Prayer: So simple, yet so hard

I have tried many different methods to obtain a more intimate relationship with God. I have tried meditating on His attributes, meditating on the Cross, and simply looking unto Him. While all of these provide a momentary closeness to the Father, they are not definite. It's hard to maintain the intimacy, and when i lose it, i become discouraged and stumble.

I have however, found that the one thing which keeps me definitley intimate with God is prayer. It seems like the most simple thing to do, and indeed it is. If we want to be close to someone, we talk to them, get to know them better. Yet, as simple as prayer may seem, it is the most difficult thing in the world to do. The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is indeed so weak.

It isn't so hard to get on my knees and mindlessly go through heartless prayers that i've memorized. They provide a peace of mind, and they ease my conscience because i've gone through my "devotions", but they don't bring the intimacy. No, the hard thing to do is truly getting on my knees and wrestling with God in prayer. Wrestling against the powers and principalities, and interceding for others because of a true burden.

Why is it so hard though? I want more than anything to be intimate with God like never before, yet the most simple thing to do is for me the hardest. I think of Jacob, wrestling with God all night long. He walked away from that encounter with a limp, and he limped for the rest of his life. Maybe that's why it's so hard for me to take hold of Him. Maybe deep down i'm afraid that i will walk away from God with a limp. Maybe i'm afraid that after meeting God, i'll be crippled.
Oh that He would remove any such fears from my heart! Oh that i might limp for Christ.

I think that defines my prayer life ,yet so simple but yet so hard but it should not be!!
I wish I had answers
Dom

Just a little food for thought here. I believe prayer and Bible study are products of an intimate walk with Jesus and not the source of that intimacy. When we try to use these things as a way to become intimate with Him we just end up feeling guilty all the time when we don't pray or read the Bible. How much prayer and study is enough to be close to God?

The devotions of prayer and Bible study just naturally flow from the one already intimate with Jesus, from one who lives at the foot of the cross and is cleansed by the blood.

In Christ,

Ron

Too true too true, prayer is often difficult. The devil doesnt want us to pray so he will do whatever he can to distract us. I dont know if it has happened to you, but sometimes just when I am about to pray or beginning to pray, a distraction comes. Maybe someone knocks on my door, calls me on the phone or I remember to do something that needs immediate attention. We need to be focused.

Lots of times when I pray I find my mind wandering. One way to keep my mind in line with what I am praying for is to use the Word of God. Read the Bible for a while before praying or find a verse that you feel the Lord is giving to you and meditate on it while you pray. If you are praying for finance, find a scripture that describes the generosity and faithfulness of our God.

One thing I notice is what we spend most of our time doing will dominate our thoughts. For example If I play video games for two hours before I pray, while my eyes are closed I can see the video game in my imagination.

So before you pray get your mind focused and inline with your spirit-man. If a distraction comes, put it out of your mind and meditate on the scripture.

I also pray in the Holy Spirit using tongues this also helps. the only downside is since you are praying out of your spirit and not in one's native language, your mind may begin to wander. So it takes training your mind to focus.

Prayer is part of my lifestyle now, but when I first began to daily pray for long periods of time, I noticed that sometimes it would take me about 30 minutes to break through opposition and resistance in my prayers before I could really feel the Spirit of God doing a work. Sometimes it would even take an hour. Now after years of training my mind and spirit, as soon as I begin to pray I can feel the presence of God fall in my midst.

We need to be persistant. Just continue no matter what. If you can, committ a certain time each day to praying and do not cut it short even if it is hard to pray. It will begin to train your mind and spirit to get in tune with the Spirit of God.

Remember, your prayers are tearning down demonic strongholds so there will be resistance. Dont give in and dont give up.

It is simple...

You spend hours playing video games, watching TV and movies, lurking on the forums, reading the Word, talking to friends, your family and your co-workers.

Spend all of this time with Christ...live like He [b]is truly ALIVE [/b] and with you at every moment! Walk with Him and talk with Him during every waking moment. Give Him your day and then invite Him to live it with you!

Read Brother Lawrence's [url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice.html]The Practice of The Presence of God:The Best Rule of Holy Life[/url] at CCEL. It's public domain and free. It's short but it exemplifies one humble man's journey...it's not an easy task but it follows the thought of actually LIVING the life we are called to, connnecting to our true source of power moment-by-moment not just once a week.

