How to Pray: Developing an Intimate Relationship with God

by Ronnie Floyd

Overview

Revised and expanded by the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, this classic work on the discipline of prayer is both practical and personal - a treasure trove of spiritual wisdom for new believers, seasoned Christians, and everyone in between.

In this completely updated twentieth anniversary edition, pastor Ronnie Floyd invites believers to join him in better understanding effective prayer with a practical and helpful plan for how to pray. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran in prayer, this book will meet you where you are and encourage you to move to a new level in your prayer life.

The book includes a new foreword from Dr. Floyd, the long-standing pastor of Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas and the new president for the National Day of Prayer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780785224815
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	04/02/2019
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	830,397
File size:	554 KB

About the Author

Dr. Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church located in Northwest Arkansas, is the author of twenty-three books. He is also the president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which mobilizes millions of Americans to pray for America annually, and a past president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Floyd’s writing, speaking with messages broadcast live across the world via the Internet, and leadership have opened doors through major news media outlets. Dr. Floyd and his wife, Jeana, have two sons and seven grandchildren.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

WHAT PRAYER IS ALL ABOUT

The history of God's people is decorated with men and women of prayer. Volumes have been written about men and women of God who knew how to fall before God at the altar of prayer until their prayers were answered. Countless stories have been told about how some of these prayer veterans even gave their lives calling out to the Lord. I know of no greater accolade for any believer on this side of heaven than to be known as a prayer warrior.

As I read about prayer warriors in the Scriptures, I would love to have the boldness of Moses, who represented God's people before the Lord. I am intrigued by the faith of Elijah, who called down the fire of God to consume the false prophets of Baal. I long for the passion of Ezra as he held forth the Word of God and the people fell on their faces before God in repentance, prayer, and fasting. I crave to have the transparency before the Lord that David had in prayer. I know I need to continually practice the brokenness of Nehemiah before God. As well, I have a passion to possess the unwavering nature of Daniel before the Lord in prayer.

When Zacharias prayed about his barren wife, Elizabeth, God gave them a son who became the forerunner of Jesus — John the Baptist. What trust Zacharias and Elizabeth exhibited in their prayer life! Jesus' disciple Peter had a firm grip on prayer after he was filled with the Holy Spirit at pentecost. The epistles of Paul to the churches are testimonies of a man who was obviously a true warrior in prayer. Even as Paul prayed for the church in his day, I want to be able to pray for the church in my day.

I have been to the top of Mount Carmel, where Elijah called down the fire from heaven. I have stood on parts of the wall that Nehemiah built, as well as been in what some say could be the Upper Room where the Spirit of God came down upon disciples. But there has been no place that has impacted me more than the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus called out to the Father in prayer during His last hours on earth. Each place has impacted me during the many times I have been to the Holy Land, but each time, the Garden of Gethsemane moves me to get on my face before God and call out to Him for the needs of others.

My life has been further challenged by great prayer warriors who lived after the New Testament days. How I would love to have the courage of John Huss, who was burned at the stake praying to his Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. I am humbled by the faith of George Müller, who was responsible for feeding the children of his orphanage but never asked for one dime from any man. He just prayed in God's supply. I would love to be consumed with such a burden for America that I could pray like John Knox for his nation: "Lord, give me Scotland or I die!"

Each one of these prayer warriors knew what prayer was all about. They were proven veterans of prayer. Time and space will not allow me to mention the countless thousands of other prayer warriors who deserve recognition in a book about prayer.

Whether you are a seasoned veteran of prayer or consider yourself a rookie, this book is for you. Regardless of our experience level in prayer, each of us has much to learn about it. This is why we must learn from the greatest prayer intercessor who ever lived.

Yet, as I thought seriously about who could teach us what prayer is all about, I came to one solid, firm conclusion: The greatest prayer veteran, who modeled what prayer is all about, is someone we know by name — many of us know Him intimately. We have read of His genuine life of prayer, as recorded in the Scriptures. His name is Jesus Christ.

