The Importance of Prayer: Kristi Milligan

Jul 12, 2021

Hey, everyone! Meet my Aunt Kristi! She has been such a spiritual mentor to me, and someone that I look up to in many ways. She has so much wisdom to share, and I hope that you really grasp this concept that she talks about in today's blog post!

- Kayla Milligan

 

Prayer.

How does reading that word make you feel?  Peaceful? Guilty? Secure? Overwhelmed? Loved? 

I’m a super transparent person (sometimes to a fault – yikes), so I’ve got to be honest with you.  I’ve gone through seasons where I’ve felt all the above & more about prayer.

Prayer is one of my favorite-yet, most difficult-parts about my relationship with God.  There are times when prayer is difficult, painstaking work.  There are times when prayer is as easy as breathing.  There are times when it’s hard to focus.  There are times where I cry to God over pain in my life.  There are times when His presence is as real to me as the chair in which I’m sitting. 

As a young woman, it was easy for me to feel intimidated by prayer.  I heard about people that had amazing prayer lives.  They had seen God work miracles in situations they’d prayed about.  I couldn’t possibly expect that for myself, right?  It’s so easy to feel like a failure when it comes to prayer.  I’ve felt that way many times! 

Here’s what I want you to know: Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth.  It’s the kryptonite to the enemy & to all his ploys against you.  Our enemy, Satan, has a plan for each of our lives. 

He wants to steal our joy and our effectiveness for God’s kingdom.  He wants to destroy our testimonies.  He wants to kill our desire to build a relationship with our Savior.  He works night & day to make your life a hopeless, joyless wasteland that has no effect for God’s kingdom.

Well, I’m not willing to let that happen.  And my best weapon?  PRAYER.

But how should you pray?  One of my favorite prayer tools is to use the ACTS model.  If you are looking for a way to pray effectively or organize your thoughts into prayers, this simple method is super helpful!  It’s not original to me; I was taught this as a child.  If you don’t currently have a daily prayer time, I encourage you to start small.  Start with just 1-2 minutes each day using the ACTS model.  Here’s how it works…

A – Adoration
Start your prayer time telling God what you adore about Him.  Think about His character.  What about Him do you love?  I love His faithfulness (He does what He says He’ll do), His sovereignty (He is in complete control of all things at all times & is working all things for His glory & my good), His righteousness (He is perfect, He cannot sin or make a mistake), and I go on and on in my adoration time.  Take a little time to tell God a few things that you love about Him!

C – Confession
Next, move into a time where you confess the sins in your life.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin areas that you’ve excused away or turned a blind eye to.  Trust me – He will answer this prayer!  Then, as He gently brings those things to mind, ask the Savior to forgive you.  Let Him know that what breaks His heart breaks yours.  Ask for His strength to resist the temptation to commit that sin again.  Ask Him to create a clean heart in you.

T – Thanksgiving
This is my favorite part!  I love to think through all that God has given me, blessed me with, and prayers He has answered.  And then I tell Him, “Thank You!”  Thank Him for the sacrifice He made so that you could be saved.  Thank Him for providing for your needs (& desires, too!).  Take some time to think of the big things and even the small things that He has blessed you with.  Name them one by one.  The exercise of thanksgiving prepares my heart with joy for the final part of my prayer time….

S – Supplication
Supplication is defined as “the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.”  Wow – what a thought that the King of the universe WANTS me to ask/beg Him for things.  I picture God sitting on the edge of His seat, head pressed close to mine to hear my supplications.  He longs for me to bring everything to Him.  My messes, my deepest darkest fears, my desires, my longings, my petty (to me) annoyances, my hurts, my triumphs.  He wants to hear about it ALL.  And He waits daily for me to bring it all to Him so that He, in His goodness and loving-kindness, can take it all from me & bear the burdens for me.

And then we wait with great expectation to see what God will do.  We will go to Him again tomorrow with our adoration, confessions, thanksgiving, and supplications so that, before we know it, we start to look and sound a whole lot like Him.  Because the more time you spend with someone, the more you start to act, sound, and look like them.  And there is no one I’d rather emulate than Jesus!

So, if you don’t currently have a prayer time, I encourage you to start!  If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for a while but are in a dry season, I encourage you to hang in there!  Change things up.  Find a new method to use for prayer.  I’ve used note cards, journals, my notes app, sticky notes.  Remember that everyone’s prayer life will not look the same.  Just take one step today to grow in this spiritual discipline.  The enemy is powerful, but He’s no match for a prayed-up woman of God!

“Call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13

{I highly recommend a favorite book: “Fervent” by Priscilla Shirer.  If you’re wanting a fresh look at prayer, definitely give this one a read!}

- Kristi Milligan

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