The Power of Simple Prayer: How to Talk With God About Everything Read online

  We do not need to tap on heaven’s door, walk into His presence with our heads down, saying, “Umm, excuse me, God. Ummm, sorry, but do You have a second? I won’t take long, I just wanted to ask You for—well, forget it—well, okay, if You don’t mind, could You possibly help me?” No, we need to be secure enough in our relationship with Him to approach Him with boldness. I’ll never forget the woman who asked me to pray for her one time. When I agreed, she stopped, looked at me sheepishly, and weakly asked, “Could I ask for two things?” I assured her that God would be glad to hear all of her requests and that He was not counting.

  Approaching God boldly in prayer can be likened to going to a bank to make a withdrawal. If I know that I have fifty dollars in the bank because I deposited it there last week, I will not hesitate to pull up to the drive-through window and cash a $50 check. I know I have the money, it’s mine, and I can get it out of the bank if I want to. When I present my check, I fully expect to get my $50. We need to approach God with that same kind of boldness. We need to understand what is available to us because of Jesus and we need to pray confidently, with full expectation that we will receive what belongs to us. God has made incredible provision available to us in Christ and we simply need to ask for the blessings He has already purchased for us. When we struggle with feelings of unworthiness, all we need to do is ask the Holy Spirit to help us, because “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. . .#8221; (Romans 8:16–17, NKJV).

  Because we are children and heirs of God, we can do exactly as Hebrews 4:16 says and “fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” One of the main reasons people do not pray and are reluctant to ask God for what they need and want is that they do not feel worthy. They do not feel good about themselves; they do not feel that they are spiritual enough; they do not really think God would listen to them anyway. They are not sure whether or not they have a right to ask God to bless them, because they have “been bad.” This happens when they have not grasped the reality of His forgiveness and grace, which allows His blessings to flow even when they have made mistakes.

  When we pray prayers of petition, we must understand our position as sons and daughters of God who are made righteous through the blood of Jesus. You see, we so often think our righteousness is based on doing things “right”—saying the “right” words, behaving the “right” ways, or having the “right” attitude. The truth is that we cannot make ourselves righteous. We can make ourselves religious, but we cannot make ourselves righteous. Righteousness has nothing to do with doing everything right; it has to do with the fact that Jesus shed His blood so that we could be cleansed of our unrighteousness. We are only right with God through the blood of Christ. If we will believe that, then we will begin to express that righteousness in our lives, but until we believe it, we will not display it or approach God on the basis of it.

  Throughout the New Testament, we read about the fact that Jesus makes us righteous. Just take a look at some of them:

  When we pray prayers of petition, we must understand our position as sons and daughters of God who are made righteous through the blood of Jesus.

  • “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

  • “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5: 18–19, NKJV).

  • “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:21, NKJV).

  • “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4, NKJV).

  • “Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24).

  When I teach on righteousness, I like to use the following illustration, and I ask you to give it a try. Sit in a chair; then try to sit in the chair. I know that sounds silly, because you are already sitting in the chair. Once you are in the chair, you cannot get into it any more than you already are. The same idea applies to righteousness, except that we cannot do anything to make ourselves righteous. Jesus puts us in the seat of righteousness, and once we are there, we cannot do anything to try to get there again. In Him, we are settled in that place before God. Once we truly believe we are righteous before God because of the blood of Christ, we will begin to behave righteously. However, no number of right actions can ever make us right with God apart from Christ. Affirming this, the Apostle Paul prayed that he would be found and known as being in Christ, having no righteousness of his own, but only that right standing that comes through faith in Christ (see Philippians 3:9).

  When we truly understand that we cannot do anything to make ourselves righteous and that we do not have to prove anything to God, we are able to rest in the gift of righteousness Jesus gives to us—and that will make us bold in our petitions and confident in God’s desire to answer us. I know that God does not hear or answer my prayers because I am good; He hears and answers because He is good!

  THE PRAYER OF PERSEVERANCE

  The prayer of perseverance, which is also called the prayer of importunity, is prayer that does not quit. It’s prayer that keeps on praying and does not give up. Sometimes you pray a few words or a few sentences one time and then go on about your business; that is not a prayer of importunity. At other times, though, a person or a situation keeps coming back to your heart and you just know you are not finished praying about it. When the Holy Spirit impresses something on you, over and over again, He is probably drawing you to continue to pray in a persistent, importunate way.

