Abiding in Christ

A Basic Pattern For Powerful Daily Prayer and Abiding In Christ[1]

Set aside 20 minutes to one hour for daily time in God’s Word and prayer.

Spending at least some time in the morning (before the start of your day) is always advisable. Many find it best to rise early enough to do their main quiet time before the day really begins. However, some believers spend a portion of their time in the morning and then additional time in the afternoon or evening. Beyond your quiet times, it is vital to also cultivate the normal habit of prayer and communing with God as we go about our day. (Matthew 6:6-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:17) By all means, let God guide you to the best quiet time pattern for you. Don’t get caught in a condemnation trap about how much time you did or didn’t spend each day. While consistent quiet time with God is crucial, don’t view it as a legalistic trap. Praise God, we are under grace, not law!

View your quiet time as an essential element of your love relationship with God, not just a legalistic duty. (Matthew 22:37)

Never view your quiet time as something you “have to do” but rather as a relationship you “get to experience.” Your prayer time is both talking and listening to God. While we do need discipline and self-control to guard our time with God, we do not view it as a chore but rather the heart of our intimate fellowship with God.

Let God guide you in practicing the five elements of relationship prayer.

Many people struggle with how to talk to God effectively. Some wonder what to talk about other than their needs and desires. Two excellent patterns to study are the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15) and Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer (John 17:20-26). Though you won’t use these as a rigid formula, a general guide is to spend some time in each of the five different prayer elements:
(1) Praise, worship, exalting His name and glory
(2) A time of confession and repentance allowing God to search your heart
(3) Intercession for eternal kingdom issues (the lost, revival, evangelism, missions, relationships, etc.)
(4) Personal petitions (spiritual growth, personal desires, needs, wisdom, deliverance, protection, etc.)
(5) Biblical study and meditative reflection and listening for God’s voice to speak through His Word

[1] Taken from Releasing the Revival Flood, by Gregory Frizzell