Jesus was a man of prayer. Think about that for a moment. He was the Son of God. He could do anything He wanted to do with His life, but He chose to dedicate His life on this earth to prayer and to service. He personified His deep commitment to prayer before His followers and His enemies. Jesus wanted fellowship with His Father in heaven, and He knew prayer was the only way to experience it.

Jesus provided the following insight into His prayer life: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner" (John 5:19).

In this scripture, Jesus declared His powerlessness. This is stunning since He is the Son of God. However, it was Jesus' personal humility that allowed Him to see what the Father was doing. This humble, suffering Servant was never truly powerless because He was always focused on seeing what the Father was doing in heaven. This is why He did only that which He saw the Father do in heaven.

How did this kind of fellowship exist between Jesus and His Father in heaven? One word: prayer! Jesus had an intimate, powerful connection with His Father.

Prayer is the means by which we can know God and His will for our lives. Prayer is our means of communication with God. Prayer is also the way we have spiritual power. All of this is modeled through Jesus Christ.

We can learn so much about prayer from the life of Jesus. Jesus communicated with the Father. But that is not the only element of prayer. The Father also communicated with Jesus. Notice it again: Jesus spoke to the Father. The Father spoke to Jesus. These two realities are what prayer is all about.

A Practical Definition for Prayer

I want to give you a practical definition of prayer that embodies these two truths about prayer modeled through Jesus' life. What is prayer?

Effective prayer occurs when you talk to God and listen to what God is saying to you.

Prayer involves listening to God as much as it involves talking to God. Prayer is a relationship, a fellowship that occurs between you and God. Prayer is the vehicle that takes you into the privilege of experiencing fellowship with God.

Jeana and I have been married for more than forty years. Through our marriage journey, we have both learned a great deal about what it means to have a relationship with each other. We have learned that our fellowship is not driven by our commitment alone to each other; our fellowship is driven mainly by our communication with each other. This communication is marked by each of us talking to and listening to the other. Each of these skills — talking and listening — is valuable and essential in our fellowship as husband and wife.

I can also tell you this about marriage: listening is even more important than talking to your spouse. Even though this is true about marriage, it is even more true in your relationship with God. Effective communication with God begins with listening to God, not just talking to God. Do you want to communicate with God? Do you want to be a prayer warrior and intercessor who is known for praying effectively? If you do, then practice what Jesus modeled in prayer.

Notice the two components of the practical definition of effective prayer that I gave to you: talking to God and listening to what God is saying to you. This is what prayer is all about. I want to share with you the talking principles and the listening principles of prayer.

The Talking Principles of Prayer

Many of you will be familiar with the talking principles of prayer. A real student of prayer is willing to be teachable because he or she is aware that God can always give fresh insights. Take time to think through these talking principles. Do not let your possible familiarity with them move you to skip this section.

Since prayer involves talking to God in a genuine and transparent way, let us investigate the five talking principles of prayer. Although you may have learned these principles in a different order, in this section I will discuss how I incorporate them into my own prayer life. In my prayer time, I usually begin with the first talking principle of confession.

Principle #1: Confession

As I write this, the topic of confession has been getting a lot of media attention. Last year, the #MeToo movement exposed many individuals who had engaged in abusive behavior toward others. The movement was so successful that many of those involved put out statements of confession for past instances of abhorrent behavior against others. Talk shows on television, radio, and even blogs were inundated with discussions concerning confessions in the #MeToo movement.

While this movement received much attention and confession for wrongs toward others, as it should have, it is even more important that we understand the need for confession of our own sin before God each day. Additionally, we have a dire need to simply confess our own personal weaknesses to God daily.

This is why I like to begin with a time of confession in my personal prayer time. This confession travels along two avenues.

The first area of confession that I like to make in my daily prayers is the confession that I am nothing without the Lord. I cry out to God, confessing my helpless state before Him. I declare that I am inadequate and need this time of fellowship with Him in prayer. I often quote the words our Lord spoke to His disciples: "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). I confess daily to the Lord that without Him I am nothing.

