by Joyce Meyer
I believe we can get so tangled up in the words of our prayers that we begin to lose the power of our prayers. I want to stress again that there is certainly nothing wrong with praying for an extended period of time. As previously stated, I do believe we should all set aside times for prolonged prayer and that our willingness or lack of willingness to spend time with God determines our level of intimacy with Him. But, I do not believe we need to labor to put in a certain number of hours in prayer apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit, out of a sense of obligation or as a work of the flesh. If issues in our lives really require us to pray at great length, then we need to do that, but we do not have to pray prolonged prayers just for the sake of logging time.
Just a few words will connect us with heaven as we call upon the Lord to act on our behalf.
When God challenged me to make my requests of Him in as few words as possible, He simply asked me to be concise and to-the-point and then to be quiet. When I did, I could not believe the increased power that came to my prayer life. To this day, when I pray that way, I sense more of the Holy Spirit’s power and presence than I do if I go on and on and on and on. I have learned that some of the most powerful, effective prayers I can pray are things like, “Thank You, Lord,” “Oh, God, I need Your wisdom,” “Give me strength to keep going, Lord,” or “I love You, Jesus.” And perhaps the most powerful of all: “Help!!!!!!!” See? Just a few words will connect us with heaven as we call upon the Lord to act on our behalf.
Let me give you an example of a quick, effective prayer. Dave and I once went to our lake house for me to have some quiet, uninterrupted time to finish writing a book. While I was there, our neighbors arrived with several teenagers who played very loud music. Instead of falling to my knees telling the Lord how important my book was and how it could help millions of people and how hard I was trying to finish it and how disruptive the music was, I simply said, “Lord, those people have the same right to enjoy their lake house as we have to enjoy ours, but could You arrange for me to have some peace and quiet so I can concentrate on the work I am doing for You?”
Within less than a minute after I breathed that simple prayer, the music went silent. I did not have to beg or build a case for my need; I did not have to bind demons or “war in the Spirit”; all I had to do was ask. A short, simple prayer opened the door for God to work. I prayed for about five seconds and God answered immediately.
Jesus knew the power of a short, simple prayer. When He taught about prayer during the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7). In fact, all the way through the Bible are some incredibly brief, but awesomely powerful, prayers, just a few of which are listed below:
• Moses prayed: “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way” (Exodus 33:13a, NKJV).
• Moses also cried out for his sister: “Please heal her, O God, I pray!” (Numbers 12:13b, NKJV).
• The Psalmist pleaded: “Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble” (Psalm 31:9a).
• Elijah prayed: “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him” (1 Kings 17:21b, NKJV).
• Jabez called on the Lord: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” (1 Chronicles 4:10, NKJV).
• Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34a, NKJV).
• The Apostle John prayed for his friend: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2, NKJV).
If God always wanted our prayers to be long and drawn out, I really believe He would have put only long, drawn-out prayers throughout the Bible. He always gives us examples, and so many of the examples of prayer in Scripture are short and concise. The enemy is the one who tells us we need to pray for hours, and then makes us feel guilty when we don’t. It is fine with God for us to pray using only a few words and for it not to take any longer than absolutely necessary. Remember what Jesus said: “. . .do not heap up phrases (multiplying words, repeating the same ones over and over). . .#8221; (Matthew 6:7).
If you have thought your prayers had to be long in order to be effective, I hope you have now been relieved of that burden. The power of our prayers is in no way dependent on how long we pray. There is no correlation between how many minutes or hours we pray and whether God hears us. Just one word spoken to Him in faith from a sincere heart can reach His heart and move His hand.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Another lie the enemy tells people is that prayer is complicated—that it is difficult, that it has to follow a certain method or take place in a certain order, that we can only pray about certain things, that we better not overload God by asking for too much, that we have to be careful what we ask for, and that we have to fully understand the will of God before we pray so that we won’t pray outside His will. We do need to pray according to God’s will, but we should not allow the enemy to ensnare us in so much fear that we are afraid to ask God for the things that are on our hearts. The worst that can happen if we pray outside God’s will is that we won’t get what we ask for—and that will be for our ultimate good! God knows our hearts and He will not become angry if we make a mistake and ask for something that is not His will. We don’t need to approach Him with the fear that we might make a mistake or that He will not be pleased if we ask for too much. We need to go to Him in faith, boldly, confidently, and freely.
God knows our hearts and He will not become angry if we make a mistake and ask for something that is not His will.
