God wants our communication with Him to be unencumbered by rules and legalism.

Do you realize that even directing a thought toward God qualifies as silent prayer? It's true! Whether you have been praying for years, are just learning to pray, have hit a "slump" in your spiritual life or simply want your prayer life to improve, know this: God wants you to learn to pray more effectively, and He wants your prayer life to become more fulfilling.

Short, simple prayers can be mighty beyond description, but this does not take away from the fact that prayer is also a grand mystery. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian who wrote many profound books while imprisoned for his faith, wrote: "Prayer is the most wonderful act in the spiritual realm, as well as a most mysterious affair."

How your prayers can Destroy generational Strongholds

We all know we can inherit our mother’s eyes, our father’s nose, or the color of our grandmother’s hair. But did you know that we can pick up character qualities from our parents, such as a bad temper, a propensity for lying, depression, self-pity, envy, unforgiveness, perfectionism and pride? These and other characteristics that have a spiritual root can be passed along from our parents to us, and from us to our children. In a particular family there may be a tendency toward such things as divorce, infidelity, alcoholism, addiction, suicides or depression all mistakenly accepted as “the way I am.”

The Bible talks about the influence our parents can have on us. It says God will visit “the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Ex. 20:5). This Scripture is referring to people who don’t walk in a loving relationship with God. However, a parent who is a believer and loves God can still choose to sin. And his sin will profoundly affect his children.

Think prayer is a grueling task that God imposed upon us? Think again—and find out how to pray His will with joy.

On Mount Sinai, Moses was instructed to build the tabernacle “according to the pattern” he received from God (Ex. 25:9; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5). It is the pattern of heaven and promise of Scripture that God’s power will be released, His mercy will be shown and His kingdom will come in response to the saints’ prayers (Ex. 32:11-14; 2 Chr. 7:14; Luke 11:9-13; Rev. 8:3-6). Yet when it comes to actually engaging in prayer, many of us struggle to know how to approach God, what to say when we do and how to develop a strong prayer life.

TEACH US TO PRAY, LORD!
If prayer is the foundation of the church (Acts 2:42), the name by which God calls His people (Is. 56:7) and the means by which God promises to release His power through the church, right every wrong, release judgment and split the sky at the return of His Son (Luke 24:49; Rev. 6:9-11, 8:3-6; Luke 18; Rev. 6:14), then we should join the apostles in asking, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)

The Word does not say that God rewards casual acquaintances. God rewards those who diligently seek Him.

He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. —HEBREWS 11:6

This verse does not say that God rewards casual acquaintances or with those who know something about Him. It says God rewards those who diligently seek Him. “Knowing God” means to have an intimate relationship with Him. Jesus rejects lukewarm relationships (Revelation 3:15–16). He desires all your love, all your passion, and all your commitment.

If you are in a trial where the devil has stopped you in your tracks, don’t become bitter or talk about it. That will only compound the problem. Find yourself a closet. Climb up the mountain of God. Like Jacob, declare, “Lord, I will not let thee go unless thou bless me” (Genesis 32:26).

There is help to be found in the closet of prayer (Matthew 6:6). God said, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

The promises of God are “yea” and “amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). God’s promises will not fall to the ground powerless if you will fall to your knees in prayer, proclaiming God’s Word with authority and speaking forth His promises.