Day three of #theFives promises to take us deeper!
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ”
-Nehemiah 1:4
Nehemiah was a prophet with a heart for people. When he learned that the Jewish remnant had been treated horribly and their city wall was in ruin, his heart was broken. Desperate in his pain, he turned to God in prayer.
Sometimes it is easy to bring God only the surface stuff, praying for what first pops into our minds. Thanking God for our food, homes, jobs, and protection over our family seems to come easy. While these things are important and valuable, they may not lead us to a deeper level of prayer. Having no food/losing your home/being fired from your job/sickness in your family? Ahh. THOSE can throw us into the deep end of prayer.
Let’s pray:
1.) Think back to a time you were desperate for God. How did your prayers evolve from surface to deep?
2.) Read the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. The deep end can feel scary if you don’t know how to swim, so remind yourself of the basics of how to pray:
*Praising God for who He is and what He has done for you
*Asking for provision for your daily needs
*Diving deep into forgiveness of your personal sin and forgiving those that have wronged you.
3.) Play this song and let it become your prayer:
Want to know more about prayer? Check out Believe Boldly: The Power of Simple, Confident Prayer to Unleash the Supernatural. Order your copy here. Don’t forget to follow BB on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Wondering when the next BB event is? Check out our schedule! Psst- that includes our RETREAT!
Praise God for all He has done and is doing that you know little about. His blessings are consistently made and graciously given. Receive in thanksgiving.
Go to Him with ALL things so that your heart may hear His voice openly and that you can be still in His Peace knowing His hands embrace your heart. He purchased this Peace with His blood. Trust Him and thank Him in the midst of life’s storms. This is how you can rest in His Presence knowing that spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials. James 1:2 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
When Jesus knew his disciples would abandon him, he rejoiced in knowing God was with him. He lifted his Father higher than any fear or sorrow, so we should do the same. John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Oh Shannon, YES!! Thanks for the wise words. So encouraging!