Prayer Elements

In addition to the precepts of prayer, prayer can be divided into three elements:

1. HEART - This is probably one of the most important prayer elements. When one prays, it helps to use heart language, not mind logic. God looks on the heart--I Sam 16:7. Praying from the heart is not easy, especially for men. Remember, when we pray for others, we also need to allow God to work on our own heart.

Heart praying also involves heart reverence to God, who has made us His sons, giving us a special relationship of Sonship with Him, because of the work of Jesus on the Cross.

2. PRAISE – The importance of praise in prayer is far greater than most of us have learned. All to often we are too timid to give praise. To overcome this timidness, we need to learn and apply the principle in Phil 4:6-8. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” Praise and thanksgiving are important for our well being.

3. HEARING –Prayer is not always speaking. It also involves listening for God speaking to us, which is in a still small voice--I Kings 19:12. Listening to that still small voice may require us to be quiet—which is a difficult task for some of us. Also God speaks through His written word. As we listen to God speaking, a test to know if it is from the Lord is asking the following question: is what we are hearing in accordance with God’s word?

Hearing God’s voice allows Him to lead us. “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice, and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out, and when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His Voice and a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him: for they do no know the voice of strangers”
--John 10:3-5.

To further understand what hearing means, let’s take time to look at a definition about hearing concerning hearing the Holy Spirit of God speaking to us.

It is—a knowing that occurs when our spirit picks up on something spoken by the Holy Spirit. This knowing is similar to an inner conviction about the right thing to do in a situation. It is the Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit, and it will be in accordance with God’s word. When we have an impression during prayer, it would be good to write it down in a journal. Journaling is and excellent way that can help us to hear and see more clearly what God may be saying to us. The Holy Spirit of God always speaks in accordance with the Word of God.

The more we know God’s word, it will help us hear His voice, and know His voice better. God’s word is the standard by which to judge what is being heard in prayer. We need to spend time in God’s word learning it.

When we are so busy that we don’t have time to spend in God’s word, then we also cut our communing time with the Lord that dulls our hearing. It is important to take time with the Lord, listen, and be still before Him. We often spend all our time talking and little time listening—Ps 4:4, Ps 46:10