12 Monthly Challenges to Elevate Your Faith | March's Faith Challenge | The Prayer Challenge

Introduction:

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it can be easy to lose sight of GOD and his purpose for man, which is to worship him wholeheartedly. Yet, the holy scriptures is filled with verses that encourage us to seek GOD. In 1 Chronicles 16 verse 11, we are told to "Seek YAH and his strength; seek his face always.” Let’s dissect this verse. YAH said “Seek HIS face”, and how do we seek His face, we seek His face through prayer, meditation, and obedience to his laws. 

In this challenge, we will explore the power of prayer and its transformative effects on our lives. We will learn the purpose of prayer, how to develop a relationship with GOD through prayer, how to pray effectively, and how to listen for GOD’S's voice.

How to Participate:

To participate in the prayer challenge, simply commit to spending 15 minutes each day in prayer. You can pray anywhere and at any time that is convenient for you. However, it is important to find a quiet place where you can focus on your prayer without distractions.

During your prayer time, you can talk to GOD about anything that is on your heart. You can praise Him, thank Him, ask for forgiveness, or simply listen for His guidance. The opportunities are endless. Let’s begin with the purpose of prayer.

The Purpose of Prayer:

The purpose of prayer is to come before GOD with your supplication(s). To form a binding relationship of trust and guidance for your life. GOD orders the steps of man when we invite HIM into our lives.

Prayer shouldn’t only be about asking GOD for things or blessings you want, need, or desire. It should be about what GOD wants or desires for your life. Through prayer, you begin to form a relationship with GOD that establishes Him as your guide, which ultimately builds faith and dependence on Him for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of His word. GOD knows the desires of your heart long before you even think to ask, but He still loves to hear from you—whether you're asking for guidance or giving thanks—because it draws you closer to Him. Jeremiah 29 verses 12 through 14: “When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. (13) When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, (14) I will make myself available to you,” says YAH.”

How to Develop A Relationship with GOD

 

Are you only praying when you are in trouble or want GOD to bless you with material things? How would you feel if you only heard from family or friends when they wanted something? Imagine how GOD feels!! Prayer should become a routine part of our everyday lives. It can be as simple as “Thanking the Most High for living to see another day” or “Thank you YAH for this food I’m about to partake of and may it bring health, nourishment, healing, and strength to my mind body, and spirit.”; or more pronounced through meditation. The scriptures is full of people who were led to pray for a multitude of things we still pray about today: worry, anger, fear, betrayal, hurt, being childless, a virtuous spouse, etc. Some of the most recognizable names in the Holy Scriptures are: Avraham (Abraham), Channah (Hannah), Hadassah (aka Ester), Daniel (Dah-nee-eyl), Yosef (Joseph), Yonah (Jonah), Mosheh, Shmuel (Samuel), and Dahveed (David).

In Psalm 55 verse 17, we are reminded that "Evening, morning and at noon I cry out, and he hears my voice." This verse emphasizes the importance of consistent prayer, not just in times of need, but throughout the day.

Similarly, this verse also encourages us to make prayer a regular part of our lives, not just a last resort in times of trouble.

Let’s not be those sabbath only Hebrews who think that it is okay to thank and praise the Most High only during that time. Let’s start every new month and every new year incorporating prayer into our daily lives thanking and praising GOD for breath of life, health, safety, protection, and well-being. We may not have all that we want, but He definitely provides all that we need. YAH is awesome and his mercy endures forever, so our praise should endure as long as we have breath.

How to Pray Effectively

Prayer is a powerful tool that can help us to connect with GOD and to grow in our faith. But how can we pray effectively? Here are some tips:

1. Seek GOD’S Face with Humility and Sincerity

• Psalm 27 verse 8: "When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "Your face, YAH, I will seek."
• 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  

When we pray, we should approach GOD with humility and sincerity. We should acknowledge our dependence on him and our need for His help. We need to acknowledge and let go of foolish pride, repent, and return back to the laws of GOD.

2. Confess Your Sins and Seek Forgiveness

• Psalm 32 verse 5: "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to YAH," and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
• Proverbs 28 verse 13: "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

Before we can pray effectively, we must first confess our sins to GOD. We must acknowledge our sins and ask for His forgiveness. There are no perfect people but there are righteous people. Ecclesiastes 7 verse 20: “For there is not one truly righteous person on the earth who continually does good and never sins.” Foolish pride prevents us from seeing the errors of our ways.

3. Give Thanks for GOD’S Blessings

• Psalm 100 verse 4: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."
• 1 Chronicles 16 verse 34: "Give thanks to YAH, for He is good and His loyal love endures forever."

