. Why? Because as moms, we are one of the most influential people in our children's lives. (The other, equally influential person is their father, of course.) For good or bad, what we say and do to our children affects their self-esteem, their choice of a future spouse, their occupation, and their positive (or negative) outlook on life.
As we pray over our children's lives, we can change their future. We can pronounce blessings on them, bring good relationships into their lives, and help them cope with growing up.
Methods of Prayer
There are quite a few different approaches to prayer that I've experienced in my life.
Before I became a believer, I didn't even know you could talk to God. I didn't know you could actually speak to God like He was your friend. I thought everything had to be in formal speech or "official" prayers recited at church. In fact, when I first started seeking God, I prayed the only prayer I knew: the Lord's Prayer. I prayed it over and over again. I don't know what I thought would happen by repeating it so much but it did give me a little bit of peace.
After I became a believer, I learned that God wanted me to "be real" with Him and talk to Him like I would talk to a flesh and blood person. Better than that, a friend! I learned to pray according to the acrostic ACTS:
This was helpful in giving me some type of form to my prayers. It helped me to remember that I was to praise God first, then confess my sins and receive forgiveness. Thanksgiving was my opportunity to give thanks for all He has done in my life and finally, supplication was the time I spent bringing my needs before Him and interceding on behalf of others.
For many years, I enjoyed wonderful fellowship with God as I prayed this way. Many times He showed me new things about myself?things that needed to change. He also gave me new revelation about His Word.
The Desert
But after a few years, just as in anything else that becomes routine, my prayer life began to dry up. I felt like it was a duty?I didn't feel my prayers were being answered and I didn't realize the presence of God as strongly as I used to in my prayer closet.
I believe that whenever we experience this kind of "dryness" in our spiritual lives, God is calling us to a higher level. It is up to us to press in; don't become discouraged.
After much pursuit, God finally showed me that I needed to begin to pray His Word back to Him. I had heard about this before and even practiced it before in my prayer life but I didn't understand what I was doing. In the past, I had prayed His Word as a "formula", not really knowing the truth about what I was saying. It was not powered by the spirit; it was only being fed by the flesh.
Pray the Word!
But in my pursuit of Him, His Spirit "enlightened the eyes of my heart" about this issue. He showed me through the Word (and the words of other pastors and teachers like my own pastor. Also, Charles Capps, Creflo Dollar and Joyce Meyer) that He spoke the Words of creation before anything even existed in the world. He spoke light into darkness. He spoke water and land and animals where there was nothing before. God showed me that I needed to do that over my own life. Where I was impatient, I needed to speak patience. Where I was unmerciful, I needed to speak mercy. Where my children needed help, I had to speak their future over them?a fruitful spiritual life, a life that glorifies God, a loving spouse for them. All of these things are our promises in God.
A Real-Life Application
I love to be in the presence of the Lord. But sometimes, I just am not there. I live on this earth and frequently I am distracted by the problems of this world and cannot enter into His presence easily. This is a source of frustration for me and I want to be able to be with Him all the time and not struggle.
So?in my prayer time, I speak this ?out loud?over my life:
"Lord, I dwell in your sanctuary and live on your holy hill because my walk is blameless through Jesus Christ. I speak the truth from my heart. I have no slander on my tongue. I do my neighbor no wrong and I cast no slur on my fellowman. I despise a vile man but honor those who fear the Lord. I keep my oath even when it hurts. I lend my money without usury (interest) and I do not accept a bribe against the innocent. SinceI do these things, I will never be shaken."
Notice the present tense? "I speak?I have?I do?I keep?I lend?I do not?" I am speaking things that in some case, may "be not"?but I "speak them as though they are" !
This prayer is based on Psalm 15. As I read through the Psalms one day, it penetrated my heart...this is what I wanted inmy life. Even though some of it may not be manifested just yet, I am getting there. It encourages me and builds my faith to know that someday I will walk in those promises!
Here are some more scriptures I can suggest to you that will help you bring specific changes into your life:
Do you want to?
Before you start praying these scriptures over yourself, really study them and meditate on them. Rewrite them and personalize them for yourself. Remember that all the promises that are in the Bible are ours ONLY through Jesus Christ. He died and rose again so that we could, IN FAITH, believe and declare these things over our lives. It is not a formula?it is truth, it is reality? once you get it in your heart.
Pray for your children and husband by putting their names in the prayer along with yours. Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Deuteronomy 30:19-20 and Psalm 112 are an example of the Word as applied to our families to be blessed and to prosper.
By the way, I still pray the "ACTS" way only sometimes it's "TCSA" or "CATS"?I still include it all but sometimes the order is different?it is done according to however the Spirit leads. That is what it is ALL about!
Eunice Coughlin is a Christian wife and mother of two daughters and the founder of http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com
house refresh service Morton Grove ..The first hymn of Isha Upanishad says - whatever living... Read More
There is so much going on in the world around... Read More
David understood the aguish only those who have chosen to... Read More
On reading Susan Cato's Time Magazine Canada piece titled, "In... Read More
While study and pursuit of the Kundalini is considered part... Read More
When we feel that something has gone wrong and are... Read More
Last Friday night, I met a Christian at a prayer... Read More
Today I was in rather a whimsical mood, and so... Read More
At any given moment, there are 'things' occurring within the... Read More
His name sounds as Finn. He has beautiful blue eyes... Read More
One cannot read the account of Benhadad and Hazael in... Read More
Last week I talked about the need to practice emotional... Read More
Talked to an interesting person today at a coffee shop,... Read More
Oceans... There's water in 'em! :-)It may seem a bit... Read More
What we think is what we are. Our lives are... Read More
The following fragment was found in Qumran along with the... Read More
I am often asked to explain what I mean by... Read More
Walls as a blockade seem to be an integral part... Read More
One thing that Jesus was NOT - was flashy. When... Read More
The time we spend on earth is very short when... Read More
Let's say that you have discovered your purpose but you... Read More
Human beings are blessed with a unique gift: the gift... Read More
Seems that everyone who writes to me signs their letters... Read More
(Channelled)Roy, what a marvellous job you are doing on your... Read More
For the past several years I have struggled with getting... Read More
cleaning service near Mundelein ..An interesting question arose within a poetry workshop I attended... Read More
What is Enlightenment?What do we really mean when we talk... Read More
Why Abandon Religion?It is so commonly believed today that religion... Read More
Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?"... Read More
For we do not have a high priest who is... Read More
One of the saddest times in any child's life is... Read More
As human beings it is inherent to want to self-actualize... Read More
What does it take to live life holistically?It definitely does... Read More
Although spring is just around the corner, there have been... Read More
After first seeing my photography, people... Read More
You're probably sabotaging your successful Christian life right now if... Read More
I know eyebrows are probably raising about now, but let... Read More
What is it with angels and digital clocks? I fell... Read More
For some of us, EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN!!! If you... Read More
I once read a story about a Catholic priest who... Read More
Spiritual healing of the sick in Christ has many Christians... Read More
I find myself floating on a cloud as heavenly music... Read More
I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More
Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in... Read More
We as human beings travelled in small bands for hundreds... Read More
When do you pray?Prayer is the cornerstone of the Christian... Read More
In the interest of mankind the Angels are delivering messages... Read More
Is it not true that only after gaining Enlightenment (Self-Realization)... Read More
Continued from "Origin of Certain Thoughts, Part I"If you haven't... Read More
While I do hope to avoid arguing the merits or... Read More
Spirituality |