This is the Truth Network. Encouraging prayer. God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.
And now, here's James. Oh, I'm excited on encouraging prayer today because we're going to talk about a topic I think we all can relate to and. That's how to make prayer easier.
So, James, I'm all ears. What do you have for us? All right.
Well, you know, Robbie, I think sometimes we can think prayer is so hard, and we can make it up in our heads to be something that God never intended it to be. You know, just this uphill climb. And so I thought today we'd just talk about some of the things that will help us pray. Um just kind of open the doors a little more for us. And So, I want to start with one of the main objections that you hear, and that is: I just don't have the gift of prayer.
Ever heard that one? Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. you know, it's an interesting one because the truth is If you're a believer in Jesus, if you have received him and you received the Holy Spirit, the moment you believed in him, Placed your faith in him.
Um The truth is that You can come boldly before the throne of grace, just like Hebrews 4:16 tells us. That's what Jesus has done for us. We can find help when we need it most. And so What's it? In all the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture, prayer isn't one of them.
That's because we all have. the gift of prayer. Ooh wait. You know, it it may not be something that comes easily to us at first, But that doesn't mean God doesn't want us to do it. God really wants.
to hear from us. And as Hebrews 4, 16 again tells us, we can come boldly. before him Because Again, that's what it's about, to be his kids and to know him. Oh, I was yeah. I th I think it's so many things when you say that, like you know, all through John 10, the sheep hear his voice and and that's A big part of prayer is not just.
speaking, but listening. And then there's the last thing in the world any of us want to hear is: I never knew you. which requires a relationship, communion, and this idea of prayer is where that happens. Even yeah, and that kind of leads us into another thing that can keep us from prayer, and that is when you've sinned, when you've messed up, or just when you have been away. for a while.
you start to imagine all of these things like well, God really doesn't want to hear from me. You know, not me. I'm like the last one he wants to hear from. And the truth is No, it's then that he wants to hear from us. Just as much because you know he wants us to come to him and to confess our sins.
He wants our relationship with him to be clean so his heart. Yearns. for us to come to him. And you know, that just matters so much, doesn't it? Oh, I'll wait.
It really, really does. And I couldn't help but think, as you were saying that, that. The angel in Revelation 10 has his foot on the land and on his left, but on the sea and his right. And the idea of the right foot is that. It's on the place where the people don't have a relationship with him.
So he's leaning into the people. Hmm. That he has had a chance to have that rich relationship with. And so you couldn't be more right. I mean, that's.
He leaves the 99 to get that one. Right? Yeah. I mean, that's the whole parable of the prodigal, right? I mean, that's our father's heart.
And if we know that, if we know that, again, God really wants to hear from us, oh, it can change the way we feel about prayer. And that's the third thing that I think can really make prayer easier. Yes, um Just Turning God's Word into prayer. you know, take taking scripture. And As you're reading it.
Uh you know, if if If you're just listening, just Quiet. Before God, then there will be places where it's like the Holy Spirit taps you on the shoulder and you think, huh You know, it it it's maybe it's a matter of Oh, isn't that a beautiful thought about God? And this is something that I hope our listeners. Really understand because again, we can get these mental blocks into our head. And I think just saying, well, prayer is hard.
you know, can can be contrary. To the way God wants us to think. I know there can be issues that are difficult surrounding prayer. You know, sometimes we have to persevere in prayer, sometimes we don't. receive what we're asking for.
Um you know, any number of issues can can come up. But the concept of prayer itself Again, you know, I mean, Jesus made it so simple when he said, ask. Seek. Not It's not this hypothetical kind of thing. It's a very direct communication.
And so You know, I Yeah as you were saying We don't have to worry about the words. that we use. Because God is that good because we are so loved. And we've talked about this before. What kind of father would say, well, I'm not going to talk to you unless you get the words just right?
And we can think, well, I don't sound as holy as that guy over there. Yeah, I'd love that. Yeah, go ahead. God's thinking, I made you the way that you are, and I love the way you talk. I love the way you think.
Right? That was, you know, he made you so that you would feel totally at home speaking your native tongue, whatever that sounds like, between you and him. Yeah. And Robbie, it's not only that. Yeah.
I mean, as absolutely breathtaking as that is. Um but wait, there's more, right? Uh We can pray without words. Oh yeah. And I think that when we understand that, You're going to just take an emotion and lift it before God.
You know, or you can just Rest. Yeah. You know, I I I like to put my head on my pillow at night sometimes. thinking that I'm just leaning on Jesus. Or you just love him, you know, you just just Um You know, it doesn't take long to say I love you, but hopefully the the sentiment lingers far beyond that.
And And you can just take that. And lift your heart before him. And and again. All because of Jesus, all because of his spirit. at work within us.
And I think a great prayer to begin with is: Lord, you know, help me not to make it so hard. How many do you Yeah, just learn to love. pray because you want me to And I just thank you that you do. I just thank you that you're so good. Amen.
You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