We should always take time to thank GOD for his blessings. The blessings are in our needs and not our desires or wants. Our lives can always be so much worse than what it is. Most times, we don’t appreciate the mercy already given. Just like children, the more GOD does for us, then more we want Him to do without any work or obedience on our part. Whether we appreciate them or not, we should always be thankful for our families, our friends, our health, and our safety. They are routinely not appreciated until they are gone.

4. Pray for Others

• Jeremiah 29 verse 7: "And seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile, and pray to YAH for it, for in its prosperity you will prosper."

This verse encourages prayer for the places where we live, even if we are far from our homeland. We should not only pray for ourselves, but also for our nation, our loved ones, our congregation, and our families.

5. Know That GOD Will Answer the Prayers of the Righteous

• Psalm 34 verse 4: "I sought YAH, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears."

We should pray with faith, knowing that GOD will answer our prayers. We should also be patient and wait for His timing. Oftentimes, our prayers are not in line with GOD’S purpose for our lives. We must then have to alter the prayer to fit the purpose.

Additional Tips for Effective Prayer:

• Find a quiet place where you can focus on your prayer.
• Set aside a specific time each day for prayer.
• Start by praying for a few minutes each day and gradually increase the amount of time you spend in prayer.
• Be patient. It may take some time to get used to praying.

How to Listen for GOD’S Voice

GOD is always speaking to us, but are we listening? In the holy scriptures (Old Testament), GOD spoke to his people through prophets, dreams, and visions. But how can we hear GOD’S voice today?

The scriptures tells us that GOD is always speaking to us, but we may not always recognize his voice. Here are some tips on how to listen for GOD’S voice:

1. Be still and know that He is GOD.

Psalm 46 verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am GOD; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  

GOD often speaks to us in the still, small voice. When we are busy and distracted, it can be difficult to hear his voice. Take some time each day to be still and quiet your mind.

2. Read the Bible.

• Joshua 1 verse 8: "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."  
  

The TANAKH is GOD’S word, and it is full of wisdom and guidance. When we read it, we are opening ourselves up to hear GOD’S voice.

3. Pray.

• Jeremiah 33 verse 3: “Call on me in prayer, and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things that yo still do not know about.”
  

Prayer is a two-way conversation with GOD. When we pray, we are not only speaking to GOD, but we are also listening for his response.  

4. Seek wise counsel.

• Proverbs 11 verse 14: “When there is no guidance a nation falls, but  there is success in the abundance of counselors."  

GOD often speaks to us through other people. Seek out wise counsel from trusted friends, family members, or spiritual leaders who know GOD.  

5. Trust your gut.

• 1 Kings 19 verse 12: "After the earthquake came a fire, but YAH was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper."  
  

GOD often speaks to us through our intuition. If you have a gut feeling about something, it is important to pay attention to it.  

Additional Tips:

• Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts and feelings, and any insights you receive from GOD.

• Be patient. It may take some time to learn how to hear GOD’S voice.

Don't give up. Keep seeking GOD’S voice, and He will reveal Himself to you in HIS timing. Sometimes, sin prevents us from hearing from GOD or forming a relationship with Him.

Conclusion

Prayer is a powerful tool that can help us to grow in our faith. By following these tips, we can learn to pray more effectively and experience the many blessings that GOD has in store for us.

Listening for GOD’S voice is a process. It takes time, patience, and practice. But the rewards are great. When we learn to hear GOD’S voice, we can experience His guidance, wisdom, and understanding of His word and His purpose for our lives.

I encourage you to put these tips into practice and to experience the transformative power of prayer in your own life. I also encourage you to take some time each day to listen for GOD’S voice. Start by being still and quiet your mind. Then, read the holy scriptures and pray. Seek wise counsel and trust your gut. And don't give up! Keep seeking GOD’S voice, and He will reveal Himself to you.

But for those days and nights when you feel abandoned, unsure of yourself, or unsure of GOD, thereby questioning just how effective prayer really is, these Bible verses will help motivate you to form a spiritual connection with the Most High that can be both rewarding and fulfilling. Isaiah 41 verse 10: “Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy GOD; I strengthen thee, yea, I help thee; yea, I uphold thee with My victorious right hand.” Psalm 4 verse 1: “Answer me when I call, O GOD of my righteousness, Thou who didst set me free when I was in distress; be gracious unto me, and hear my prayer.”; Psalm 39 verse 13: “Hear my prayer, O YAH, and give ear unto my cry; keep not silence at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were”; and Psalms 32 verse 6: “For this let every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found.” HalleluYAH!!

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email. Shalom

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us: