Tag-Archive for » how to pray effectively «

24
Sep
Praying Through Cancer

Praying through cancer

It was almost five years ago that I found out I had colon cancer—one of the deadliest cancers out there, but also one of the most curable if caught in time. Thankfully, I had many people praying for me and supporting me. During the most difficult part of my hospital stay and waiting for the surgery results, I found that praying the Scriptures brought peace and hope.

My little book of wired index cards grew as I added new Scriptures to pray every day. On one side of a flip card I wrote out the Scripture, and on the other side I wrote out my prayer, changing the Scripture only slightly—such as adding my name where appropriate. I still use these cards when praying for others needing a healing touch. Perhaps you’ll find hope in the following two prayers. Replace my name with your own name or the name of someone for whom you are praying.

Susan, though you search for your enemies of cancer cells, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you” (based on Isaiah 41:12, 13 NIV). Thank you Lord, for holding my hand through this awful experience and helping me in ways I cannot see. You are behind the scenes helping the doctors, guiding the surgeon’s hand, and healing my body. Though doctors search for cancer cells, they will not find them—cancer’s war with me will be over.

Lord, you have promised me that one of the signs that will follow those who believe will be that they will lay hands on the sick, and the sick will recover (Mark 16:17,18). You know that many people have laid hands on me and prayed for my recovery. Now I ask that you keep your promise and heal me. Thank you for being my Promise Keeper.

No cancer cells were found when they removed part of my colon and I have remained cancer free ever since. Some of my friends have very different cancer stories, but all of us have found prayer to be the path to peace in the midst of the storm.

I hope you find these prayers helpful when asked to pray for a cancer patient—and please pass on this post to those you know who are struggling with cancer by clicking on one of the Share and Enjoy icons below.

In Him together, Susan Gaddis

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23
Jul
Body Prayer–Part 6 in Exploring Different Avenues of Prayer

“This is the body like no other that my life has shaped. I live here. This is my soul’s address,” says Barbara Brown Taylor in An Altar in the World. Since I live inside a body, I often involve that body in expressing my heart prayers. My inner world is enlarged as my body communicates for my soul through voice and motion. Here are a few examples of letting your body speak for your soul.

Sing your prayer

Psalms is the prayer book of the Old Testament. Originally written as prayers to be sung, this book continues to give us wonderful lyrics for singing our prayers. Many of our hymns and worship choruses are right out of the book of Psalm. If musicians express their prayers through music, why can’t we? Try singing one of your favorite hymns or choruses his week to express your heart in prayer.

Lift your hands in prayer

Lifting hands is the universal sign of surrender. When we do so in prayer, we are physically expressing our heart surrender to God (See Lamentations 3:40–42 and 1 Timothy 2:8).

Bow down or kneel in prayer

Matthew 20:20–24 records the story of a mother kneeling before the Lord to request a favor for her sons. Her arrogant request was not granted—in fact, it got a lot of negative reaction from those standing by, but her posture shows an attitude of humility. She was obeying Psalm 95:6, even though her motives may have been too “motherly.”

Dance your prayer

One of the most moving expressions of prayer for me happens when I observe or participate in dance as a form of prayer. Getting past my self-consciousness to pour my heart out before the Lord isn’t easy, but I find that worship and intercession freely flows, whether in private or in public, when I dance (Psalm 149:3).

How do you engage your body in prayer, and how does what you do enrich your faith walk?

In Him together, Susan Gaddis

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14
Jul
Praying God’s Word–Part 2 in Exploring Different Avenues of Prayer

One of my favorite ways of praying is to reword a Scripture passage into a paraphrased prayer. Praying God’s Word back to him ignites the Father’s heart towards those for whom we intercede.

The following is an example of Ezekiel 36:24–27 paraphrased as prayer by a wife for a husband captivated by pornography. It could easily be adjusted to fit any person and the struggle hindering his or her walk with God.

Father, you promise in Ezekiel 36:24–27 that you will take my husband out of the ways of the world, which includes pornography. You state that you will sprinkle clean water on him and he will be clean. The impurities that have contaminated him from his idol of pornography will be wiped away.

Along with that, you promise to give him a new heart and create a new spirit within him—removing his heart of stone and giving him a heart of flesh. And finally, you promise to place your Spirit within my husband to motivate him to follow your decrees and keep your ways.

Father, I remind you of these promises in Ezekiel 36. I ask for purity and holiness for my husband and that you cause him to seek mental cleanliness and the destruction of his idol of pornography.

I request that a new heart for you and our family be given to my husband and a new spirit of love and purity. Motivate my husband to follow your directions and keep your ways.

I ask this for your name’s sake and for your reputation as a promise keeper. I know my husband does not deserve your mercy, but you are a God of mercy who continually seeks to save those whose hearts are far from you. I realize that my husband has a free will, but I also know that just as you turn the heart of a king, you can turn my husband’s heart towards you.

Finally, I request that this promise be kept because of your Son’s shed blood and victory at Calvary that has broken all the power of sin to hold my husband captive. I ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

If you haven’t already, try using the Scriptures as prayer this week and see how it expands your experience of prayer. For those of you who pray this way regularly, what has been your experience and what are your favorite Scriptures to pray back to the Father?

In Him together, Susan Gaddis

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