prayer coach

Cross design by Matt Gruber

Romans 8:31 asks us the amazing question, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” This question is a source of deep encouragement for believers. Is there any affliction or persecution that can remove our focus from the joy of the Lord? If God is for us, what else do we need?

This phrase, “if God is for us,” is very transformational as you dwell upon it. I have thought of 26 other endings to that phrase that pull out more encouragement and motivation. Dwell on these truths. If there are any that don’t feel true, meditate on them. Let the ramifications of God being for you sink deep into your soul.

If God is for us, …

1. delight yourself in Him.
2. who can discourage you?
3. life is an exciting adventure.
4. joy is never-ending.
5. you don’t view yourself based on your sin.
6. stepping out in faith is natural.
7. His every approach to you is in love.
8. He will become your focus and not what may hold you back.
9. your future is bright.
10. you can expect things to get better.
11. doubt loses its grip on you.
12. addictions can be overcome.
13. you have no limitations.
14. you can expect His help as you live out your destiny.
15. you cannot out-dream God.
16. He is not trying to make you feel bad for yourself.
17. He is rooting for and enabling your success.
18. good things will come your way.
19. He will redeem every bad thing that has happened to you.
20. He will give you the desires of your heart.
21. you always have hope.
22. He always wants to heal you.
23. bad things are never His will for you.

When I was introduced to Jesus, the man preaching encouraged us to not only read the Bible, but spend time with the One who wrote it. This is foundational to how we should approach the Bible. The reason it is living and active is because the Holy Spirit interacts with it and us to transform our thinking and move it deep into our hearts. When you read it as any other book, your worldview interprets what you are reading before it gets to your conscious mind.

Most of Christianity strongly exhorts you to study your Bible. While there is a place for this, oftentimes we apply this by gaining knowledge about the Bible. Again, this sounds good, but Paul tells us that knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1b). It leads us away from love and into pride. It also allows us to maintain a distance from God while appearing religious. God freed us of our sin in order that we may see fully His desires for us and give ourselves completely to Him.

When you read the Bible, ask God what it is that He wants to share with you that day. Interact with the passage. Imagine what was going on and how those who were there were thinking. Receive the promises spoken as for you. Ask God if you really believe them as true. What is holding you from complete and wholehearted trust in what He is communicating? Have the Bible reveal the secrets of your heart and attack the lies to transform your mind (Romans 12:2).

Hebrews 4:12 is a wonderful verse that solidifies the importance of the Scripture. Coupled with 2 Timothy 3:16, the Bible is the very breath of God that goes to the inmost being of people to accomplish its purposes. Scripture is what our Lord shot back at Satan in the wilderness and it is the one offense weapon described in the full armor of God.

But in regards to this Hebrews passage, I have been thinking that we have limited the message of this verse by only thinking of the Bible. The first four chapters of Hebrews describe how God spoke in the past, how the Isrealites heard his voice, and how we are to pay attention to what we have heard. Three times leading to the verse in 4:12, the author quotes Psalm 95:7-8: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The connotation of this passage is that the word of God is the voice of the Spirit communicating to you. It most definitely means the Scripture, but it also means so much more.

When we come to prayer, we need to take time to listen to what the Spirit is saying to us. Romans 8 tells us that the Holy Spirit and Jesus are interceding for us, therefore when we tap into what they are already praying we will be effective in our prayers. Also, in regards to this verse in Hebrews, the word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. I have found that listening to what the Spirit has to say illuminates what is in my heart that is keeping me from fully believing the truths of the Scripture. The Spirit, who searches our hearts, can reword the truths of God in ways that speak right into and past the pain and hurt in our lives for us to receive its truth.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.- 1 John 5:14-15

This is a principle I learned from Dr. Bill Bright’s Transferable Concept booklet, “How You Can Pray With Confidence.” And before I get very far with this post, let me say that Dr. Bright’s Transferable Concepts should be a must read for every new Christian. They go through some basic principles of the Christian faith in easy to understand and actionable ways. When I was on staff with Crusade I tried to get every one I discipled through these wonderful booklets.

“If you know you are abiding in Christ, are controlled by the Holy Spirit, and are praying according to the Word and the will of God, you can expect God to answer your prayers.” – Dr. Bright

You can expect God to answer because when you are abiding in Christ and controlled by the Spirit, your requests will be in line with the will of God. And, if in line with the will of God, according to 1 John 5:14-15 we have what we ask. And, if we know the promise has been given to us in the Bible, then we are even more confident with it being in line with God’s will. Many of the other Transferable Concepts build off this principle.

• How You Can Love By Faith – the Scriptures tell us to love one another (John 13:34). Therefore if we pray for God to help us to love someone, then we can trust we are praying in accordance to God’s will and trust 1 John 5:14-15 by walking out our love for that person by faith that God is answering our prayers. This is the way we can love our enemies.

Here is a video from North Hills Community Church in Taylors, SC. It was done for a series on prayer about two years ago. I thought it was worthwhile to re-post for a couple different reasons.

1. It gives examples of what others pray about. It has honest, simple, heart-felt requests.
2. It shows how the Bible can lead you into prayer. It is so important to read the Bible to lead you into God’s presence. 

I hope you find it encouraging.

(via Harmless Thoughts blog)