7 Ways to Plead With God

My prayer life takes on certain patterns and themes at times. Lately, I’ve noticed specific “pleadings” surface repeatedly.

God’s answered some more than others.

Some barely at all.

Or not at all.

But I pray on.

Here are 7 ways I’m pleading with God right now. Hope it serves you.

Stir me.

When I sit down with Scripture, I plead: “Open my eyes that I might see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18).

I ask God to lift the Scriptures off the page and stir my affections for Him.

When I go about my day, I ask God to show me wonder.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel shared, “Never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and He gave it to me.”

Wonder. I Plead for it.

Fill me.

I never want to settle for just being indwelled by the Holy Spirit. I plead to be filled with the Spirit.*

Jesus said, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13).

Key words, “How much more…”!

The Holy Spirit fills us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Holy Spirit gives us courage, boldness, specific direction, and more (Zehcariah 4:6; Acts 4:29: Acts 16:60).

There’s so much more God wants to give of Himself. So I plead for it.

Guide me.

The Psalmist declares: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Guidance begins with getting into God’s word and getting God’s word into me.

Then obeying it.

At the same time, I have to listen for the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit throughout the day:

“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).

Then I try not to just listen. But LISTEN.

Satisfy me.

I join with Moses to plead: “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives” (Psalm 90:14).

Every morning, I want to walk out of my garage door with a song in my heart and a whistle on my lips, satisfied in the love of God. Don’t you?

So I plead for it.

One of my favorite all-time quotes: “When you are the beloved of God, you can walk through any door with nothing to prove and nothing to lose.”

I don’t have to compare myself to anyone. Or self-pity. Or take things personally.

Because I am beloved. And Jesus is enough. So I plead it into my bones.

Restrain me.

We all have our sin-bents.

The temptations and sins that haunt and beckon us.

Especially when we are weak or wounded.

Like blood to a vampire you know if you partake there might be no turning back.

Join me in crying out: “Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin” (Psalm 19:13).

I don’t just pray for help. I plead for it.

Protect me.

And those I love.

Spiritual warfare is real. Really real.

Satan causes some illnesses and disease (Luke 13:16). He is a deceiver and a divider, especially of Christians (1 Timothy 4:1). He masks himself as an angel of light to do so (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). He’s a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44). On I could go.

But! He is defeated through Christ (1 John 3:8; Colossians 2:15)!

So I pray for experienced victory—currently for victory over any threat or reality of sickness, deception, and division in my family, and my church—Grace Community Church.

Families and churches are rarely destroyed by what happens to them, but by what happens in them. They’re destroyed not from without, but from within.

So I pray. No, I plead for protection and victory.

Thank you.

Not really a plea, but stay with me.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Lately, I’ve been thankful in a specific way. I’ve been intentional to thank God for whatever drives me to pray. Frankly, it’s been hardships, anxieties, and fears.

I’ve learned to thank God for the struggle because perhaps without it I wouldn’t be dependent and surrendered. I wouldn’t be praying. Or pleading.

So thank you, God, for all that compels me to bow my head or bow the knee.

Amen.

And amen.

What about you?

Which of the above spoke the most to you?

What have you been pleading lately?

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* (If you want to know more about being filled with the Holy Spirit, watch/listen to my message series called, “Beyond Belief.” )