anatomy of daily prayer

AAnnaattoommyy ooff DDaaiillyy PPrraayyeerr

by

Nestor Morejón

October, 2009

Anatomy of Daily Prayer

Copyright © 2009 by Nestor Morejon. All rights reserved.

1

You Jesus God

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this document is to give the reader a systematic approach to structure their daily prayers. Since the early times of the church, it has been a bit confusing to a believer in terms of how to pray, so much so that Jesus had to provide a sample template – commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer”. There are many theological doctrines surrounding this topic and this text is not meant as yet another to add to the mix, rather a simple approach to daily prayers.

There are many specific forms of prayers dealing with healing, deliverance, thanksgiving, etc. However, daily prayers should be considered as a mandatory regiment in the life of Christians. Although God wants us to be in a state of constant prayer, and we should always strive for that as our goal, it becomes quite difficult in our hectic lives.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18

Therefore, setting aside a specific time in the morning or at night before we go to bed may allow us to adequately engage in a one-on-one communication with our God. Remember, this is a structured template to use, lots of room here for personal customization – in fact, personalizing this method of prayer is an absolute must. God does not want us to perform repetitive and long rambling prayers.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:7-8

You should not approach daily prayers as a burdensome task, rather as a joyful opportunity to engage in meaningful relationship with the creator of the universe.



2

SOME BASIC FUNDAMENTALS

There are some basic ground rules and fundamentals that we need to establish in order for your prayer life to be affective and rewarding.

First and most importantly, you must have a personal relationship with Jesus. That is, without question, you have surrendered your life to Him, and made Jesus your personal Lord and Savior as established in the word of God. Follow this simple formula:

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Do your homework! God’s divine wisdom is given to us in his written word – READ IT! Some biblical scholars speculate that God has given over 7,000 promises to the believers in Christ . . . that’s a lot! One of the keys to a successful prayer life is to understand these promises and claim them for yourself, in faith that is. You don’t ask God “. . .if it’s your will Lord, heal me”, He already said that it is his will for us to be healed – there are no contradictions in His word. All you have to do is align yourself to His word. Quote scripture as often as possible during your prayers.

You don’t have to pray through anything or anyone, just through Jesus. We are imperfect and unclean in the eyes of God, but through Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, we can be seen and heard by the Almighty.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Find a regular time in the day (morning or night . . . or maybe both) to pray, also, find the right place so you won’t be disturbed.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

Remember that your will is a very powerful gift from God, learn to discern what you do verses what God allows to happen, or what the enemy does. This will ensure that your prayers are aligned and in accordance with the word of God.



THE LORD’S PRAYER

Jesus gave us a great example of how to structure our prayers. If all else fails, you can just recite this prayer in faith, and God will guide you through the rest.

“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from the evil one”. Matthew 6:9-13

This prayer is easy to memorize, Jesus himself gave us this great example in order for us to understand a method by which we can communicate with God. The Lord’s Prayer has brought millions of people to their knees in times of need. Now we can take the basic structure of this prayer and expand it to personalize our communication with God.

When times are so hard that you can barely take your next breath, just remember to pray the shortest prayer known; just the name of “JESUS”. Just call out His name and He will know your needs. There is unbelievable power in His name . . .”all knees shall bow”.

There are two very powerful symbols God has given us, the cross and the bible. The word of God, written in the bible is powerful onto itself, yes, the actual book. The enemy knows that the secrets to their defeat are written within those pages. The cross, which symbolized Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice as the true and only pure offering acceptable to God, represents our eternal salvation and Satan’s ultimate defeat. Use both of these gifts often.

3



HIGH LEVELVIEW – THE SEVEN PILLARS OF DAILY PRAYER

4



5

DETAILS – THE SEVEN PILLARS

Pillars Explanation Salutations Before you can start asking God for things, you must humble yourself before his

magnificence and establish your lineage to Him and your right to even ask. Addressing God by his name and title demonstrates your obedience and respect. He is called many things; Jehovah, Elohim, Yahweh, or just our Father in Heaven. He is the creator of heaven and earth and all things within them. You must establish your kinship to God through Jesus Christ (His Son) - your personal Lord and Savior.

Praise Worshiping God in praise and adoration, even in song. This opens the heavens to your presence; the angels will join you and others as well. In the presence of the Almighty, you can exalt Him above all things, including your pain, troubles, and circumstances. Elevating Him above all things will put the proper perspective on your personal issues.

Forgiveness We must continue to remember that although we are forgiven, and Jesus paid for our sins at the cross, we are still sinners and falter constantly. We must acknowledge our sinful nature so God can continue developing a fruitful spiritual life in us. Being a three-part entity, we must ask forgiveness for our physical sins, mental (soul) sins, and our spiritual sins. Be specific, remember that He knows your deepest secrets, so don’t try to hide anything. The key here is repentance – He will forgive you if you have truly repented of your sins, and of course, avoid committing the same sins over and over again. One of the hardest things to do is to forgive those who have wronged us, yet an essential step towards spiritual freedom.

