Upon rising in the morning, I have such an overwhelming grateful heart. I have so many things I yearn to talk to God about. It’s refreshing to know that I can go to Him. Wow! What a relationship. I’m grateful because it has taken a lot of time and studying God’s word to know the very heart of my Father. In addition to developing a relationship with God, I wanted desperately to know God’s will for my life.

The way that I live my life today is a direct reflection of my prayer life. I AM JOYFUL! I live my life to glorify God.

In the same manner, when you learn to have a balanced prayer life, it’s going to make all the difference in how you make decisions. That balanced prayer life will also lead you to solve everything according to God’s will.  Expect God to answer your prayers.

The desire to pray came after many church services. I stood around listening to others’ dialogue about their prayer life. They talked about how God guided them by making tough decisions. How God healed their body or a loved one’s body and how they were refreshed after attending several prayer conferences around the country. I went away wondering and asking God that question we all may have asked at one time or another. “Lord! Why are you not answering my prayers like you’re answering theirs?

Today, I’m assured. Those ladies had something I didn’t have. Hard work! And, I wasn’t willing to put in the work. They prayed to get their results. They prayed according to the word of God. They prayed because they knew how to pray.

Now! I’ve learned to pray to get the results I need in ALL situations. If you’re looking to have a lifestyle of prayer. Allow me to teach you how to set aside time to pray fervently and to create the desired fragrance you want each time you go to God in prayer. If you use these steps, it’s guaranteed you will hear from God every time. 

Six Steps to use during your “set aside time to pray” to get the results you desire when you pray:

1. Set aside time to pray. Our time with God is matchless. Nothing can compare to the time we spend with God in prayer. Finding time to pray is going to be a struggle every time you decide to put some time aside to be with God. Upon scheduling your time to pray, don’t change it. There’s going to ALWAYS be things that come up. Scheduling your prayer time should be just like preparing for work the next day. You pack your lunch, you find out what you’re going to wear, put items needed in a bag so you won’t forget them and so on. Then, you work for 8 or 9 hours giving yourself to an employer. You should have that same attitude when it comes to setting aside time to fervently pray to God.  

2. Set a specific place for God to meet you every day. Luke 5:15: But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (NIV) Gethsemane is the name of the garden where Jesus prayed before His betrayal and arrest (Mark 14:32-50). As one of the mothers in our church would say, “I just love to steal away to talk to God.” It makes perfect sense now. Sometimes you have to steal time from things that are not a priority to get that alone time with God. 

3. Set the atmosphere with music. All of us pray differently and at different stages in our lives. Sometimes our way of praying changes as we grow in our relationship with God. Allow God to change up your routine of prayer as you grow in Him. Listening to music can be especially helpful when settling ‘into prayer.’ It gives us an opportunity to get focus. It soothes and calms the mind and helps us to get rid of the chaos of the day. 

4. Set an agenda or outline. This is intentional prayer time with God so we are expecting results. Our time with God is precious. I Peter 5:7 says, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. He already knows what you need before you ask Him. Therefore, pray the promises of God through the word. For example! If you have a chronic illness, don’t go to God complaining about your chronic illness. He already knows. Tell God about the promises written in His Holy Bible. Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you… Exodus 23:25.

5. Set postures for prayer. The Bible demonstrates many postures used in prayer and no one posture is right or wrong. The Bible exhorts Christians to pray without ceasing and that necessitates various positions for prayer–no one can remain in just one position all day! That’ll be pretty boring. But in the Bible, we can see people praying in various positions: 

Standing (Genesis 24:12-14) Lifting the hands (1 Timothy 2:8) Sitting (Judges 20:26) Kneeling (Mark 1:40) Looking upward (John 17:1) Bowing down (Exodus 34:8) Placing the head between the knees (1 Kings 18:42) Pounding on the breast (Luke 18:13) Facing the temple on his knees (Daniel 6:10)
6. The time you put into prayer is going to be what you get out of it. To get the results I’ve been talking about, you have to put in the hard work. The more you set aside time to pray fervently. The more God will visit you and give you the desires of your heart. 

In closing, expect the fragrance of your prayers to change. Your prayers will no longer be lethargic and repetitious. You will begin to pray fervently. Radically. With everything you have and with all your heart.
Jeremiah wrote, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Now! Let Us Pray!