The Prayer Closet - when? how? advice?

[nwink]

Brothers and sisters, how do you fit extended time in the "prayer closet" into your schedule? When do you do it? How long are you able to pray undistracted? Do you have a specific list of prayer requests you pray for each time, alternate through, etc?

In order to imitate our Lord's example and commands in this area, it would be helpful to hear how you fit prayer time into your schedule and to hear any advice you have (such as something that you did or something that happened that really helped you start having more regular prayer times, etc). Thank you!

 

[KMK]

With two jobs and 8 children it is difficult (for me) to be consistently in the closet. What has helped me to maximize my prayer time is to keep a prayer journal. I have a list of people to pray for and I write my prayers down as I pray. It sounds like it would take more time to do it this way, but for me it helps me to stay focused.

 

[alec]

Josh, your thoughts and example are inspiring to me. I plan to listen to the sermons at the link you attached.

Thank you.

 

[Wayne]

Prayer walks, getting in a bit of exercise while praying, mostly utilizing the Psalms as springboards for prayer.

 

[antony73]

The best time I have found is usually before or after some bible reading, or both, and usually 6am when there is no one about. The problem is, is that I am often not in a good frame of mind so early in the morning. I'm just not a morning person. When I am struggling to get into that prayerful frame of mind, I read some from the Valley of Vision, or take a brief look through the structure of prayer from the Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer for a starting point. It's a case of pushing myself, cracking the ice, as it where. Recently I have also begun my prayer time during an evening walk.

Both praying at early at home along with bible reading and praying whilst walking both have advantages and disadvantages. If I had to pick just one, it would be whilst going for a walk. I have found many most intimate moments with the Lord whilst praying and walking The good thing about this is that I can just sit when I need to reflect or take time to choose my words with care. Saying that, I do feel it appropriate to make time at home for prayer. I feel it important to bend my knees before the Father. Something I cannot do whilst walking.

If I miss my prayer time, or when I am really, really struggling and just don't want to pray, I say the Lord's Prayer and recite the Apostles Creed to myself several times, mindful of the words and meaning, just to push my mind to focus on spiritual matters leading up to personal prayer. I find this especially helpful on those days when I'm up late, me and my wife do not have a good start to the day and just everything is basically a hectic mess. Actually, this approach has been a real help to remain prayerful throughout the day. Real helpful.

Just thought... I could read the bible at 6am, pray. And if struggling, go for a morning walk and pray some more. Prayerful mediation. Hey, thanks nwink. I'd never thought of that if not for you!

Lastly, tell my family I'm going up to my room for prayer time. And what a good example for the kids! Especially if they come and join you once in a while.

 

[Zach]

Antony gives very good advice here. I am a morning person, so morning pray inherently works well for me, but it is one of the only times that I can ensure undivided time with the LORD. Also, prayer walks are great too.

 

[jandrusk]

I know for me personally that I have to allocate at least an hour for it and let the family know not to disturb me during this time. I'm also reading John Bunyan's work called, "Prayer" that has given me additional thoughts on prayer content.

 

[GloriousBoaz]

I hope this helps beware powerful stuff

Paul washer- the prayer closet - YouTube

Pray and Be Alone With God - Paul Washer - YouTube

Leonard Ravenhill Sermon - Desperate Prayer - YouTube

Leonard Ravenhill Sermon - No Man is Greater Than His Prayer Life - YouTube

A Call to Anguish - David Wilkerson (Full Sermon) - YouTube

 

[Rayn]

Along these same lines, could anyone provide any specific advice on how to be more persistent in my petitons? I don't mean so much just praying more, but how to pray for the same issues repeatedly. What happens so often is I start praying for something for a little bit, never see an answer to it, and then something else comes up and I completely forget about the other thing until one day and then I feel guilty. : |

Thanks for the sermon series, Joshua. I see he dealt with perseverance. I'll give that a listen.

 

[JimmyH]

Along these same lines, could anyone provide any specific advice on how to be more persistent in my petitons? I don't mean so much just praying more, but how to pray for the same issues repeatedly. What happens so often is I start praying for something for a little bit, never see an answer to it, and then something else comes up and I completely forget about the other thing until one day and then I feel guilty. : |

Thanks for the sermon series, Joshua. I see he dealt with perseverance. I'll give that a listen.

