Your PART in Prayer

We've probably all tried toimagined shaking hands with the President of the United States or perhaps having an audience with the Queen of England. Perhaps to meet your "hero" or a favorite movie star. Imagine if you knew God, the Heavenly Father, was going to come make a visit to your home. An audience with God; Creator of the universe; All-powerful All-knowing God! What would you do to prepare? Best dress; best food prepared; cleanest house. I would be so nervous, scared to death, and excited too.

As a Christian, God has given you an open invitation to have an audience with Him. Because we accepted the sacrificial death of His Son on our behalf we are able at any moment to cry "Abba Father" We can come to Him with anything at anytime and He will welcome you. Without fear, we can come to Him with confidence and He will hear and answer our prayers.

Hebrew 4:14-15 "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. " God is our HIGH PRIEST. We can do directly to Him with our needs, fears, concerns, and request. We should cling to Him and never stop trusting or believing Him.

In the Scriptures be find that we should come before the Lord humbly and boldly. Hebrews 14:6 "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." 2 Chronicles 7:14 "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. " God no longer sees our sins. The blood of Jesus Christ washed us clean before God. If we will come to Him humbly, He will lift us up. It is a privilege to come directly to God and we need to take prayer very seriously.

So what's our PART for effective prayer?
PRAISE - Psalm 9:1-2; Psalm 95:2-6; Psalms 99:5
ADMISSION - Psalm 32:5; Psalm 343:15-18; I John 1:9
REQUEST - I Peter 5:7
THANKSGIVING - I John 5:14-15; Philippians 4:6

The invitation is there and God is ready and waiting. To have a personal relationship with Him we must do our PART to make the relationship a reality. It would be easier to just go on day-by-day and just call on God when we have an emergency. But that is not a personal relationship. Imagine going days or weeks or months with speaking to your spouse or children. Is that a personal relationship? God has opened the door and prepared the way. Just come to Him! It is again a privilege to approach God's throne and lay our burdens at His fee. Regular prevailing prayer is the Christian's life breath.

Prayer is a powerful weapon against the realities of Satan and evil. Prayer gives us the power to resist this evil and to stand strong against it. Ephesians 6:10-12 "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." So put on the "Sword of the Spirit" which is the Word of God, and "Prayer" which is the power to change people and circumstances.

Do your PART in growing your PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with God. Make prayer a daily habit. Purchase a journal or notebook and divide it into four parts: Praise, Admission, Requests, and Thanksgiving. List special verses to memorize and make it your prayer journal to use in practicing your PART with your our High Priest.