  One way to persist may be simply to make your request known to God through a prayer of petition and then continue thanking Him for the answer until you see it. You have it by the faith in your heart, you know it will manifest, and each time you think of the situation, you simply say, “Thank You, Lord, that you heard my prayer and the answer is on the way. I know that You will not be late, not one single day.” Your prayer of persistence may take the form of persistent thanksgiving.

  Another way to persist in prayers is to respond to the “prayer assignments” God gives us. There are many people or situations I pray for once, and that is all. But I also believe God assigns us people to pray for until what He wants to do in them or for them is accomplished. I have prayed for one person, literally, for twenty-five years and will continue to do so until I die or until God releases me, or the person dies or what needs to happen comes to pass. There are actually times when I get tired of praying for this person, but it doesn’t matter how I feel, I still find myself praying. I know God has given me this assignment and I will not give up! I believe God is using my prayers to help shape this individual’s destiny.

  If God gives you an assignment to pray for someone or something, you will not have to “try” to work up a desire to pray; you will find that you cannot help yourself.

  There are other times when I feel that I “should” be praying for someone more than I do, but no matter how I feel, they just don’t come to mind when I pray. I may also try to pray, but have no desire, or cannot find much to say, and e
ven what I do say is dry and lifeless.

  If God gives you an assignment to pray for someone or something, you will not have to “try” to work up a desire to pray; you will find that you cannot help yourself. You find yourself praying for them without even consciously planning to do so.

  There are people who are assigned to pray for me. There are probably many I don’t know of, but I do know of two. A woman in Minnesota frequently tells me, “Joyce, you’re my assignment.” For that reason, she prays for me all the time. Another lady, who is a close personal friend, actually told me that she had taken on many new duties at her church and asked God if she could be released from praying for me all the time—and God would not release her. Her desire to pray for me remained so strong that she could do nothing but pray for me, or she was miserable. I am glad that God has assigned me to intercessors. I need a prayer covering over my life, and so do you.

  Regarding prayers of importunity, Andrew Murray wrote: “O what a deep heavenly mystery this is of persevering prayer. The God who has promised, who longs, whose fixed purpose it is to give the blessing, holds it back. It is to Him a matter of such deep importance that His friends on earth should know and fully trust their rich friend in heaven, that He trains them, in the school of answer delayed, to find out how their perseverance really does prevail, and what the mighty power is they can wield in heaven, if they do but set themselves to it.”2

  In my own life, there have been things that I know are God’s will because I can see them in His Word. When I pray about them and do not have a breakthrough, I go right back to God and say, “I’m here again. And God, I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but I’m not going to be quiet until I get a breakthrough. I’m not going away. I’m asking You again, Lord, and I am going to keep on asking until I see victory in this area.” At times, we must be like the patriarch Jacob, who said to the Angel of the Lord, “I will not let You go until You bless me.” God did indeed bless Jacob and said He did so because Jacob was a man who knew how to prevail with men and with God. In other words, Jacob was persistent and would not give up (see Genesis 32:24–28).

  When I know God’s will, I can pray accordingly and refuse to give up. When the answer does come, I see that perseverance really does prevail and I am encouraged by the mighty power I can wield in heaven through persistent prayer—and so can you.

  The Widow Who Wouldn’t Quit

  One of the Bible’s best examples of the prayer of importunity is in Luke 18:1–6:

  “Also [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up). He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary. And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence nor fear for God nor respect or consideration for man, yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault me and strangle me. Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says!”

  Jesus’ point in this parable is that if an unjust, wicked judge can be worn down, how much more will a just and loving God do for us if we refuse to give up? He will do exceedingly more than we can ever dream of—if we just don’t quit. Even when circumstances appear hopeless or problems seem insurmountable, we can overcome if we press in and pray. Romans 8:28 tells us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). This familiar scripture appears in the context of prayer, and I believe the point of this verse is that all things may not work together for good unless we continue to pray. If we will persevere in prayer, then no matter what happens in our lives, all things—no matter how bad the things may be—can work together in God’s wisdom and turn out for our good as we keep praying as the situation unfolds.

  Jesus said, “And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7–8).

  Keep praying and watch God turn your mess into a miracle.