This is the true essence of prayer that you find supported by Tozer, Torrey, Forsythe or any of the great prayer writers. There is no specific pattern, rhyme, rhythem, nor ritual, to prayer... it's purely relational. You and your God-like Adam & Eve in the Garden before the Fall.

Dear ones, we try so hard to make Christ a cruel taskmaster when He tells us that, Matthew 11

[i][b]The Son Gives Knowledge and Rest[/b]
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants.
26 Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.
27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knowsthe Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desiresto reveal Him.
28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.
30 [b]For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” [/b][/i]

Seek a living relationship with your LIVING saviour, tell Him of your fears and your heartfelt desire for more meaningful conversation and more relatiosnp time with Him and your prayer worries will disappear.

freedbyjc wrote:
It is simple...

You spend hours playing video games, watching TV and movies, lurking on the forums, reading the Word, talking to friends, your family and your co-workers.

Spend all of this time with Christ...live like He [b]is truly ALIVE [/b] and with you at every moment! Walk with Him and talk with Him during every waking moment. Give Him your day and then invite Him to live it with you!

Seek a living relationship with your LIVING saviour, tell Him of your fears and your heartfelt desire for more meaningful conversation and more relatiosnp time with Him and your prayer worries will disappear.

Amen. We reaslly need to re-evaluate our time. This modern world has so many distractions that have taken a hold of our minds, and many people we prefer entertainment over a relationship with the Almighty God. The sad truth is, most Christians want more of God but are not willing to do what it takes to get it.

As stated in Hebrews, we need to lay aside every weight that may so easily beset us. Not just lay aside every wieght that WILL beset us but remove anything that MAY beset us; anything that might even pose a threat to knocking us off course.

Though reflecting on the qoute above I would not reccomend forsaking our relationships with our friends and family (not that it was implied), but to re-evaluate our time..

Hi,

In my personal experience. I think the sin of prayerlessness preceded all other sins. In Jesus' life and ministry prayer preceded his actions.

I remember as a baby in Christ talking to my pastor's wife about prayer. She felt that too much prayer could lead to an unbalanced life. So I listened to her. It was the easy thing to do.

I got involved in Bible College, later in Seminary and all the while had some kind of ministry going on. But I prayed but little and "My ministry" was rarely fruitful. Eventually, I backslid altogether, "enjoying" a long walk back in the world.

God has opened the door for me to return to Him and it is clear that I must pray. When I don't, bad things happen. I seek out diversions - entertainment. My TV, usually cold and dead, springs to new life, or I spend too much time on this computer, not in the word, or fellowship, or prayer. My walk suffers, My friends suffer. Everything suffers.

I read the Bro. Lawrence booklet years ago, and again recently,(actually, "Practicing His Presence" with Frank Laubach's contributions added) and wish I could walk in that completely, but so far I haven't been able to. His was deep "praying without ceasing". I wish I met one good example during my life that did and taught just that. One man I met in a distant town recently claimed to do pretty much this, though I can't say how deep. He also said something quite simple. He said, "You know? I have a hard time sinning when I'm praying!" (He was implying trying to do both at the same time.)

For me, I do pray throughout the day, but I need a special time to get more focused. What I try to do is pick a time late at night after I know nobody will call. or disturb me. I set a time - one hour - more is OK, but less isn't. I know it sounds cold and mechanical, it IS... sometimes. Other times I know I am drawing closer to Him. Especially when I praise Him for His holiness together in fellowship with the seraphim and the heavenly host.

I think it is important to know the obstruction that sin can be to prayer. There is a good message by Ernest W. O'Neill at worldinvisible.com in the spiritual life series beginning with the title called "Spiritual Prayer" and continuing with the next message or so. I hesitate to refer him because I don't fully agree with his theology all the time, but his message on spiritual prayer is great. I think it also helps to know the theology behind our being a royal priesthood who’s way was prepared once-for-all into the holiest place through the blood of Jesus. It is important - crucially so - for us to realize that this was all done by God. (Read Ezekiel 36.) And He does not hold back from us. He's just waiting behind a veil that He did not just pull open - He TORE open through Jesus' death. So that we may boldly approach Him with unveiled faces so that we may look at His glory and be changed from one degree of glory to the next by our time in his presence. For His glory!

