I WILL CHOOSE A TIME TO PRAY

Would you like to talk with YeHoVaH-God our Father? Do you desire YeHoVaH-God to speak to you?

The world can be changed through prayer. When we pray, the power, revelation and strength of YeHoVaH becomes ours. You can become an important part of YHVH’s plans in these last days, if . . . you are willing to pray.

I, I call upon Elohim, And YHVH-יהוה saves me. 

Evening and morning and at noon I complain and moan, And He hears my voice. Tehillim/Psalms 55:16-17

First of all, establish this on mental consideration: Choose to pray! This is something only you can do. Your decision to pray and your praying will bring glory to YHVH and blessings to yourself and others. That decision, when carried out, will make you one of the most important people in the world, doing the most important job in the world.

COMMUNICATING WITH YEHOVAH OUR ABBA/FATHER THROUGH PRAYER

What happens to you when you have been alone for a few days, surrounded by meaningless noise but no one to talk with? If you are like most people, you begin to develop a craving to speak with someone, anyone, about anything. The most frequent complaint of those who travel and are forced to be alone, is that they experience a need to talk with someone. Such a person will pick conversation with almost anyone; just to satisfy the need. Many who are unable to develop the skill of conversation often change jobs rather than face this terrible ordeal of loneliness.

Now that you are a believer in Yehoshua HaMashiach, you feel a great urge to talk with YHVH your God. Even though you life is filled with friends and activity, all of this cannot fulfill the need of the soul to speak with YHVH. Without communication with YHVH you become lonely and fearful. You already sense in your own soul, without ever hearing a teaching of the subject or attending teaching session, that you must somehow speak with YHVH. As it is natural for a baby to desire milk, it is natural for the Spiritual Born person to desire conversation with YHVH.

Every person who has ever decided to walk with Yehoshua Messiah has known that they should pray, that they must pray and will often confess, “I know I need to pray more.” Even the 1^st talmidim/disciples of Yehoshua requested the Master, “Adonai/Lord, teach us to pray. . .” Luke 11:1. One who does not pray, though his life may be enriched by meaningful labor and countless friends, will soon feel like an undernourished child. Because, as the demands food that strengthens and nourishes, the soul demands true and rich fellowship with YeHoVah our God.

The more aware one becomes of his body and its needs, the more value he places on the kind of food he eats. The wiser or holier a man is, the greater estimate he places on prayer. Praying is longing for YHVH. YHVH gives to those who desire him. One can measure his own longing and thus determine how much of YHVH’s blessings he will receive. The Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit came into your life because you had faith in YHVH and hungered after Him. YHVH responds to faith and hunger in your life. If you desire the Ruach HaKodesh to remain strong in your heart, then you MUST pray. Nothing will feed your soul and give life but prayer and the Word.

What if someone would ask you, “What is the greatest thing you could do for your Assembly?” How would you answer? Perhaps if you were rich, you could give large amounts of money. Or, if you were eloquent, you could speak the words of Elohim-God with great boldness and clarity, or if you were talented musically, you could write and sing hymns. These would all be great things you could do. But the greatest thing you could do for you Assembly or individuals you know is pray for them. That’s right, the greatest need in your Assembly is for praying believers and YOUR responsibility to pray is the most important of all. When you pray you are doing business with YeHoVaH. Mattithyahu/Matthew 18:18-19. Evangelism begins with prayer and your personal walk with YHVH depends highly on prayer.

The greatest success in praying is simply to do it. However, there are some guidelines follow. If you want to be able to maintain an active prayer life, these two things are absolute: Prayer must be “systematic” and “complete.”

SYSTEMATIC

1. FIND A TIME

Remember, you have to chosen to pray. Now you must decide when to pray. David said, "Evening, morning, and noon will I pray." Let your prayer be organized. YHVH is not opposed to planning and order, (Qorinthiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 14:40.) Few people will succeed in praying unless they set aside a planned time to pray.

