1. Our loving Lord invites us to seek Him.
Luke 11:13
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Psalm 65:2
O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.
Mark 11:23,24
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
2. Be sure your life is surrendered to His will. Be willing to surrender anything not in harmony with His will.
1 John 5:14,15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
3. Bring to Him everything which troubles you or concerns you in any way.
1 Peter 5:7
...casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
4. Mingle praise, gratitude and thanksgiving with all of your prayers.
Philippians 1:4
always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.
Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
5. The purpose of prayer is to lead us into oneness with the mind of God and the deepest fellowship with Him.
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Ephesians 3:16-19
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
6. God invites you to find a quiet place to pray and seek Him each day with your whole heart.
Mark 1:35
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
Jeremiah 29:13
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
7. Learn to pray aloud where only God can hear you.
Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Luke 11:1
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
8. Record God’s answers and rehearse His blessings
Deuteronomy 8:2
And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
1 Chronicles 16:12
Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.
