REVERSE ENGINEERING PRAYERS
REVERSE ENGINEERING PRAYERS
*…out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
How similar do you think our priorities and goals are to those of Jesus and the Apostles? This is an important question if we’re really serious about following our Lord.
How can we gain insight into what we should be desiring and working toward as Christians? As always, the Bible is the answer. There are some places in scripture, however, which are often over-looked compasses of desire:
Prayers.
When someone prays, we get a huge window into their life. The scripture says that we speak out of the abundance of what’s in the heart. Certainly, what we speak to God about is also a manifestation of what’s going on in our hearts.
If we’re actually praying and not putting on a spiritual show, then we’re asking God for what we want and need, or what we want and need to happen.
People pray about what they care about. People pray for what they deem important enough to ask God’s help for.
What did Jesus want to ask His Father for? What did He wish God would do?
Fortunately, the disciples asked Him one day to teach them how to pray. He shared with them what He thought they should want each day:
-They should want the Father’s name to be honored.
-They should want His Kingdom to be built up (more people coming to Him.)
-They should want His will to be happening here on earth.
-They should want what they practically need to get through the day.
-They should want forgiveness for their sins.
-They should want help not being overtaken by temptation and the evil one.
(from Matthew 6:9-13)
Are these the same things you’re asking God for? Do you desire these same things?
This is definitely one of the most well-known prayers in the New Testament, but there are many others. All of them specimens of the thought processes which the Spirit inspired in His people.
In a way, we’re trying to reverse-engineer their prayers; to take them apart and see what they're made of. By God’s grace, we can then build them into our own lives.
Is your heart in tune with the true life of Christ?
When you find a prayer in the scriptures, take note of what’s being asked for. Ask yourself, “Is this important enough to me that I’ve also been asking God for it?”
If not, ask Him to help you rebuild your thinking and desires. Ask Him to teach you to care about what matters to Him and prioritize what He would want to be done.
*thatMissionary is the Alias for Isaac Jorgensen’s music and writing. Folk-pop and thoughts for people who like to think.
Love this Isaac, I’ve been praying more in depth for that communion with the LORD that He be manifesting in my prayer closet time. I discovered I still needed a lot of purging of self to get through layers of self that distract me and keep me from really hearing Him & it’s my own distance from the holiness of GOD that is the barrier not HIM. The motives of my heart must be to GLORIFY Him and the Awesomeness of His divine nature; not to “feel” something but to really KNOW Him, it is more than a sensation if that makes sense. Words just fail the awesome nature of the LORD, I’m thinking we won’t have that limitation of language in the Heavenly Kingdom! GOD BLESS you Brother! Your Sister In Christ, Loraine 🙏🏼🕊🙌🏼🔥
Great food for thought Isaac! I have done a couple of studies on prophets prayers in the Bible and as they relate to prayer & fasting. I find the common thread in that they desire to be in the Will of GOD to honor GOD & Glorify GOD. I am very conscience of this when praying esp if it for myself or my family. I want more than any outcome I could imagine to be in the perfect will of GOD. I have had to work more than anything to pray for the promises of GOD or just myself. I really focus on prayer for others as it increases my gratitude, I really want for nothing but to Glorify the LORD. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🕊🔥🙌🏼🔥