LORD, GIVE ME A PRAYING HEART​​

By Helen Jesze, 25th September 2015

Have you ever wondered what it means to have a ‘praying heart’? I had heard preachers talk about this but one day I started to examine this phrase closer. We may think that a Christian who prays and a Christian with a ‘praying heart’ are the same, but I came to see several differences. All Christians pray sometimes, even daily, out of desire or need, but often out of duty, and just because ‘Christians are supposed to pray’. Their prayers may be spasmodic or desperate. Other times they muddle along in their own strength, with little or no intimacy with Jesus, but relationship and close fellowship with Him have to be developed.

If we are a Christian with a ‘praying heart’ – our heart turns constantly to our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. We may not have much time to actually physically go aside to pray, but as we are driving to work, peeling potatoes or doing the ironing, as our hands work, our heart and spirit can reach out to God. As we press into the secret place with our Father, various characteristics will be developed in us. The person with a ‘praying heart’ :

Knows and acknowledges that their natural wisdom and ability is not enough, and turns to God for help. They do not just run to God when in trouble, for they know they need Him in good as well as in bad times.

They are humble – Lord, I need you! Alone, I can produce ​nothing of eternal worth.

They forgive – “Pray for those who despitefully use you,” Luke 6, 28

They will be kept from falling into temptation – “Pray that you enter not into temptation,” Luke 22, 40

They see answers to prayer, sooner or later: “Ask, and it shall be given you,” Matthew 7,7

They learn to be flexible, submissive, pliable – Jesus, you are my Lord, my King! Make me what ​you ​want me to be!

They are constant, have ‘sticking-power’ – “Pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5, 17

Their prayers bring healing and deliverance, and affect nations – “If my people… will humble themselves and pray and seek my face…then will I hear from heaven and will heal their land,” 2 Chronicles 7,14

They have a seeking, obedient and teachable attitude – “You will seek me and find me…”, ​Jeremiah 29,13

They become stable and strong – “Men ought always to pray and not to give up,” Luke 18,1 NIV

They are loving, for communion with the One we love, causes that love to spill out to those around us.

They are constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit – “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions…”, Ephesians 6, 18 NIV

Their hearts are filled with worship and praise – “…in everything, by prayer… with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” Philippians 4, 6

They are patient and learn to wait on the Lord, for ​His answers, ​His timing, ​His​ way.

They are repentant – it is impossible to have a praying heart and to keep wilfully sinning. With a repentant heart, the Lord draws us closer to Himself and we gain a new purity, not by our works, but because we learn to see sin as God sees it, and with His strength, the power of His blood and Word, we will gain victory over things which bound us before.

How can we get a praying heart?

This does not come automatically, but must be developed over time. It will require discipline, putting aside some legitimate things, such as some hobbies, pastimes, TV, friends, saying “Yes” to God, “give our attention to prayer” (Acts 6,4). Daniel set himself to seek the Lord.

More than the outward ‘doing’ of these things is the attitude of the heart and our thinking, which must begin to see the need to cultivate a praying heart. The natural or carnal man or woman will usually have little or no desire to pray, but sees it as a duty which he thinks he should perform, as a Christian.

If possible, find a place and time when you will not be disturbed. However, even as a busy mother with small children or a person with many challenges, we can still develop a praying heart. Susannah Wesley, mother of the great preachers John and Charles Wesley, used to sit down at times during the day and put her apron over her head. When she did this, all her 19 ​children (!) knew she was praying. This was her time with God!! Nothing was allowed to hinder that.

Sometimes God allows us to go through difficulties that we might turn to Him and develop this praying heart. The foundations of our life may be shaken. God will hold us steady in the storm so that only our chains, and the chains of others will fall off, but our house will stand, as we are obeying God’s Word and putting it into practice.

We do not know how many years John the Baptist was in the desert, all alone, and the ‘voice’ which he later called himself, was formed there in that place where no-one would normally choose to go to, where it was only God and him.

There are sometimes physical or mental feelings we experience, such as a feeling of dread or darkness. This is different from normal feelings of depression or emotional highs or lows we may have. God is trying to woo or goad us to prayer. This occurs when our praying heart becomes a heart of intercession, which is another deeper level. If you are feeling like this and do not see any natural reason, it could well be that God wants to show you something or some person you need to pray for. Give yourself then to prayer. Be a “watchman”. The feeling of ‘dread’ lifts as we break through into victory.

A mother who prayed

Years ago I heard a lady called Beth, who had started a worldwide ministry about prayer, tell how God brought her into this. She was in her thirties when she became a born-again Christian.

She had come to faith in a Pentecostal church, where she also received the infilling of the Holy Spirit and spoke in new languages (tongues), like they did in Acts 2. Her pastor told her to pray one hour every day in tongues, so she started to do this. She kept this up for several months. One day her 12 year old daughter became very ill. After many examinations the doctors told Beth and her husband that their daughter had an inoperable brain-tumour, and she would die very soon.

Every day Beth would sit by her daughter in the hospital, reading healing Scriptures to her, praying in English and in tongues. The doctors thought she was so full of grief that it had turned her mind. “She is going crazy,” they said, and tried to reason with her, to say “Goodbye” to her child. But those months when Beth had been seeking God for at least one hour every day, and praying in her prayer language now bore fruit, for God gave her a gift of faith.

Beth refused to give up her daughter and stood on God’s Word, that He would bring healing. At the very last minute when it seemed impossible the child could live any longer, God touched her with His healing power and she was completely restored. Through this experience, Beth learnt the power of prayer and of having a ‘praying heart’. Her Prayer movement has gone round the world bringing deliverance and encouragement to many people.

A cry of the heart

Have you ever had a cry for fruitfulness and fulfilment break forth from you? Sometimes a holy restlessness takes hold of us – God is calling us to deeper communion with Himself. The ‘child’ which comes after a time of barrenness, is a ​special child, just as Hannah bore Samuel after her time of barrenness and Elisabeth, who became the mother of John the Baptist, when she was already past the change of life.

Sometimes we do not feel like praying; then I find it helpful and it brings breakthroughs when I speak and sing in tongues. The Holy Spirit knows the perfect will of the Heavenly Father and will bring this into being through us, as we yield our members to Him. This will break through spiritual barriers which are holding back answers. When the glory of God appears, God will cause those things in our life which seem dead, to be resurrected.

So I want to encourage you today to reach out to the Lord in a new way! He longs for us to draw close to Him. I find that so many things want to distract us and we may feel we have to pray for hours and be like a nun! No I am not meaning for us to be like that! I read a book with the title: “Lord, I want to seek your face, but who’s going to cook the dinner?!”

It’s a challenge for us all, but let us start where we are today, with that prayer on our lips and in our hearts, even as the disciples asked Jesus :

​“LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY!”

Prayer: O Father, give me a praying heart, a heart which reaches out to you, not only for the needs of my family but for so many who are in desperate need. Help me also to reach out to you not just for things ​or for answers to prayer, but also just to love and worship you for who you ​are, for there is none like unto You!
In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen