How to Connect with God in Prayer 

Pastor Jeffrey Smith

Imagine if you had a person in your life who only contacted you when they needed or 

wanted something from you. Would you feel this individual cared about you genuinely, 

or do they only value what they can profit from you? God will help us out when we are in a tough situation, but how much more would God aid someone who is in a relationship with Him?  True prayer is driven by relationship; not request, need, or crisis.   

Here are some steps to connect with God in prayer:

1.  Worship

When you worship you are confessing all of the great things about God. We make God’s name holy and set apart from everything else in this world.  We are giving His name a supreme, unoccupied space in our lives. 

2.  Surrender

The book of James says, “When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motive.” We must examine our hearts in the light of God’s presence to see if our motives and desires are pure and surrender anything that is not.

3.  Ask Boldly

God desires for us to prosper, be in good health, and to walk in His favor.  Hebrews 4 encourages us to “Come boldly before the throne of Grace.” Our bold prayers produce great results because we are committed to His ways.

4.  Repent

God is holy. As we acknowledge His presence we become aware of our humanity. Repenting gives the Lord VIP access to your heart, and in exchange for your weakness God provides you His strength, wisdom, and love. Repenting is more than saying you are sorry; it’s an acknowledgment that our hearts must be right before God and people.  We must also consider forgiving those who have hurt or offended us.  

5.  Make it Personal and Not Formal

You will never enjoy your prayer life if it is formal. You can simply be yourself. Jesus called God “Abba,” which means “Dearest Father” or “Daddy”. You may feel like he is huge, but He knows you as his child. He knows your voice and knows your need before you say a word. 

Practice implementing the model of the Lord’s prayer in your daily life.   Start this week by focusing on worshipping His name and character. Shift your focus to His presence and allow that time of worship to lead to a time of surrender, repentance, and asking boldly for the things that are on His heart. There is no need for a heavy British accents or fancy words. Just simply be yourself and make your connection with him personal and enjoyable.