Balanced Diet // Chapter 2 - Prayer

Balanced Diet - Prayer

This message is part of the 3-a-day balanced diet guide/series. As believers in Christ, we are meant to be feeding our spirit a 3-a-day balanced diet which is made up of worship, prayer and the Word. You can find the introduction down below. It’s chapter 2 of the A Relationship With God guide. Make sure you also read The Word which is chapter 3.

What is Prayer?

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:25, 32-33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Prayer is the cornerstone to the life of every believer. It is one of the most important daily activities one must partake in in-order to live a fruitful, purpose-filled life. Prayer is as important to a believer as water is important to a plant or a charger is important to a phone. It is your power source. Your way of connecting your earthly self to the all powerful Father in heaven. It is our means of communication to God. Prayer simply means talking to God. You pray when things are tough and when things are easy. You not only pray for yourself but for others and those who cannot pray for themselves.

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus was speaking to the disciples about prayer and how they should pray. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” Matthew‬ ‭6:25 NLT

Christ is saying that look, the purpose God has for you is beyond what you will eat and what you will wear. That is the least of your worries. The Lord already knows what you need and he will provide for you in those areas. “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew‬ ‭6:32-33‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The thoughts of unbelievers are filled with worries of the flesh and desires of material and worldly things. But those who know that they belong to the Kingdom of God die to their flesh and focus on becoming more like Christ each and everyday. They recognise that they are sent by God into the world for a mission. When you pray you’re concerned about how you can contribute to the Kingdom. How you can become more like Christ. You invite God into every aspect of your life because, you recognise that you have no power of your own and you need God to have his way.

How do I know God Will Answer My Prayers?

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

James 5:16 NIV

As a believer your prayers are powerful. They make a difference. They are effective. As a believer of Christ you have been given authority over the know and the unknown. The things on the earth and in the heavenly realm.

“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God has given us the keys of authority through Jesus that we can use through our prayers to have access to power that we otherwise would not have access to. We are able to have authority over the things that are impossible in the eyes of the world but are easily accessible to us through the power of God. Stop worrying about what you will eat and what you will wear, God had has covered those needs. Fix your eyes on the kingdom of God. Let God work on the inside of you. Let God equip you with the tools you need for you to fulfil the divine purpose that He has called you into. Allow God into the areas of your life that you have already written off based on the standards of the world and let God move in you and in your situation. Get into your quiet place and invite God into every area of your life and even of the people around you. The areas in your life that you are proud of and the areas you are too ashamed to let others know of. Let God in through prayer.

Yes I know it says “the prayer of the righteous.” You may look at yourself and think that you’re not righteous, you’re not holy, you‘re not consistent In prayer and worship, you‘re not as close to God so God won’t answer your prayer. Stop looking at your sins before you come to Him. Come to God as you are. Don’t wait for yourself to be in a state whereby you can come to God without sin, because as humans we will always bear sin knowingly and unknowingly.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The grace of God has covered your sins and has made you righteous through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, have the boldness to come before God even when you feel like your sins or your lifestyle have created a gap between you and Him.

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus is telling us that through Him we can get to the father. Not through our righteousness or how holy we are in our own eyes but through Christ.

What Should I Ask For?

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God can cover the areas in your life where you are lacking; your short comings, your weaknesses, your failures, your ignorances and he can turn those things around only if you ASK. The moment you identity the things that are keeping you far from God and are stumbling blocks in your relationship with Him you must put it before Him in prayer. It says “He will not rebuke you for asking.“ Do not be embarrassed or ashamed, because you cannot do it on your own. You can only die to the flesh if you are empowered in the Spirit of God.

Remember prayer is you talking to God. It’s a conversation. He can answer you by giving you clarity, power, vision, strength, answers and solutions. Do not limit the power of God over your life and the ways he can move within you.

Pray with Expectations

“But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11:23-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this verse Jesus is speaking to his disciples. The same disciples that have seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle and know that He is the Son of God. Jesus had to to remind them to have faith and believe that when they pray God will answer. Do not be ashamed when you feel like your faith is wavering. The faith of the disciples wasn’t a perfect one but a progressive one. If you feel like you lack faith when you pray, bring it to God in prayer. He can empower you with the faith you don’t naturally have. This is what builds your relationship with God; being open and transparent with Him.

What If I Don’t Know What to Say?

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26-27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Whenever you pray, invite the Holy Spirit to come into you and into your atmosphere. The Holy Spirit has been given unto us believers as a gift to help us connect to God the Father in the Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that we can start to feel God manifest in tangible ways. It changes the way you experience God. When you don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit can put the words in your mouth and in your heart for God to hear. Just let Him in. Over time you will start to build a prayer life in which praying comes easy to you and you can’t do without it. It takes time but God is in control.

Persistency is Key

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7 NLT

In this verse Jesus was teaching the disciples the importance of persistency. If you really want something you will keep on asking, seeking and knocking. Do not be disheartened when you ask God for something and it looks like he’s not answering. God will answer at the right time that pleases Him and He will give you exactly that which pleases Him and gives Him glory.

Summary:

“Never stop praying“

1 Thessalonians 5:17

The Lord’s Prayer

“Our Father in heaven, help us to honour your name. Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven. Give us our food for today. Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:9-13‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬

Prayer:

Father in the name of Jesus,

I put my heart before you Lord,

Fill me up with the desire and the wisdom to pray to You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that when I pray You can take control and I can connect with you more and more. Empower me to be consistent in prayer. Teach how to pray and how to seek first the Kingdom so I can fulfil purpose. Draw me nearer Lord and let my prayers transform me so I can be more like You. Thank you for the answered prayer.

In Jesus name,

Amen!