Eight Approaches to Prayer

I came to faith at a young age preceded by the prayers of my parents, and my Sunday School teachers, I’m certain. In my sophomore year of high school, my sister Sandee fervently and specifically took my name before the Lord. She saw that I was getting off track and reached out. The Lord moved on my heart and I never turned back.

Prayer precedes everything.

Prayer precedes change.

Prayer precedes our vision to see women converted to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This year, as we rejoice over eight decades of Gospel sharing, know that God has completed immeasurably more than any of us across the generations could ask or imagine! We acknowledge that prayer has preceded and been woven through each year. In this celebratory year, I’m offering eight ways to pray, one for each decade.

Eight Approaches to Prayer

1. Pray specifically.

For the past number of years, we have watched as God drew nearly 3,000 women annually to Himself. We rejoiced as they moved from darkness to light. My specific prayer for this year is that 4,000 women would be reconciled to God through Christ.

“… We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of His will … bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …”

– Colossians 1:9-10, ESV

2. Pray God’s Word.

As we read the Bible this year, pause and pray for our families, outreaches, and the leaders in our lives, both local and national.

3. Pray our words.

God gives us words when we don’t know how to pray. Ask God to bring about His perfect will in Stonecroft, in the development of locally based hubs, in the staff, every volunteer and donor, the Board of Directors, and in our prayer times.

4. Pray fervently.

Don’t give up! Our lives of prayer are a direct statement about our unswerving faith in our almighty God. When we pray, and pray some more, we bolster our faith and develop trust and reliance on God that pleases Him, and more deeply connects us to His will.

5. Pray with surrender.

Not my will Lord, but yours be done. Not easy words, but ones that transform. Our way is simply not the best way, friends. His way. His timing. His glory. Raise your hands into the air and sincerely say, “Your will, your way. I will follow.”

6. Pray with thanksgiving.

A grateful heart is postured well before the Lord. We know He has good for us and we thank Him for all He has done. You might want to shout your thanks aloud as you walk through your home. You might want to shout these words as you drive to work, or drop kids off at school, “Thank You, thank You, Lord.” When we shout, we drown out the doubt, and we hear ourselves say these powerful words: Thank You, God!

7. Pray with a repentant heart.

The Holy Spirit moves us to repent. And, when we obey Him, we discover anew a right relationship with our Savior and the freedom of not bearing the burden.

We develop a keen sensitivity to walking in the light. We need to repent and continuously be transformed. This comes from these sacred and sincere words, “I’m sorry, I repent. Please help me to turn away from this sin.”

8. Prayers of anything.

When you present “anything prayers,” you say, “I will follow you no matter what. I will do whatever you ask, and will follow where you lead.” These prayers typically involve risk, are bigger than anything you can imagine. They are less about us and more about God. What would happen if we prayed, “We, as Stonecroft women, ask that You do whatever it takes to get the Gospel to this nation so that people would know of your love, forgiveness, and mercy”? What if we prayed for the person who hurt us the most, “Lord will you save this person, restore our relationship, and use this person to bring others to Yourself”?

So, are you ready to pray?  Will you try praying eight minutes a day for the eight decades of God’s faithfulness to Stonecroft?