Prayer Is A Dialogue
Practical Bible-based Methodologies For Communicating With God
• Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue.
• Prayer is a respectful heart to heart conversation with God.
• When petitioning God for your needs, practice the correct protocol.
Prayer: Dialogue between God and people, especially His covenant partners. (Holman Bible Publishers, 2003)
In its simplest form, prayer involves talking to God and awaiting a response, much like engaging in a conversation with someone whose words hold significance to you. You eagerly anticipate their response, aiming to absorb the information they convey.
Prayer is a respectful conversation between you and God, where one speaks while the other listens.
All conversations deserve and require a certain level of respect to be maintained in the long run. When engaging in conversation with God, who you have acknowledged as having authority over your life, an even greater level of respect is required. These fundamental protocols form the basis of prayer: speaking to God respectfully from the depths of your heart and listening to Him with equal respect.
Some days are challenging, filling our cup with issues, while in our cup of solutions remain only dregs. On these days, it's only right to want to pour out your heart before Him. Let it all out. Tell Him everything on your mind. Pour out your heart to Him and empty it of all its anxieties and concerns, but don't forget that as you’re pouring out your heart you must also pause to listen for solutions. Once you’ve had your chance to speak, respectfully give God the floor. Give God His due respect. Give Him His turn to speak and answer you.
I am not here to tell you what you should pray or how you should pray. God reveals His desired methods of communication with us through various verses in the Holy Bible, and as one of His vessels, I am here to relay that message. I am simply helping you to establish your personal framework of prayer based on the Holy Bible. The original message concerning how to pray is coming from God. I am just here to relay the message.
The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus gave us an introductory prayer that we should pray in the morning, afternoon, and night, or at any time we feel the need to pray and may not know what to say.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13
However, the Bible instructs us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ). So, what do we pray after we've recited the Lord's Prayer?
We engage in a conversation with God regarding every aspect of our lives. This is the main approach to maintaining the vitality of prayer. Prayer can never become monotonous because you are continuously pouring out your entire heart to God while also attentively listening for His response. This exchange of heartfelt dialogue keeps you eagerly anticipating the next time God communicates with you.
God does not always answer a prayer while you're in your prayer closet, on your knees, or at the altar, or other places for prayer. There are times when God responds to our prayers through supernatural miracles, fulfills our requests through other people, or employs other unique ways of answering them.
It is evident that God does not operate in a mundane manner. Just take a moment to observe your surroundings. No two human beings have the exact same genome, fingerprints, or personality. This is an important aspect of God to keep in mind because He may not respond to your prayers in the same way as He has done before. God deeply appreciates variety and difference and rewards us accordingly. He loves and delights in communicating with you through various means.
A.S.K acronym. The ask, seek and knock of prayer.
When asking God for anything we must phrase our requests in the form of a question. When you ask God for things, you place Him in a position where you may later find yourself thanking Him for prayers He hasn't answered, or perhaps answered in a way different from your expectations. When you approach God with your requests, He acts as a loving and wise father who wouldn't give car keys to His five-year-old daughter/son because He understands the immediate and long-term consequences. I hope my analogy is clear to you.
After asking God for the things we have need of, seek His direction. Allow God to lead your steps.
When God is leading us, we must often take action and at times, we must do so repetitively. Hence, knock and keep on knocking. Continue going on the route God has placed you on. You can never go wrong following God’s guidance and His leadership.
Read more in depth on Matthew 7:7-8, The Correct Protocols For Prayer.
Fight For Your Well-being
If you're going to win the war for your soul, you must fight for your well-being. When you're knocked down by obstacles or opposition, fight back in the spirit as if you were physically attacked. Remember that “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” 2 Corinthians 10:3 King James Version
When we respect someone, we don't just go to them and tell them what we want them to do for us; instead, we humbly ask them. If you respect God, you will ask Him for the desires of your heart, while also respecting His final decision.
Take Action to fight for your Well-being
Open Your Ears After You’ve Opened Your Heart
Pray as many times as you can throughout the day. After you’ve prayed, listen. It is unlikely that you will hear the audible voice of God but listen in your spirit-man. Ask God to give you a reigning spiritual ear tuned to His voice. A part of prayer is respecting God enough to listen after you’ve spoken. You’ve had your turn to speak, now allow God to respond.
Read more about: Things To Be Mindful Of As You Pray
Prayer Appointment
Be careful of what you demand of God
Have you ever experienced being grateful for a prayer that God didn’t answer in the way you wanted Him to? If you have, welcome to the club.
There are times we believe that God didn’t show up for us. There are people who are actually angry at God because God didn’t do what they believe they needed. However we view this, they have legitimate concerns. In regard to this, it’s best to remember that God always has our best interest at heart. Even when we can’t see how based on the circumstances we may be facing.
Ask God to help you develop a consistent prayer life that aligns your heart with His.
Answered Prayers
It’s always best to ask God for what we need. We can only see but so far unless God gives us special insight or discernment outside of scripture, but specifically for our circumstances. However, this special insight must but align with scripture and not contradict it. Due to this particular fact, we should allow God to make final decisions on what’s best for us.
What are 3 things you can remember that you asked God for but later thanked Him because he did not give you what you wanted?
What prayers have God answered this week?
How do you believe God is currently working to answer your previous prayer?
Scriptural Evidence
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall [a]direct your paths. New King James Version
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him [for salvation] while He is near. Amplified Bible
Matthew 6:33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. Amplified Bible
Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened. Complete Jewish Bible
Matthew 13:58 He was unable to do many miracles there because of their disbelief. Common English Bible
Luke 11:9-10 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Authorized Version (of KJV)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;). Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
James 2:17 So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective]. Amplified Bible
James 2:26 For just as the [human] body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of obedience] is also dead. Amplified Bible
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.