Thanks,

Jeffrey

Just a little food for thought here. I believe prayer and Bible study are products of an intimate walk with Jesus and not the source of that intimacy. When we try to use these things as a way to become intimate with Him we just end up feeling guilty all the time when we don't pray or read the Bible. How much prayer and study is enough to be close to God?

I agree with this, and also with many other replies. I find though, that there are seasons in which i can truly pray to God in a sincere way, but after a few days, my prayer time begins to lag (mainly because of time restrictions). "Pray without ceasing" to me means don't give up on my prayer time. To be like Jesus. . .

Thanks for all the suggestions.

"...Spend all of this time with Christ...live like He is truly ALIVE and with you at every moment! Walk with Him and talk with Him during every waking moment. Give Him your day and then invite Him to live it with you!..."

I think this is very kool. I for one never really think to do this in my day, mostly cuz I have my mind on other things. I find that more often or not, I ramble off some quick prayer in the morning before work, and that’s the last I talk to God through my day. I really need to work on the “talking” aspect with my Savior.

God Bless

Living Martyr

I find though, that there are seasons in which i can truly pray to God in a sincere way, but after a few days, my prayer time begins to lag (mainly because of time restrictions).

If it is to Glorify God by seeking to do His will then, as Paul tells us, 'His grace is sufficient' and you will be delivered of your affliction.

Have you tried being still in the presence of the Lord. (Be Still And Know That I Am God).
Many times God just wants us to be still so that he may speak to us, into our heart, and into the dept of our Soul.

He will speak to you through his word, but also through other believers.

It is so important that when you pray and begin to petition to make your request known unto God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving that it be according to his WILL.

You don't have to pray at a specific time of the day, however it is a blessing to honor God first thing in the morning, which is our example from Jesus and to my knowledge EM Bounds, they prayed early in the morning, 4:00-5:00 are excellent times to pray. You may say well that is too early for me, I can't get up at that time, you must discipline yourself and go to bed early or just ask the Holy Spirit to wake you up so that you don't miss this precious time of intimacy with HIM.

Pray through out the day, as you work, as you walk, in a meeting, and you will see that he will talk back to you.

When you find yourself wrestling against principalities and such always remember that when you bind something you must also loose something, loose blessings.

Quote:
The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is indeed so weak.

Yes be led by the Spirit in all things and you will find the intimacy you are looking for.

Quote:
I think of Jacob, wrestling with God all night long. He walked away from that encounter with a limp, and he limped for the rest of his life.

Jacob wrestled because he wanted a blessing, I will not leave you till you bless me! Have you ever tried wrestling with God only because you
were in need of more of him in your life.

Come as you are is what Jesus said. And you can, you can come as you are to him when you are at your best and when you are at your worst (Lord have Mercy)when you are strong and when you are weak/discouraged. Come as you are and he will recieve you.

When I go aside in order to pray, I find my heart unwilling to approach God; and when I tarry in prayer my heart is unwilling to abide in Him.

Therefore I am compelled first to pray to God to move my heart into Him, and when I am in Him, I pray that my heart remain in Him.

JOHN BUNYAN

Dear JoeA,

Why is it so hard though? I want more than anything to be intimate with God like never before, yet the most simple thing to do is for me the hardest.

Simply, because of what it requires. The difficulty comes in complete abandonment. This means giving up everything to Christ. In Matthew 16:24 it says, "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.'"

Prayer is a most humbling experience. When we pray, it is a complete acknowledgement of God. We are in God's presence. While in God's presence, what do we bring to Him? What is our offering?

We should offer ourselves completely and entirely as a sacrifice unto the Lord. However, often times, we bring with us so many other things. It is difficult for us to let go. Instead, we bring with us selfishness. Instead of seeking after the Lord, we seek after what the Lord can bring us. We often times hide from the Lord what things we do not want Him to know. Instead of being honest and confessing all things to God, we try to hide from Him.

Taking up our cross is not an easy thing. We fight against flesh and principalities of this world. However, it is also not an impossible thing. In Christ, all things are possible. He has given us the strength, we must take ahold of Him.

We must be honest with the Lord in all things, in all ways, at all times. The Lord already knows what you will say before you say it. Do not be afraid to tell Him what is truly on your heart. Jesus is your friend, your best friend. Tell Him everything.

Be cautious of seeking after God for His intimacy, but simply seek after the Lord. Just because you don't feel intimacy, does not mean it is not there. Remember that God is always with you. His Spirit is continually with you. Do you realize this? Or do you only acknowledge God at certain times?

