What prayers have shaped your life?
How did you learn them?
What happens when you pray them?
In the next months, I want to share ten prayers from scripture that have shaped my life as well as my understanding of what true prayer is. They help me know how to pray and what to pray for.
The first prayer is a good prayer to follow our journey to Easter. I call it The Resurrection Power Prayer:
Pray that you will understand the incredible greatness
of God’s power for us who believe him.
This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead.
Ephesians 1:19, NLT
I will never forget the Bible Study teacher who asked after reading this verse:
Is there any problem in your life that resurrection power cannot address?
No one had ever personalized the resurrection for me that way. It was a burning bush moment for me with my living Lord. I realized the difference between living by my puny attempts to try to be who Jesus called me to be and allowing his power, His resurrection power, to empower me.
This prayer isn’t a formula; it’s a cry, a request, an invitation. I ask God to use His power to fuel what He desires, what He would motivate, what He would grow in me. I don’t just assume this power because when I do, I’m usually back to trying hard in my own strength.
Praying this prayer requires that I release my hold on anything that blocks His power. Don’t pray an “anything” prayer unless you mean it because God takes your “anything” request seriously and goes for the juggler. He will answer that prayer!
As you receive His voice, His encouragement, His direction, Himself; resurrection power becomes your heart beat, your oxygen, your nourishment. Whatever you had to remove in order to receive more of Jesus is where you grow.
It’s a scary prayer. You can’t just take it out of its hiding and use it like a prescription to fix some problem. You have to live with the prayer as a daily invitation so that it becomes an infusion not a crisis intervention.
Ready to pray it? Let’s make it our morning prayer for the week. Use the questions as prayer prompts to help you apply it in different ways every day.
Let me know how God uses it in your life. I love to celebrate resurrection power wherever it shows up!
Resurrection Power Prayer Prompts for the Week__________
Wednesday
What do you need to understand about Jesus and His desire to use resurrection power in you that will make this prayer a personal prayer for your growth?
Thursday
Ask Jesus to show you today where His resurrection power could make a difference.
Friday
Where does deadness exist in your life, motivation, attitude about growth? Invite His power to work there and see what happens.
Saturday
Where are you trying hard and getting frustrated? Invite Jesus there and see how he re-directs you.
Sunday
Where do you need a Sabbath rest from anything that has bruised your spirit? That’s what this day is for!
Monday
Can you pray an “anything” prayer about some area in your life? Ask Jesus to show you anything that needs to change in you.
Tuesday
What have you learned about praying this prayer that will continue to grow you?