Spirit-led prayer is always in line with the written Word. Real prayer is not based on the thoughts and concerns that may randomly pop into our minds. Real prayer is “deep calling unto deep” (Psalm 42:7), absorbing the heart and mind of God in practical matters. When our minds are enlightened by the Word and quickened by the Spirit, our hearts cry out in pleadings that cannot be denied.
Resolutions to pray more are doomed from the outset. But daily cleansing in the Word, daily emptying of self, and daily filling with His Spirit are yours for the taking. To be a praying man or woman, you must be filled and then take measures to stay filled with the Person of prayer (Holy Spirit). He alone is your prayer teacher. Prayer is not merely mouthing the right words but first developing a heart disposition to seek His will and hear His voice, and then echoing it back to the Father. One way to help develop this mindset is to pray Scripture back to God. Take His promises from His Word and speak them back to Him in faith.
True prayer originates from God’s heart. He is the author of prayer. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4). The idea of delight comes from a Hebrew root meaning “soft or moldable.” Pliable hearts are the ones God will fashion to match His. As His will is reproduced in us, His precise desires become our desires. Amazingly, what we want is what He wants. And prayer is when these desires are expressed in words. That’s why it is mandatory to declutter our souls from the influence of man’s traditions and programs that muffle the replication of His mind in us, and seek Him in His Word. When God’s will is adopted as our own, prayer becomes powerful.
The meshing of our will with His is the foundation for intensified intercession. Jesus said, “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14). As we align ourselves with His timeless realities, it shields us from having our faith sabotaged with worldly distractions.
A sponge is predisposed to absorb liquids. The molecular structure of a sponge causes it to become saturated with whatever fluid it is exposed to. All the qualities of the solution, including color, taste, and chemical components, are contained within the sponge. As new creations in Christ, we have a spiritual makeup that allows us to absorb God’s thoughts and desires. Since we are partakers of the divine nature, we even have the mind, intellect, and outlook of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). And prayer springs up from the living waters within us (John 7:38). That’s why we must purposely place ourselves where the Word and presence of God saturate our souls. It is here that we instinctively pray for God’s will to be accomplished…
Taken from Chapter 3 of NEXT LEVEL PRAYING by Harold Vaughan. Get your copy TODAY.
