Prayer is a Multi-faceted Diamond

There are so many lessons and sides to prayer that we can be learning all our lives long, and not exhaust all there is to learn. So, just now, while wondering which lessons I could share here, it came to me that prayer is truly like a multi-faceted diamond.

The more we study and experiment with prayer, the more we will discover new facets to it.

In my early teens, I would sit on a cushion in the closet I shared with my two younger sisters, and doing Bible reading and praying for family members, and missionaries before I went to bed.

My devotional life continued when I was living on my own, but with shift work as a telephone operator, my times and places often changed.

When I got a job as a receptionist and switchboard operator in Ontario, I discovered that writing out my prayers helped me to concentrate better and when interrupted I'd quickly find where I left off when the interrupter disappeared. (That increased my ability to express myself in writing).

But it is in the last few months that I've learned the most about different styles and types of prayer, and how to apply more Biblical principles to become more effective.

How many of these have you discovered or tried out?
- honest conversations about your feelings, questions, etc.
- confessing sins that block communication with God
- brainstorming for solutions to problems
- search your heart/conscience for sins that hinder answers
- asking for healing, or better health for self or others
- pleading for someone's salvation
- pray for missionaries' needs to be met, safety, success
- naming the many blessings you have received recently!
- binding Satan's attack on you or someone else in Jesus' name
- promising God some service as thanksgiving for His grace
- asking God to plan your day's agenda
- discerning demon activity and rebuking them in JESUS' name
- asking God to reveal someone's need before praying for them
- listening for God to speak to you specifically
- pleading for a fresh revival to sweep your community/country.

Well, I am sure there are many more, but I'm running out of time to try to remember any more just now. But it is easier to see that prayer is truly a very multi-faceted gemstone! We should use it far more than we do!

When we do make it a priority in our lives, we become very attached to it, and it grows in importance to us. My own lists of people to pray for has grown to the point where I may have to divide the list up to rotating lists... but that's a hard decision to make. Just when I'm praying more intensely for so many on my list, and then my own needs... for you see, the more fervently we pray the more Satan comes sneaking up to zap us with problems we were not expecting! We must guard our reactions, and learn more about spiritual warfare prayer.

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