Do you ever have a moment when you’re about to pray, and there is SO much on your overwhelmed, tired mind that it’s difficult to even know how and where to begin? Certainly a time of worship will calm you down and bring your spiritual eyes back into focus. But, there are instances when at this point, you just sit there and shake your head in either confusion or frustration. Let me offer you a simple way to perhaps order your prayer time: an alphabet prayer.

You can take this basic layout and use this list for a day or a week, but then change who or what you want to pray for specifically, in lieu of what I have suggested. In doing so, you make this more personal; a prayer that will allow you to focus more easily on the things or individuals that the Lord has put on your heart. Do a letter a day (that gives you nearly a month), or the entire alphabet each day. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is asking you to pray about. Our Father desires that we intercede on behalf of others and their lives, including our own, as Jesus does for us.

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”
Hebrews 5:7

A: for ANYONE going through ADDICTION, ABUSE, or trying to ADOPT.

B: our BODIES to be healed and be holy, and to be in a BODY of BELIEVERS.

C: for CHRISTIANS who are facing persecution stand strong in faith, our CHILDREN to learn from our (hopefully) Godly example, to be COMMITTED to spouse and living Godly lives.

D: our electronic DEVICES be a tool and not a DISTRACTION, and that the DEVIL lose today’s battles.

E: our EARS to hear the cries of others, and our EARS to listen to the voice of God’s Spirit.

F: our FAMILY to grow in FAITH, and we have no FEAR (except of God), others to FIND, for us to FORGIVE (as we’ve been forgiven) and let it go.

G: GOD’S kingdom spread on earth in the hearts of man, and GOD’S will be done by man.

H: people’s HEARTS choose to seek God and choose love, and for wives to desire HUSBAND alone while both seeking God’s HEART, to live in HARMONY with HUMANITY, give HOPE to those who need it, that we not be HYPOCRITES, we HUNGER for God’s way.

I: for ISRAELITES to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Lamb of God, INTERCESSION for others be done regularly.

J: JESUS Christ to be boldly proclaimed, JESUS’ name be spoken only in reverence, JUSTICE be served fairly with conviction (of heart), the peace of/in JERUSALEM.

K: KINDNESS be the fastest growing and sweetest fruit, for KNOWLEDGE of Scripture to deepen and be remembered by reading it more.

L: to LOVE others better, to LISTEN to other’s needs and the Holy Spirit’s nudging of conviction or direction, to LEAD our families and those we mentor in how to serve and obey God by serving others.

M: MONEY – to use it wisely, to give back to God his portion, and to bless others with it as led by Holy Spirit, to show MERCY to those who don’t deserve it (as we don’t either).

N: NOISE of the day be silenced, NAMES of people who need Jesus be prayed for, NEEDS of others be met by us as well as by God, we love our NEIGHBORS as ourselves.

O: OBEDIENCE to what God asks of us (10 commandments, love Him most), and willpower to OBEY with excellence.

P: have PASSION for the Lord is passionate about, PRAYER regularly with faith and repeatedly, know PEACE in our heart about all things, for the POLICE: for wisdom, protection, and courage.

Q: to QUESTION what pastors/teachers are saying about God’s word/to see if it’s truth, to ask QUESTIONS about our own faith: is it just tradition, or God’s Word?

R: each of us to REPENT daily of even small sins, READ daily God’s Word, find REST when doing work of God.

S: us to practice SELFLESSNESS, STUDY the SCRIPTURES, SPEAK boldly for truth, STAND for things of with STRENGTH.

T: you have a TESTIMONY: tell it! to TEACH those who have less understanding or no knowledge of who the Lord God is.

U: UNITY in our marriage, family and church body, UNDERSTANDING the Bible, UNBELIEVERS’ hearts be softened, ready to hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.

V: to make a VOW and keep it, for people to VALUE lives of everyone including unborn and elderly, for the VEIL that covers some eyes to be lifted.

W: ask for WISDOM in making decisions and discerning the facts/truth, for husbands to desire his WIFE alone and WANT to lead/guide her as head of home, for WIVES to serve God by serving husband in love.

X: each of us to EXAMINE our heart, goals, our thoughts, words and deeds, and pull out the weeds before they grow too big and deep.

Y: for YOU to YEARN for YAHWEH.

Z: ZEAL for things of God: 1. display fruits of the Spirit living in us, 2. faithfully trusting in God alone for our daily lives, 3. sharing the Good news of Jesus.

This prayer written by John, is what I pray for you:
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
3 John 1:2
and
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12

Food for thought: Why do we struggle to pray when we know it’s necessary? Our enemy also knows how important prayer is, so he tries to weaken and defeat us before we even begin!

Fun facts: Not praying for 7 days makes one weak for one week.

Photo by: Kari Wiseman – Focusing on the Flowers in Foreground