Spiritual Endeavors Part 2a - Keys to Prayer

We've covered the need for Spiritual Disciplines, even though it was somewhat brief.
This entry will cover prayer.
This is the most basic, and generally is the first discipline practiced by a new believer. Prayer is the enigma of the ages for new believers because its represented in Scripture so many ways. It can be simple, such as the publican's "Lord be merciful to me a sinner" prayer, or it can be long and involved like one of Solomon's prayer. You can stand looking toward Heaven, or lie completely flat (prostrate) upon the ground. There are examples of those on their knees, sitting, laying prostrate, and standing. There are examples of short and long, simple and complicated, and nearly everything in between. I cover this because there are some who worry about their posture more than they worry about their attitude, or spiritual condition in prayer. Some, just starting out, are concerned because they "want to get it right," which is commendable. There are some keys to praying, and none of them have to do with how your body is situated, or which way you are looking. I believe those things will come in time, but for the new believer, or for the person who is trying to renew their walk with Christ there are issues that are far more important, and I hope to cover those briefly.

1. The first key to prayer is: Doing it is better than doing it precisely. The Bible doesn't just come out and say it like that, but its true. What I mean is that its better to pray, and possibly get some particulars wrong, or forget to say what you think is the "right" thing, than to put off the practice of prayer. Of all the promises Jesus gave about prayer, you'll not read a single one that said anything about if you pray the right words, or stand the right way. Every one, without exception dealt with faith, which is a heart issue, not semantics or physics. I believe with all my being that you can't come to God in prayer, with the right attitude and pray wrong. Don't get me wrong, you can "pray wrong" but if you do its because you don't have the right attitude, not because you don't have the right altitude. The first thing anyone learns when they begin to learn a new skill is that they'll make mistakes. God knows better than you how many you'll make. He even went so far as to tell us in Romans 8:26,

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Paul was a very experienced prayer, and yet penned those words under the inspiration of the Spirit! The thing to remember is that God knows you're not going to get it right, and has given you help to make up the difference. Don't let the Devil's lies sink into your heart. He wants to convince you that God wouldn't hear your feeble or wrongly worded prayers. The fact is no matter how long you've been a Christian your prayers are feeble, and probably wrongly worded, so don't let that get you down or cause you to stop praying. Its important that you get in the habit of doing it on a regular basis, and all the time.
2. The next key to prayer: Be in the habit and attitude of Prayer. God says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." This means two things. A. It means to never give up on prayer and B. it means to always be in the attitude of prayer. Lets cover A first.
A. Never give up on prayer. Many good saints have thought that God had given up on them simply because they hadn't seen an answer to a prayer. Yet, we find in Daniel that he had prayed for weeks for understanding of a prophecy, but it seemed God wasn't going to answer that prayer. However, in Daniel 10:12 - 13,

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Not only that but when Daniel was challenged with a law that would have put him in prison it says of him in Daniel 6:10,

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

What this means is that Daniel would not give up on prayer, whether the answer was a long time in coming, or whether the world would tell him to stop! Jesus gave a parable in Luke, and God describes the purpose in Luke 18:1,

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Then Jesus proceeded to share the parable of the widow who pestered the unjust judge until she got what was right. The meaning of the parable is that if an unjust judge will pay attention to the persistent, how much more will God considering He WANTS to answer prayer! So, no matter what, PRAY, and again I say, PRAY! You need to be addicted to Prayer like a smoker is to cigarettes!
B. Always be in an attitude of Prayer. Pray without ceasing does not mean get on your knees and never get up. It means that we should always be conversing with God. As soon as any decision is to be made, we should pray. As soon as any hardship falls upon us, we should pray. As soon as any desire or sin should come upon our heart, we should pray. Prayer is not cosmic, mysterious exercise for only the initiated. I've been the beneficiary of a three year old's prayers, and long for the older saints' prayers as well. The age, nor the location, nor the education make any difference in prayer. Prayer is simply a humble person's conversation with God. Think of it this way, who better to talk to about your problems? Don't be like those to whom Jesus was talking to in Matthew 23:24, "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."
3. The last key I'll talk about concerning prayer is: Believing is everything. I left this for last simply because its the most important part. Most all of the promises of prayer surround faith. There are so many verses about this I hardly know where to start.  However, to him that needs wisdom, in dealing with trials, and / or tribulations God says in James 1:5 - 7,

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

 Note that last verse, "let not that man think" he'll get an answer.  Any preacher who fails to warn those who waffle between faith and unbelief, between living for God and living for self, that their prayer will not be heard, isn't worth his salt!!  Jesus said, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." in Matthew 21:22.  Listen we should start praying like we have access to the God who created the world in six days!  (six man days, but that's a note for another day).   Now, there are qualifications in prayer, for example, you can't pray for selfish lusts and expect God to bless it.  He may answer and give you want you want, but, it'll be a drying of the soul!
So, remember, First, just do it, Second, keep doing it, third, don't doubt it! 
Now, it's not the prayer that changes things, it's the God with whom you are conversing, keep that in mind.  We're not just going through motions, we're conversing with a person.