The other area of confession that I practice in my daily prayer time is the confession of sin. There is a daily need to confess our sins before the Lord. Let me explain further.

It is quite obvious to me that Jesus instructed us to say to the Father in prayer, "Forgive us our sins" (Luke 11:4). This statement indicates that Christ's followers are to confess their sins to God. Many Christians are also familiar with the promise of 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." These words of encouragement notify believers of their need for personal forgiveness of sins.

The word confess used in the Scriptures is the Greek word homologeo, which means "to say the same as God says." Therefore, when we confess our sins, we are saying the same as God says about our sins. As Bible teacher John MacArthur wrote: "To 'confess' our sins in the truest sense involves despising the sin, being grieved by it, and judging it. That is what it means to say the same as God concerning our sin."

Confession is more than admitting to God that you have sinned; it is seeing your sin in view of God's holiness and being as offended by and grieved by your sin as God is. Confession does not involve hiding the truth or shading the truth. True confession is coming clean before God and others about what you have done that is sinful.

For years, when I have confessed my sins, I have attempted to gain God's attitude about my sins. I am grieved that I have violated the privileges given to me by a loving and holy God. I pray, Lord, my sin deserves death, hell, and the grave. Thank You for judging my sin at the cross. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. I take the time to ask the Spirit of God to reveal sins that I have committed before others and God. At that point, I ask God to give me His attitude about these sins. I believe God is more concerned about my attitude toward my sin than He is about the sin itself.

I have a deep respect and awe for God. Since I am aware of His holy nature, I pray more effectively once I confess my sinfulness before Him and receive His forgiveness. I thank God for the cross, which positions me before Him as a forgiven man.

We can never forget that we stand in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has placed upon us His righteousness, and we are clothed in His righteousness. When the Father looks at us, He sees His Son's righteousness; therefore, He looks at us as if we have never sinned before.

Principle #2: Praise

Once I have spent time before God, confessing to Him my great need for Him and confessing to Him about my sins, my heart is bursting with joy because I am granted His compassion. I am now ready to move into a period of time when I offer praise to God.

Praise is expressing your love and adoration for who God is. The attention in praise is not on the hands of God for what He has done for you but on the face of God for who He is.

I love to be around people who accept me for who I am as a person. This is refreshing in comparison to the vast majority who may want to associate with me because of my title or position.

Since we are made in the image of God, I believe that God wants to be praised for who He is, not just for what He has done for us. I find it helpful to focus each day on three attributes of God's character. For example, attributes such as His holiness, His mercy, and His love. Each day they can be different or the same, but praise is about getting your eyes on God and adoring Him for who He is.

Principle #3: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is different from praise. Do not confuse these two talking principles of prayer.

While praise is adoring God for who He is, thanksgiving is thanking God for what He has done for you. Thanksgiving is offering God thanks for the way He has moved in your life and for how He has provided for your every need.

When I do something for someone, I like to hear the words "Thank you." I do not do something for someone for the purpose of being thanked, but I do something for them because I love them.

God loves you. He moves in your life regularly. He does many things for you that you do know and some that you do not know. He is always active in your life.

Take time daily to offer thanks to God. Thank Him for a physical blessing He has given you. Thank Him for a provisional blessing He has given you. Thank Him for a person He has brought into your life who has blessed you. Thank Him for the spiritual blessings He freely bestows upon you as you walk with Him and trust Him with the details of your life. Discipline yourself to have a thankful heart before God.

Principle #4: Petition

Once my heart is overflowing with thankfulness, I am ready to offer my life to the Lord. I do not think of my personal petitions in prayer as being selfish. When I pray, I am showing my dependence upon the Lord. Since God is interested in me personally and in my life, I believe He wants me to petition Him about whatever is on my heart.

