Posted by Lewis Turner on October 12, 2010 at 1:11
With so many churches, their prayer time is mostly for 'needy' requests--many of which are genuine requests. How do we move and encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers?
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One of the best resources I know about to move people from praying need-based prayers to worship-based prayers is Daniel Henderson's "Fresh Encounters" .
Lewis Turner > Denise DarbyshireOctober 19, 2011 16:39
Thank you Denise for your reply--
I wonder if you could share what you personally saw in Daniel Henderson's "Fresh Encounters" that helped you or others that you know?
lewis--our world prayer group uses as its main focus a positive-aggressive approach--habakuk 2:14 "that the earth will be filled with the glory of the lord"
after we attack the world, we do ask n pray for specific requests, but we try to keep our main focus--salvation of gods people
Phil, your question to me is a good question, and one that to answer, I used my own experience and growth as an intercessor. The answer below should help provide some ways we can encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers.
Learning to Pray with God’s Love
Key Scripture: Rom 5:5 “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
The ability to show the Love of God, in our prayers, comes from the Holy Ghost of God which is given to us. Having the Holy Spirit of God, helps us in our quest to seek the Love of God, and let it guide our prayers. That quest also involves help from the Holy Spirit of God to grow in our Christian walk. In answering the question "How do we move and encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers?", I would like to share snapshots of my journey in prayer, then share keys from those experiences that may of help to others.
Starting with my Journey as an intercessor, I take time to journal. Journaling has helped me as I studied God’s Word, to record items learned from Scripture, to listen to my heart, and learn to listen to the Holy Spirit of God. It has also given me opportunity to see where I am, and where God has led me. The entries are like snapshot, and from those snap shots I have identified key points that helped me.
Let’s look now at my prayer journey. When I first learned to pray, I prayed from my personal perception. I honestly did not realize that is what I was doing. The approach and focus of my prayers were what one might call ‘the way I see it approach’. I often did not even know what the scripture said on an issue, because I did not know God’s Word. I now know that approach was actually a hindrance to my prayers.
As I began to grow in my Christian life, I took time to study God’s Word regularly and learn it. As I started reading the Bible, God sent people across my path who encouraged me to base my prayers on scripture. This started to change my focus of prayer to what God’s Word said, rather than “the way I see it approach”. Still I struggled with my own understanding of scripture when I prayed. The root problem was that my heart was still self-focused and the ‘way I see it approach’ kept popping up. Self-focus was also a hindrance to my prayers.
The real issue I faced was I had not really surrendered my heart to the Lord, to seek the Kingdom of God first. There came a point where I had to humble myself and make that commitment. Around this tender point in my life, God also used my wife to help me learn to listen to my heart and seek the heart of God. It is difficult for men to listen to our hearts, but with God, anything is possible. This was a major turning point in my life. I thank God for my wife’s encouragement. Learning to listen to the Lord took humbling myself to do it. I made that surrender and commitment. From that point on I have sought Him from my heart, and my walk with the Lord grew. My prayer life started to change and the way I prayed for others.
In time, the Lord taught me much about the prayer direction and focus that He wanted, as I prayed for others. That focus was to pray in line with scripture and His Love. Again He provided people who encouraged me to keep moving forward. As I obeyed God, He drew me closer to Himself, and I sensed a desire in my heart to pray that His Love would be seen in others.
Where was this direction of God taking me? The Holy Spirit reminded me, that Love covers a lot of sin. The result was that I could no longer pray in ‘judgment’ or as ‘I saw it’. That manner of praying had to change. Praying in God’s Love does not mean that I overlook and sweep sin under the carpet. No! Praying in God’s Love for others means that God would draw them to Himself and to the cross of forgiveness. Christ said if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. I sense very deeply that praying in God’s Love does lift up Christ Jesus. When I do, old things – old ways of praying have passed away in the way I used to pray in my prayers. That was and is a major change for me in my intercession. I still have much to learn about the Love of God. Now I can say that my prayer focus, of God’s Love to be seen in others, is because of the work of God’s Love in my heart.
In this process there were 5 keys that made a difference in my prayer life. They were:
• To regularly read and learn the Word of God Ps 119:11 --Journal what you learn. It will help you listen to your heart and the Holy Spirit of God.