  How many lives could be radically different if people had continued to pray when tragedy struck instead of becoming bitter and giving up. Keep praying and watch God turn your mess into a miracle. God wants us to be determined in our prayers. He does not want us to give up on anything. In fact, when He returns to earth, He will be looking for faith that does not quit, prayer that keeps on praying, and people who refuse to give up.

  Perseverance Brings Blessings

  One reason we are able to persevere in prayer is that we know we will get an answer. We know that God is trustworthy, and that He will not leave us frustrated or our prayers unanswered. I was especially encouraged by this story of persevering prayer and I hope you will be, too.

  John and Trish had children from previous marriages, but they believed God had spoken to their hearts and told them that they would have a child together. They prayed about this, and Trish became pregnant. The couple rejoiced over their good news, but soon that joy faded to mourning when Trish miscarried. The couple bounced back, standing on and praying the Word of God back to Him.

  “God, you open and close the womb” (see Genesis 29:31, 30:22; 1 Samuel 1:5), John would pray. Trish would add, “Lord, Your Word says in Psalm 21 that when the king asked life from You, that You gave it to him, and You are not a respecter of persons.” The couple was asking God for life, and they truly believed that God was going to give them just that—another life.

  Soon Trish got pregnant again, only to miscarry a second time. They couldn’t believe it. Again? Still, the couple prayed. And again, Trish was pregnant and miscarried a third time. People suggested adoption or simply quitting altogether, but John and Trish could not abandon the belief that God had spoken and promised they would literally have a baby, that Trish would give birth.

  Once more, John and Trish conceived, and once more, Trish miscarried. One miscarriage can be hard enough, but four? With the support of their church’s intercessors and their pastors, John and Trish continued to stand firm on what God had told them, and they continued praying Scriptures in circumstances that suggested they give up. And again, John and Trish conceived. Trish prayed fervently, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” This time, while praying, God impressed upon her heart Exodus 23:26 (NKJV): “No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.”

  Faithfully, God answered John and Trish’s prayer. Trish gave birth to Frances Faith, who is now a delightful testimony to God’s goodness, a great blessing to her parents, and a great encouragement to everyone who prayed for them and watched them persevere in prayer.

  Importunate, Not Repetitious

  I want to make a distinction before we go any further. Importunate, persevering prayer is not the same as repetitive prayer, and I really want to encourage you to pray persistent prayers by the leading of the Holy Spirit—not repetitious prayers that do not come from your heart or that you only pray because you memorized them in Sunday school. It is possible to use your mouth to speak words of prayer that have no meaning behind them at all, and those prayers are nothing but dead works. I could quote the entire Lord’s Prayer while I am thinking about something else.

  Lip service doesn't do anything for God or accomplish anything in our lives, so even when we pray about the same thing—over and over again—we need to be careful not to fall into repetition. Instead, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in a fresh way, even when we are addressing a subject about which we have prayed for a long tim
e.

  As I previously stated, some people have assignments in prayer, and often the need to be persistent in prayer will accompany that assignment. Sometimes God will assign you a person, and the Holy Spirit will put that person on your heart several times a day. That person will stay on your mind and you will have a supernatural energy or desire to pray for him or her often and sometimes very intensely.

  In order to be effective in prayer, it is important for us to learn to discern when to press into more fervent prayer in a situation and when to release it.

  We cannot decide what our assignments are. God chooses our assignments, so we need to learn how to be sensitive and obedient to God in this area and follow through. Anything that God energizes us to do is an assignment, even if only for a short time. The prayer of importunity may have less to do with how long we pray than with the determination with which we pray. We may have to pray a prayer of importunity for months or years, but then again, we might have to apply the same kind of determination to a prayer that God answers in a few days. Something or someone may be on our heart all day, for days at a time, or even for several hours one day.

  In order to be effective in prayer, it is important for us to learn to discern when to press into more fervent prayer in a situation and when to release it. The fact that we want something really, really bad is not a reason to keep bombarding God with urgent prayers if He has already promised it and asked us to trust His timing. We should not allow our thoughts or emotions to determine what we are persistent about; instead, we are to be led by the Holy Spirit. We need to learn how to tell when there is an anointing (God’s ability) on something and when there is not. Here’s an easy way to know the difference: If God’s anointing is on something, there is an ease to it; there is a flow; there is a grace to stay with it. You can sense the presence of the Holy Spirit as you pray about it. On the other hand, when we have to labor and struggle and strive to pray about a certain matter, there is not an anointing to pray about it.