If we believe all of the lies I have just enumerated, prayer will be complicated. But if we refuse to think the thoughts with which the enemy tries to hook us and if we reject the ideas that complicate prayer for us, then we will be able to embrace its simplicity. We will find that it is not complicated at all and that, in fact, it is the easiest thing in the world. Remember, prayer should be as natural as breathing.
Another mistaken idea that further complicates prayer for some people and prevents them from praying is that prayer is only prayer when a person’s eyes are closed, his hands are folded, and his head is bowed. That could not be further from the truth! You may have seen the famous picture that I believe is called “Praying Hands.” It shows an elderly man seated with head bowed, eyes closed, and hands folded while he prays. It is a beautiful picture, and though it depicts one posture we may assume while praying, it does not depict the only posture that is acceptable.
I have a tendency to pray with my eyes closed, simply because I can concentrate better that way—not because I think I am breaking a “prayer rule” if my eyes are open. Dave, on the other hand, usually prays with his eyes open. A long time ago, I was so rule-oriented that I followed rigid rules and formulas for everything, including my prayers. I thought my prayers had to be loud and sound authoritative, so I would talk loudly or even shout as I prayed. I also walked while I prayed, but I still believed the “eyes closed” rule, so there were times when I actually walked smack into a wall or tripped over a piece of furniture while praying at the top of my lungs. Sometimes I wonder if God Himself even gave a loving chuckle at how immature and legalistic I was!
At the same time, Dave would sit in a chair with his eyes open, looking out the window, calmly and genuinely communing with the Lord. His lips hardly moved and he certainly did not shout or even talk loudly. When I opened my eyes long enough to catch a glimpse of him, I thought, You aren’t praying! You aren’t even closing your eyes! But, of course, Dave was praying; I was merely being judgmental. I was the one who was deceived into believing I was not really praying if I did not obey the “rules.”
My wrong beliefs about prayer had complicated it for me and stole the joy God intended me to
have as I prayed. The Bible says to “ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). That does not sound very complicated to me!
Then there are people who may or may not subscribe to the “closed eyes” idea, but do not think prayer is really prayer unless it is offered on bended knees. That would really complicate prayer for me because my knees really hurt when I kneel on them for more than a few minutes at a time. If I prayed in that position, I would end up thinking about how much my knees hurt and I would not focus on talking to God. I have a friend who kneels for hours, and when I see her pray, she seems so spiritual, but I have learned that my prayers are spiritual too, even though I cannot kneel while praying.
I love to lie facedown on the floor and pray. It helps me shut everything else out and feel as if I am alone with God. I prayed that way until it started hurting my back and I had to quit! I am glad I did not have to feel unspiritual because I had to change my posture in prayer. All I can tell you is that there is no certain posture you have to struggle to maintain in order to pray. If your knees hurt, lie on the floor. If your back hurts or you fall asleep on the floor, get up and walk around. If you are like Dave and you can pray while sitting and looking out the window, then pull up a chair. Just find a place and a way in which to pray that makes you comfortable and allows you to focus on the Lord.
Be free from everything you have heard about the formulas of prayer or the positions of prayer—and just pray! I challenge you to uncomplicate your prayers. Reject any idea that prayer needs to be complicated and begin to enjoy it as the simple privilege God intends for it to be.
It Doesn’t Have to Be Eloquent
Another one of the enemy’s lies about prayer is that a person must use the “right words” and speak eloquently. I have literally heard people shift their entire vocabulary and way of speaking when they begin to pray. I don’t know why, but some people actually speak in King James English when they pray, using words they would never use in everyday life, such as: “Oh most magnificent Heavenly Father, Thou Most Holy God Omnipotent, we thank Thee for Thy bounteous care and we beseech Thee for Thine abundance of blessings evermore,” and so on.
If you are approaching God, trying to sound eloquent, then stop it and be yourself.
Unless you lived in the days of King James, such words would be out of character for you; they would be unnatural and uncomfortable. I can assure you that God wants you to be comfortable with Him so that you will talk to Him just like you talk to your friends. If you use poetic language when you are on the telephone with your best friend, then go ahead and use poetic language with the Lord. But if you are approaching God, trying to sound eloquent, then stop it and be yourself. If you have a particular accent because of the place you were born or the place where you live, there is no need to try to sound different when you pray. If you use funny expressions in your everyday conversation, it is not necessary to abandon them when you talk to God. He has a sense of humor too, you know! The point I want to make is that prayer should be a natural extension and expression of your unique communication style. Prayer needs to be comfortable and enjoyable for you, and it needs to come from the heart.
