I have known Jesus my entire life, but I never realized the power of prayer until recently. After the end of a relationship in October, I began crying out to the Lord. I realize I write a lot about that relationship, but that was when everything changed. That was the pivotal point in my relationship with Jesus. I have never felt so comforted in a time of bitterness, anger, and sadness. In all my flaws, The Lord is sovereign and He was exactly what I needed and still need. Jesus took all of me when I offered nothing, He took me in my brokenness and made me new through prayer.
from the movie War Room ^
If you have not seen this movie starring one of my favorite authors/speakers Pricilla Shirer, YOU NEED TO! Even though it came out last year, I saw it a few weeks ago and now I understand why everyone loves it so much. You should watch it because they do a great job explaining why prayer is important!
One of my "New Years Resolutions" was to become a prayer warrior. My journey on what prayer looks like actually started in November but it was still my resolution. I used to treat prayer as a meal time or night time thing. I would tend to pray only when I wanted something rather than just praising, repenting, and then asking God. God answers all prayers, but not necessarily how we want him to, but rather what is best for us. You cannot know the Lord without prayer, and it is hard to hear God when you are not being still enough to listen. Prayer is when you are communicating with God.
In a previous blog I said this:
In the early morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house, and went away
to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Mark 1:35
Wow. Think about it, Jesus was the only perfect person who walked this earth and he prayed! He woke up before sunrise to cry out to the Lord. So if I am a sinner and imperfect while Jesus is perfect, why do I always think I can handle things on my own? And why am I so selfish with my time? Even Jesus went to our Heavenly Father in prayer.
I decided to start doing the same thing Jesus was modeling for us. Wake up early and communicate with God. After my alarm goes off, I play my worship playlist at a low volume on my Alexa and go into my own personal war room, my closet. I do have a big enough closet to where I can have it dedicated to my war room.
How I Created My War Room:
Oddly enough I have my closet decorated, and yes I know that is not normal. Anyways, I took down some of those decorations and replaced it with verses about prayer, written out prayers, and sticky notes with prayer requests on it. I am someone who is very OCD so having papers all over my walls is not the prettiest look. However, knowing those papers are being prayed over helps my organizational weirdness chill out. I have blogs printed out all over my closet wall to pray over as well, including my own. I am honestly in my closet more than my actual bedroom, sounds strange but it is true. It is kind of like my own office, I have books, bibles, paper, etc.. At my old house you could not walk in my closet, so if that is the case for you, maybe your war room is a corner of your room. It could be somewhere in your house, or outside somewhere. Wherever it is spend that time talking to God, because that is the purpose of a war room.
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to
you. For everyone who asks receives;
the one who seeks finds; and to the one
who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 9:10-11
Hands and Knees:
I never understood why people would get on their hands and knees in prayer, and I was never one to do that until this year. I do it for several reasons, it truly helps me focus since I am normally not in a position like that. Also in the Bible they did it out of respect for God. I start my day on my hands and knees in my closet therefore I am in the right mindset. I am letting the Lord take over my day, because I can not do it alone. Side note- Sometimes I think how weird it would look if someone were to open my closet door and see me doing that but you gotta do what you gotta do.
But when you pray, go into your room,
close the door and pray to your Father,
who is unseen. Then your Father, who
sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
What Do I Pray About?
If you are not sure what to pray about, sometimes I go on Pinterest and look up prayers for a specific topic and write it out. Like I said, prayer is simply communicating to God. He wants to hear from you, let Him know how you are doing. Thank Him, give praise to Him, repent to Him, and ask from Him.
Being only 18 years old, I have so much to learn when it comes to prayer, but that is where I am right now!!
Books I recommend:
The Power of a Praying Life by Stormie Omartian
Fervent by Priscilla Shirer
Too Busy Not To Pray by Bill Hybles
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