Seeking Prayers

It is helpful to remember that there are at least three main categories of prayers. They are: Seeking, Speaking and Soaking Prayers.

Seeking Prayers in which we focus our attention on building our relationship with the Heavenly Father and hearing from Him. In my view this is the key to developing a successful prayer life in the other two realms. If we do not seem to connect with the Lord then trying to Speak meaningfully or Soak a person is dry and boring.

"And Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." - 2 Kings 6:17

Open the eyes of my heart Lord,

Open the eyes of my heart-

I want to see you

I want to see you

Speaking Prayers occur after we have developed a comfortable connection with the Spirit and we hear His still, small voice directing us to focus on a particular person or issue. For example, as I commune with God a certain person or need comes to my mind and I allow myself to follow the Spirit's guidance wherever it takes me. I try to rest in the Lord and not pressure myself to any structure or plan of my making. It is a loose, stream of spiritual consciousness rather than my trying to tell God what to do.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9

Soaking Prayers are needed when we face a particularly difficult problem such as a chronic illness, an attack of evil, a family dysfunction or persecution. Here we, sometime with a group, focus on the one person or issue that is broken or under attack. Sometimes we add fasting to the regimen.

"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel 9:3

Seeking Prayers can be a part of our daily activities and become like breathing to us. Breathe out our focus on God and breathe in the Spirit's presence. This is the way we can "Pray without ceasing."