This is How I Pray

This morning the Holy Spirit gave me an idea to share with you all how I pray. When I was saved in 1994 I was a mess, I didn't know anything about the Bible and no clue of how to pray. God brought me this awesome book called Let Prayer Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi (you can purchase it on Amazon HERE) and since then I have learned how to pray like King David.

Below is an example of what my prayer time looks like. It has evolved into this format, so I use some things from Tirabassi's book and I have added some of my own ways, especially as a prophet. There are times when God is so excited to share something with me, that I never make it to My PART. You'll see that that is the acronym used, P.A.R.T.: Praise, Admit, Request, Thanks.

I used to pray in journals. My bookshelf is loaded with those years of prayers. Now, however, I use Penzu, a FREE online journaling app. Each morning, I grab my Chromebook, type out my prayers and listen. The nice thing about Penzu is that you can also upload pictures onto the pages. I love that, especially when I am prophesying.

I use Biblegateway when I am studying the word. I have no issue with reading different versions of the Bible, to me, they are each different voices and even personalities that invite me to go even deeper. I love to line up two or more versions of the Bible and dive in. It makes me think of how Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John share the same story but with different voices and personalities, to see how they differed click HERE. I have found different versions like The Voice or The Message to reach me more easily when I am feeling discouraged, and then other times I want the King James or the Strong's so I can search even more deeply what God is saying. I hope you feel free to do the same thing- that spirit of religion likes to argue with a lot of people that somehow God can't speak through every translation. He is always reminding me that he's Bigger than any translation.

My intention in sharing this with you is to offer you just one way of praying. We all need to be praying right now and God wants more than anything to be talking with you about everything! He doesn't want anyone feeling left out. He loves you!

MY PART

Praise:

Father, you are so creative! You hold the pen to my life- you write my life every day. You are a true poet! I am in awe of your creativity- and it amazes me that you never erase! You use everything, even my mistakes, even the mistakes in the world- you use everything to cause your people to prosper. You are Love. Your love radiates from within your people. You are so bright! You paint from a brighter pallet that any of us could ever imagine- and then you give us the paintbrush and encourage us to have a go! With one stroke of your brush, you bless us. You want to bless everything I put my hands to. Today, I believe that.

Note: Sometimes I will write songs or poetry to the Father, I will also directly quote David. He really knows how to praise! My husband, Sean, likes to draw and journal on the same pages. He once drew a beautiful rendition of the red ribbon tied by Rahab and surrounded it with prayer.

Admit.

Father, I admit to not trusting you this morning. I woke up doubting the call upon my life, but I will believe what YOU say and not what others say. Forgive me for letting family members discourage me- I am not going to be talked out of my authority, I am not going to be talked out of your promises. I am already safe in your arms, so I am not going to "be safe" by the world's standards, I am going to be dangerous to Hell knowing and walking in the truth of who you are- You are my Protector! You are My Hero. You are My Savior. I repent from even considering that this virus is stronger than you.

Note: A really great scripture to begin with and recommended by Tirabassi is from Psalm 139: 23-24. "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Request.

Father, strengthen every person who reads this prayer. Father give me a deeper understanding of your word and closer entry into your heart. Father, enrich our relationship all the more so that when people look at me, they don't see me, but they see you. You are settling upon your people. Show us what it means that you will come down on a cloud- are we not that cloud Lord? Oh, Jesus, you are excellent and so skilled in how you write. Impart that same gift upon me, Lord. Will you give to me as you gave to Solomon an understanding heart? Anoint the words of my book so people who don't know you can see how loving, how kind how awesome you are! You ARE AWESOME! Father, may not a single second be wasted as your people seek you. May all of the many gifts you have promised them be waiting to be deposited into their lives like Joseph giving the food he collected so that no one went without. Father, bless my readers with long life. Bless your people with the abundance that is due to them from John 10:10. Lord, bless them double- for you have caught the thief and this is why things are the way they are- the thief owes your people double and seven and we are taking it- we are taking it every time we believe you! You want to bless and prosper your people. May we no longer live beneath our means, but rise up and live as KINGS!

