A Custom of Prayer

A custom is a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place or time. A custom is an established way of doing things - it's a habitual practice and a way of life.

Now there is a man in The Bible who had an interesting custom. In Daniel 6:10, the Bible says:

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home and in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem. He kneeled down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days."

Daniel was a man who had a custom that he respected - a custom that he followed and honored. You and I can learn something from the life of Daniel. Indeed he's most known for being thrown in the lion's den. But if you follow his life closely, there are things we can take away and implement in our own lives.

The Bible said he knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Now I don't know what your custom is. I don't know what you do in the morning or in the evening. I don't know what you hold in high regard when it comes to your habits. I don't know if you have anything you habitually practice - but I would like to encourage you. I pray by the grace of God that you would not take these words lightly but may the holy spirit hammer this message deep within your soul.

We should have a daily habit of prayer. We need to make prayer a habitual practice. It should be our established way of doing things. Prayer was Daniel's custom, and he was faithful to that practice.

Now may I remind you that Luke 6:12 says:

"Now it came to pass in those days that he went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God."

That's Jesus being talked about here. The miracle worker - the one who stepped on water as though he was stepping on concrete, with such power. He still prayed. He prayed all night.

Luke 5 says:

"So he himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed."

Once again we're told about the consistency of Jesus's prayer life.

There must be something to be gained from prayer. Daniel practiced it three times a day. Jesus did it often. He consistently prayed all night. There must be something to be gained from prayer, saints.

Now join me and lift your faith as we pray for the Lord to birth a desire for prayer in our lives.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, great and awesome is your name.
To you I say holy - to you I say wonderful and glorious.
Father, give me a prayerful spirit just like Daniel.
Let it be my custom to pray daily - to pray consistently and frequently.

And as I pray Lord, I ask that
the Holy Spirit would touch me and teach me how to pray,
so that I may not pray and speak in vain repetition.
But give me the grace to pray
under the influence - under the power of the Holy Ghost.

Let my prayers be sincere and from the heart.
Let my prayers not just be centered
on what i want or what you can do for me,
but rather may the Holy Spirit lead me
to offer prayers of thanksgiving and praise - prayers of intercession.

Lord give me grace.
Let me not become a prayerless christian,
because a prayerless christian
is a powerless christian.
Give me the grace and the discipline
to be faithful in my time spent in prayer.

Birth in me a desire to seek you -
a desire and a passion to chase after you.
I rebuke all other desires within me
that fight or compete with my prayer time.
Reveal to me the things in my life
that are distractions or hindrances to my prayer life.
I pray that my passions and desires
all lead me to one destination,
and that is to be in constant fellowship with you
through prayer.

And sometimes lord Jesus
I find it hard to pray -
I find it to be a fight just to pray.
In those moments, would you strengthen me;
would you convict me, Holy Spirit,
to fight through and spend time cultivating
a good relationship with God Almighty.

Light a fire within my heart -
ignite a fire within my spirit that will
lead me to change my lifestyle -
to change the way i do things
and what I practice on a daily basis.
Let my life be christ-centered.
May I really walk in the spirit -
may I really walk by faith and not by sight.

Purge my heart so that it is clean
and filled only by good things -
things which will help me
in my walk with you.
Cleanse my heart so that when I come to you Lord,
my heart will be positioned
to seek your face and submit to your will;
because if i am aligned with the will of God,
my prayers will be powerful and effective.
So help me to seek first the kingdom of God
and bow to your will.

Lord I acknowledge my dependence on you
as my provider -
as the one who sustains me and preserves me.
May you take delight in my prayer life -
may you take delight in my custom and habits Lord.
So be glorified Lord.
May you continue to help me to build my prayer life -
may you continue to be with me and reveal yourself to me
more and more each day.

I choose to meditate on your word day and night
so that my mind may be infiltrated and
filled with thoughts that are true, noble,
just, pure, lovely and of good rapport.

I pray that your word would begin to change me
from the inside out.
May I grow in knowledge of scripture -
may I be strong spiritually as my relationship with you is strengthened.

Help me Lord Jesus,
so that my faith will not be choked out
by the worries - the pleasures or duties of this world.
Help me to set my mind on things above.

Father, your word tells me that you are a
stronghold in the day of trouble,
and even though the enemy has declared war against me,
I know that the angels of the lord encamp around me.
Even though the devil in his army may rise up against me,
the word of God says that the power of life and death
are wielded by my tongue.

And I declare victory in the name of Jesus.

May you be glorified forever and ever.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Amen

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