The Power of Morning PrayerSample

Waking up early in the morning for prayer is a sacrifice.

It involves battling with the blankets and beating laziness. If you want to have a fire on the altar, you must offer a sacrifice. Corey Russell uses the example of Abraham who offered the sacrifice very early in the morning. Jesus would wake up before everybody else, go to the desert, and spend time with His Father. There are many other examples of biblical personalities who used their early mornings to seek the Lord’s face.

This is not a habit I want to impose on you, but I would like to challenge you to develop the habit of early morning prayer. I understand that many believers have a fluid relationship with God in which they talk with Him throughout the day. However, it is good to have a place and time dedicated to spending time with the Lord, before all the noise of the world, before appointments, before emails, notifications, text messages, and responsibilities, and before you start your day. First, anchor yourself in time with the Lord (15-30 minutes or more if it is possible). Whatever time you have for God, first thing in the morning.

Remember that prayer does not take time, prayer saves time. If you spend time with God on a daily basis, you will see that He gives you the wisdom to manage the rest of the time you have that day.

Make prayer early in the morning a priority and be consistent. These practical tips will help you do that:

- Go to sleep earlier.

Sacrifice doesn't start when you wake up for prayer, it starts with sacrificing movies, TV shows, browsing through your phone, hangouts, or any other way you spend your time at night before bed.

- Be reasonable about your morning prayer time.

Do something that is reasonable, not radical. The Bible says to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Do something reasonable and sustainable.

- Bring God's Word into your prayer instead of your phone.

Some people read their Bible on their phones, and that's fine, but if you are able to use a physical Bible, then put your phone aside.

- Take notes during prayer.

If something comes to your mind during prayer, write it down. Some of those ideas are from God, but they could be a distraction if we don't mentally remove them.

- Remove distractions, such as your phone.

Remove as many distractions as possible. Close the door of distractions to your prayer time and see how God opens the windows of heaven in your favor.

Let's Pray:

Thank You, God, for the privilege I have to be in Your presence and the privilege it is to speak to You with confidence. Help me Holy Spirit to start my days early with You so I can see You move in my life and those around me.

(Main points from Corey Russell’s book, Teach Us to Pray)

Want to know the Holy Spirit more? Check out my new book called "Host the Holy Ghost."