We know that prayer is important. We know that prayer is powerful. We know that prayer can help us to release some burdens and lay down some weight. We know that prayer can help to soothe some of our hurt and calm some of our pain. We know that prayer can help us to release some tears and wipe away even more. However, many of us still struggle with the idea of prayer and are almost afraid to enter into prayer because we don't feel like we are equipped enough, anointed enough, or capable enough to pray.

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Far too often, too many of us get stuck in the idea that our prayers should sound a certain way. We sometimes listen to the words and experience the power in the way that others pray, which causes us to feel that our prayers are not good enough and far away from where the prayers of others are. We have developed a habit of putting the way that people pray into categories. If we were to be truthful, we may have all found ourselves in church and as the pastor calls a particular member up to pray you think, "Please don't let him/her take too long!". And these individuals are so long-winded indeed, that you sometimes catch the pastor opening their eyes to see how they can step in to cut the person off without interrupting the flow of the spirit.

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Or maybe you have been at a family gathering and as everyone is trying to decide who is going to bless the food, you start to have a prayer of your own as to who you want to pray and you are hoping that it's that particular family member who does the 'quick and to the point' prayers because you're hungry.

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Regardless of where we are, the setting that we are in, or who we are surrounded by, many of us have put the prayers of others into categories. We know the 'long-winded prayers' whom if we are to be honest, we have to ask God for patience because we sometimes find ourselves getting upset because we feel that their prayers are too long.

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And then we have those people who we put in the category of 'to the point'. They are not lengthy, but they get straight to the point sometimes so much so that people are saying "Amen.", before we've even had the chance to settle our thoughts and close our eyes, leaving us having to ask someone, "Did they pray?" because it was so quick, that we missed it, although we were paying attention.

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There are those who we put in the 'powerful prayer' category because their prayers are indeed powerful. They are forceful. And they can sometimes drain you because there is that much power packed in their prayer. Whether long or short winded, you have come to appreciate that person's prayers, because they "fill you".

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And then we have those that we put in the 'JUST RIGHT!' category. Their prayers are not too long, not too short, and pack just enough punch, to make us feel the effectiveness of it.

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And there are some concerns as it involves these categories that we sometimes use to label how people pray. Let's discuss the first!

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Don't Miss Your Connection

When we categorize people's 'prayer style', we risk the opportunity of missing our own time to connect with God. We are human and although we know that prayer is effective, we sometimes find ourselves focusing more on the style and speed of the person that's praying versus focusing on the prayer itself. If you were to reflect, you would probably realize that there are many moments in which you can't even pinpoint a specific thing that the individual prayed for or about because you were too busy talking to your own self in your head about 'HOW' they were praying.

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You spent the entire prayer 'critiquing' them instead of praying along with them. You spent the entire time that they were praying, wishing that they would've, could've, or should've said or not said something. Or did or not did, something.

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This can be hazardous to our own spirits because we are allowing these categories to become a hindrance to our ability to focus on the intent, purpose, and importance of the prayer, which becomes a distraction to us and a hindrance to our own ability to connect with God during these moments.

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In these moments, in order to help us remain focused, before the individual begins to pray, start interceding and connecting with God on your own asking Him to help you to focus on Him, asking Him to allow you to hear what you need to hear or grab hold of what you need to grab hold of in regards to the prayer that is being prayed. Ask God not to allow others to be distracted like you are so that their connections with Him are not also affected.

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We never know a person's "BACKSTORY" and we don't always know their "TESTIMONY". There may be a reason as to why they pray the way that they pray. And in all honesty, there may not be a backstory, they might simply pray in the manner that they do because that's just who they are and what it is. You don't know how God may be working or moving through them, so we have to try our best not to judge their prayers nor the way in which they pray.

 

We have to ask God to allow His glory to come forth through the prayer that's being prayed. Ask God to guide the prayers of the person that is praying. How we feel about the way in which the person prays, does not determine the level of anointing that is in the person nor does it determine the power of their prayers.

 

We must try our best to keep our eyes on God. For all we know, that person can be struggling with the way in which they pray as well. They in their own heads can be dealing with their own insecurities regarding how they pray. You will be surprised at how many people who are normally put in charge of or asked to lead others in prayer are afraid, nervous, and self-conscious. It may not come easy for them to do, although they are constantly called on or asked to do it. Instead of critiquing them, ask God to strengthen them as it concerns their approach and 'style' of prayer. If you dig deep enough, you might even find that it is not them that's the problem, it could very well be you!

 

If you find yourself drifting off while the person is praying, shake it off and get back into it. This distraction may be happening because maybe there is some power in that prayer that is going forth and that distraction is trying to stop your connection so that you don't receive the manifestation, power, strength, comfort, peace, confirmation, or whatever this prayer might bring forth. Stop critiquing and start interceding!

 

 

Lost Connections

There may even be times in which maybe you are not categorizing the type of prayer that the person is or their prayer style as much as you are judging their lifestyle therefore, spending most of the time as they are praying thinking about what you saw them doing on social media. You are wondering how you are supposed to connect with this person in prayer when they are more lost than you are.

