How, Where, and When to Pray
In as much as God is Omnipresent, there are places that attract Him more than other places. And there are times when it’s most suitable to pray. There is also how you can go about it to ensure maximum results. When it’s our desire to feel the aura and the glory of God when we communicate with Him, it leads us to search and identify where, when and how we can communicate better with Him.
Where do I pray?
God is everywhere with us since we are His mobile house. There’s nowhere you call God and He will not answer you, especially in distress. But for quiet and special time with Him, we need to come up with a plan and a schedule. It is natural for things to tend to move towards where they are more comfortable and accepted. Even as humans, we have places where we feel more comfortable to be than other places. Nobody likes to be where he does not feel peace. Nobody likes going to where he feels discomfort.
Through the death of Christ, we now have the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. That has made us mobile carriers of the presence of God. But at the same time, people like me that like taking positions when we pray, we try to create or prepare a place for communion with God.
Exodus 29:35-37. 35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. 36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. 37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. KJV
Christ has done the shedding of blood for us. We only need to make use of what He has provided us with. So, like I said earlier, people like us who likes to take some positions when we pray, it is wise we draw the secret from where we just read. Choose a particular area of your house, or a room where you can feel comfortable to communicate to God. Take seven days to call on the name of the LORD over there in spirit and in truth. Tell Him you are preparing the place for communication with Him. For those seven days, take some money or gifts (as sacrifice) to the altar and tell God it’s for Him (please, do not keep any image or item as your focus of worship). Then give the money or the gift out as charity. At the end of the seventh day, that place is holy. When you enter there, nobody will tell you there’s something different about the place. Do not make the place a place for gossip, a place where you tell lies on your mobile phones, or other things like that. That place is holy.
When do I pray?
Apart from places where you can feel peace to communicate with God, there are also times when it’s most serene to talk with Him. I used to work in an organization where the chairman of the conglomerate has a period when he can take your calls and give you the maximum attention you desire. You may not get his attention or full attention in the daytime. But you can fully get it once it’s 10pm. Everybody has his own convenient time for a particular kind of discussion. So does God.
Isaiah 49:8. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages. KJV. Emphasis mine
Genesis 3:8. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. KJV. Emphasis mine
Psalm 63:1. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. KJV. Emphasis mine
The time that’s best between you and God may not be the same time for another person. It’s up to you to find out the best time for you and God. God is everywhere but it’s better you make an appointment with Him. His Spirit does not skip appointments, and He does not disappoint. Make it a habit to approach God at a particular time or particular times. Once it’s time, He’s waiting for you knowing you will surely be there for discussion. If you know there’s a time God is coming to hear you, you will make maximum use of the opportunity.
My little secret
It’s a little secret I’ve treasured so much. It has never failed me. Before you go to bed in the night in your prayers, ask the Holy Spirit to wake you up when He feels is the best time to pray. That’s it! Like I said before, it has never failed me. When I tried it the first time, I didn’t know how I woke up, but I did wake up. The astonishing thing there is that from that day going forward, as long as I asked Him to wake me up, He keeps waking me up at that same exact time every night. First, it was like a shock to me, and later it became normal. It works. You can give it a trial today.
How do I pray?
1. Praise and worship
In my culture, when you praise the king is when he’ll be ready to hear you out. Some people have taken it as a profession to praise the rich because they know when you praise them, something good must get to you. If we humans can receive some blessings from kings and the rich when we praise them, what of God that the only food He demands from us is just praises? The first thing you approach God with is praise and worship. It’s not just that God’s only food is praise and worship, He also lives inside our praise and worship. Did you know that God sends angels to attend to us? Did you also know that He doesn’t send His angels to go get our praise and worship for Him? He comes all by Himself to take His glory!
Psalm 22:3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. KJV
Isaiah 42:8. I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. KJV
Just like the sacrifices of animals were sweet smelling savour to Him, so is our praises. Take your time to worship and praise God. He feels so good to hear you tell Him how big and good He is. He rejoices when we give Him worthy praise.
2. Thanksgiving
Haven successfully secured His presence through worship and praise, it’s time to let Him know you’re grateful for the things He has done. In the Old Testament, God required animals for sacrifice. But in this dispensation, He requests for food through the fruits of our lips – thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15). in my culture, it is said that when you thanks a man for what he did, he’ll be encouraged to do more. No man rejects gratitude, though they may sometimes tell you that you shouldn’t have bothered yourself. The same man will regard you as an ingrate if you don’t come to show gratitude. God feels very happy that you recognize Him as the Doer of every good thing that has happened around you. It prepares the ground for new requests.
1 Chronicles 16:34. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. KJV
Psalm 107:8-9. 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. KJV
Psalm 100:4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. KJV
Philippians 4:6-7. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. KJV
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our lord Jesus Christ. KJV
3. Confess your sin
It’s time to confess to God all known and unknown sin of yours. He said He’s faithful and just to forgive us all our sins. David also said that God would not hear him if he regard sin in him. Even a man you offended that has not forgiven you will not do anything for you.
Isaiah 59:1-2. 1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. KJV
Psalm 66:18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me. KJV
Confess all known and unknown sin to God. Ask Him for forgiveness. Don’t give Him reasons for your sin. No sin is justifiable. Promise never to go back to them. And ask for His grace to overcome sin.
4. Pray for others
Christ Himself thought us to be selfless. He was the Master but He was the One serving others. He teaches us to put others first. So it is also in prayers. Bring the needs of others to God first. It shows your selflessness.
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. KJV
Job 42:10. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. KJV
Galatians 6:2. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. KJV
5. Pray for yourself
As we are all different and unique, so are our needs. After lifting the needs of others before God in humility, then you can table to God why you came. He knows you have needs. Ask with confidence, knowing that He’ll answer you according to His will.
Philippians 4:6. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. KJV
Matthew 7:7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. KJV. Emphasis mine
1 Chronicles 4:10. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. KJV
6. Speaking in tongues
Sometimes we ask amiss. We may know what to ask but may not know how to properly table them. The Holy Spirit helps us to address that. You need to desire and pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That’s the beginning of speaking in tongues. It could happen in your local church. It could happen while you’re waiting on God and praying at home. Just have a sincere desire for that and pray in faith, believing you would receive it.
Romans 8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. KJV
Holy Spirit knows the mind of God. He helps us to pray according to the will of God. God does not answer prayers that are not in accordance with His will. That’s why you should covet the gift of speaking in tongues if don’t have it already.
7. Give thanks
When you pray, you must pray with faith. Not having doubt in your heart. Having faith in God that He has answered your prayers moves God to ensure the answers are delievered.
Mark 11:24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. KJV
1 John 5:14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. KJV
