How to Pray for One Hour
This is sort of a long post, so hang in there.
Anyway, as you know, each first Friday, C3 hosts 24 hours of prayer. This is intense prayer about genuine needs in the lives of folks we know and folks far away. It is a very, very important time.
What happens is that each person chooses an hour to pray. Then they pray. Simple as that.
Even beginners in prayer can feel like God is using them when they jump in and pray that hour. So I challenge you- pick an hour this Friday-Saturday, print up the following guide, and pray for folks who really need it.
How to Pray for One Hour with the Lord’s Prayer
Mt. 6:9-13 KJV
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.
(Since Jesus taught this as a format for praying, we can feel confident that it is a good guideline for our prayer time.)
Suggestion:
Break the Lord’s Prayer down into 2 to 5 minute segments. Think, read, and discuss with the Lord- those are all forms of prayer when you are including Him in on the process.
Guidelines:
“Our Father”- 3 minutes
(OUR Father- think on that- not just Jesus’ father, but your father, too. You are His chosen child. You have a chosen relationship with Him.)
(Our FATHER- think on Father- what kind of father is He? How would you describe your relationship with Him? How can you be open to improving that relationship? Talk to Him about that. Be quiet for a minute or two and just think on that.)
“Which art in heaven”- 3 minutes
(Think on where our Father is in heaven. Read Revelation 4 to get a picture of this. This is important enough for Jesus to mention it in His prayer. Be quiet for the remainder of this 3 minutes and think on this scene.)
“Hallowed be thy Name.”- 3 minutes
(Talk to Him for a few minutes, saying several of His names. He calls Himself lots of different names to help us understand His character and workings.)
Here are a few of His names from the Old Testament:
Father of the Fatherless- Av (ps 68:5)
The First and the Last- Rishon A Haron
God- Elohim or Eloah or YAH
God Most High- El Elyon
God Almighty- El Shaddai
God My King- Elohim Melekh
God the Lord- El YHWH
God of Salvation- El Yeshua
God Who Brings to Quick Termination (He gets things done)- El Ghamer
Holy One- Qodosh
I AM- Hayah
Living God- Chay El YHWH
Lord God- Jehovah Elohim
Lord Has Heard- Jehovah Shamah
Lord of Hosts- Jehovah Tsavah
Lord Provider- Jehovah Jireh
Lord Our Righteousness- Jehovah Tsedeq
Maker- Asah
Mighty God- El Abyir
Lord Almighty- Adonai Shaddai
Lord God- Adonai
Redeemer- Gha-al
Here are some of Jesus’ names:
Jesus Lord- Iesous Kurios
Just One- Dikalos
The Alpha and Omega
The Apostle and High Priest of our Confession
The Author and Finisher of our Faith
God’s names in the New Testament:
Father (endearment)- Abba
Father- Pater
Holy- Hagiezmos
Mighty One- Dynatos
There are lots more- can you add some? Do you see Him working in your life in one of these name?
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”- 24 minutes
(Jesus instructed us to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” What has God shown you about your part in His kingdom? He has a will for expanding that kingdom- YOU are a vital part of that plan. If you don’t know for sure what His ideas are for you, talk to Him about it. If you do know some things, talk to Him about those. Be quiet and listen for the remainder of 4 minutes.)
(Now is the time to pray for His will to be done on earth. We don’t know His will about everything, but we do know some things:
-We can pray for our country, for all who are in authority (kid you not, cover them all)- 4 minutes
Our President
Our Vice-president
The cabinet
Our Congress
Your governor
Your state legislators
Your county commissioners
Your mayor
Police and military
Employers
Your parents
-We can pray for those who are serving the Lord on the mission fields around the world- 4 minutes
-We can pray for friends and loved ones who need to know Him-4 minutes -We can pray for God’s will in the lives of people we know, for their needs- spirit, soul, body, etc-4 minutes
-We can pray for our churches and church leaders 4 minutes -
“Give us this day our daily bread”- 3 minutes
(You have needs, talk to Him about them. Jesus said to do this.)
“And forgive us our debts”- 3 minutes
(Where have you sinned, missed the mark, fallen short of His glory? Con
fess it- then it is gone, forgiven, no longer a hindrance…)
“As we forgive our debtors”- 3 minutes (hey, it could be hours if it was a bad day…)
(Who has hurt or offended you? List it, turn it over to him, ask his help in forgiving them and purpose to allow that forgiveness to grow in your heart.)
“And lead us not into temptation”- 3 minutes
(Where are you tempted to blow it? Ask His help for each thing- thoughts, feelings, deeds, decisions, things you say, how you talk about people…)
“But deliver us from evil”- 3 minutes
(Ask Him to deliver you from your own evil evil unforgiveness of yourselfJ)
(Ask Him for help and protection from your enemy, Satan, and his works- read Ephesians 6:10-18 and Psalm 91 as prayers.)
“For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”- 12 minutes
(It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord- time to show respect:
Thank Him for all He has done for you: list as much as you can.- 3 minutes
Thank Him for all He plans to do.- 3 minutes
Acknowledge His power- where have you seen His mighty works? Talk to Him about each thing- His creation, His move in specific people’s lives, His wonderful deeds in the Bible, etc.- 3 minutes
Give Him glory (be creative- what are some ways to praise Him, not for what He has done, but for Who He is? When you run out of things to say, be quiet for the remainder of the time and try to hold praise without words for Him in your heart- cool experiment.) -3 minutes
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