When I began learning to pray it was as if I was speaking to the air. I too felt that I should avoid 'vain repetition' but found in spite of that, I needed to be repetitious in my prayers to some extent.

Saying this in all reverence, just as I develop a relationship with a person in this world of time by speaking with them, I developed a relationship with my Holy Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, through speaking with Him in prayer.

I try to pray in the morning. As physical exercise stimulates our metabolism throughout the day, prayer stimulates our Spiritual metabolism in the same way.

Beginning with praise, confession of sins, filling with the Holy Spirit daily, following with petition for myself, others. I used to do this from memory but as my petitions grew I had to resort to a list.

Praying for members of the Baptist church I used to attend and members of the OPC church I attend now. Family, friends, missions, brothers and sisters in Christ suffering persecution around the world. Finally for revival and end with praise. At first I felt that this might take away from the Spirit of my prayer but on the contrary, it has continued to be as rewarding for me as it was.

That is in the morning. The before bed prayer is devotional but more personal and abbreviated. That is my daily prayer life. This keeps my batteries charged and reminds me daily that I have been elected before the foundation of the world to be adopted into Sonship through the Lord Jesus Christ. I no longer 'speak to the air, but to my Father who art in Heaven. He may not remove the specific 'thorn in my flesh' that I am praying for, but I am persistent in continuing to ask.

 

[GloriousBoaz]

Keeping a journal of who you've prayed for and what you've prayed for them for is great because then a year or many later you can look back and see how god moved. We've done for years with my homegroup.

 

[reformedminister]

Prayer walks, getting in a bit of exercise while praying, mostly utilizing the Psalms as springboards for prayer.

This is how I pray too! Every morning after my devotional reading and study in the Scriptures, I go for a "prayer walk". I follow the pattern of the Lord's Prayer and cover certain topics and other requests from church members and family. It is good for the soul and the body. It also keeps me alert and awake to pray for a good extended time. The whole time is devoted to prayer and not just enjoying the scenery of God's creation. I try to appreciate that too but keep focused on the purpose of my "prayer walk".

 

[Vladimir]

Prayer has been the foundation of my walk with the Lord. My knees and back would ache, and consciousness wander off sometimes, but I offered violence to them and strived to put the whole of me under submission to Him. I would cry out to Him for hours. It was the primary source of my energy, confidence and guidance.
This thread made me look back on those times and wonder, what in the world I have been living on after I stopped doing that.

 

[Tim]

Along these same lines, could anyone provide any specific advice on how to be more persistent in my petitons? I don't mean so much just praying more, but how to pray for the same issues repeatedly.

Great question. My recent thoughts on the matter are to try to be more and more intelligent regarding a certain petition. Some questions:

1. Is there a promise in God's Word regarding this petition that I have not yet noticed and/or claimed?
2. Have I followed up regarding a certain need (example: I have prayed for certain missionaries, but not ever contacted them via email to ask about their needs).
3. Have I acted where there is responsibility to do so? This might lead to facing further challenges that readily inform further prayer.

 

[a mere housewife]

I read something yesterday that was a great comfort to me as I struggle through my reaction to unanswered prayers (it is easy for me to begin to doubt the efficacy of prayer; but we are taught to call on God with Christ, to listen to His voice and direct ours to Him, and these words between us and Him, that He speaks and we bring back to Him with Christ, are presented as something formative not simply of our own experience in the pattern of our Savior's, but of history) -- that every petition is like a seed dropped into the earth. There is so much in Scripture about waiting on the Lord: just as when a seed is planted, we have to wait for God to send the measures the seedling needs to grow and develop, and we have to wait His harvest time. And we have to trust His wisdom, that He knows how to grow this plant to its fruition. And we have to embrace 'sowing and reaping' as a process of death. Often our own thoughts about how and when things should work out, fall into the ground and die. But that is only the prerequisite. We pray (as with any spiritual labor) in the realm of the resurrection. Sowing and reaping is a process of hope that cannot be destroyed by death. We pray with a sense of expectancy, that none of those who wait on the Lord will be ashamed -- because that is the word God gave us to bring back to Him.