Pray with understanding.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Matthew 6:7(KJV)

Our opening scripture teaches us not to pray like the heathen who think that they shall be heard because of their much speaking. I want you to observe that Jesus said, “…they think that they shall be heard …” This reveals from the words of Jesus that many pray based on their assumption. This is because they think that they shall be heard because of their much speaking. For instance, some people think that if they shout louder when they are praying, then God will hear them. It is only an assumption.

Personally, I don’t shout when I pray, but there are sometimes when I shout when I pray because there are different moods in prayer. But it is not your shouting that makes God to hear you. There are times I shout when praying, most of the time when I am making confessions. At that time I am declaring creative words. But if you don’t have this intelligence, there are a lot of things that will elude you. 

For instance when I lift up my hands when I am worshiping or when I am praying, am aware that by the lifting up of my hands, I am offering up to God an evening sacrifice according to Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

Therefore, when you pray today, pray with this understanding, knowing that your prayer is going up to the Father as incense and as you pray practice lifting up your hands because it is like the offering of the evening sacrifice to the Father and the Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

Prayer
Dear Father I thank you for your faithfulness and love towards me always. Thank you Father for I know that you hear me always when I pray and my prayers ascend unto you as incense. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Further Study
1 John 3:20-22, Psalm 6:9, Psalm 66:19

Doing the Word
Pray with Zachariah 10:1 for a rain of God’s Spirit in all the places believers will be gathered today.