How can anyone possibly pray an entire hour? Here's how to structure an hour in prayer with 12 Scripturally based aspects.

"Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."—Isaiah 40:31

 

"How can anyone possibly pray an entire hour? Here's how to structure an hour in prayer with 12 scripturally based aspects."—Dick Eastman

1. Praise—Ps. 63:3; Heb. 12:15; Matt. 6:9b. Prayer should begin with a recognition of God's nature. Praise is prayer which vocally esteems God for His virtues and accomplishments.
2. Waiting—Ps. 37:7; Is. 40:31; Lam. 3:25. Not only should we begin with praise, but time should also be given to being "quiet" in God's presence. This is not meditation, or just a time for listening; it is simply taking time to let God love you.
3. Confession—Ps. 139:23-24; 51:10; John 1:9. The psalmist asked God to search his heart for unconfessed sin.
4. The Word—2 Tim. 3:16; Ps. 19:7-8. When we bring God's Word into our prayer, we are opening our eyes to new possibilities in God. At this point in prayer, read God's Word.
5. Intercession—I Tim. 2:1-2; Ps. 2:8; Matt. 9:37-38. Our prayer now centers on intercession for a lost and dying world. This is praying for others who have needs.
6. Petition—Matt. 7:7; 6:11; James 4:2. This aspect of prayer concerns our personal needs.
7. The Word—Jer. 23:29; 2 Sam. 22:31; Num. 23:19. Here we bring actual Scripture into our prayer. We can never pray out of God's will if we are praying God's Word.
8. Thanksgiving—Phil. 4:6; Ps. 100:4. Thanksgiving differs from praise, in that praise recognizes God for who He is, and thanksgiving recognizes God for specific things He has done.
9. Singing—Ps. 100:2; 114:9; Eph. 5:19. Melody in its truest sense is a gift from God for the purpose of singing praises unto Him.
10. Meditation—Joshua 1:8; Ps. 1:1-2; 77:12. Meditation differs from waiting in that our mind is very active. To meditate is to ponder spiritual themes in reference to God and His Word.
11. Listening—Eccl. 5:2; I Kings 19:11-12. God speaks to praying Christians, but we must listen.
12. Praise—Matt 6:13; Ps. 100:4. We begin our prayer by recognizing God's nature and we end the same way.