PRAYERS
PRAYERS
JUST DO IT
Prayer is a vital part of your new life as a Christian. Don’t worry about what to say and how to say it; just talk to God in the way that comes naturally to you. Like any relationship, it blossoms when you spend time with each other and suffers when you don’t. God is always ready to listen and won’t be shocked by anything you tell him.
IT’S A TWO-WAY THING
Because a relationship is a two-way thing God will want to speak to you too. So it’s important to listen during your prayer times (and at other times too). God wants to encourage you in prayer, so be bold and ask for what you need. You may also want to keep a prayer diary to record answers to prayer. Don’t forget to thank Him when the answers come!
GET THE HABIT
It’s helpful to have a set daily prayer time. Having a regular prayer time built into your daily routine will help you become established as a new Christian. Most people find it best to start the day with prayer. Leaving your main prayer time till bedtime is not a good idea, as you’re likely to fall asleep instead!
TYPES OF PRAYER
The four main types of prayer are easiest to remember by using 4 letters of the alphabet; A,C,T,S. These stand for:
A: Adoration
C: Confession
T: Thanksgiving
S: Supplication
Examples of each are as follows:
Adoration: worship of God for who he is and what he has done for you. Worship of God is of the highest importance. God created you to worship Him.
Confession: saying sorry for what you’ve done wrong and asking His forgiveness. Learn by heart the words of 1 John 1:1-9. Also, try as much as possible to ask God’s forgiveness immediately you are aware you have sinned, otherwise you are giving Satan a foothold. Don’t wait till later – you may have forgotten by then.
Thanksgiving: giving thanks for the ways God has blessed you and provided for you. There is so much to thank Him for. Reading your Bible will help you to understand the many things He has done for you.
Supplication: asking for whatever you need from day to day and prayer for the needs of others, including those who do not know Jesus.
MORE WAYS THAN ONE
Sometimes God gives Christians the ability to speak, and even sing, in a language they have never learned. This is normally done in private as an intimate form of prayer between you and God and is quite normal in God’s kingdom.