• To seek the Kingdom of God first with my heart Matt 6:33
• To draw near to God James 4:8
• To allow God to change my heart’s prayer focus Ez 36:26
• To learn to listen to my heart and seek the Heart of God
In the process of growing in prayer, it also required humility on my part. God also provided encouragement and people to help me work through of the above points. The growth process does not stop, and I fail at times, but I do not give up. I am still learning about God’s Love and growing in my relationship with God.
If others learn to truly listen to God working in their heart, follow the keys above - out of a heart desire to get to know the Love of God, the Lord will do a wonderful work in their heart and their prayers will come to reflect that Love.
My challenge to intercessors is to take time to learn God’s word. Listen to Him, and seek the Lord with your whole heart. Write down what you sense God is showing you. Allow His Love to guide you and your prayers of intercession.
Note: I have since done further editing and the following websight has an updated edit of my response to Pastor Phil's question: http://wheatlandministries.blogspot.com/2010/10/learning-to-pray-wi... Writing for me has been a challenge to convey thoughts in a way so others can follow them. If you want a clearer version to use, the above web location has it. My heart's desire is that what I have shared will sow seed in someone else, to learn pray with God's Love as a focus.
As we learn to let God's Love flow through us in our prayer focus, when we pray for the needs of others, they should see the Love of Christ. That Love should encourage them to know that God is personally interested in them.
Write a little more about this - explain more of what you are wanting intercessors to do (and avoid) ...
"How do we move and encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers?"
I appreciate you answer to the posting that I place on Prayer Leaders' blog.
When you find the time, you may want to look at the posting that was placed on the Intercessor's blog 10-12-2010. I do not expect much comment on it as many of us do not want to be vunerable and share issues that we need help on--it is a follow up on Yesterdays' Posting 10-11-2010 on the Intercessor's Group--showing the help we need--personal help and what we need to do to help others (Implied). Perhaps prayer leaders may want to take note. Not Methods- Not putting forth a program--but the removing of hindrances and the investing of one's self regardless of past hurts to encourage others to the Love of Christ.
People with needs need someone to come along side of them and encourage them to seek the Love of Christ. Being open and sharing from your heart experience helps.
I encourage all of us to find the time and look at the posting that was placed on the Intercessor's Group 10-12-2010.Because it is difficult for many of us to be vunerable and share issues that we need help on--only a few may comment. The posting is a follow up on Yesterdays' Posting on the Intercessors Group 10-11-2010 --showing the help we need--personal help --and what we need to do to help for ourselves in humility to be able to help others (Implied). Perhaps prayer leaders may want to read it and comment here in this group.
It is not about Methods- or putting forth a program--but the removing of hindrances and the investing of one's self regardless of past hurts to encourage others to the Love of Christ through sharing what has really helped us.
Those with needs do need someone to come along side of them and encourage them on to seeking the Love of God as they pray for the needs of others.Sharing from our hear experience can really help them.
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Thank you Denise for your reply--
I wonder if you could share what you personally saw in Daniel Henderson's "Fresh Encounters" that helped you or others that you know?
after we attack the world, we do ask n pray for specific requests, but we try to keep our main focus--salvation of gods people
Learning to Pray with God’s Love
Key Scripture: Rom 5:5 “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
The ability to show the Love of God, in our prayers, comes from the Holy Ghost of God which is given to us. Having the Holy Spirit of God, helps us in our quest to seek the Love of God, and let it guide our prayers. That quest also involves help from the Holy Spirit of God to grow in our Christian walk. In answering the question "How do we move and encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers?", I would like to share snapshots of my journey in prayer, then share keys from those experiences that may of help to others.
Starting with my Journey as an intercessor, I take time to journal. Journaling has helped me as I studied God’s Word, to record items learned from Scripture, to listen to my heart, and learn to listen to the Holy Spirit of God. It has also given me opportunity to see where I am, and where God has led me. The entries are like snapshot, and from those snap shots I have identified key points that helped me.
Let’s look now at my prayer journey. When I first learned to pray, I prayed from my personal perception. I honestly did not realize that is what I was doing. The approach and focus of my prayers were what one might call ‘the way I see it approach’. I often did not even know what the scripture said on an issue, because I did not know God’s Word. I now know that approach was actually a hindrance to my prayers.
As I began to grow in my Christian life, I took time to study God’s Word regularly and learn it. As I started reading the Bible, God sent people across my path who encouraged me to base my prayers on scripture. This started to change my focus of prayer to what God’s Word said, rather than “the way I see it approach”. Still I struggled with my own understanding of scripture when I prayed. The root problem was that my heart was still self-focused and the ‘way I see it approach’ kept popping up. Self-focus was also a hindrance to my prayers.
