PRAY on it. Pray through it. Pray over it - Anonymous.
Whatever your issues are, God wants you to pray about them.
And whenever you pray, know that your prayer says certain things about you.
It reveals how you see God.
HANNAH had suffered greatly at the hands of Peninah, so she prayed to God.
"O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head." (1 Sam. 1:11)
She saw God as her protector, deliverer and provider.
It tells a story.
SENNACHERIB had sent a threatening chit to Hezekiah.
"Do not trust in Hezekiah, said Rabshakeh. He cannot save you from me! Do not allow Hezekiah to deceive you into trusting the Eternal when he says, 'The Eternal One will save us, and our city will not be handed over to Assyria's king.'" (2 Kings 18:17-19)
And Hezekiah said to Israel: "Today is filled with hours of sorrow, pain, anxiety, and reproof. Children are ready to be born, but there is no strength to deliver them."
It may be that the Eternal One, your God, will disprove the words of Rabshakeh, whom Assyria's king has sent to taunt the living God.
So pray hard that your God, the Eternal One, will rebuke those words and save His few children who remain." (2 Kings 19:3-4)
It tells where your heart is.
ABRAHAM told God he had given him no child, so he planned to make his head servant the heir.
He made it about himself, but the covenant was not primarily about him. Instead, it was about God and His Kingdom.
So God said no. Your son will be your heir. (Gen. 15:4)
Prayer puts you where God is
It increases your capacity to love.
WHEN ABRAHAM took it upon himself to intercede for Sodom, it showed where his heart was at. (Gen. 18:22-33)
He believed in second chances.
When you pray for others, you think less about yourself.
It helps you experience the Kingdom of God.
MOSES left Aaron and Hur in charge when he went to the mount to meet with God.
In his absence, the people got impatient and began to ask for a physical representation of God.
Aaron complies, and Israel falls into sin.
The following day, he interceded for Israel. (Exod. 32:30-33) God was using him to bring about what he wanted to do.
It places you where God is.
WHEN YOU pray the heart of God, you are about what he's about. You seek His Kingdom.
Haman had plotted against the children of Israel because he hated Mordecai.
Esther got wind of what Haman had done and called for a fast.
Assemble all the Jews in Susa. Fast for me: Do not eat or drink for three days. My servants and I will also fast. After that, I will go to the king, even if it is against a royal decree. If I die, I die. (Esther 4:16)
Your prayer places you where God is and puts you in charge of your area.
You become an expression of Him. And where squatters sneak in, you can kick them out.
Bringing it Together
WHEN YOU pray to the Lord, remember that you are telling a story.
And God does not go out of character. Therefore, do not expect Him to give you anything alien to His Word when you pray to Him.