I do not think I speak with much eloquence, and you may not think your way of communicating is very sophisticated, either. I no longer worry about the way I sound when I pray; I simply tell the Lord what is on my heart—and I tell it the way it is—plain, simple, and straightforward. That is the way I talk to my husband; that’s the way I talk to my children; that is the way I talk to people I work with; so that is the way I talk to God and that’s the way He talks to me. I am not trying to impress Him; I am trying to share my heart with Him—and I can do that best when I am simply being myself. God made us the way we are, so we need to approach Him without pretense and without thinking we have to sound a certain way for Him to hear us. As long as we are sincere, He will hear. Even if what is on our hearts cannot be articulated, He still hears and understands what it is. A heart lifted up to Him is precious in His sight and He hears even words that cannot be uttered. Sometimes we hurt too bad to pray and all we can do is sigh or groan—and God understands even that.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
James 5:16b declares that “the earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” Another version renders these words: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”(NKJV). When people struggle in their prayer lives, they sometimes say, “Well, there you have it. My prayers aren’t working because I am not righteous. Maybe if I start being more holy and doing everything right, I will be more righteous and my prayers will be more effective.”
E. M. Bounds writes, “Happy are those who have no righteousness of their own to plead.. . .#8221; 4 That’s all of us! But, if we are born again, we are righteous. We may not do everything right; but we are 100 percent righteous all the time. Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”(NKJV). Now, there is a difference between righteousness and “right” behavior. Righteousness describes our standing—our position or condition before God—because of the blood of Jesus. We cannot make ourselves righteous; only the blood of Jesus makes us righteous, as if we had never sinned at all. God views us as righteous even though we still make mistakes. Because He sees us as righteous, we have a God-given right to pray and expect our prayers to be heard.
Immediately after we see that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” we read, “Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months. And [then] he prayed again and the heavens supplied rain and the land produced its crops [as usual]” (James 5:17–18). Those comments about Elijah do not seem to fit between James’s teaching on prayer and his writings about bringing people back from error into truth, do they? Actually, I believe they are well-placed because God knew people would stumble over that word “righteous.” He knew that Satan would tell people they had no right to pray and expect their prayers to be answered because of their imperfection. Elijah’s story is included to remind us that we all struggle, we are not perfect, and we all have victories and defeats, even the great prophet. If he could mess up once in a while and still have his prayers answered, we can, too. God used Elijah mightily and often, yet there was also a time when Elijah showed fear, discouragement, and depression. Elijah was a man of God, but he also made mistakes and displayed weaknesses. If he could pray effective prayers, we can, too. We are just as righteous as Elijah was—and even more so because Christ lives in us and has made our righteousness a done deal.
Look at Isaiah 41:10–14, which says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.. . .Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ’Fear not, I will help you. Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you,’ says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel”(NKJV).
This passage really encourages me and I hope it will encourage you, too. When we start reading verse 10, we think, Wow. God must be talking to people who really have their act together. He’s talking to some superrighteous people who really “get it.” But He is not. No, God is saying, “You do not have to live in fear. I’m with you. I’m holding your hand. My Spirit is upon you. I’m going to help you. I’ll crush every enemy that comes against you.” We read those words and tend to think, Oh, I wish I could live in such a way that God would help me like that! And then He speaks again and reveals what kind of people He is really addressing. The great Lord and Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you” (emphasis mine).
God called Jacob a worm! There are not many life-forms lower than a worm and a person has to be pretty messed up to be called a worm! But isn’t it good to know that God gives the kind of help described in Isaiah 41:10–14 to the worms of the world? I love that because there are days when I feel and act like a worm. But I do not have to worry, and neither do you, because even when we act like worms and don’t do everything right, God is still eager to help us in the most astounding ways. His mercy is amazing!
THE SIMPLEST, MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
TO DEAL WITH ANY SITUATION
Charles Spurgeon writes that: “The desire to commune with God is intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation.” 5 How true! Sometimes I marvel at how long Christians can struggle in a situation before they think to pray about it. We complain about our problems; we grumble; we murmur; we tell our friends; we talk about how God should do something about it. We struggle with situations in our minds and in our emotions, while we often fail to take advantage of the simplest solution there is: prayer. But worse than that, we then make perhaps the most stupid statement known to man: “Well, I guess all I can do is pray.” I am sure you have heard that before and maybe you have even said it. We all have. We're all guilty of having treated prayer as a last-ditch effort and saying things like, “Well, nothing else is working, so maybe we should pray.” Do you know what that tells me? It tells me that we really do not believe in the power of prayer as we should. We carry burdens we do not need to bear—and life is much harder than it has to be—because we do not realize how powerful prayer is. If we did, we would pray about everything, not as a last resort, but as a first response.