The real issue I faced was I had not really surrendered my heart to the Lord, to seek the Kingdom of God first. There came a point where I had to humble myself and make that commitment. Around this tender point in my life, God also used my wife to help me learn to listen to my heart and seek the heart of God. It is difficult for men to listen to our hearts, but with God, anything is possible. This was a major turning point in my life. I thank God for my wife’s encouragement. Learning to listen to the Lord took humbling myself to do it. I made that surrender and commitment. From that point on I have sought Him from my heart, and my walk with the Lord grew. My prayer life started to change and the way I prayed for others.
In time, the Lord taught me much about the prayer direction and focus that He wanted, as I prayed for others. That focus was to pray in line with scripture and His Love. Again He provided people who encouraged me to keep moving forward. As I obeyed God, He drew me closer to Himself, and I sensed a desire in my heart to pray that His Love would be seen in others.
Where was this direction of God taking me? The Holy Spirit reminded me, that Love covers a lot of sin. The result was that I could no longer pray in ‘judgment’ or as ‘I saw it’. That manner of praying had to change. Praying in God’s Love does not mean that I overlook and sweep sin under the carpet. No! Praying in God’s Love for others means that God would draw them to Himself and to the cross of forgiveness. Christ said if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. I sense very deeply that praying in God’s Love does lift up Christ Jesus. When I do, old things – old ways of praying have passed away in the way I used to pray in my prayers. That was and is a major change for me in my intercession. I still have much to learn about the Love of God. Now I can say that my prayer focus, of God’s Love to be seen in others, is because of the work of God’s Love in my heart.
In this process there were 5 keys that made a difference in my prayer life. They were:
• To regularly read and learn the Word of God Ps 119:11 --Journal what you learn. It will help you listen to your heart and the Holy Spirit of God.
• To seek the Kingdom of God first with my heart Matt 6:33
• To draw near to God James 4:8
• To allow God to change my heart’s prayer focus Ez 36:26
• To learn to listen to my heart and seek the Heart of God
In the process of growing in prayer, it also required humility on my part. God also provided encouragement and people to help me work through of the above points. The growth process does not stop, and I fail at times, but I do not give up. I am still learning about God’s Love and growing in my relationship with God.
If others learn to truly listen to God working in their heart, follow the keys above - out of a heart desire to get to know the Love of God, the Lord will do a wonderful work in their heart and their prayers will come to reflect that Love.
My challenge to intercessors is to take time to learn God’s word. Listen to Him, and seek the Lord with your whole heart. Write down what you sense God is showing you. Allow His Love to guide you and your prayers of intercession.
As we learn to let God's Love flow through us in our prayer focus, when we pray for the needs of others, they should see the Love of Christ. That Love should encourage them to know that God is personally interested in them.
Write a little more about this - explain more of what you are wanting intercessors to do (and avoid) ...
"How do we move and encourage people to seek God's Love as the focus of our prayers?"
Phil
I appreciate you answer to the posting that I place on Prayer Leaders' blog.
When you find the time, you may want to look at the posting that was placed on the Intercessor's blog 10-12-2010. I do not expect much comment on it as many of us do not want to be vunerable and share issues that we need help on--it is a follow up on Yesterdays' Posting 10-11-2010 on the Intercessor's Group--showing the help we need--personal help and what we need to do to help others (Implied). Perhaps prayer leaders may want to take note. Not Methods- Not putting forth a program--but the removing of hindrances and the investing of one's self regardless of past hurts to encourage others to the Love of Christ.
People with needs need someone to come along side of them and encourage them to seek the Love of Christ. Being open and sharing from your heart experience helps.
Can you give the the URL so I can click to it?
I appreciate you answer.
I encourage all of us to find the time and look at the posting that was placed on the Intercessor's Group 10-12-2010.Because it is difficult for many of us to be vunerable and share issues that we need help on--only a few may comment. The posting is a follow up on Yesterdays' Posting on the Intercessors Group 10-11-2010 --showing the help we need--personal help --and what we need to do to help for ourselves in humility to be able to help others (Implied). Perhaps prayer leaders may want to read it and comment here in this group.
It is not about Methods- or putting forth a program--but the removing of hindrances and the investing of one's self regardless of past hurts to encourage others to the Love of Christ through sharing what has really helped us.
Those with needs do need someone to come along side of them and encourage them on to seeking the Love of God as they pray for the needs of others. Sharing from our hear experience can really help them.
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