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Now we are all going to come into contact with people who can probably pray the walls down however, they probably need a whole lot of prayer in regards to their own life because they are just as "scandalous" and "shifty" as they come.

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You might not even want to listen to certain people pray nor have them pray over you but because you are in a setting in which you have no power to change their church position nor title, their position in the family/circle of friends, nor their position or title in the organization or team that you're on, you simply keep your opinions to yourself and purposely avoid this individual as much as you can. You might conveniently excuse yourself when this person is put in charge of prayer or another activity in which they are leading others. How do we navigate these type of situations? How do we deal with situations in which people who are put in positions to save, lead or guide souls are living lives contrary to what they are preaching to us? What do you do when their lives don't reflect how they are telling us or encouraging us to live ours?

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How do you approach situations in which this person is praying, and your spirit is being pulled in all different directions because you can't let go of what you personally know about them? Here's the thing. First, we must remember that the gifts of God come without repentance. Romans 11:29-31 states:

           

            For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to

           God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become

           disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you (NIV).

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The gifts and call that God places upon us is not taken back just because we fall short. Those gifts that God places within you are within you. Therefore, even when you fall short, God can still use those gifts for His glory.

We see in the story of Samson that Samson was consecrated to God from the womb. He was called by God to defeat the Philistines on behalf of the Israelites. However, Samson falls short by disobeying God which also resulted in his vow with God being broken.

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Now while Samson's strength was taken from him when his hair was shaved, God gave Samson back his strength one final time allowing him to defeat more Philistines in that one moment than he had defeated during his entire life. God did not bestow a new gift upon Samson in order to defeat the Philistines neither did God at that very moment that Samson fell short send someone else to defeat the Philistines. God still used Samson to do what he had called him to do in that moment. God already had a "next" that He would send to defend Israel, but He still used the call that He had placed upon Samson to complete what He had for Samson to do. God already knew before Samson left his mother's womb that he would fall short, so that was no surprise to God. Yet and still, He called him in spite of knowing that he would go astray. It was not a mistake on God's behalf.

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We also see that when King Saul messed up, although God removed the throne from him, he did not automatically remove him from his position at that very moment because God had a plan and a purpose that was not just about Saul. God still used Saul for His intent. God still using Saul amidst all of his disobedience, pride, arrogance, and idolatry, does not mean that God condoned what Saul had done or was doing, It just simply meant that God still had a plan and purpose for Saul although Saul had a plan of his own. God was still going to get glory out of the situation.

 

How do we navigate situations in which someone who is leading clearly needs guidance their own selves? The answer to this is complex and depending on who you ask the answer will most definitely change. The first and most important thing that we must do in these situations is to ask God to lead and guide us and to give us discernment as it concerns this issue and remember that we all need guidance. Maybe God may have you to remove yourself from under the leadership of this individual or maybe God will have you to stay right where you are and put your focus on Him and Him alone. Maybe God will remove the individual. Maybe God will have you or someone else to have an honest conversation with the person (you definitely must be sure it is God leading you and not your own judgment).

Or God can allow the person to get themselves back on track and in some cases, He might even elevate their anointing. Need I remind you of the Apostle Paul.

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Now we must indeed be careful concerning who we allow to lay hands on us or pray over us but regardless of how God deals with the situation or how He leads us to deal with it, here are a few things that we all have to remember:

 

(1) None of us are perfect. Everyone is subject to mistakes. Anyone is subject to falling astray. Anyone, regardless of how anointed they are or how clean of a life that they have lived can still fall short. NO ONE gets EVERYTHING right! That is the reality of it. We must stop reverencing people and their human flesh more than we reverence the God that works in and through them. We are often completely blown away when certain individuals fall short because we have placed too much hope and trust in someone who at the end of the day is human. They are flesh. THEY HAVE FLAWS.

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(2) Before you matured in Christ or before you received salvation, you too had a past. And even if since receiving salvation you have lived your life in a way that is pleasing to God, would you want people holding you to your past? How many of your friends and family may still look at you and refuse to go to church with you or even take your salvation seriously because they still look at you for who you used to be? If we hold everyone to the mistakes that they have made, all of the churches would be empty. It does not mean that we condone sin as much as it means we are honest with ourselves and realize that none of us are exempt from falling into it.

 

Another thing you must realize is that maybe that person has taken the time to repent, to confess their wrongdoing to God and ask for forgiveness. You will never know because that is between them and God. They are not obligated to confess their sins to you. And because we don't know if they have taken the steps needed to get themselves right with God, we have to ask God to help us to look beyond what we know or 'think we know' about them. If we are struggling to do so, then our next step is to:

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• first, ask God to forgive you for anything if you have fallen short,

• pray to God and ask Him to deliver the person that is praying or who is leading whose transgressions you are having a hard time overlooking. Ask God if He has not already done so, to help that individual to find their way. Speak positivity into the life of that person. Ask God to strengthen them against anything that may have caused or may be tempting them to fall into the temptations that surround them. Pray a prayer for everyone that is connected to the individual and who is under the leadership of that individual that their spirits are not vexed because of this person's actions and that they are not led astray as well,

• ask God to allow you to focus on Him and to not allow your knowledge of what this individual has done to affect or impact you spiritually. Ask God to cleanse your heart of any ill-feelings that you may have toward this individual. And ask God to order your steps concerning how you interact with this individual.