Instead, you must acknowledge the Lord continually at all times and recognize Him in every part of your life. Talk to the Lord regularly in everything you do, and know He is with you.

Think of it this way, He is your Lord. He is your God. He is with you always and around you always. He is by your side, at your back, and in your heart. He is all around. There is not a thing you do that He is not with you. He is with you in the bathroom, and He is with you when you sin. There are ways He blesses you, and things He does for you that you will never know.

As humans though, we forget this. When we are at work typing away on the computer, or pounding nails into boards, we don't think about our God. The problem is not with our activities. The problem is with our acknowledgment. When you watch TV, do you watch it with God or without Him? When you are at work, do you work with the Lord or without Him? Do you talk to God about your life? Do you share your life with God? Or do you try to do everything yourself?

If we could but realize that God is always there, and that we can speak to Him at any time, how blessed would we be? How awesome is that, to think God is always with us!!!! Jesus is mine. He will never forsake us, even in our weakest moments. He will always be with us. However, will we let Him in? Will we take up our cross and follow Him?

As humans, we are afraid to give everything over to God because we want to maintain control. We fear losing our life. We fear losing our sins. We fear losing our possessions. We are like little children who don't share our toys, but instead say, "mine!"

Matthew 10:39 (NASB)
"He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."

It is not easy giving up everything to the Lord. However, when we do, we find that the Lord has freedom to work in us.

Imagine it like this....if you have given you car over to the Lord, then you don't have to fear it being stolen. If someone steals your car, they did not steal from you. They stole from the Lord. Surely, the Lord will take care of your needs as you belong to Him.

No one can take from you that which you have given away. If you have given your life to Christ, no one can take it from you. Instead, you will have new life from Christ.

I hope this helps,

In love,

Blake

"Maybe deep down i'm afraid that i will walk away from God with a limp. Maybe i'm afraid that after meeting God, i'll be crippled.
Oh that He would remove any such fears from my heart! Oh that i might limp for Christ."

Ain't that the truth.

Brother Len said that that we often quit praying when we should start praying. Hans Peter Royer said that we don't want to get "too close to God."

I think that sometimes we are fearful of being fearful of God. We don't want to be awestruck before His presence. We don't want to be bent now. God help us with our decisions. I am going to pray right now.

I read this post to prepare me for prayer, and I think it did the job.

Hi Joe,

Of all the multiplied things that could be said I found one of the most devastating and helpful paradoxically ... was to go without praying early over the course of a couple of days. The sheer ruin spiritually, that sense of departure...

Difficult to put it this way because prayer is many things and quite mysterious as it is difficult and 'easy' depending on any number of present circumstances (not happenstances). Regardless, have found that this life in this present world is an impossibility to go out into without first speaking and listening to the Lord.

Luther's great quote about having so much to do that he must dedicate 3 hours to prayer before hand is more than mere sentiment I have found. Would only add it is not always a matter of longevity or time spent, ten minutes can be as ... 'productive' (for a poor choice of words) as hours.

Just keep at it brother.

P.S. Try a search here on prayer, there is just a wealth of thought on this all important matter. One last comment, finding time can be found, pray the Lord would give you the gift of the 4am hour.

As humans though, we forget this. When we are at work typing away on the computer, or pounding nails into boards, we don't think about our God. The problem is not with our activities. The problem is with our acknowledgment. When you watch TV, do you watch it with God or without Him? When you are at work, do you work with the Lord or without Him? Do you talk to God about your life? Do you share your life with God? Or do you try to do everything yourself? If we could but realize that God is always there, and that we can speak to Him at any time, how blessed would we be? How awesome is that, to think God is always with us!!!! Jesus is mine. He will never forsake us, even in our weakest moments. He will always be with us. However, will we let Him in? Will we take up our cross and follow Him?

Amen. "Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." I think of the times where the Bible says "consider Him".

One last comment, finding time can be found, pray the Lord would give you the gift of the 4am hour.

I used to wake up that early, then gradually kept moving the time up. I read that Brother Ravenhill used to pray all night twice a week. If all of us were that devoted, we could shake the world. Sometimes i want to scream aloud "What's wrong with me? Why can't i do what i want to do?" Paul said "That which i do i allow not: for what i would, that do i not; but what i ahte, that do i." My biggest obstacle is the lack of time (or the lack of private time) and distractions.

