Maturity in Prayer

by: Eddie Smith

GOD has delegated dominion of the earth to us and invites us to be HIS partners in prayer. (See Genesis 1:27-28 and Psalm 115:16.) It's time that we mature in prayer and become intentional, trained allies with GOD in extending HIS Kingdom on the earth.

Once we become kingdomoriented, we graduate from problemcentered
praying to purpose-driven prayer. We discover that prayer's higher purpose is to accomplish God's eternal agenda. When we begin to "tune our prayers into that frequency," self begins to fade, and Christ becomes the focus of our prayers. Then GOD will be honored to hear them.

Zachary, one of our grandsons (who was three years old at the time), was spending the night with us. He was having difficulty going to sleep, and because of it, I was having difficulty going to sleep! After warning him several times to stop sneaking out of his bed, making noises, and whatever else he could think to do to stay awake, I heard him talking. That was it! I climbed out of bed again, lumbered down the hall to his room, turned on his light, and said sternly, "Zachary Myles Smith, who are you talking to?!"

He sat upright, looked at me with his big brown eyes, and said angelically, "I
talkin' to my room."

How about you? Like Zachary, have you felt like you've been talkin' to your room? Have you elevated yourself and your needs above GOD's agenda? As you grow to maturity, you'll come to understand that prayer is not primarily about you; it's about your Heavenly Father and HIS Kingdom.

Prayer's prime purpose has to do with the heart of GOD. In fact, HE promised us that if we'd focus on HIS Kingdom, HE'd focus on those things we need.
"But seek first HIS Kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33, emphasis added).

HE has called us to a joint venture with HIM in the family business, which is building HIS Kingdom! Great communication skills are required to build any effective family business. Prayer is the ultimate wireless communication. May ours always be more than "talkin' to our room."