Enhancing Your personal time with God (parts 4,5,6):

5 keys to developing your prayer times

2.14.2024, 2.21.2024, 2.28.2024

Tonight, we will begin with Point 5 in 5 keys to developing your prayer times.

Review

Is your devotional time the most important part of your day? If not, why not? Your daily time with God can be a catalyst to a step-by-step closer connection with Him.

James 4:8

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…

We are at any time as close to God as we choose to be – J. Oswald Sanders.

1.17.2024

5 Circles of intimacy surrounded Jesus:

The Multitude; The Seventy; The Twelve Disciples; The three – Peter, James, and John; and then the one – John, the Disciple whom Jesus loved.

I mentioned in past lessons that God spoke to me to make Him first in my day. And, He persisted until I said ok.

I eventually became an early riser.

1.24.2024

4 principles to boost a desire for a strong devotional time with God.

1. Frequent contact develops closeness.

2. Spiritual strength must be renewed daily. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

3. Time with God creates spiritual power. (Acts 1:8)

4. Make time with Jesus the first priority in your day. (Matthew 6:33; Psalm 63:1).

1.31.2024

4 Practical Suggestions for Personal Bible Reading and devotional time with God.

In your time with God, divide the time you have in half. Use half of the time you have for reading, and then half for praying.

1. Start slowly.

2. Discipline yourself to be awake and alert.

3. Find a Bible reading plan

4. Include variety in your reading.

Tonight:

5 keys to developing your prayer times.

Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)

Let us then 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].

Proverbs 15:8 (NKJV)

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Proverbs 15:8 (NLT)

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

Determine a daily time to pray (morning devos after reading).

1. Stay alert and awake.

I started a consistent prayer life by walking around and praying so I wouldn’t fall asleep.

I would imagine myself right before the throne of God, right in front of Him.

The most frequently used word for prayer in the new testament is proseuchomai, and is a directional word, referring to a close, face to face conversation.

2. Relate to God on the basis of His Word.

Feelings are fickle.

Don’t base your relationship with God on them.

Don’t let them get in the way!

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NKJV)

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV)

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Base your relating to Him on what His Word says!

He will “hide” if you get too connected to feelings in prayer!

Prayer is talking to God in the name of Jesus, according to His Word, by His Spirit without ceasing.

Begin 2.21.2024

Samuel Chadwick

Satan fears nothing from prayerless studies, teaching, and preaching. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.

D.L. Moody

Those who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer.

E.M. Bounds

How we estimate and place prayer is how we estimate and place God. To give prayer a secondary place is to make God secondary in life’s affairs.

Matthew 6:5-8 (NKJV)

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

5 keys to developing your prayer times.

1. Stay alert and awake.

2. Relate to God on the basis of His Word.

3. Open Your Heart.

To do this, you must know He doesn’t condemn you, but loves you, and longs to be with you.

Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

He wants honesty. He wants your heart.

Some people have NEVER opened their heart to anyone, not even God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Psalm 90:8 (AMPC)

Our iniquities, our secret heart and its sins [which we would so like to conceal even from ourselves], You have set in the [revealing] light of Your countenance.

Philippians 4:6 (J.B.Phillips)

Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer…

4. You change; He doesn’t.

Malachi 3:6 (NKJV)

For I am the LORD, I do not change…

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

James 1:17 (NKJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Some days you have feelings; other days you are flat. Don’t base the success of your prayer time on what you experience one day. It will balance out.

It’s more important to maintain regular, daily fellowship with God than to pray and fast for a week.

Begin 2.28.2024

5. Include variety in your praying.

1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

Ephesians 6:18 (AMPC)

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

I usually start with worship – singing and giving thanks.

Then I remind myself in front of Him as to who I am.

I remind myself in front of Him of His promises to honor His word and to answer prayer.

I pray for others first and then myself last.

I pray over my family by name, and the church staff team by name.

I pray over our church family.

I pray in tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:13 (AMPC)

Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says.

Praying in the spirit is an excellent way to pray about unknown things.

1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV)

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

New Century Version:

Those who have the gift of speaking in different languages are not speaking to people; they are speaking to God. No one understands them; they are speaking secret things through the Spirit.

J.B. Phillips

The man who speaks in a “tongue” addresses not men (for no one understands a word he says) but God: and only in his spirit is he speaking spiritual secrets.

Amplified:

For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding].

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (NKJV)

Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (J.B. Phillips)

And that means if one of your number speaks with a “tongue”, he should pray that he may be able to interpret what he says. If I pray in a “tongue” my spirit is praying but my mind is inactive. I am therefore determined to pray with my spirit and my mind, and if I sing I will sing with both spirit and mind.

1 Corinthians 14:13-14 (AMPC)

Therefore, the person who speaks in an [unknown] tongue should pray [for the power] to interpret and explain what he says. 14 For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].

1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (NKJV)

But as it is written:“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of manThe things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (PHILLIPS)

But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret.

10b-12 For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvelous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us. 13 It is these things that we talk about, not using the expressions of the human intellect but those which the Holy Spirit teaches us, explaining things to those who are spiritual. 14-16 But the unspiritual man simply cannot accept the matters which the Spirit deals with—they just don’t make sense to him, for, after all, you must be spiritual to see spiritual things. The spiritual man, on the other hand, has an insight into the meaning of everything, though his insight may baffle the man of the world. This is because the former is sharing in God’s wisdom, and ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ Incredible as it may sound, we who are spiritual have the very thoughts of Christ!

Romans 8:26-28 (NKJV)

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:26-28 (AMPC)

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.

27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.

28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Praying in the spirit is a God-ordained way to “charge your spiritual batteries” and edify Yourself!

1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV)

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

1 Corinthians 14:4 (NLT)

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

Jude 20 (NKJV)

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)

For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”…

Spend some time just quietly waiting on God.

1. Twenty-one to twenty-eight days begins the formation of a new habit.

2. Go to bed earlier than normal.

3. Get up earlier than normal.

4. Read half the time; pray half the time.

5. Stay alert in praying, and relate to God from your heart on the basis of His Word.

Faith-Building Scriptures

Meditate Daily

Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

 

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 89:34

My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.

Psalm 119:89

Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

 

Psalm 138:2

I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

 

Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 55:11

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Jeremiah 1:12

Then the LORD said to me, You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.

 

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Matthew 21:22

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

John 15:7

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 16:23-24

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

 

1 John 3:22-23

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.