In establishing the best time for your daily prayer, give consideration to you personal life style. Do not try to do like someone else. If you are a night person, then perhaps late at night would be best. Or, if you are and early riser, early in the morning. By now you have developed certain patterns of living, so adjust an organized prayer time to fit into you natural inclinations. An organized time, free from interruptions, will be one of your best assets in prayer

2. FIND A PLACE

It might help you to establish in your home a place to pray. Luqas/Luke 11:1 mentions that our Adonai/Lord was praying in a "certain place." This might suggest that he enjoyed a specific place for prayer. Many experienced pray-ers do recommend a certain place. Try to find a secret place, a "closet" where you can get alone before YHVH-Elohim. (One can conceivably be "alone" when others are around by closing the "doors" of their mind through concentration.) However, praying itself is the important thing. An unused prayer room is of no value whatsoever.

In the Bible, prayer was conducted in all types of unusual places: altars of animals, walking in open fields, at the well, while wrestling, in chains, on an ash pile, in the belly of a fish, standing in a river, in a wilderness, at a grave, on a stake/cross, in a dungeon, in a shipwreck, and under an altar. So you can see that where you pray is not nearly as important as praying itself.

3. FIND AN OBJECTIVE

Not only should your prayer be systematic with regard to time and place, but it should also be specific. Praying with a objective is one of the keys to answered prayer. In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 41:21, YHVH challenges us to be specific: “Present your case,” says יהוה. “Let your strong ones come near,” says the Sovereign of Ya‛aqoḇ. Learning to pray specifically will make a difference in how you feel about prayer and will bring results from prayers. Know what the needs are and bring them to YHVH. Vague, general utterings will never lead to victory but specific petitions expressed "boldly" will invite the power and influence of YHVH's Ruach/Spirit. Remember you are not a beggar! You have been invited to "ask" of Him and participate in performing His spiritual business in the world and in your life.

COMPLETE PRAYER

Equally important to being "systematic," is that your prayer be "complete." The complete prayer is the second absolute of prayer. First, systematic praying; now, complete praying. A complete prayer is one that involves all the aspects of praying. In short, understanding what you are to do in prayer. Many sincere people kneel to pray without any idea of what they are to do. Spiritually, of course, there is a natural flow to prayer. One may pray and never analyze the elements of prayer. What is to happen in prayer? What are you to do while praying? Once you know what to do, praying will never seem quite so difficult to you again. Before long you will be praying an hour every day . . . and more!

A. THE COMPLETE PRAYER CLOCK

Yehoshua the Messiah referred to an hour of prayer (Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:40). At this point we will develop a plan for a specific prayer time--an established daily prayer time--until it becomes a "ministry or service" to Abba/Father in your life. For your main prayer time, think in terms of one hour. An hour of prayer can be broken up into 12 five minute periods, basically made up of these elements: 1) Praise, 2) Forgiveness, 3) Confession, 4) Petition, 5) Intercession, 6) Bible reading, 7) Meditation, 8) Thanksgiving, 9) Praying the Word, 10) Singing, 11) Listening, and 12) Praise. Of course, these are very general and praying is a vast subject. However, you will find that when one prays, his prayer will almost always be composed of these elements. Thus, if you learn them and learn to use them in your praying, it will give you an understanding of what you are to do when praying, it will give you an understanding of what you are to do when praying. When you view praying in this sense, it becomes easy to comprehend. As you practice prayer, it will become easier and you prayer time will be a JOY, rather than a dreaded frustration. Now, let us break each of these aspects down to help us understand what they mean and discuss the method or techniques in using them during our prayer hour.

1. PRAISE

The first step in prayer is praise! Praise is the backbone of our walk with our YHVH-God. Nothing is more exciting and beautiful than the sincere praise of Elohim's people.

"Yet You are set-apart/holy, Enthroned on the praises of Yisra’ĕl. TEHILLIM (PSALMS) 22:2.

Praise is one of the very purposes of prayer. More than that, it is the very purpose of spiritual life.

You also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart/holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual slaughter offerings/sacrifices acceptable to Elohim/YHVH God through Yehoshua יהושע Messiah. KĔPHA ALEPH (1 PETER) 2:5.

2. FORGIVENESS

Since prayer will include your own confessions and petition for forgiveness you should take care to forgive those who are your debtors. Yehoshua makes it clear that for one to expect forgiveness of his own sins and failings, he must be willing to forgive others. Nothing will block your spiritual progress more fatally than an unforgiving spirit.

And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offenses." 
["But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your offenses."] Mark 11:25-26