BeenBlake, I have been thinking about your words all night long.

Quote:
We should offer ourselves completely and entirely as a sacrifice unto the Lord. However, often times, we bring with us so many other things. It is difficult for us to let go. Instead, we bring with us selfishness. Instead of seeking after the Lord, we seek after what the Lord can bring us. We often times hide from the Lord what things we do not want Him to know. Instead of being honest and confessing all things to God, we try to hide from Him.

Quote:
We must be honest with the Lord in all things, in all ways, at all times. The Lord already knows what you will say before you say it. Do not be afraid to tell Him what is truly on your heart. Jesus is your friend, your best friend. Tell Him everything.

Quote:
It is not easy giving up everything to the Lord. However, when we do, we find that the Lord has freedom to work in us.

Quote:
Taking up our cross is not an easy thing. We fight against flesh and principalities of this world. However, it is also not an impossible thing. In Christ, all things are possible. He has given us the strength, we must take ahold of Him.

The Lord has been dealing with me these past few days about 3 great hindrances to prayer that are in my life.

[b]Lack of faith [/b]
[i]Hebrews 11:6[/i]
If i really believed 100% that God could do all that He said He can do, i would come to Him without reservation and surely cast my cares upon Him.

[b]Pride[/b]
[i]1 Peter 5:6,7[/i]
If i'd cast away all self reliance and every thought that i can do it on my own, i would surely cast myself at His feet and seek His face.

[b]No sense of need[/b]
[i]Revelation 3:17[/i]
If i would realize that even when things are going good, i still need God, i would pray. Things hardly ever go well, yet because i have no sense of need, i won't seek Him from Whom all blessings flow.

May God prune me of all unfruitfulness in my life, and make me a vessel fit for the Master's use.

Hi brother JoeA,

It catched my eye your third thing that you shared about hindrance of prayer. [b]No sense of need.[/b]
I'm founding very true the following excerpt from the book True Discipleship by William MacDonald about prayer:

"The best prayer comes from a strong inward necessity. We have all proved this to be true. When our lives are serent and placid, our prayers are apt to be dull and listless. When we reach a crisis, a moment of danger, a serious illness, or a heavy bereavement, the our prayers are fervent and vital. Someone has said that "the arrow that is to enter heaven must me launched from a bow fully bent." A sence of urgency, of helplessness, of conscious need is the womb from which the best prayers are born.
Unfortunately, we spend most of our lives trying to cushion ourselves from necessities. By the use of clever business methods, we provide comfortable reserves against every imaginable contingecy. Through sheer human cleverness, we reach the stage where we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing. Then we wonder why our prayer life is shallow and lifeless and why no fire falls from heaven. If we truly walked by faith instead of by sight, then our prayer life would be revolutionized."

I think sometimes, that more you have less you pray. It is difficult to pray in society where you have everything. And you are receiving everything as given. Where is the life of walking by faith. I'm talking this also to me.
If we are waiting everyday from Our Heavenly Father our daily bread, I'm talking about no money to have bread, and imagine then the prayer of tears of joy of gratitude to His name, when He will provide your daily bread. Is our prayer became so routine? I'm giving some practical examples. George Muller is coming to my mind... This also relate to the spiritual field.

Blessed are the [b]poor[/b] in spirit:

[i]state of being without, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of circumstances.[/i]

That's why I'm finding so difficult to be christian on fire in western societies. And those who are, and I believe that there are many, they are real saints because their faith remained in the Lord despite all pleasures (compared to other countries) around them.

Just came to my mind what Richard Wurmbrand wrote about the church in those days, when the church was persecuted by the communists. He said that there were no lukewarm christians in that time, you must be hot or you simply can not be disciple, because if you want to be follower of Jesus it is crystal clear to you that this will cost your life, you have signed death to the earthly pleasures. You know that Jesus is all for you and everything else even your life here on earth can't be compared with the glory that is coming.

Just some thoughts...

Kire

they are real saints because their faith remained in the Lord despite all pleasures

So true. It's like what the Lord said to the Laodicean Church that they "[b]knowest not[/b] that thou art poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked." I think the Bible says somewhere "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." Ignorance is most assuredly not bliss. The western Church has so much. We need the grace to realize that the 'much' we possess is truly little compared to what we have (or could have) in God. May He awaken a hunger in all of our hearts.