Note: I will usually use initials when I am praying for specific people. I love to go back and reread what I prayed. God is so faithful and it is especially wonderful when you get to see Him answer an exact prayer AND share it with the person you prayed for! Make sure you date each entry so you can see how God answered!

Thanks.

Father, thank you. “Give thanks to the Lord and ask him for more!

Tell the world about all that he does! Let them know how magnificent he is!” Thank you for the many times you reached for me while I was on the floor weeping, bruised by the words from my enemies, threatened by those who believed I wasn't worth their time. Thank you that you have done all of this for me. You have responded to my cry for help, you have responded to my heart's cry. There are no words to describe how thankful I am for all that you have done. Time and time again you have saved me from the fowler's snare. Thank you for the simplicity of my house, my chickens, my duck and my cat. Thank you for each day when my hens lay an egg. Thank you for keeping my flock from the foxes, thank you also for keeping the foxes far from my daughters. Thank you for the health of my family, thank you for my husband and the rest you have given him. You are such a good, good Father. I love you Lord. I love you Jesus.

“Because you have delighted in me as my great lover,

I will greatly protect you.

I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before my face.

I will answer your cry for help every time you pray,

and you will find and feel my presence

even in your time of pressure and trouble.

I will be your glorious hero and give you a feast.

You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you.

For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!” Psalm 91:14-16

After my PART comes God's PART. Tirabassi recommends studying and praying through the book of Proverbs and a book in the old and the new testament. My favorite part, however, is LISTENING. This is how I first started practicing hearing the voice of the Father, some 25 years ago!

Listening.

The Father says today,

"As Moses did, you will face your relatives and invite them to the promised land. You will lead many out of bondage and captivity. You will hear me telling you which way to go, and you will go there. While your land lays ready to be planted, you will not see the first harvest. For I am sending you to a people who need to hear your story, who need to hear that My Love is accessible and you and I know you have found that love and refused to let go! I love you, Beloved. We have traveled over so many mountains and through many valleys, but now you will soar above it all. For the first witnesses in your married life were two eagles soaring above the Rocky Mountains blessing your union, and so be blessed this day- my soaring eagle. You have put thousands of angels to flight because of your prayers- now see the harvest of those prayers and the overflow overtake you now. I am proud of you. I am so proud and I will see to it that everything you put your hand to is not only blessed and fulfilled but that you will leave behind a manifold blessing wherever you go- where the land never produced life, you will see life. You will leave behind a planting, a sapling and a bag of seeds. Lift your head, the airwaves are waiting, the airstream is above you ready to lift you to your destination. But in the place where it all began, where you discovered hope and ignited shame, where ashes transformed you into My Beauty you will always have a resting place. Look to the sky for your confirmation comes to you now- you will run and not grow weary, you will rise up with healing in your wings- you will rise up on wings like eagles, and you will leave behind a feather instead of the dust from off your shoes. I will see to it that you are honored, but I know you- you will give your place up for the least of these," says the Father, "like Father, like daughter."

And now my prayer for you...

God bless you as you seek the Father. Praying is like any relationship, it takes time to find your language. This is just one example. I pray it has given you some ideas!

Be more blessed as you find rest and relief wrapped in the strong arms of the Father! I bless you with healing, I bless you with a greater portion of hearing, seeing and sensing the Father's presence. I bless you with every promise that has been held back, I bless you with the strength of joy. I bless you with the full knowledge of how deep, how far, how wide, how vast the Father's love is for you. I join my faith with yours in the full authority of Christ Jesus, and agree that you will see the head of your enemy become your footstool, you will crush the head of the enemy with your foot. May your days be increased. May the vibrancy of your beautiful life be increased. May you breathe without obstruction, and sleep deeply without fear or worry. May your faith-filled life cause your adversary to turn on his heel and run and depart from you. May you rise and be youthful, feel youthful. May the next portion of your life be more glorious than the first, filled to overflowing with all good things. I bless you in our blessed Savior's name, Jesus Christ, the Glorious and Radiant One who comes to you now.

Amen.