Seeking to go longer in prayer?

Feeling a tug to go longer when praying? But not sure how?

It can be challenging to know what to pray in order to expand. Jesus Gives a perfect template in The Lord's Prayer:

Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV) 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Here's functional suggestions to implement a similar flow:

1. Read a Psalm out loud. Psalm 100:4 says: Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! The Psalms orient us for worship.

2. Praise Him. Declaring His Names from Scripture also means you are praising His Attributes. (Here's a link to an article on Names of God in Scripture). (Here's a link to an article on Names of Jesus in Scripture). If pronouncing the Hebrew names trip you up; instead of YAHWEH-SABAOTH, you can say "Lord of Hosts".

3. Thank Him. For things He's Done in the past, lately, and that day.

4. Bring your heart to Him. Anything weighing heavy on you. Challenges. Areas of confusion. Areas where you're seeking direction and wisdom.

5. Ask Him if there's anything He Wants to talk about. Then wait and listen for a couple minutes. See if He Brings anything to mind.

6. Repent and forgive. Think if there is anyone you need to forgive; even smaller transgressions, smaller offenses. Repent for any sins including wrong thinking as well as words said and deeds done. If you have sin strongholds, ask Him to Deliver you from them and to Expose root areas of wrong think where your agreement with the enemy is causing bondage.

7. Bring requests to Him. Praying for others, etc.

8. Pray for church and community. The Church, your church, and church leaders. Pray for local and/or national governmental leaders and issues. Pray for local schools. Your neighborhood. Certain people groups (single moms, a particular age group, victims of cults, etc.) This list is potentially limitless. Let The Lord Give you a burden for particular topics. You can pray for these on a rotation. Some people set up a schedule: Monday government, Tues my church leaders, etc. Some pray for areas The Holy Spirit brings to mind that prayer session.

9. Ask The Holy Spirit if there's anything you're missing that you need to pray about.

10. Thank Him for His Work, His Ways, what He's Doing and Going to Do. Thank Him for His Promises in Scripture, and quote some of those Scriptures.

In Jesus's Name!

Christy Hale