Rebuking The enemy never sleeps; we are constantly attacked by Satan and his demons, sometimes in a very subtle way and other times in direct warfare. A few key principles here can help you battle these attacks; 1) Satan is already defeated (remind him), 2) Where the Holy Spirit is, no evil can be present, 3) Their only purpose is to get you to take your eyes off of God – focus, don’t let them, 4) You are a child of God, claim your kinship with Jesus, He gave us the authority to fight and defeat them. Start by openly rebuking Satan, his demons, spirits and principalities in high places, and specific demons by name if you can recognize them. Bind them in the name of Jesus; cast them out of your lives. Do not give them any permission to be in your life. This section of your prayers should be said out loud so they can hear you. Do not be afraid or ignorant in these things, read the bible or seek help.

Gratitude Prior to asking God for something else, you should thank Him for all of the blessings He has already given you. Think about all of the areas in your life that God has influenced in one way or another. Our lives are a tribute to God’s creation, our eternal salvation was bought through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, beyond that the rest is insignificant. However, we have much to thank Him for, so be specific, and don’t leave anything out including the trials and tribulations that cross our paths – which are opportunities for growth.

Supplication Now you’re in a mental and spiritual place where you can ask your Father in heaven to listen to your needs, in your own words. Put others before you, that their needs be met. Welcome the Holy Spirit in your supplications to God – remember that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our advocate (or our lawyer) before God. Quote the many promises in scripture that God has given us, and claim them for your petition.

Affirmation In closure, affirm all of the things you have claimed in Jesus’ name in accordance and alignment with the word of God. Thank God for listening to your prayers, so that He may give you the strength to live on and serve Him in whatever capacity and purpose He has for you. Trust in His word, with unwavering faith, that you will live a rich, spirit-filled life. Amen and Amen . . .



6

SAMPLE PRAYER TEMPLATE

Heavenly Father, Jehovah God almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and all things within them, praised be your name, I come before you in the name of Jesus Christ your Son and my personal Lord and Savior.

Hallelujah Lord, praise your name. You are my exalted and only God, to whom I serve. Your magnificence reigns in all things, I thank you Lord for all your blessings. To worship at your feet is my honor, to bask in your presence my desire, to serve you my privilege.

I humbly ask your forgiveness for the sins I’ve committed; physically, mentally, and spiritually. I repent of all my transgressions against the teachings of your word and thy Holy Spirit. Please forgive me for [detail your specific sins here]. Lord, please forgive those who have wronged me [specify persons and their actions], for I have forgiven them.

In the Holy name of Jesus Christ, I hereby rebuke you Satan, all of your demons, evil spirits and principalities in high places. I rebuke you spirit of [specify particular spirits or demons by name], in Jesus’ name. You are not welcomed in any aspect of my life, body, mind, house, family, work, or friends – you have no consent to reside in any of these areas. I bind all of you in the name of Jesus, for the word of God says “whatever is bound on earth will be bound in heaven”, and I command you to loosen any grip you have in my life and I cast you out in Jesus’ name.

Thank you Lord for all of the blessings you have poured onto me, especially for my eternal salvation. I thank you Lord for [itemize all of the things you’re thankful of].

Lord, I welcome the Holy Spirit in my life as my guide through my petitions and supplications to you. In Jesus’ name I ask [specify all of your requests]. (Quote God’s promises in scripture where applicable).

I thank you Lord for listening to my prayers, I sit in waiting with faith for your answers and words of wisdom for my life. In Jesus’ name I pray in alignment and accordance with the word of God, Amen and Amen!



SUMARY

Trust in God that He knows your needs, and answers prayers according to His divine timing and purpose. Understand that we are His chosen people, believers in Christ, and that He will never leave us or forsake us, and rather, He will provide all of our needs. Sometimes, when we just don’t know how to pray, just ask God for a word of wisdom – wait, and He will answer.

Don’t let the enemy defeat you or get you down. Just remind him that he’s already defeated (by Jesus). They will lie, distract you, do everything in their power to have you take your eyes off of Jesus – don’t let them, stand firm on your ground, put on the armor of God, and use God’s sword (the Holy word of God . . . the Bible) against them.

There is a divine purpose for everything that God does or allows to happen, we may not understand now, but trust that some day while in His presence all shall be revealed to us – His truth shall set us free!

AAn

7

About the Author:

A sinner; redeemed by the blood of the Christ and given passage to the kingdom of heaven. God allowed me to experience many trials and tribulations in my life, but His grace poured onto me abundantly in every step of the way. My clear purpose in life, as a Spiritual Warrior for God, gives me the ability to serve. My spiritual life is strengthened by my daily prayers; an opportunity to repent of my sins, and to praise God for His blessings.

naattoommyy ooff DDaaiillyy PPrraayyeerr

anatomy of daily prayer

Documents

daily prayers

word of god

method of prayer

lords prayer

successful prayer life

christ jesus

rambling prayers

jesus godintroduction