Scriptural Reference:
Guided Prayer
1 John 5:14 14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 14

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.
Ephesians 6:18 18

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:13

Misguided Prayer
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

Reflection:
What do you think of when someone mentions the word Prayer? For some the concept or relationship between God and Prayer is that of a Magical Genie who grants their every wishful prayer. While others have the opinion that God only answers prayer after a set of conditions are met along with highly formulated rituals. Yet then there are others who half heartily pray to the either or the god (little letter intended) that may or may not bother granting their request. So what do you really think of when someone mentions the word Prayer?

I have organised the above scripture in the order they are to highlight the important aspects of what I may call guided prayer and the dangers of what I equally call misguided prayer.

To begin with, God is not a genie or bell hop that answers all our prayers. We should approach God not with a long list of prayers that we feel He should answer regardless. The relationship between us and God is not structured in that way. For we owe everything to God while he chooses to reach out to us and seeks us to return to him; he does not have the same obligations that we have. So what does 1 John 5:14 14 tell us? In this we find the significant words "if we ask anything according to his will". In these few words we may ponder on the way that God is able to see the big picture. Not just the request but the outcome of the many variable answers to it. Where as we, being mortal, can only see the immediate urgency of our request, God can see beyond this and knows that there are some prayers that are not in keeping with either His will or His ultimate intention for us and those we pray for. So when we pray we should think first of the depth and importance of God's will. Then we may find that instead of directly stating "I pray someone gets better" we may find ourselves learning that strength and truth in saying "I pray that if it be your will that someone gets better". Always keep in mind that God created all things and that all things work towards the fulfillment of His grand design and we are His creation and can pray for just about anything as long as we recognise that God is the final judge as to the purpose and outcome of all prayer.

The next step looks at the way we actually pray. Some prefer to kneel while some prefer to lay prostrate on the ground. The physical position is not important. What is import is the spiritual position of the heart. The words in 2 Chronicles 7:14 14 tell us several important facts that will create the correct position for prayer. There are words that help us understand where we should be in regards to God. To begin we are told that the Lord tells us that we are "called by my name" and that we should approach as we "will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways". There's so much packed in these words. We are to recognise that we are called by God through Jesus Christ and that we are to humble ourselves before God in our prayer and to seek His Face. Sadly some approach God in prayer as if they somehow have a privilege or that they have done so many good deeds that God will just have to answer their prayer. Neither of these will work as they both lack true humility. Then there is the tricky question of sin. Once again we look at the many who pray earnestly in the hope of answers yet who live outside of God's Grace by the fact they continue to do the very sins that keep them apart from God's Grace. How can a Holy God answer someone's prayers if they ask for something, no matter how seemingly noble, yet turn around and sin? To do so is the same as treating God as either a fool who doesn't know their true heart or a God that doesn't care. Sin separates us from God and negates our deepest prayers. Think about where you are in relation to God's Grace before entering prayer.

In Ephesians 6:18 18 we are told to pray in the Spirit and to pray all sorts of prayers. What might this mean? Well to begin with we are told that we are filled with the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. God promised this to the Disciples and has promised this as our Comforter throughout the generations of Man. If we are indeed Born Again and following in the Lords Steps we will acknowledge the Holy Spirit working in our lives. So when we pray we should do so also acknowledging the work of the Holy Spirit in helping us focus and find the words we may need. If we do we will find it easier to form a range of prayers for all God's people and not just those we care about. We may even find ourselves praying for those difficult people at Church. Feeling uncomfortable? Seek God's Grace to help you through it.

There is something that we may return to in John 14:13 2. The words "that the Father may be glorified in the Son". When we pray we can often forget that all things should glorify God through His Son Jesus Christ. Even our prayers should speak of the wonders of His Grace towards us. So to try and make this clearer, when we pray we are not just seeking the Will of God but also that the answer to our prayer will work towards the magnifying of Jesus Christ in all His Glory.

In closing I mention what I termed misguided prayer. In Hebrews 11:6 we are hit with the epic truth. How can some who half heartily believe that a god (little letter intended) of some sort of general nature yet not quite defined or really completely believed in will somehow pop in and make the request come true? For far too many the very image of God has become a mystery too deep and heavy to ponder so they take a liaise-fare attitude towards God and ask for and request things without any conviction that either God exists or their prayer will be answer. If the prayer seems to be answered they seldom return to thank God and if the prayer is left unanswered they tend to shake their fists in anger at what they deem an uncaring God. Just like my observation to a question that was posed by Richard Dawkins asked Cardinal Pell "Can an Atheist go to Haven". Cardinal Pell seemed to fail when he said yes. My reply would have been that although an Atheist can go to Heaven you would not find and Atheist in Heaven. Simply explained that for an Atheist to enter Heaven they would need to accept that God exists, Heaven exists, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to Salvation and entry into Heaven. Once they do all this they may enter Heaven and would of course no longer be an Atheist would they. So how can someone who either doesn't truly believe in God or only has a vague concept ever expect their prayerful requests to be answered? It boggles the mind how some people think let alone survive day to day.

Prayer:

I pray in the name of my Saviour,
Jesus the Christ God begotten Son,
That I may hold fast to the Holy Spirit.
Following the gentle leading of Grace,
Towards the true Will of God.
That all my thoughts, prayers and actions,
Will continue to seek ways of Glorifying
God and Jesus in all that I do in their names sake.

Amen