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Remember, the Apostle Paul had a past, but his future "call", his becoming one who helped to spread the Gospel of Christ more than outweighed it.

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David fell astray and that did not stop God from keeping His hands on him and giving him victory in every battle that he fought. God still honored David.

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Abraham lied and yet God still considered him not only faithful, but we all gained an inheritance because of Abraham's faith.

 

When people make mistakes, we have to ask God to help us as it concerns how we allow our own thoughts, hearts, and spirits to be affected by it. You never know if that person's fall is the thing that had to take place in order for God to raise them up.

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Not a Poetry Contest

And now we will expound on the motivation behind this discussion.

 

As we begin to put people in categories based on how they pray, the danger comes in that we often put ourselves in these same categories and as we put ourselves in these categories, we can often decrease our confidence in our own selves as it concerns our ability to pray.

 

Understand that we are all equipped to pray. There are no courses, certifications, or degrees needed. Your prayers don't have to sound like a Shakespeare novel neither do they have to involve eloquent verses or big words. Your prayers don't have to involve you naming all the books in the bible or proving that you can recite popular scriptures.

 

Your prayers don't have to involve popular phrases or trendy bylines to catch people's attention. You don't have to recite your credentials or attach a resume of your salvation. Your prayers don't have to cause a tent revival or make people sing or shout. Your prayers are not a talent show. Your prayers are not an open-mic night. Your prayers are not a biblical-knowledge-bowl. God is not looking for a show.

 

Many of us become discouraged as it concerns our ability to pray because we are constantly comparing ourselves to others who we think are 'better prayers' than we are. We must get the idea of someone being a 'better prayer' out of our heads. Are there people who have the gift of intercessory? Absolutely. However, just because you may not be given the gift of intercessory does not mean that you are not built to pray. We are all capable of going to God in prayer. There are no 'right words'. There is no 'how-to' or instruction manual. Well, what's in a prayer?

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A prayer can be a bowed head, folded hands, and a face full of tears. A prayer can be a plead for help. A prayer can be a plea for protection. A prayer can be a cry for strength. A prayer can be a pledge of forgiveness. A prayer can be a praise of gratitude. A prayer can be a decree of faith, a declaration of trust. A prayer can be telling God all about your day. A prayer can be telling God about what kept you up all night. A prayer can be a reflection of your past. A prayer can be asking God for guidance as it concerns your future. A prayer can be simply looking up and asking God to search your heart. A prayer can be closing your eyes and asking God to soothe your mind. You can pray verbally or in your heart and spirit. You can pray on bowed knees or sitting down. You can pray standing up or laying down. You can pray at home or at church. At work or at the gym. In your car or while riding the bus. You can pray alone or with others. You can pray day or night. You can pray whether happy or sad, amidst fear or courageously standing. There is no format.

 

Your prayers can include whatever words pour out from your heart or whatever thoughts cloud your head. There is no melody, verse, or rhyming required. Your prayer can be a reflection of where your heart is or where you want it to be.

 

Your prayers cannot mimic how someone else does it or says it. Your prayers must be genuinely you. Don't think that God is grading your prayers critiquing you on word style, grammar, and word count. You must know that God searches and looks at your heart. Don't ever think that your prayers aren't good enough. If you have to find a prayer and recite that one prayer every day to help you gain the confidence to pray using your own words then try it, but don't choose not to pray at all just because you don't think your prayers are good enough. If you can't find the words to say, use the Lord's Prayer as a foundation to enhance and nurture your prayer life until you feel confident to use your own words. Jesus instructed us to pray in this manner:

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Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

                                              -The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

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Jesus expressed in his teachings that prayer was not about length or words. He taught his disciples, The Lord's Prayer as an example of what our prayers should be. Our prayers are not a showcase but about connecting with God, reverencing and acknowledging Him, submitting and yielding ourselves to His will for us, acknowledging and accepting that He is in control, trusting Him to provide for us in all things.

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One of the worst things you can do is to compare your prayers to that of someone else as a means of weighing their worth. Jesus wants a humble heart. A genuine heart. Don't ever feel like what you have to say to Him is not worthy enough to be heard. If your prayer to God was a simple "Thank You" that was full of love and sincerity and gratitude toward Him, that would mean more to Him than if you had a lengthy one full of rhetoric, that was not genuine and filled with no heart.

 

Don't allow your thinking that you don't know how to pray stop you from talking to Him. He wants to hear from you. And if you are ever in a setting and you are called on to lead prayer, ask God to lead and guide you and if He leads you to step forth and pray, then don't focus on what people will think about how you pray. Fix your mind on Him and speak directly from your heart to His. Don't worry about what anyone says about your prayers because only His opinion matters. And regardless if 'longwinded', 'short and to the point', 'beautifully said', or 'blunt and concise', there is one thing about prayer that we can all agree on and that is the fact that WE ARE ALL IN NEED OF IT!

 

​"Don't Cease" Always Pray!