How to develop an effective prayer life.

Prayer is one of the most important things that we can do as Christians.

The benefit's of prayer include :

• Prayer can help people develop an intimate relationship with God and feel that God is listening.

• Prayer can help people understand God's will and accept it.

• Prayer can help people feel less anxious, isolated, and fearful.

• Prayer can help people feel more confident and have a more positive outlook on life.

• Prayer can help people develop the ability to make responses that maintain and restore community.

• Prayer can help people make the right decisions and find direction & guidance in life.

• Prayer can help people avoid temptations and prevent sin.

• Prayer can strengthen bonds between believers.

• Prayer can help people feel more connected to what they find important in life.

God already knows what we want before we pray but our prayer gives God permission to intervene and act in and through our life's.

We can also pray in tongues which the early Christians did in the early church. The Holy spirit will also pray for us.

Prayer is a two way conversation first we speak to God then we wait with expectancy to hear God's voice, God will respond in many different ways.

Jesus taught his disciple's how to pray through teaching them the Lord's prayer.

We can also see from the Act's prayer principle how to pray.

Adoration - we need to have adoration for God for he is our heavenly Father.

Confession - we must confess our sins and have a heart of repentance.

Thanksgiving - we need to give God glory and praise for all that God is doing in and through our life.

Supplication - we can boldly come to God's throne and make our requests known to God and if our requests are according to God's will then God will grant us favour.

There are 4 different types of prayer :

Adoration & Thanksgiving - we praise God for what he has done in and through our life.

Petition & Supplication - We make our requests known to God.

Intercession - we stand in the gap for our loved ones, community & world.

Confession - We sincerely & humbly confess our sins to God and foster a heart of repentance.

When we pray it is important we pray from a heart of faith and expectancy, we need to have faith that God hears our prayer & be expectant to see God perform miracles.

Word's are powerfull and everything that happens in the physical realm is first birthed in the physical realm.

God created the universe through spoken Word's, when we speak Word's there are Angels / Demon's that will act accordingly to the confessions and declarations that we speak.

We must speak life over our circumstance's and ensure that the Word's that come out of our mouth are contrary to God's word.

When we pray we are partnering with Christ and it's important we are not selfish and are using our prayers to glorify God and manifesting God's will from heaven upon the world.

Prayer journalling is an effective way to keep track of our spiritual journey and we can reflect upon how God has worked in and throughout our life.