I begin this time of petitioning the Lord by surrendering my entire life to God. I offer Him my mind, my will, my emotions, my spirit, my body, my attitude, my tongue, my motives, my dreams, my goals, my past, my present, my future, my family, and my career. I ask Him to control me with the Holy Spirit. I want to be a Spirit-intoxicated man who is controlled and consumed by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

I petition the Lord daily to make me an anointed man of God. I do not want to be known as Dr. Floyd, but I want to be known as a man of God who has a mighty and special touch of God upon his life. I ask the Lord to anoint me with the authority of Jesus Christ so that I might see what He sees, hear what He hears, feel what He feels, and say what He wants said in all situations of life.

In this time of petition, I offer God several personal requests that may be on my heart about my life, my needs, and the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me. These might be various problems that I turn over to God. These may be various concerns I want to share with God. God already knows everything about me. God can meet all my needs.

Therefore, I discipline myself to have a transparent and open heart before God in prayer. I believe God is attracted to my transparency before Him.

Through the principles of confession, praise, thanksgiving, and petition, I am now prepared to enter into one of the most important talking principles in prayer.

Principle #5: Intercession

When I think of intercession, I imagine myself standing in the gap between the God of heaven and the person I am praying for at the time. I want my prayer to be used as the link between the two. I believe if God puts a person and his or her need upon my heart, He wants to move in that person's life.

I begin my time of intercession praying for my family. I present each member of my family and any personal needs I am aware of before the Lord.

For example, my oldest son, Josh, is the head football coach at Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama, located in metro Birmingham. I pray about his future and influence over so many young lives every day.

My younger son, Nick, is the teaching pastor and the staff leader for Cross Church. I pray for him daily as he preaches week in and week out and as he leads the entire staff team of our church.

Both of my sons are now married with families of their own. I lift up Josh's wife, Kate, and Nick's wife, Meredith. I pray for each of my grandchildren by name: Peyton, Reese, Parker, Beckham, Jack, Norah, and Maya.

Then of course, I pray daily for my wife, Jeana. Each night we pray together before we go to sleep. At this time we pray once again for our children and grandchildren as well as any people we are aware of who need prayer.

One of the most important things I pray for my family each day is for the armor of God to be upon us. I place the teaching of Ephesians 6:10–18 upon us in prayer. This is critical! In the times in which we live, we need God's spiritual armor upon our lives. (I will discuss this in more detail in chapter 10.)

Once I have interceded for my family, I move on to interceding for the needs of my church. As a pastor, I feel God has given me three priorities for my ministry: leading God's people, feeding God's people, and interceding for God's people. I present the needs of God's people before Him in prayer.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "How to Pray"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Ronnie Floyd.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

One Thousand Thank-Yous, ix,
A Defining Moment, xi,
PART ONE: AN INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER,
1. What Prayer Is All About, 3,
2. Why Christians Do Not Pray, 19,
3. How to Have a Meaningful Time with God, 33,
PART TWO: KEYS TO A POWERFUL PRAYER LIFE,
4. How to Pray According to God's Will, 51,
5. How to Pray in Jesus' Name, 65,
6. How to Pray in the Spirit, 75,
PART THREE: MOVING TO A NEW LEVEL IN PRAYER,
7. How to Call Upon the Lord, 91,
8. How to Pray It Through, 105,
9. How to Pray for One Another, 119,
10. How to Do Warfare Praying, 135,
11. How to Empower Your Prayers, 153,
PART FOUR: BARRIERS TO PRAYER,
12. The Wall of Strained Relationships, 171,
13. The Wall of Improper Motives, 187,
14. The Wall of an Unrepentant Heart, 199,
PART FIVE: PRAYING FOR OTHERS,
15. How to Pray for the Sick, 215,
16. How to Pray for Your Family, 229,
17. How to Pray for Your Pastor and Church, 237,
18. How to Pray for America, 249,
19. How Prayer Influences Others, 261,
A Personal Prayer Plan for Your Life, 271,
Notes, 283,
About the Author, 285,